Top 10 celebrity beards: Men desperate to be trendy are having facial hair transplants
SMOOTH-cheeked chaps are having beard transplants to keep up with 'hipster' trends and celebrity style, says a new survey
It seems achieving a six-pack and bulging biceps is no longer enough for today's image-conscious men.
Now, the "hipster" trend for sporting full bushy facial scruff is driving fresh-faced gentlemen to desperate measures with three quarters of surgeons reporting an increase in enquiries for beard transplants in the past year.
According to research by private healthcare search engine whatclinic.com, more than a quarter (27 per cent) of beard transplant patients are following the trend for thicker, bushier beards.
Of those polled, patchy or uneven beard growth is a problem and almost a third (31 per cent) of patients requesting a beard transplant want fuller coverage over their chin and cheeks. More than a quarter (26 per cent) of beard transplants are to cover scarring.
Beards have become a prominent feature on the catwalks and celebrity red carpet in recent years, and that trend has fed through to the high street.
Many men interested in having a beard transplant, a procedure that removes hair follicles from the back of the scalp, cite hirsute heartthrobs as inspiration.
Here we look at the top 10 most popular celebrity stubble requested by smooth-cheeked chaps at the hair transplant clinic...
1. BRAD PITT
Angelina Jolie's long-term partner says he likes to grow a beard every now and again because he gets "bored." He's experimented with everything from a goatee to a long, curly perm-like beard.
2. GEORGE CLOONEY
The Hollywood actor's facial hair is so trendy that it was once blamed for a decline in razor sales. George is one of the few people that fans prefer with a beard rather than without.
3. BEN AFFLECK
Ben's beard is so popular that it has even got its own Twitter account (@Afflecks_beard). His facial hair was once touted as "the best in Hollywood".
4. COLIN FARRELL
Moustaches and goatees can look disastrous on the wrong guy but Irish actor Colin makes both look effortlessly cool.
5. ZAC EFRON
Zac reckons his wispy facial hair makes his look less attractive and calls it the "ugly beard". We bet his hoards of teenage fans beg to differ...
6. TOM HARDY
The Star Trek star says he doesn't bother pruning his beard, he just lets it grow naturally. "I grew it myself," the Brit hunk said. "If you don't shave, that's what happens."
7. GARY BARLOW
The Take That singer-songwriter moves away from boyband hunk and becomes ultimate man candy with his carefully cared for facial hair.
8. LEONARDO DICAPRIO
With his boyish face, perhaps it's Leo's goatee and sideburns that have helped him attract numerous Victoria's Secret model girlfriends?
9. JOHNNY DEPP
The actor's splattering of uneven facial hair adds to his grunge-like appeal even if he does to be stuck in the Nineties.
10. WAYNE ROONEY
The Manchester United footballer admitted to having a hair transplant on his head but seems to be able to grow a sizeable amount of stubble on his chin.