Wondering how so many celebrities have a thick, full head of hair well into their 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond? Especially when their hair used to look thinner than it does now?
Money and fame don’t make you immune to male pattern hair loss. Lots of male celebrities have gone under the knife to restore their hairlines. Even before Wayne Rooney popularised the procedure for millennials, celebrities like Elton John and James Nesbitt transformed their looks with hair transplant surgery.
Since hair transplants are often associated with the rich and famous, many people believe you need to spend tens of thousands on a successful hair transplant procedure— but this isn’t the case. Our UK hair transplant cost analysis shows that the average cost of a hair transplant operation in the UK is £4,820.
Wayne Rooney isn’t the only celebrity who’s confirmed his hair transplant rumours. In 2023, England cricket captain Ben Stokes revealed his hair transplant performed at the Wimpole Clinic, which has boosted his confidence on and off the cricket field:
In addition, Premier League footballer Rob Holding had a hair transplant at the Wimpole Clinic in 2021 and is thrilled with his results.
Getting a hair transplant without anyone knowing is much more difficult when you’re in the limelight. Thanks to Wayne Rooney’s hair journey, and other high-profile hair transplant patients, many more once-bald celebrities have now come out and confirmed their own hair restoration treatment.
However, other celebrities with alopecia have avoided revealing whether their hairlines have been surgically enhanced, despite sporting much healthier hair than they once did.
So which other celebrities have had a confirmed or rumoured hair transplant — and how do they look months or years after the procedure?
With everyone from Premier League players to the Hollywood elite getting their hairlines adjusted, it’s clear that this once-infamous procedure is now mainstream (even if not all celebrities have admitted to their surgical hairline enhancements).
These celebrity hair transplants before and after photos show just how popular hair transplant surgery has become.
Wayne Rooney is often credited with popularising the hair transplant for a whole generation of men — including future England captain Harry Kane, who’s also rumoured to have had a hair transplant.
Rooney’s first confirmed hair transplant took place in 2011, at the height of his Manchester United playing career. He’s also had at least one top-up transplant to keep his hair in mint condition.
Elton John has described his early hair transplantation experiences as “agonising” — and sadly his initial hair transplants failed. Fortunately, techniques have moved on since Elton first opted for hair transplant surgery, and modern methods like FUT and FUE have high success rates, excellent safety records, and usually cause only mild discomfort.
Learn more about Elton John’s hair transplant.
Former X-Factor judge Louis Walsh famously revealed his hair transplant in 2011, reportedly after Simon Cowell joked about his hair loss [5]. His celebrity hair transplant before and after photos show him sporting a lower, more even hairline. Louis has said that concerns over his appearance on TV contributed to his decision to undergo a hair transplant.
Strictly star Anton Du Beke said his hair transplant “immediately transformed [his] life” — a sentiment that’s been echoed in many hair transplant patient testimonials [6].
Lack of confidence is a key reason many people choose hair restoration surgery, and it’s clear from Anton’s remarks that his hair transplant has had a huge impact on his self-esteem.
Drag performer Baga Chipz decided to undergo hair restoration surgery at the Wimpole Clinic to correct her receding hairline and temple hair loss from androgenetic alopecia which was negatively affecting the performer’s self-image.
Learn more about Baga Chipz’s hair transplant at the Wimpole Clinic.
Podcaster and American media personality Theo Von has talked extensively about his hair transplants on his podcast, This Past Weekend. Learn more about Theo Von’s hair transplants including why he had them and what type of procedure he had.
Former Soccer AM star Peter “Tubes” Dale revealed he had a hair transplant in 2020. After experiencing advanced hair loss, he enlisted a surgeon to bring his hairline forward, giving him the flexibility to wear his hair in modern styles.
Actor Joel McHale has spoken out about his long-rumoured hair transplants, saying:
“Three surgeries later, look at my hair! The technology is bananas now. They pluck your hair and stick it there.”
Find out all about Joel McHale’s hair transplant.
Tesla CEO — and the world’s richest man — Elon Musk has never publicly said he’s had a hair transplant, but his thick, full head of hair speaks volumes.
Photos of a younger Elon show substantial thinning across the top of his head, as well as a receding hairline. So it looks like some of his fortune has been spent addressing his hair loss.
Find out more about Elon Musk’s hair transplant.
David Beckham was responsible for a series of noughties male hair trends, including his famous bleach-blonde ponytail and introducing a generation of teenagers to Brylcreem.
While unconfirmed, it’s unsurprising that a man who’s had such an impact on male hairstyles in recent years would turn to a transplant to address his own thinning hair. Find out more about David Beckham’s hair transplant.
There’s no denying that Andros Townsend’s hairline has changed recently. Where it had clearly started to recede, he now has a full head of hair and a much straighter hairline.
Whatever kind of hair restoration treatment Andros has had, his new hairline makes him look much younger. Learn more about Andros Townsend’s hair transplant.
