I went bald at 20 - it left me depressed. Now I look like this - and I HAVEN'T had a transplant. Here's the revolutionary secret that's changing the lives of hundreds of men like me

When Johnny Thain realised he was going bald at just 20 he tried everything to fix the problem.

From thickening powders to hair extensions and a toupee, nothing worked or gave him the natural look he desired. So he resorted to wearing hats everywhere to ‘cover up the embarrassment’.

‘To be honest it depressed me. I felt as if there was no hope,’ says Johnny, now 28, from Durham, England.

‘There were times when I struggled to leave the house, I avoided photos at all costs and I frankly really struggled dating.’

This was until Johnny found the viral TikTok hair stylist Rob Wood, owner of Novo Cabelo salons, three years ago, who fitted him with a revolutionary new hair system.

Hair systems are unique modern alternatives to a traditional wig. They are made from human hair attached to a near-impossible to spot ultra thin layer of silicone.

They have become an internet sensation with videos of dramatic transformations reaching up to 7 million people.

Users, experts and hair stylists all say that the dramatic rise is in part down to improved quality of the systems that now use human hair – often collected from Asian men whose lock tends to be thicker.

‘Now the systems give a better, natural finish that users can have confidence in,’ says Rob Wood.

Johnny says the hair system was a lifeline. ‘It honestly changed my life, it has given me a new found confidence,’ says the office worker. ‘I really struggled with dating before but now I am engaged.’

Dr David Fenton, a dermatologist specialising in hair, said: ‘You shouldn’t underestimate the psychological impact that hair loss or thinning can have on a person, including anxiety and depression.

‘Particularly for younger people it makes up a huge amount of their self-esteem, so rapid loss can have a great impact.

‘People have always looked to camouflage their hair loss and we have definitely seen an advancement in the quality of options be it hair transplants or hair replacement systems.’

Johnny is not alone. Around 8 million women and 6.5 million men in the UK experience hair loss of some sort. In the US, those numbers rocket to an estimated 30 million and 50 million respectively.

What causes hair loss can vary. Genetics can play a part, but sometimes it’s the result of an autoimmune condition, where the immune system attacks the body.

Stress can be a factor, too. The stress hormone cortisol can disrupt the hair growth cycle, so it sheds faster – and it’s also thinner.

But high levels of hormones are the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women.

For young men like Johnny who suffered hair loss and a receding hairline, it is likely that they suffer from androgenetic alopecia – or male pattern baldness. It’s driven by androgens, the male sex hormones, and causes the growth phase of the hair follicle to get shorter, exposing the scalp.

A 2005 study revealed that 85 per cent of men over 50 suffer from male pattern baldness.

Many men – and some women – turn to medication to slow their hair loss. These drugs, typically finasteride and minoxidil, can be effective – sometimes even reversing the problem.

But many patients with severe hair loss find that they need more intensive treatment.

Every year, thousands of men in the UK undergo a hair transplant surgery – which involves transfering hair follicles from other areas of the body to a bald patch on the head.

However, the procedure can be prohibitively expensive. Hair surgery in the UK tends to cost as much as £4,000 ($5,300) – though many men travel abroad to countries such as Turkey to access cheaper care.

In some cases, a hair transplant may not be successful, meaning more surgery is required. Research also shows that it can take up to five months for the results of a hair transplant to show.

Experts say, for these reasons, men are increasingly turning to hair systems instead of surgery.

Novo Cabelo, Rob Wood’s salons, have seen their sales increase by 92 per cent in the past year.

Mr Wood says he began working with hair system a decade ago.

‘One of the girls who worked for me, her brother-in-law was really struggling with his mental health related to his hair loss,’ says Mr Wood.

‘So, I did a bit of YouTubing and research to see what was actually out there, and what we could do and that’s when I found the hair systems.’

After testing the hair system out on his colleague’s brother-in-law, Mr Wood decided to open Novo Cabelo and specialise in treating hair loss for all ages and genders.

Prospective clients are first invited in for a consultation so the team can assess which hair system will match their natural hair.

Then in a two-hour appointment, the remaining hair in the bald patch is shaved off, before the hair system is fitted with an adhesive and then styled.

According to Mr Wood, the hair system can last between four to six months, but requires refitting every three to four weeks.

They require upkeep and come with a kit to clean and maintain the hair piece. Mr Wood warns that the users should take special care in the sun and on holiday as the adhesive can loosen.

However other than that wearers are able to go about their daily lives, exercising, showering and even swimming with the hair piece on.

In the UK, hair systems tend to cost between £450 and £600. Appointments to have the system refitted usually are priced at around £50.

‘Our clients like that it is an instant result,’ says Mr Wood.

‘Another benefit over transplants is that if you want to stagger the appearance of growth over a year, so your friends and family are not shocked, you can.

‘We can start with a short style and gradually build up to give the appearance of natural growth.

‘These types of systems will definitely become the norm – the same way extensions have become – within the next five years.’

While Johnny Thain’s hair seemingly grew back overnight, he claims the natural look meant that his friends have not noticed.

‘One of my best friends doesn’t even know that it is not my hair,’ says Johnny. ‘That is how good it looks.’