George Groves, a former professional boxer from the UK, has spoken openly about his hair transplant in 2019. When discussing his new head of hair, Groves said, “it makes me feel younger, it makes me feel more confident” [3].
Fans were also impressed by the change, with one commenting, “George Groves hair transplant is sensational… Had me guessing!” [1]. Groves is one of many celebrities who have stunned fans with their hair transformation — Rob Holding’s hair transplant and Danny Ing’s hair transplant delivered similarly spectacular results. In this article, we’ll explore:
George Groves, born on March 26, 1988, is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2008 to 2018. Known as ‘The Saint’, he gained an Olympic gold medal while still an amateur and held the World Boxing Association Super-Middleweight title from 2017 to 2018.
Groves began his professional career with a string of impressive victories, quickly making a name for himself in the British boxing scene. He faced several world-class opponents, including Badou Jack and James DeGale. In 2018, Groves participated in the World Boxing Super Series, reaching the final where he faced Callum Smith.
After his loss to Smith in September 2018, Groves announced his retirement from professional boxing. He ended his career with a record of 28 wins and 4 losses. Today, he remains involved in boxing as a commentator and coach.
George has discussed how his hair loss began towards the end of his boxing career.
“I was losing hair from the front each side and… at the crown as well. At the age of maybe 27, 28, I decided I’m going to shave it now” [3].
The hair loss pattern Groves described is typical of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). This condition affects 80% of men by age 80 [5], but they experience hair shedding to different degrees.
Degrees of hair loss in male pattern baldness are measured by the Norwood Scale. Before his procedure, Groves had reached Norwood stage 5. Although this is an advanced form of hair loss, stage 5 hair tends to respond well to transplantation.
When considering options for his hair loss, George was inspired by other people’s transformations with hair transplants.
“I’d seen some friends and colleagues and some people on TV who definitely had a hair transplant, and it looked great” [3].
In 2019, Groves bit the bullet and underwent a hair transplant. He is delighted with his results and has said, “It’s a lovely ego boost” [3] every time he goes to the barbers.
Groves’ hair changed rapidly over the course of his boxing career. Here, we’ll examine his hair timeline in more detail.
George had a healthy head of hair as a young boxer. The photo above shows him in 2010 when he was 22 years old.
However, by 2014, Groves showed the first signs of thinning and balding. He had a receding hairline, temple hair loss, and the beginnings of an M-shaped hairline.
By 2016, at 28 years old, Groves had reached a Norwood scale 5. He had lost nearly all of his frontal hair and developed a bald spot on the crown. Like many men with this level of hair loss, he decided to take back some control by shaving his head. Groves maintained a similar level of hair loss until 2019 when he had a hair transplant.
In 2019, Groves visited a London clinic for an assessment of his hair loss. At the time, he was a Norwood stage 5 and was found to be a suitable candidate for a follicular unit extraction (FUE) hair transplant.
He had the procedure in 2019, and his results can be seen above. You can tell he had a skilled surgeon because he has a very natural-looking hair transplant, including an age-appropriate hairline.
Fans were inspired by how realistic Groves’ new hair looks, with one tweeting:
“I’d like to visit whoever did George Groves’ hair transplant when in my late thirties. Didn’t recognise him” [1].
In the years following Groves’ transplant, his hair has continued to gain thickness. Here, you can see the final results of his procedure in 2024, where his hair is visibly denser than in 2020.
Groves had his initial assessment in 2019, where he and his transplant team decided to go ahead with surgery. He was advised to start using Finasteride and Minoxidil (hair loss medications) to stabilise his hair loss and bulk up thinning areas.
Initially, he had two FUE hair transplant procedures which involved around 3300 grafts (over 7500 hairs). Later, he had a third procedure to finalise his crown area. These procedures took place over the course of three years, leading to the full, healthy head of hair he has now.
When George arrived for his first consultation, his surgeon examined his hair and scalp and took a full medical history. They discussed his goals and reasons for surgery and shared before and after photos to show what results may look like. At the end of the assessment, George received a personalised treatment plan and cost estimate for the surgery.
Groves was given specific advice by his surgeon to prepare for his transplant. This may have included advice, such as:
On the day of surgery, George was asked to arrive at his scheduled time. The surgical team likely reviewed the procedure with him and allowed him to ask any last-minute questions. If his hair wasn’t already shaved, it may have been trimmed short in the donor area (usually the back and sides of the head).
Groves was likely awake throughout his procedure but received a local anaesthetic, which meant he was unable to feel any pain. During the procedure, this is what likely happened:
George described his experience during surgery:
“It’s as pleasurable I suppose as a surgery can be, got a TV on or music if you want, you can hear people milling around but you feel confident in the setup, in the people and their expertise” [3].
When all follicles were inserted into their new sites, the surgeon inspected their work and may have made any necessary adjustments. A bandage may have been applied to the donor area, and George should have received instructions on how to care for the donor and recipient areas.
After his transplant, George was able to go home the same day. He received detailed hair transplant aftercare instructions and may have been given medication for pain management and to prevent a hair transplant infection. Advice may have included:
In all likelihood, Groves’ transplanted hair fell out within 2-3 weeks — this is called shock loss and is a normal part of the recovery process. New hair growth began around 3-4 months post-procedure, and he started to see significant results around 6-9 months.
Most people see their final results within 18 months [13], but for George, it was more like three years. This is because he had multiple surgeries and an extended treatment plan, including hair growth medication.
In the weeks and months following his transplant, Groves had follow-up appointments with his surgeon. In these sessions, the surgeon monitored his progress, altered his treatment plan as needed, and allowed George to ask questions.
You’re not alone if you’re struggling with hair loss, whether diffuse thinning or frontal balding. Many celebrities have turned to hair transplants to maintain their youthful appearance and boost their confidence. They’ve had some fantastic results — see for yourself:
However, hair transplants aren’t just for the rich and famous. You too can benefit from cutting-edge treatment, which creates such natural-looking results that it’s possible to get a hair transplant without anyone knowing. A hair transplant is permanent, so you can enjoy fuller, thicker hair for years to come. Here are some examples of successful hair transplants after 10 years.
Our world-class surgeons specialise in both FUE and follicular unit transplantation (FUT) techniques, meaning treatment can be tailored to your specific needs. Hair restoration surgery can also be combined with complementary therapies, including PRP hair treatment, low-level laser therapy, and scalp micropigmentation.
If you’re ready to take the next step, book a consultation at one of our clinic locations today. We work with some of the best hair transplant surgeons in the UK, and our team can assess your symptoms, discuss potential hair transplant side effects, and create a personalised treatment plan.
Simply fill in your details in the form below and we'll get in touch with you shortly.
Δ
