Drag Race UK’s Baga Chipz shares important advice after undergoing hair transplant

RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Baga Chipz – known as Leo Loren out of drag – has gone from comparing herself to a Ford Fiesta to a Lamborghini, and her hair transplant has played a big part in boosting her confidence.

Hair transplants have become increasingly popular over the years, with celebrities such as Boy George (who was inspired by football star Wayne Rooney), Elton John – he’s had had two, which resulted in pain and led him to wear wigs – and Robbie Williams being open about their surgeries.

Former Take That star Williams underwent a hair transplant in 2013 and opted for another one seven years later, only to be told in his hair was now too thin. He has since said he was “embracing” his hair loss.

A hair transplant is a procedure that involves moving hair to an area where it is thinning or bald. There are two main types: follicular unit transplantation or the strip method (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE).

FUE involves the removal of hair follicles from the donor area and implantation in the balding areas. It is less invasive than FUT, leaving no linear scars and offering a quicker recovery time. It can take from six to eight hours.

FUT involves a strip of scalp being removed with individual hair follicles being extracted from it. It leaves a scar at the back of the head and can take longer to heal. 

After years of wearing wigs, 35-year-old Baga, who finished third on Drag Race UK series one back in 2019, had her transplant more than a year ago, at the Wimpole Clinic in London’s famous Harley Street. She wanted a “stronger hairline” after noticing her thinning hair while on the show.

“For me, it was more of a cosmetic surgery to change the shape of my face. When I look in the mirror, I want to be like: ‘Wow, you look a million dollars’,” she tells PinkNews.

“I’m not doing it for anyone else. You shouldn’t be ashamed, you can’t help the way you were born. It’s genetics,” she adds, going on to admire Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow, played by William Roache, who “has a full head of hair and is in his nineties.”

Despite being offered tablets to aid hair thickening, Baga chose to opt for the surgery route, despite some of the associated risks.

“I’ve had loads of friends who have had one,” she says, referring to fellow Drag Race UK star Bimini, who shared her own hair transplant journey in 2024.

Bimini’s surgery last summer led to facial swelling, a common side effect caused by the immune system warding off potential infection.

The NHS warns that “cosmetic surgery can sometimes go wrong, and the results may not be what you expected”, and that those seeking transplants in England should check with the Care Quality Commission to see if the hospital or clinic is registered with them. Some people choose to go to Turkey where the procedure is cheaper, but some surgeons have claimed that the competitive prices sacrifice safety and quality. 

Hair transplants come with common side effects that include a tight ache and a swollen scalp for a few days. Temporary scabbing and scarring is also possible. 

Surgery can also go wrong. Common issues highlighted by the NHS include bleeding, infection and an allergic reaction to the anaesthetic.

Having had the transplant, Baga says her hair is now a lot thicker and healthier.

“I’m getting a lot more compliments. It doesn’t look like I’ve had a hair transplant,” she enthuses. Now, instead of wearing a cap to go out, she reaches for hair gel.

Speaking of her “bestest friend,” The Vivienne, to whom Baga paid an emotional tribute following her death last month, she recalls being told: “It looks fab, girl.”

The Vivienne had a hair transplant in 2020 and documented her progress on social media.

“The Vivienne [was] so brilliant, a very talented person. She would always say: ‘Put the graft in’, and if you want anything, ‘You have to work for it’. When we went on Drag Race, I had been doing drag for around 13 years.

“She was my biggest supporter. ‘Anything you do, babes, just go out and smash it’, she would say.”

‘You are getting an MOT’

Baga’s message for anyone considering a hair transplant is to do it for “yourself” and no one else.

“I see myself as a car. I see myself as an old Fiesta, she quips, adding: “Now I’m a Lamborghini.”

She does, however, have some important advice: “Go to the right person.”

According to the Wimpole Clinic, the average cost of a hair transplant in the UK is £4,820 (almost $6,000). However, the NHS says, depending on the extent of hair loss, the procedure can cost between £1,000 ($1,250) and £30,000 ($37,000).

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