‘I spent £7,500 on a hair transplant now strangers are confusing me with the Tinder scammer’

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Sales director Dan Smith is almost unrecognizable after going from an “apparent bald patch” to a full head of luscious curls – but people now think he’s the Tinder scammer

A man says he keeps getting stopped in the street by fans of Netflix show The Tinder Swindler after undergoing a £7,500 hair transplant.

Fans keep mistaking him for love rat Simon Leviev after his new barnett – many begging for selfies, convinced he’s the real imposter.

Dan Smith’s sudden claim to fame came as a huge surprise after struggling with male pattern baldness since his early 20s.

The 37-year-old says he’s still not used to being the center of attention, let alone looking like a TV star.

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Dan said: “My hair loss started when I was 21 and has only gotten worse. I kept waking up to find my pillows covered in hair and it was starting to make me very paranoid. I realized I was starting to look a lot older than I was.”

“I started developing an obvious bald spot in the middle of my head and nothing would cover it.

“I spent a fortune on pointless hair growth pills and miracle creams hoping they would help, but they didn’t. I was feeling pretty depressed and just wanted to regain my confidence.”

After much research, brave Dan decided to have an expensive hair transplant in hopes of regaining the youthful hairline he had lost.

He said: “I’ve thought about it for years and honestly wasted so much money on hair treatments but they just didn’t have much of an impact.

“I did a lot of research online to evaluate my options and I noticed that a lot of people said hair transplants were a good option and I had seen that a few celebrities had them.

“I went to see a surgeon in my hometown of Manchester but unfortunately I felt they didn’t understand me.

“They told me my baldness was nothing to worry about, which didn’t seem right. I did more digging online and then I came across Dr. Arshad bumped.”

dr Fas Arshad is the world renowned expert behind The Hair Dr – Hair Transplant Clinic in Leeds.

“He was very thorough. First of all, I felt that Dr. Arshad really understood my problems. He took the time to listen to me, look at my hair, assess my hairline and discuss my options with me,” added Dan.

“He even took the time to look at my hairline to find the best shape for me that would give the most natural results.

“The whole process was explained in detail. He made sure I fully understood the procedure, the risk of complications, the aftercare, and the results I could expect before making my decision.

“I was sent home with a very large leaflet that I had to read through to help me better understand the procedure.”

Dan underwent his hair transplant in December 2020 – just months before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He says: “It’s been a long day, I think I got to the clinic around 7.30am and didn’t leave until 6.30pm. Immediately afterwards I was very tired and afraid I might accidentally knock out the hair follicles.”

In March 2021, he started seeing some results from his hair transplant, but like so many others, he noticed that he was starting to gain weight.

At this point, Dan drastically changed his lifestyle; Trailblazers for the man he’s become – and some unlikely comparisons.

Dan said, “I started taking care of myself a lot more consciously. I made an effort to make healthier choices and along with my hair, I noticed a drastic change in my overall appearance.”

About a year after his hair transplant, Dan’s boss realized that he had started to look like the infamous “Tinder Swindler” made famous by the Netflix documentary.

“Initially I dismissed it as a one-off remark; a bit of a joke. But then other people started making similar comparisons. Once I was stopped on the street four times a day to take pictures – people really thought I was him,” said Dan.

“It’s always funny when they realize their mistake. I think I kinda resemble Simon Leviev and I find it amusing. To be fair Simon Leviev has a very nice hairline so the comparisons don’t bother me that respect.”

dr Arshad said: “Dan’s story is not unusual. Hair loss in men is a very common condition that can affect up to 85% of men over a certain age.

“Typically, the noticeable signs of male pattern baldness begin around the age of 50, but for some it can begin as early as their late teens or early 20s.

“Hereditary hair loss in men tends to develop slowly and it can take several years before you notice it visually.

“One of the most popular and effective treatments for male pattern baldness is a hair transplant.

“In this procedure, hair follicles are surgically removed from a part of the scalp known as the ‘donor site’ to a balding or balding part of the scalp known as the ‘recipient site.’

“The procedure is minimally invasive and can also be used to restore eyelashes, eyebrows, facial hair and to fill in scars. Potential candidates must remember that the procedure does not create new hair, but rather redistributes existing hair. and therefore there must be enough hair for the transplant for the procedure to be successful.

“I am very open and transparent with my patients so that they understand the entire procedure before undergoing it.”

Since the procedure, Dan says his overall confidence has improved and he loves the results of his hair transplant. Unconscious of his looks anymore, he’s feeling a lot more confident – particularly enjoying being mistaken for the millionaire playboy who’s been making waves on Netflix.

dr Arshad, who performed Dan’s surgery, added: “Hair is inextricably linked to a person’s confidence, so I think the impact of male pattern baldness or other forms of alopecia is grossly underestimated.

“I often see hair transplantation in patients leading to other health improvements, particularly mental health, which is great to see and stuff like that.”