Reddit often gets a bad rep for being an echo chamber that permeates negativity. Never on r/bald, though. Even as someone who has yet to fully experience the effects of male pattern baldness, despite early signs — thanks, Dad! — I enjoy observing the earnest community of users who seek the final stroke of affirmation from fellow baldies and surrender to a hairless scalp. You will witness many a thread that begin with “Is it time?” accompanied by an aerial view of their heads. Whether it is hair loss experienced from sickness or genetics, they are always warmly embraced with this one specific meme: two fully bald men; one places his hand on the shoulder of another man who is severely balding — a Norwood 7 , to be exact. “It’s time.” As much as some men roll their eyes at others for spending more than a certain amount on grooming, swearing that they will never set foot in an upscale salon, their hair matters a lot to them. Ask anyone pushing 30, and they will tell you about the humbling experiences of standing in front of a mirror in Zara, where the spotlight shines directly from above. “Is it… less dense than before? Can I… see my scalp from here?” The knitted polo no longer matters. You leave the store, disgruntled. Hair, for most, stands as a signifier of virility and youth. It is understandable why a receding hairline or a thinning crown may feel like an assault to one’s own expression and identity. You first laugh at viral reels of men, post- op with engorged heads boarding flights from Turkey; then you become curious, wondering if you, too, need it someday. For some, that day has already arrived. With the help of leading aesthetic clinics and a transplant recipient, Men’s Folio discovers options besides booking that ticket for a new hairline.

IS BALDNESS IMMINENT FOR MOST MEN?
No, according to Dr Foo Wing Jian, the Hair Medical Director at Premier Clinic Mont Kiara in Kuala Lumpur. “Not everyone will become bald. As we age, it’s normal for hair density to change to some degree, but the extent varies. Genetics are a major factor. Some maintain a good amount of hair throughout their lives, while others can experience hair loss as early as in their 20s,” explains the Board- and LCP-Certified aesthetic physician.

WHAT ARE THE KINDS OF TREATMENTS AVAILABLE?
Overall, hair loss treatment boils down to preventative and restorative options. Preventative treatments aim to save any remaining hair, while restorative treatments replace hair that is already lost. Preventative measures geared to slow hair loss and maintain existing hair include medical treatments such as minoxidil and finasteride. Since hair loss is caused by DHT, a byproduct of testosterone that binds to hair follicles, shrinks them and shortens the hair growth cycle, finasteride helps lower DHT levels. Minoxidil, however, stimulates hair growth for as long as it is applied. Dr Clement Leong, medical director of Reborn Skin Clinic in Singapore, sees the scalp as a garden and follicles as the seeds. “Finasteride and minoxidil are fertilisers you pour on the surface. They form the backbone of hair loss management and are useful but require daily commitment for as long as you want the benefit.” “Hair transplants, such as Follicular Unit Excision (FUE), involve taking healthy hair follicles from a donor area, usually at the back or sides of the scalp, and then moving them to areas where the hair has come thinner or is missing,” explains Dr Foo. Dr Leong describes hair transplants as a restorative measure which involves moving mature plants from one bed to another. He notes that it is “brilliant in improving the hairline when the soil in the ‘donor’ area is healthy.” In between preventative and restorative treatments sits a combined approach like Reborn Skin Clinic’s Follicle Strong and Skinscape Clinic’s ExoHair Restore. Dr Harvey Ho, founder and medical director of Skinscape Clinic in Singapore, says that the treatment involves washing and preparing the scalp, then following up with microneedling, exosome application, and red LED therapy. “Microneedling creates micro- injuries that stimulate wound-healing pathways around the hair follicles and also creates microchannels for topical application. Exosomes contain signalling molecules that help support follicular activity and the surrounding scalp environment. Red LED then uses photobiomodulation to support cellular energy production and promote hair growth,” he explains. Rather than seeing it as an alternative, he still values medication to slow ongoing hair loss and preserve existing follicles.

Follicell Strong Anti-Hairloss Treatment

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH TREATMENT TO GO FOR?
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Follicell Strong is for clients who noticed gradual thinning, increased shedding or follicles that seem to have gone quiet but have yet to fully switch off. Once the follicles have fully miniaturised or an area has gone completely bald, then we start talking transplant, as no amount of fertiliser can grow such a follicle,” shares Dr Leong. According to Dr Foo, you can absolutely be too young for a hair transplant, but you can never be too early to start assessing hair loss levels. “Someone in their 20s might already be losing hair, but I wouldn’t necessarily recommend surgery immediately. Firstly, we need to understand why they’re losing hair and how their hair loss may progress.” In fact, starting Lifestyle Features treatment early can help preserve more natural hair and potentially delay the need for surgery. Some patients who come in asking for a transplant may also be turned away upon assessment, as it might not be the right treatment or the right time. “Their hair loss might be too mild, still progressing, their donor area may be limited, or their expectations may not be realistic.” Dr Ho adds that solutions typically involve a combination of medication and treatments, alongside steps to optimise lifestyle, diet, and scalp health. However, transplants do not necessarily have to be a last resort. “Those who want an immediate and significant increase in hair density and are comfortable with the cost and procedure can consider a transplant earlier. The important bit is addressing the underlying cause, because a transplant adds new hair, but it doesn’t stop existing hair from continuing to thin,” explains Dr Ho.

