Hair loss can be a difficult reality to come to terms with, not least for Strictly Come Dancing pro Anton du Beke, who recently opened up about undergoing a hair transplant procedure.
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Anton, who is known as the "King" of the Strictly ballroom, told Steph McGovern on Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch why he opted to have a hair transplant, admitting his confidence was tarnished as his hair loss got worse.
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“I started to lose my hair a few years ago… Every time I looked in the mirror it’s all I could see", said Anton.
A hair transplant is a procedure in which a plastic or dermatological surgeon moves hair follicles from the back or side of the head to a bald area of the head. When done professionally, the results can be life-changing for people like Anton who feel vulnerable due to their balding.
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The 54-year-old admitted he was incredibly camera shy at his lowest point. “I had a period of time when I tried to do all my photos in profile… It’s sort of always on your mind. It starts to consume you.”
Anton opened up about his hair loss journey
Asked whether losing his hair knocked his confidence, Anton said: “It does in certain aspects, not as a performer… In normal life. You’re either ok with it or you’re not ok with it so if you know you’re not ok with it then, for me, it was a case of do something about it.”
Anton explained how the transplant came about, saying: “I was playing golf with Jimmy Nesbitt who’s famously had hair transplants and I went to his guy… It immediately transformed my life… All of that stuff that was going on went away.”
Anton is the only professional to have been on Strictly since its launch
Admitting the procedure wasn't all plain sailing, the star revealed: “It is a painful procedure, so you accept it for what it is. It doesn’t hurt as much as looking into the mirror and seeing your hairline disappearing.”
Anton was very honest about having had the procedure in the aftermath of it. He explained to Steph: “I owned it, I would talk about it… I had no interest in pretending. I wanted to go ‘look, I’ve had a bit of crop rotation, I’ve ripped a bit from the back and shoved it on the front.’”
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Steph’s Packed Lunch airs weekdays at 12.30pm on Channel 4.