How Old Do You Have To Be To Have a Hair Transplant?'

Name: Joe

Question: How old do you have to be to have a hair transplant?

Answer: Hi Joe. Generally hair transplants are generally not recommended for men under 30 years of age, although some surgeons will accept patients in their mid-20s depending on their level of hair loss. It is up to the individual surgeon to make that call.

We do not offer invasive surgery here at Belgravia but our highly respected hair transplant partner Dr. Farjo is a firm believer in the idea that clients should understand all options available to them before committing to surgery. Speaking to the BBC's Newsbeat show in 2011, he noted how men were signing up for hair transplants much too early in their lives. He said that he would be reluctant to operate on anyone under 25 and warned that “if you have surgery too early and you go bald, you don’t have enough hair to keep chasing the hair loss.”

In a survey carried out at the time by the BBC, 14 out of 17 hair transplant surgeons agreed that restoration operations should not be carried out on younger men. This is something which is becoming increasingly relevant as reports from America suggest social media's 'selfie culture' is currently causing a boom in the number of teenagers seeking hair transplants. Sometimes these would-be patients are as young as 16 years old which has sparked debate as to whether it is ethical to carry out this type of cosmetic surgery on teenagers.


If you are 25 or younger and looking to address signs of male hair loss sooner rather than later, minoxidil, a topical, non-invasive treatment for male pattern hair loss can be used from 16 years of age, and finasteride 1mg tablets can be taken from age 18, once a medical assessment has been successfully completed.

Whilst these clinically-proven male hair loss treatments form an effective course for preventing further hair loss and promoting regrowth; supplementary hair growth supporting products can also be used where appropriate. These treatments also form the cornerstone of the pre-transplant preparation and post-op aftercare courses that will need to be followed in order to maintain the results of surgery. So, if you do decide to investigate surgical options in the future, your hair should be well prepared and in the best shape for a surgeon to work with.

The hair loss specialist who puts together your personalised treatment plan can also refer you to a reputable transplant surgeon, if requested. However, we often find that men are so pleased with their regrowth results from following their recommended course - which is tailored specifically to each client's needs in terms of condition, level and pattern of shedding as well as taking into account medical and lifestyle factors - that they no longer need to consider surgery.