Bimini, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, shared the unsightly complications of her recent hair transplant – including the extreme swelling that caused their head to swell.
In a clip shared on the drag queen’s TikTok, Bimini compared their new look to that of the character Sloth in the 1985 adventure classic The Goonies.
Bimini, the stage name of Thomas George Graeme Hibbitts, recently revealed on Instagram that they were undergoing hair transplants to restore their hairline, which started receding when the star was 13 years old.
“I was pretty self-conscious until about 2018 when I cut my hair into a mullet,” Bimini said. “I still knew I wanted to get a transplant at some point.”
Bimini, the stage name of Thomas George Graeme Hibbitts, recently revealed the aftermath of their hair transplant
Now it appears the procedure, which was carried out in the UK, resulted in a common side effect that occurs when fluid collects under the scalp.
This is due to fighter cells and other inflammatory proteins sent by the immune system rushing to the site of injury to prevent potential infection.
In one TikTok videoswhich now has two million views, Bimini, who was runner-up in the second season of the hugely popular reality show, said: “A natural part of the healing process when you have a hair transplant is swelling of the face like all anesthesia and fluid draining from the your face.
“Well, it’s the trauma and the response to it in the body. But nobody told me I’d like The Goonies.
To drive home their point, Bimini, 31, posted a selection of iconic character Sloth from the comedy adventure film alongside text below the video which read: ‘Sign up for the goonies reboot.’
Bimini, originally from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has previously detailed on Instagram how they wanted to get a hair transplant from around the age of 13.
“From the age of 13/14 I started to regress and when I discovered my identity and who I was, it was something about myself and my body that was so masculine and I couldn’t control it.
“I was pretty self-conscious until around 2018 when I cut my hair into a mullet.
“This is something very personal and I feel vulnerable sharing it, but I’m here to own it as I know I won’t be the only person who has felt this way.”
Hair transplants are cosmetic procedures that involve surgically moving hair harvested from another part of the body, usually the back of the head or chest, to an area of the scalp that is thinning or balding.
The procedure is not available on the NHS and costs between £2,000 and £30,000 to do privately in the UK, depending on the extent of the transplant.
Bimini did not disclose how much their transplant cost.
It takes about two weeks for the transplant itself to heal but about four months for new hair to start growing.
The NHS says that it is common after a hair transplant for patients to suffer from a tight, sore and swollen scalp for a few days, temporary foaming from where the hair was transplanted and some minor scarring.
Bimini, who came second in season 2 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, previously revealed how they had wanted to have a hair transplant since the age of 13 when their hair started receding. Pictured here at the Attitude Pride Awards 2024 in London in June
Documenting their recovery from the procedure, which sees hair from other body parts placed on the scalp Bimini posted herself with a photo of Sloth from The Goonies (pictured) with the caption: ‘Sign up for goonies reboot’.
Bimini underwent the operation in the UK, but many British men are flying to Turkey to have the procedure at a fraction of the price, but some have warned of mixed results
Like any operation, a hair transplant is not without risk and patients may suffer from bleeding, infections or an allergic reaction to anesthetic.
The health service urges people considering a hair transplant to do thorough research on both the procedure and the clinic they are considering going to.
This includes finding out if the clinic is registered with the Care Quality Commission’s health and care watchdog and that the surgeon is registered with the General Medical Council and is a member of the British Association for Hair Restoration Surgery.
However, many British men are opting for overseas transplants carried out in surgical tourism destinations such as Turkey for a fraction of the price they would pay in the UK.
But a number have reported less than satisfactory results from going under the knife abroad.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-13713429/bimini-rupaul-drag-race-hair-transplant-effect-swelling.html