Sadio Mane is left Liverpool with more than just an illustrious career behind him — he has a new hairline, too. Previous photos show his hair to have receded significantly. However, in more recent photos, the areas of hair loss seem to have been filled in, leaving him with a fuller head of hair and a lower hairline.
Jordan Peterson cuts a controversial figure — but if there’s one thing most people agree on, it’s that his hairline is looking a lot healthier than it used to.
There’s some speculation that managing his autoimmune condition has contributed to his increased hair count, which may have helped restore his hair [11]. However his straight, even hairline is likely to have been created by a skilled surgeon.
Despite the absence of an official statement from Sebastian Vettel himself regarding his possible hair transplant, the available evidence indicates that he may have undergone surgical treatment.
Justin Bieber is usually seen covering up his once-famous hair in a hat or hoodie these days. So has Justin Bieber had a hair transplant? It hasn’t been confirmed – but recent photos show that his hairline appears straighter than it used to be.
Modern tennis legend Rafael Nadal is rumoured to have had a hair transplant to keep his famous tresses intact. Find out more about Rafael Nadal’s hair transplant.
Rumours have spread that the royal British prince may have had hair restoration surgery in 2017 when he started sporting a full head of hair. Find out more about Prince Harry’s hair transplant and hair journey over the years.
Chris Evans (aka Captain America) has been open about his worries regarding male pattern baldness over the years. So has the actor undergone hair transplant surgery to correct his temple hair loss and frontal thinning? Or is his full hairline due to hair growth treatments like Minoxidil or Finasteride?
Learn more about Chris Evans’ hair journey.
Did Bradley Cooper get a hair transplant without anyone knowing? The famous actor’s hairline has made vast improvements over the years changing from a receding hairline to a fuller and straighter hairline complete with thick, healthy frontal hair.
Find out more about Bradley Cooper’s rumoured hair transplant.
The 45th and 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump, is rumoured to have had several hair restoration procedures to create his now-iconic hair. Learn more about Donald Trump’s hair transplant procedure potential.
The hair transplant process can leave scars, but the extent of scarring depends on the type of hair transplant you have. FUE (follicular unit extraction) and FUT (follicular unit transplantation) are the two main types.
They both involve moving follicles from areas of hair growth to areas of hair loss, but they differ in how the follicles are harvested. Individual follicles are harvested with FUE using a micro-punch tool, leaving tiny, near-invisible scars.
With FUT, a strip of skin containing many hair follicles is taken from the donor area. This leaves a long, thin hair transplant scar. For example, Elon Musk has a scar consistent with FUT hair transplantation.
Elon’s long, narrow scar stretching from the back of his head to his temple, is a telltale sign of FUT surgery. Check out more signs of visible scarring in hair transplants close up.
Another celebrity with a visible FUT scar is Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). The image below clearly shows this scar:
If celebrity hair transplants are so common, why don’t we see more celebs with giveaway scars? Well, most celebrity hair transplant scars are invisible. This is because celebrities often choose high-quality clinics and expert surgeons who can hide scarring with expert techniques.
For example, celebrity hair transplant surgeon Gary Linkov shared that if MGK were his patient, he would offer to conceal the scar at the back of his head with a minor FUE procedure [12].
However, since MGK shaved a strip of hair around his scar and even had it tattooed to promote his album release, he doesn’t seem too concerned about keeping it hidden. If you don’t want any visible scarring from your hair transplant, it’s worth considering some of the best hair transplant surgeons in the UK for your procedure.
Singer Machine Gun Kelly is rumoured to have had multiple hair transplants over the years. He has a scar at the back of his head which is consistent with an FUT procedure. Find out more about MGK’s hair transplant.
Andrew Garfield has always had a thick, glossy head of hair. But even he had early signs of temple hair loss, which have since been filled in. So while it’s not confirmed, it’s certainly possible Andrew Garfield has had a hair transplant.
Retired NFL star Tom Brady is rumoured to have thickened up his hairline with a hair transplant in recent years. While he hasn’t confirmed his surgery, changes to his hairline have led many to speculate Tom Brady has had a subtle hair transplant.
Kevin Costner’s hair transplant hasn’t been confirmed, but his hair looks fuller and thicker in his 70s than it did in his 40s and 50s. This suggests he’s had a hair transplant procedure to restore the density through his mid-scalp and hairline.
Bollywood veteran Salman Khan is rumoured to have had not one but three hair transplant procedures. His hairline has ebbed and flowed over the years, so find out more about Salman Khan’s hair transplant rumours here.
If you’re concerned about your own hair loss, find out more about the signs of male pattern baldness. The Norwood Scale can also help you determine how far your hair loss has progressed, and whether you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant.
If you’re considering hair transplant surgery, book a free consultation with the Wimpole Clinic team on Harley Street. Our award-winning hair transplant clinic has helped many celebrities address their hair loss, and our experienced surgeons can help you tackle yours, too.
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