Lee Mead: TV and West End star says hair transplant is 'personal'

The actor Lee Mead has undergone hair transplant surgery in Istanbul

Television and theatre star Lee Mead has revealed that hair transplant surgery has boosted his confidence.

The 41-year-old actor, from Southend, Essex, underwent an eight-hour operation in Turkey and posted updates on his social media accounts.

He told BBC Essex the treatment was "three times cheaper than in the UK".

But the authority that oversees hair transplant surgery in the UK has warned patients to "do their homework" before heading abroad.

The former Casualty and Holby City actor said he had been hiding his receding hairline behind his trademark curly hair for many years.

Lee Mead played the role of Ben 'Lofty' Chiltern in Casualty

"I hide it really well but my crown was receding quite a lot and the centre top part of my head," he said.

"When they shaved my head for the operation I didn't realise I was actually losing a lot more hair than I thought. I did have a large mop of hair that covered those areas."

• BBC Sounds: Lee Mead on his hair transplant surgery

Before his surgery, Mr Mead told his Instagram fans he was "nervous but excited" - and afterwards posted a video at Istanbul airport sporting his post-surgery look.

"It's a very personal thing," Mr Mead said.

"There's nothing wrong with being bald but I knew for my confidence I wanted to get it done.

"I was a bit nervous about being public about it but to own that and to feel confident is a good thing."

Mead posted updates on his Instagram account before and after his hair transplant surgery

But Greg Williams, vice president of the British Association of Hair Restoration Surgery (BAHRS), warned: "This is not a commodity like buying a kettle.

"Hair transplant surgery is a medical procedure - not a cosmetic one.

"A post-op image is not the result of the surgery - it takes a year to evolve. It's an ongoing process, not a one-point-in-time event."

The association offers advice and guidance to patients considering hair transplant surgery and represents qualified professionals who work in the field.

Dr Williams said hair transplant surgery was becoming more "destigmatized" but - with cost a factor - many people sought cheaper alternatives abroad.

Lee Mead said he was able to hide his receding hairline under his trademark curly hair

A hair transplant in the UK can cost anywhere between £1,000 and £30,000 - according to the NHS - depending on the extent of hair loss, the type of procedure and the clinic that carries it out.

The operation works by taking healthy hair follicles from the back of the head and transplanting them into thinner areas at the front.

"Hair loss for men or women can be devastating," Dr Williams said.

"Men struggle to hide it and don't talk about it but it's no less distressing than it is for women. Often men will come into clinics and once the door is closed they get very emotional.

"In ethical clinics, patients will also be educated on the medical implications over time."

A patient prepares for hair transplant surgery in a Turkish clinic

He said patients should be aware of the qualifications of the clinicians involved, that any skin cutting and care plan decisions must be through a doctor - and that the clinic must be fully regulated (in England by the Care Quality Commission and by the equivalent regulatory bodies in the devolved nations).

"Do your homework very carefully," Dr Williams warned, "and beware of the hard sell on cheaper options.

"You can get a good hair transplant overseas, but make sure you know what the recourse is if it goes wrong."

The BAHRS will be taking part in a live stream about what patients should be aware of when considering hair transplant surgery on 16 February.