A balding man has opened up about how much his life changed after a hair replacement shaved years off his appearance. Adam Sinclair, a former bus driver, took the plunge after suffering from severe hair loss since the age of 17, resulting in him going completely bald by the time he turned 19.
The 30-year-old told The Daily Star how much of an impact the hair loss had on his mental health, as it shattered his self-esteem when people mistook him for being far older than he was. Last August, Sinclair decided to make a change by fitting a hair replacement system in the hope to grow a full head of hair.
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The previously insecure man was blown away by the amazing results, and took to TikTok to reveal his new look that 'takes 7 years off his age'.
The viral video racked up millions of views, thanks to the stunning transformation that left people gobsmacked.
Sinclair chose a £350 hair system fitted by Novo Cabelo owner, Rob Wood. In the viral clip, hair expert Wood is seen asking viewers how old they thought Sinclair was, with most answers coming in at late thirties or even forties.
The video then shows Wood attaching one of the hair systems, which consists of a cap that's covered in thousands of hairs that is glued to a client's head.
Sinclair, who is from East London, couldn't hold back the tears as Wood removes his blindfold to reveal the transformation.
The 30-year-old has since spoken candidly about the transformation, saying: "To be honest, my whole life has changed. It has felt like going from the background character to being the main character.
"There is now a massive difference with my confidence and mental health. The reason I think I cried in the video is I don’t think I realised how much it was affecting me," he continued.
Coming to terms with the struggled that hair loss caused him, Sinclair went on to explain: "I cried because I didn’t recognise myself and I was happy with what I saw.
"I am just very happy now and my only regret is not doing it earlier. I’m now making up for lost time."
Prior to his hair treatment, Sinclair struggled to find love as his lack of confidence held him back.
Everything has changed since then, as he claims he was flooded with messages from women after the hair replacement.
He said: "It was going from chasing to being chased. It was quite strange I must admit. It felt like the table had turned between men and women.
"I did go on a few dates to be fair. I was definitely a lot busier than I’ve ever been on a Friday and Saturday night."
After dipping his toe back into the dating world, Sinclair has settled down with a new girlfriend he met three months ago.
Adamant that he wouldn't have approached his new partner if he hadn't had the hair replacement, Sinclair shared: "We met in a bar and just hit it off and it has been really lovely.
"I was quite open about the hair and she couldn't believe it. And I would say that I wouldn't have approached her beforehand.
He added that he can now just 'go up to someone' rather than resorting to dating apps to find a relationship.
Enjoying this new-found confidence has made Sinclair realise just how far he's come. He used to struggle with anxiety when talking to strangers, through fear that they'd judge his appearance.
The recruitment worker says that people's eyes would often drift up towards his head mid conversation, and even revealed that people would savagely tag him in mock spot the difference clips online showing a row of eggs and a bald head.
Despite those difficult moments in his hair journey, Sinclair says that his friends have been hugely supportive since his transformation.
He also shared that fellow West Ham fans have shown support at football games. "You might think they are a bunch of reprobates but they are really supportive," Sinclair explained.
"My biggest fear was being at West Ham and someone behind me starting a chant that I'm wearing a wig but they have been so supportive."
Now finding himself with a full head of hair to contend with, Sinclair reveals that he spends 10 minutes styling his fresh locks every morning.
He even dubbed himself as a 'pro' with the hair dryer now, but admits that "when I first got it done it was like learning how to drive again. I didn't know what I was doing".
Sinclair says that his only regret is not opting for a hair replacement treatment earlier, as he feels 'robbed' of his younger years.
"I should have done this five years ago," he explained. "Times have changed and there is a lot less stigma now".
Encouraging any man in a similar position to 'take the plunge', Sinclair is keen to debunk any preconceptions that people may have of the treatment.
"I have been on holidays, gone swimming and been to the gym and people think it's going to be this fragile thing but it's really not. It's so good."
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