WHAT ABOUT DOWNTIME AND RESULTS?
For FUE hair transplants, most patients can return to light daily activities within 1 to 2 days and may notice redness and small scabs for around 7 to 10 days, depending on the individual and the number of grafts transplanted. Some may also experience mild swelling for a few days. While the transplanted hair may shed a few weeks post-procedure, recipients will begin to observe new growth after 3 to 4 months. Results will generally continue to develop for 9 to 12 months, sometimes even longer. “The procedure may only take a day, but results require patience,” shares Dr Foo. In general, results for other hair loss treatments may depend on the cause, severity, and whether hair follicles are still viable. “Clinically, we see improvements in stages, by noticing reduced shedding followed by improvements in hair quality and thickness. Density takes longer because follicles need to progress through natural growth cycles, so meaningful changes are measured in months rather than weeks,” shares Dr Ho. At Reborn Skin Clinic, Dr Leong emphasises the importance of managing patients’ expectations. “The scalp may feel refreshed, or maybe sensitive at first, but between weeks 4 to 8, you’ll notice the scalp feeling more comfortable and the hair texture improving. Real results build between months three and nine.”

ARE THERE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HAIR LOSS TREATMENTS?
A transplant does not permanently solve hair loss. It replaces hair in areas that are lost, but original hair can continue to fall out — creating a gap between the transplanted and remaining natural hair. “This is why I strongly emphasise medical treatment to maintain, when appropriate. A good hair transplant is not about creating a hairline today. It’s about what the scalp may look like five, 10, 20 years from now,” shares Dr Foo. Rather than creating an excessively low or dense hairline, he finds it more important to recommend a natural and age-appropriate one.

OK, WE’VE HEARD FROM THE DOCTORS. ARE THERE ANECDOTES FROM A RECIPIENT?
Meet CP, a 30-year-old risk controller in the crypto industry, who shares his journey nine months after his transplant. Having been self-conscious about his high hairline since secondary school, he always hated strict grooming policies that required short, cropped hair, which exposed his forehead at school. “I’ve always worn my hair like a helmet, which I hated. After school, I spent years trying to find a style that suited me, I couldn’t.” At 27 , he noticed that his hairline had started to recede further, which raised a red flag.

He started with medicated shampoos formulated with minoxidil and caffeine, before moving on to topical minoxidil. While he noticed improvements, it still was not what he had hoped for. At 28, CP researched options offered by local clinics. “Being based in Malaysia, the price ranges from RM4 to RM6 per strand. The difference comes down to the experience of the practitioner and their establishment.” A work stint in Dubai the following year actually worsened his hair loss, which he attributed to the weather and water quality. Upon a friend’s recommendation, CP went with a highly rated Kuala Lumpur-based clinic that happened to mark down its price to RM5 per strand due to competition. Downtime-wise, he only had to abstain from washing his hair and wearing caps for a week. “You can’t wet or do anything to the scalp, such as picking at the scabs, during the first week. You’ll receive your first hair wash at the clinic after the first week, and they’ll hand you baby shampoo and antibacterial wash, followed by oral finasteride and minoxidil for maintenance.” The only thing he wishes he had known beforehand was the shedding that initially happens post-transplant. However, by the fourth to fifth month, he already started to notice results, and baby hairs growing by the seventh month. He felt normal by the eighth month.

SHOULD I DO MY PROCEDURE OVERSEAS? IT SEEMS TO BE THE POPULAR OPTION.
“There are good doctors and clinics in many countries, so I wouldn’t say one particular country automatically gives you better results. It comes down to who’s performing the procedure, their experience, how the treatment is planned, and how the follicles are handled,” says Dr Foo. The consensus among practitioners is that local treatments allow for continuity of care. “Hair loss treatment is an ongoing process, which requires regular in-clinic processes, medications where appropriate, monitoring of response, and adjusting the plan as you go. It’s just harder to do that consistently with an overseas clinic,” shares Dr Ho. A one-off procedure overseas may offer a cost advantage, but the trade- off is proper follow-up and aftercare. “If you have an infection or concerns about healing or aren’t sure whether graft survival is progressing as it should, your doctor may not be able to assess you in person,” adds Dr Ho. “Holistically, a hair transplant isn’t a one-time event when you do the procedure and never see the doctor again; your hair can continue to change over the years and require further assessment.” Price alone should never be the sole factor in making that decision. For CP, picking where to undergo his procedure depended on more than the price, too. “Price-wise, countries like Turkey and Korea are not too far off from Malaysia. However, it was important for me to work with a clinic that understood my aesthetic values, so I wanted somewhere closer to home. Locations like China had many options and very competitive pricing, but reviews and ratings were difficult to pinpoint, as many clinics shared their portfolios. I was also concerned with infection rates and the quality of the procedure, so I decided to do it locally where it was more convenient to communicate and for follow-ups.”

IS THE HASSLE WORTH IT?
“I feel more confident, definitely. I’ve been playing around with my hairstyle for the past two months, because I’ve only just fully grown out my hair,” shares CP. He now enjoys short, cropped haircuts because he gets to show off his forehead. Patients have told Dr Foo how they now feel more comfortable taking photographs, meeting new people, going on dates, or simply looking at themselves in the mirror. In fact, he too considers it a success when a patient comes to him for a transplant and then decides against it.

Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our October 2026 issue.