Indian men struggling to grow their own facial hair are going to great lengths to replicate the enviable beards and sideburns of some of the most trendiest men around the globe.
Full bodied beards can be achieved by taking hair from a healthy location like the scalp and transplanting it onto the face.
In the last two years, cosmetic surgeons in India say this 'procedure' is becoming increasingly common among younger men.
Dr Vinod Vij told regional publication, The Times of India that this is a huge trend now, especially with Indian men in their twenties.
He reveals that even women have taken to the idea, seeking a hair transplant to replace or increase the thickness of their eyebrows.
A hairy concept
Hair transplants can add density and even act as camouflage when injected into scar tissue.
The challenge however, is that a man's beard line can be a different colour to that of their scalp and creating a natural looking new beard or enhancing and thickening an existing one can be tricky, let alone expensive.
Beard popularity
As the facial hair trend took off, it created an opportunity for brands to capitalise, rather then seeing a decline in the grooming sector.
Initially, there were thoughts that this may harm the segment as men were putting down their razors and shavers, and sales of shaving preps took a hit.
However, a beard still needs taming and maintaining, and this has opened up a new market.
According to Mintel, facial hair is no longer seen as a sign of poor grooming but rather another area to care for.
The market researcher's Vivienne Rudd says simplicity has always been the key to men’s daily routine, so there are doubts as to whether they will add more products to it.
However, she adds that with men worrying about their appearance more now than ever, there is an openness.