By Melanie Finn
Publication : www.mirror.co.uk
Date: 12/ 12 / 2011
LOUIS Walsh had a £30,000 hair transplant after Simon Cowell told him he was going thin on top.
The Irish judge, who had the procedure done at a top clinic in Dublin in August, said his fellow judges all knew about the secret op.
Louis said: “I keep telling Gary he needs it next. I always clock him glancing at my hair on the show. I’m giving Gary the number so hopefully he can get that bald patch at the back of his head sorted out.”
Louis, 59, had the procedure done at Hair Restoration Blackrock (HRBR) in Dublin by Dr Maurice Collins who specialises in Ultra Refined Follicular Unit Transplantation (URFUT).
This involves hair being taken from the back of the head and implanted in the scalp where it’s thinning.
Louis revealed he made the decision to have the op after jibes from Cowell.
He said: “He came up to me and said ‘You know, you’re starting to lose your hair dear’. I said, ‘I am not dear. And anyway, you’re going grey.’”
But Cowell refused to take no for an answer telling him: “Darling. You are. You’re losing your hair.”
Horrified by his comments he quietly sought the services of Dr Collins who also has a clinic on London’s Harley Street.
Louis said: “I could have just left it and got on with things but with TV today, everything is in high definition and people notice every little thing.
“And if you’re getting on, and you’re on TV with a lot of young people, you have to look after yourself. So I thought ‘I don’t want a bald spot. I’m going to get this sorted’”.
Louis explained that fans wouldn’t see his new hair immediately.
He said: “The procedure I had was the best because they use your own hair to replace what’s missing, rather than anything else.
“It seems to have worked really well and wasn’t painful.
“But you won’t actually see the full results for another few months because the transplant takes a year to fully come through.”
Louis also compared the procedure was similar to “going to the doctor and getting something done for your heart before it goes”.
He added: “It’s called maintainance. It’s not a wig or a syrup of figs or an Irish jig. It’s just me with my own hair, feeling better. I wanted to get the problem solved before it became a problem.”
He said that other stars such as Wayne Rooney and James Nesbitt talking openly about their transplants had convinced him also to go public.
“I saw what it had done for other people. I saw James Nesbitt before and after and I thought, ‘Hey, he looks better.’”
Louis sparked rumours he had cosmetic surgery in the summer after showing off a remarkably smooth forehead. At the time he denied having Botox to iron out any wrinkles . The popular judge has previously had surgery to remove bags from under his eyes
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/mobile/topcelebs/2011/12/10/x-factor-judge-louis-walsh-has-30k-hair-transplant-after-simon-cowell-jibe-115875-23623890/#ixzz1gR30VA9k
About the Author
DR Maurice Collins
Consultant Surgeon
MB, B.Ch, BAO, DLO, FRCSI, FRCS, FRCSEd.
Registered with the Medical Council of Ireland
Dr Collins is Medical Director and Team Principal of Hair Restoration Blackrock. He was educated at Belvedere College Dublin and did his undergraduate medical studies at University College Dublin. After graduating as a doctor he trained in General Surgery and received his Fellowship (FRCSI) in this specialty from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
Find out more about DR Maurice Collins and our team of doctors and surgeons.
