Hair restoration should not, and need not, be a taboo in modern society, says rising South African star Thabiso Bapela, known for his roles in Giyani: Land of Blood, Gomora and Generations: The Legacy.
More and more, men aren’t spared the same vice of frivolous beauty ideals that hold women captive, and Bapela joins the call from a growing number of A-list celebrities who have sought solutions for their hair journey and have been remarkably helped by Alvi Armani. They include cricketer Faf du Plessis, rugby player Victor Matfield, famous wedding singer and pianist Simon Dorey, actor Jonathan Boynton-Lee, TV presenter Janez Vermeiren, and former Mr South Africa Armand du Plessis.
Two years after first noticing his hair was thinning, and less than a year after he approached the hair restoration clinic, Bapela underwent his hair transplant procedure, choosing to do something about premature hair loss, even though it comes with the stigma of having gone under the knife. But this is more common than the general populace thinks. Male-pattern baldness contributes to appreciable hair loss in men by their early 30s, making them think about hair transplants and wigs.
“I’d say it’s still a bit of a taboo to get a hair transplant in South Africa. People don’t generally speak openly about hair loss and restoration, which means few people even know what options are available to them. The truth is, there’s really nothing to lose and a lot to gain from undergoing the procedure earlier rather than later,” Bapela notes.
Thinning hair had significantly impacted his confidence in growing his hair out. Fearing that his scalp would be too visible or that he may look older than he is, he had taken to adopting buzz cuts.
Ultimately, he opted for the Maximus Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) procedure to gain more flexibility in his hairstyle options.
“The decision didn’t have anything to do with my career, or about how I felt about myself. I wanted more freedom in what I could do with my hair; how I could style it. That said, I do believe it’s going to provide me with a substantial boost in confidence once I’m able to grow it out,” he says.
Bapela began his journey with Alvi Armani with an initial consultation nearly a year ago, when he and the hair restorations team discussed his expectations and concerns, the Maximus FUE procedure process, risks and benefits, his medical history and various lifestyle factors, and the recovery process. A personalised treatment plan was then designed according to his needs.
According to Dr Kashmal Kalan, medical director at Alvi Armani South Africa, “Not all hair transplantation methods are the same. Some are more invasive, painful and prone to scarring than others. Some also produce sparse and unnatural results that do not match the patient’s facial features and age. That’s why it’s absolutely critical to choose a reputable and experienced clinic that employs the best technique for your needs and will achieve the optimal results for each individual case.”
Alvi Armani has been a leading brand in the hair restoration field for over 40 years, with clinics in South Africa, America, India, Dubai, Argentina and Uruguay. Its highly trained surgeons specialise in FUE: a minimally invasive transplantation technique that extracts individual hair follicles from the donor area and implants them in the recipient area.
Its proprietary Maximus FUE method allows for the extraction of more than 3 500 follicles in a single session with minimal discomfort, no visible long-term scarring, and fast recovery times.
Maximus FUE does not require a scalpel or channel cuts to the scalp to extract and implant follicles, and ensures optimal use of the donor hair and leaves no visible scar.
As the curtain falls on Gomora this week, hair transplant surgery has provided a reliable and lasting solution to Bapela’s hair loss, enabling him to regain his freedom and self-assurance. By recreating his natural hair and restoring hair density, he will experience a significant boost in confidence and a renewed sense of self.
