Feeling good with my hair transplant...

Testimony: how do hair implants and hair transplants work?  

François Laly is both a hairdresser and a make-up artist. A year ago, he and his partner set up a production company specializing in events. François started losing his hair very early, at the age of 24... For him, the beginning of his hair loss was quite the ordeal, especially as he works in the beauty industry! Today, François has opted for hair transplantation: to have implants, that is . Today, he tells us about his hair adventure, but also about how he learned to find balance afterwards. A classy style, a gracious attitude, a beard and short hair, deep eyes that speak volumes... François knows how to look at people. And not just in the mirror.

Describe your relationship with your hair?

I loved it until I was in my twenties. Then I hated it when I started to lose it. And then I learned to love it again. It was beautiful, curly, thick. And then, when I was 26, I had a big emotional shock, I lost someone close to me. My hair really started to fall out in clumps, along the hairline.

How did you experience your hair loss?

It gave me a big complex, I avoided mirrors, I hated myself. In the morning, I put on a cap and that was it. I almost wanted to disappear. My job accentuated this uneasiness, because we are very much in the spotlight; we spend our time in front of a mirror to do someone else's hair; we touch beautiful hair every day. We are not just hairdressers and make-up artists; we also have an image to uphold. It's like for an actor, you need to feel good in order to go out there. And I spent two and a half years of my life hating myself. I really did! But one day, I reacted. I started doing research. I saw a surgeon. And I decided to have a hair transplant four years ago.

How does a hair transplant operation work?

You’re under a local anesthetic: four hours of removal (3500 bulbs were taken from the back of my head) and four hours of transplantation. It was very painful for the next few days. And I couldn't put my head down at all, not even on a pillow. But after ten days, it grew back. I thought: that's cool. I have hair!

Is it hard for you to talk about?

For me, it's easy to talk about... Because you can't see it. And also because it was really an eye-opener for me. I realized that you can actually learn to love yourself again. But when you start the transplant, you know it's only the beginning. You can slow down hair loss, but the hair keeps falling out.

What message would you like to share with your testimonial?

I want to help people feel good, to overcome their complex. I want to tell them that transplants aren't the only option (they cost money!); there are a wide range of solutions: micro-tattoos, hairpieces that are glued on, essential oil treatments, massages, powder that camouflages a bit, and perhaps, tomorrow, hair cloning. Who knows? 
Hair in general is pretty good. It has an incredible strength. That's why I love it so much. Today, in my work, I make wigs and hairpieces: I find it fascinating to understand how hair works. I know that it can give hope.