The invention relates to an applicator (1) for replacement hair strands, one end of the hair of which is embedded into a thermoplastic element. The applicator has a punch/die unit (5, 6), the mutually facing working profiled sections of which are adapted to the shape of at least one thermoplastic element. In order to ensure a fault-free, continuous hot-melt adhesion between a person's own hair strands and the replacement hair strands, the punch (6) is arranged on a pivoting head (10) which supports an additional punch (11) with substantially the same contours, wherein the punch (6) is provided with a heating device (12), and the additional punch (11) is provided with a cooling device (13).