Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs has opened up about his years of hair loss treatment and told how teasing from his mates left him felling paranoid.

Giggs, one of world football's most decorated players, revealed he had a hair transplant in 2017 and continues to have specialist procedures.

And he said that he first realised he was losing his hair after scoring twice against Liverpool at a rain-soaked Anfield in 2003.

"After the game I got dropped off to meet my mates," Giggs said.

"I walked into the pub and I was expecting to hear 'well done'.

"All I got was, 'flipping heck, your barnet is going isn't it?'

"It was like, 'cheers lads'."

"I got a little bit paranoid really, especially when I knew I was going to be playing on the TV, or it was going to rain.

(Image: Getty Images)

"If it was raining I would think, 'I could really do without that'."

Wales manager Giggs argues the public were less understanding and more judgemental about hair restoration treatment than they are today.

He turned to close friend and hair restoration consultant Craig Henton, who gave him specialised serums and shampoos to boost hair growth on his scalp and referred him to a GP for hormone-blocking medicines to prevent loss.

Giggs, 46, then began a course of laser therapy in 2009.

He now part-owns the MHR Clinic in Knutsford, Cheshire, where he was treated, along with former England cricket captain Michael Vaughn and Mr Henton.

"There wasn't a lot of information out there and there was an element of people judging," said the former flying winger, speaking as United face Liverpool today in the Premier League.

"I didn’t want to talk about it while I was playing.

(Image: Mirrorpix)

"It wasn’t just me noticing the difference on TV. Other people commented on it. 'Have you had something done, have you had a hair transplant?' because everyone was talking about hair transplants.

"But I hadn't.

"The original treatment worked well. But I felt it needed a bit of a push. It was something I felt could help me.

"I've known Craig for a long time, so I trusted him.

"First and foremost I knew I was being given the right information. I questioned him as much as I could. All the questions in my mind were answered and it was quite straight forward really.

"They numb the areas where you’re going to feel it. You’re awake during it and can’t really feel anything.

(Image: MHR Clinic)

"You've got, not scarring, but a few cuts in the back of your head. You wake up in the morning, there's a bit of blood on your pillow for a couple of days and then that goes. That's it really. No pain afterwards.

"They take a picture of the area where the work was done every month and then you can see real progress.

"I'm really happy with it. The only negative I have is I didn’t do it earlier.

"It’s becoming more popular and accepted by the public.

"There is a growing interest out there among men to make themselves feel better and look better."

Ryan Giggs made his Manchester United debut in 1991 and broke Sir Bobby Charlton's appearance record in 2011.

He was appointed player-coach at Old Trafford in July 2013 then left the club after Jose Mourinho's arrival in the summer of 2016.

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