The trend for all things hipster has triggered a surge in the number of facial hair transplants, surgeons say, with men willing to pay up to $7,000 to get instant stubble on their lunch break.
Dr. Jeffrey Epstein, a top plastic surgeon based in New York City, told DNAinfo that he treats about three beardless patients a week - removing healthy hair follicles from their heads and using micro blades to re-insert them on the face. In the past he would only see a handful of such cases a year.
'Whether you are talking about the Brooklyn hipster or the advertising executive, the look is definitely to have a bit of facial hair,' he said of the latest men's cosmetic craze.
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Get the look: The trend for all things hipster has triggered a surge in the number of facial hair transplants surgeons say, with men willing to pay up to $7,000 to get instant beards on their lunch break (stock image)
The 'Brad Pitt scruff' is one of the most common requests Dr. Epstein receives, along with the 'Tom Selleck mustache'.
Dr. Yael Halaas, another Manhattan-based specialist in facial hair transplants, also confirmed that an increasing number of 'hip' and 'fashionable' young professionals are seeking prickly complexions.
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'I get a lot of detail-oriented people - artists, architects,' shesaid, noting that hipster-centric neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, Bushwick and Park Slope in Brooklyn have each delivered four to five clients to her practice in the past year.
'Whether you are talking about the Brooklyn hipster or the advertising executive, the look is definitely to have facial hair'
Facial hair transplantation is a procedure which restores hair to areas where facial hair growth is thin or missing.
While this procedure is most commonly performed on the goatee and mustache areas, it can also be performed on beards, sideburns and cheeks.
Loss of facial hair may occur for a number of reasons including the result of genetics, laser hair removal, electrolysis, surgery, burns or injury.
A 39-year-old who works in the catering industry told DNA info that he got a beard transplant in April 2013 because his hair had thinned as he aged.
Speedy process: The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia and lasts two to five hours. It is essentially painless, as is the recovery period, which takes around four days
After getting the treatment he said he could play with all types of looks, from fully bearded to scruffy to clean-shaven.
Goals for this procedure can vary from a minor filling in or thin coverage of a limited area starting at around $3,000, to the full restoration of a thick, full goatee or beard for more than twice the price.
The procedure is usually performed under local anesthesia and lasts two to five hours. It is essentially painless, as is the recovery period, which takes around four days.
Just as with a hair transplant to the head, the donor hairs for a facial hair transplant come from the back or sides of the scalp. On rare occasions patients who are balding might be able to use chest hair.
I am very pleased with the results of my beard transplant. It gives a clean look without looking too scruffy and disheveled'
Once transplanted, the hairs are permanent and typically grow just like facial hair with similar texture and other characteristics. Furthermore, they can be shaved just as you would naturally grown facial hair.
The number of grafts required can vary but averages are as follows: 350-500 grafts for the mustache, 600-700 grafts for a full goatee, 200-250 grafts for each sideburn, and 300-700 grafts for a cheek beard.
While not very common, some patients may require a second procedure to transplant additional grafts if they desire a very thick density.
One patient treated by Dr. Epstein concluded: 'I am very pleased with the results and have even grown a full beard that I keep trimmed to a fairly short length.
'This gives a clean look without looking too scruffy and disheveled. Of course, the compliments are abundant, and that is a good thing too!'
