grafts · angle
Beard and moustache transplant
A beard transplant places grafts taken from the nape into the areas of the face where hair does not grow, at the angle facial hair naturally leaves the skin.
Image. Fotoğraf: Nikolaos Dimou / Pexels
Technically a beard transplant is the same operation as a hair transplant: the grafts still come from the nape. The difference is in the placement. Hair leaves the scalp at 40–45 degrees; on the face that angle drops to 15–20. Get it wrong and the hairs stand up, and the result does not look natural even when it is trimmed.
That is why the direction map matters more than the graft count in beard work. The jaw line, the cheeks, the sideburns and the moustache each want a different angle and a different density.
The second constraint is donor capacity. Every graft moved to the face is a graft that cannot later be used for the scalp. In a patient who is also losing scalp hair, the two areas are budgeted together, in that order of priority, at the first consultation.
Treatments
Beard and Moustache Transplant
Moustache Transplant
Graft transfer into sparse or patchy areas of the upper lip. 350–600 grafts, at the flattest angle on the face.Sideburn Transplant
Completing the temple-to-beard transition. 200–350 grafts per side; symmetry and continuity with the hairline decide it.Beard Thickening
Adding grafts between existing hairs in the sparse parts of a beard, without damaging the follicles already there. 500–1,500 grafts.Decision guides
Decision guides
- Beard transplant or thickening?A beard transplant fills areas where no hair grows at all; thickening adds grafts between existing sparse hairs. Both use the same technique, and the difference is the graft count — typically 800–1,500 grafts for an empty jaw line, 400–900 for thickening a sparse area.
- Preparing for a beard transplantPreparation starts 7 days before: blood thinners and aspirin are stopped only with the approval of the doctor who prescribed them, supplements such as vitamin E and fish oil are stopped 7 days before, alcohol is stopped 3 days and smoking 7 days before, and facial hair is left unshaved for the 3 days before the procedure.
Frequently asked questions
How many grafts does a beard transplant need?
It depends on the area. Typical planning ranges are 800–1,500 grafts for the jaw line alone, 2,000–3,500 for a full beard including the cheeks, 350–600 for the moustache, and 200–350 per side for sideburns. The exact figure comes from measuring the area where hair does not grow.
Can transplanted beard hair be shaved?
Yes. No razor or clipper touches the area for the first ten days. Once the crusts have gone you can tidy with scissors, and from the end of the first month you can shave with a razor. The transplanted hairs are permanent and grow like the rest of your beard, which means they need trimming.
Does a beard transplant leave scars?
No incision is made in the recipient area; grafts go into micro-channels, so there is nothing to scar. The donor area is left with 0.7–0.9 mm punctate marks that are not visible once the hair grows.
When is the final result visible?
The transplanted hairs shed in weeks 2–4 and start growing back from month 3. Final density in the beard area settles slightly earlier than on the scalp, at months 9–12.
I have patchy growth from alopecia areata — can I have this done?
Not while it is active. Patchy loss caused by alopecia areata can recur and can affect transplanted hairs too, so the condition needs to be stable and confirmed by a dermatologist first. Bring any diagnosis or treatment history you have from your own doctor to the pre-assessment.
This page is general information and does not replace a clinical examination. The method, dose and timescale that apply to you are decided by a doctor after examining you.
Pre-assessment
Describe your situation and we will answer with a measurement
Send a photograph or an X-ray. A doctor in the relevant speciality will reply with a graft range, a number of teeth or a dose range in units. If you are not suitable, we say so plainly.