Sheila Sim’s hair transplant: a woman’s story of thinning hair, in her own words

What did Sheila Sim say about her hair transplant?

The Singaporean actress and model documented the procedure herself on Instagram from 6 November 2024, and CNA Lifestyle reported her posts. She explained that since she started modelling people had told her that her hair was thinning, and that she had covered the bald spots with eyeshadow and hair fibre spray. When sharing photos, she wrote, she “always relied on apps to conceal these areas”. Being 1.74 m tall helped, she added: “However, when seated, the secret I’ve been carefully hiding on the crown of my head becomes visible.”

According to her posts, the procedure took two days and was estimated at about 3,000 grafts taken from the back of her scalp; she had first booked it five years earlier and postponed it twice because of her pregnancies. She described the pain afterwards as “very, very slight”, three to four out of ten. That is all we rely on here. We do not guess at her technique or her clinic, and where this article explains methods and timelines, it describes hair transplantation in general, not her treatment.

Why a woman talking about this matters

Hair loss is usually discussed as a men’s problem, and women who have it often hide it for years, exactly as she described: sprays, powders, careful angles and photo apps. By keeping all her updates in an Instagram Highlight called Hair Transplant and inviting followers to ask questions, she turned something many women keep secret into a normal medical topic.

Women’s hair loss often looks different from men’s. Instead of a receding hairline it tends to show as a widening parting, a thinner crown or overall low density. The causes vary too: genetics, hormonal changes, illness and long-term stress on the hair can all play a part. That is why the first step is always a diagnosis, not a booking.

How a hair transplant works today

At City Medical Centre a transplant is an outpatient operation under local anaesthesia: you spend one day at the clinic and go home the same evening. Follicles are taken one by one from the donor area at the back of the head and the temples, where hair is more resistant to loss, and placed where hair has thinned. There are three options:

For women, implanting between existing hairs without shaving the whole head is often an important question. Which method fits is decided at the consultation, after the doctor has looked at the thinning areas and the donor zone.

Who is a good candidate and how to prepare

A transplant can help with androgenetic, diffuse and focal (patchy) hair loss, a thinning crown, low density, a high hairline, and hair loss after trauma, burns, illness or hormonal disorders. It works when the donor area is dense enough to give grafts.

• Get the cause checked first: if hair loss is still active because of a hormonal or medical problem, that needs attention before surgery.
• Be ready for a realistic graft count: the doctor estimates it free of charge at the consultation.
• Contraindications include age under 18, trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder, cancer, epilepsy, severe heart disease, diabetes mellitus, a pacemaker, HIV, hepatitis B/C, a history of pulmonary embolism and intolerance to anaesthetics.

Like Sheila Sim, many women plan around pregnancy; this is worth raising with the doctor when you choose a date.

Recovery and how results develop

For the first ten days the scalp heals and small crusts fall away; you follow instructions on washing, sleeping and headwear. In weeks 2–4 the transplanted hairs shed — this is normal, because the follicles stay under the skin. New growth begins at 3–4 months, density becomes noticeable at 6–9 months, and the final result is judged at 12–18 months. Patience matters most in the middle months, when it can look as if nothing is happening.

1. Day of surgeryLocal anaesthesia, grafts are taken and implanted; you go home the same day.
2. Days 1–10The scalp heals and small crusts fall off; you follow washing and sleeping instructions.
3. Weeks 2–4Transplanted hairs shed. This is expected: the follicles remain under the skin.
4. Months 3–4New hair starts to grow, often fine at first.
5. Months 6–9Density becomes noticeable.
6. Months 12–18The final result can be assessed.

A hair transplant at City Medical Centre

City Medical Centre performs FUE, DHI and combined transplants and works with patients from other countries. The first consultation is free and can be held online: the doctor reviews photos of the thinning areas and the donor zone, counts the grafts needed and names the price, which is then fixed in the contract with no extra charges on the day of surgery. Prices: FUE $2,200, DHI $2,500, combined $2,700. The price includes follow-up appointments at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, all dressings and check-ups, a personal coordinator, and the clinic gives a lifetime guarantee of hair growth. More details are on the hair transplant page.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Sheila Sim or her treatment. Her story is simply a well-known example of a woman who talked openly about the procedure.

Hair transplant prices in this article are the current offer, valid until 31 October 2026. Regular prices: FUE $2,700, DHI $2,900, combined method $2,900. The price that applies to you is confirmed at the consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Why did Sheila Sim have a hair transplant?

She said she had long had thinning hair and a bald spot on her crown, which she hid with eyeshadow, hair fibre spray and photo apps. She decided to treat it after postponing the procedure twice because of her pregnancies.

How many grafts did Sheila Sim have?

According to her posts reported by CNA Lifestyle, the two-day procedure was estimated at about 3,000 grafts from the back of her scalp. She did not describe the technique, so we do not speculate about it.

Can women have a hair transplant?

Yes, if the donor area is dense enough and the cause of hair loss has been assessed. Women more often have diffuse thinning or a thinner crown, so the doctor first checks the cause and the donor zone.

How much does a hair transplant cost at City Medical Centre?

FUE costs $2,200, DHI $2,500 and the combined method $2,700. The final price is named after the free consultation and fixed in the contract.

When will I see the result of a hair transplant?

New growth usually starts at 3–4 months, density is noticeable at 6–9 months and the final result is judged at 12–18 months.