Hair taken from Louise Thomas's head was placed into her eyelids

A woman from Greater Manchester has become the first person in the UK to undergo an eyelash transplant, surgical teams have claimed.

Louise Thomas, 19, from Stockport, had the treatment because she suffers from trichotillomania - obsessive plucking or pulling out hair.

The procedure involves taking hair strands from the back of the head, and placing them into cuts in the eyelid.

The lashes thicken up gradually between four and six months after treatment.

Miss Thomas said: "Having suffered from trichotillomania for 17 years, I learned to accept that I'd never have real lashes again. That's quite a hard issue for a young girl to come to terms with.

"When I heard about this treatment it sounded too good to be true but the results are absolutely amazing."

The procedure was pioneered in the United States.

Shami Thomas, from Transform, which carried out the surgery, said: "We often look to America for the latest in cosmetic surgery as they are the pioneers in the industry, but not all are as successful and safe as this one."