A firefighter nicknamed “Baldilocks” claims he felt “second best” before a Turkey hair transplant changed his life forever.
Christopher James’ thinning hair was the butt of the jokes for as long as he could remember.
The 39-year-old would always hide it from view, living in hats and being filled with anxiety every time he was forced to expose his hairline.
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For years, he was known as “Baldilocks” and “Recedo”, jokes which he often laughed at but eventually wore him down.
One day, the ex-firefighter decided enough was enough, booking himself a flight to Turkey to finally get his hair sorted.
“You start to feel like you’re not really seen in the same way,” said Christopher, from Bournemouth.
“I basically lived in a hat.
“I even had different ones to match different outfits.
“I felt fine with it on, but as soon as it came off, the dread would kick in.
“You just think, ‘Oh God’.”
Aged just 20, Christopher’s hair began receding; the subtle changes rapidly became his biggest insecurity, as reported by Need To Know.
As time went on, his confidence disappeared, always comparing himself to his pals and often shrinking in social situations – especially when meeting women.
This prompted him to explore a number of different options to bring his hair back – from hair fibres to laser treatments.
The desperation to change his looks cost him a whopping £1,000 – with little to show for it.
Christopher was left “crushed” after being told by a top hair transplant clinic in London that it might not even work for him and that the procedure would cost thousands.
The devastating news left him feeling hopeless, until he bumped into a friend who was previously bald and now had a full head of hair.
His pal had recently had a hair transplant in Turkey – a trip arranged by Longevita.
Christopher followed in his friend’s footsteps, jetting off to Istanbul and undergoing a 4,500-graft FUE hair transplant.
Christopher said: “I remember looking in the mirror and thinking I looked like a new man.
“I was buzzing.”
The return of his hair changed Christopher’s life forever, with his newfound confidence a “turning point”.
After 13 years in the fire service, he decided to pursue his dream role as a fitness coach.
He said: “I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now if I hadn’t done it.
“It gave me that belief in myself.
“If you’d told me 10 years ago this would be my biggest worry, I’d have taken it in a heartbeat.
“I just wish someone had spoken about it when I was in that position.
“At the time, it felt like something you just had to deal with on your own.”
“I know how much it can affect you.
“And I know how much things can change when you actually decide to do something about it.”
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