Some celebrities go to great lengths to have a hair transplant without anyone knowing. However, this is not the case with former rugby player Joe Marler. He discussed his surgical hair restoration at length, revealing why he chose an unconventional procedure, what the surgery felt like and his hopes for the result. Joe Marler’s hair transplant is unique, as he chose to restore his mohawk area alone, rather than his entire hairline. Read this article to find out all you need to know about the former rugby player’s hair journey.
This article will tell you all you need to know about Joe Marler’s hair transplant. It will shed light on when and why the actor decided he needed one in the first place, the type of procedure he got and why he chose to only fix his mohawk. We will tell you all about the details Marler publicly discussed (such as how many grafts he got) and make informed estimations about those he didn’t mention (e.g. procedure costs). And most importantly, we will walk you through Joe’s hair evolution from his young age through his hair transplant and his present-day appearance.
Key takeaways
Joseph William George Marler is a retired English rugby player born in 1990 in Eastbourne. He is known for his 12-year career with Harlequins FC, as well as his time playing for the England National Team.
After his retirement in 2024, Joe turned to a career in entertainment. He was featured on the first series of the reality TV show The Celebrity Traitors (2025), appeared in several commercials and presently hosts the podcast Joe Marler’s Things People Do.
Yes, Joe was very forthcoming about the hair restoration surgery he underwent in June 2025, in a UK clinic [1]. He discussed the procedure in detail on a dedicated episode of his podcast, co-hosted by Tom Fordyce. During this show, he answered numerous questions about the reason he decided to get a hair transplant, the procedure he opted for and his recovery process. He also mentioned he was happy he made this decision and that this procedure helped him regain his self-confidence.
Joe needed hair restoration surgery to treat the most common type of alopecia in the world: male pattern baldness. It is estimated that around 85% of men experience this condition at some point in life [2]. Also known as androgenetic alopecia, this hair loss is mostly caused by a combination of genetic predisposition and hormonal activity. Some people’s hair follicles are naturally more sensitive to a male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This hormone binds to specific androgen receptors in the hair follicles, leading to hair miniaturisation and eventually, to progressive baldness [3].
Since the follicles around the hairline, temples and midscalp are especially sensitive to DHT, they are most affected by male pattern baldness. That is why the main symptoms of this condition involve a receding hairline, followed by temple hair loss and, if left untreated, a growing bald spot on the crown.
Joe Marler’s hair loss appears to have started in his early twenties (to be discussed). However, he was 35 when he decided he needed a hair transplant. During this time, his alopecia progressed further and further to the point where his signature mohawk became beyond recognition, as his midscalp became increasingly affected.
Joe has long been a passionate advocate for mental health awareness, since he himself has been struggling with severe depression. His hair loss was a significant source of insecurity, with a significant impact on the athlete’s self-esteem. He confessed on his podcast that he used to wear hats everywhere, even at home, during dinner with his family, because his hair loss made him feel self-conscious. However, his hair transplant came as a way to restore not just his mohawk, but his dignity and peace of mind.
I think, as men in general, that it is part of our identity, isn’t it? The way we look and style. Absolutely. And for years, it’s not really been…it’s been frowned upon to sort of change or adapt that, isn’t it? It’s like that’s not what men do. You should just grow old. Great. Suffer in silence. Yeah. Just crack on with it. That’s they’re the cards you’ve been given. But I’m like, hang on. (Joe Marler addressing male hair loss on his podcast)
Hair loss has been linked to significant mental health struggles, such as depression, anxiety, a poor self-image and social isolation [4]. And given that between a third and a half of men under 50 develop male pattern baldness [3], it can have a serious impact on their psychological and social well-being. A natural-looking hair transplant can not only help them look better, but it often has a significantly positive impact on patients’ mental health, self-image and relationships.
Joe’s male pattern baldness appears to have started early in his life. However, his hairstyle of choice, the mohawk, was a great way to cover up the signs of hair thinning. Still, as his condition progressed, it eventually started to affect his midscalp as well, making his favourite hairdo dwindle. After a few years of hiding his hair loss under a variety of hats, Joe finally decided to take the plunge and get a hair transplant. Here is his hair journey:
Joe Marler seems to be among the unlucky young men who experience teenage hair loss. That is because by age 21 (above, left), his photos already reveal an M-shaped hairline consistent with Norwood stage 3 androgenetic alopecia. Since it generally takes a while for his male pattern baldness to progress this far, it can be presumed that he saw the first signs of hair thinning in his adolescence (here are some great tips to stop hair loss in teenage guys). So in his early twenties, Joe already had the hairline other men have in their mid-thirties.
At first, Joe wasn’t very concerned about his hair falling out and took no steps to treat it. He simply adopted one of the best male hairstyles for a receding hairline, the mohawk that would become his signature style and his motivator to perform his best during each game (to be discussed). However, leaving his male pattern baldness unaddressed led to its worsening. By the time he was 30, people were already pointing out his hair sparseness.
Photos from his late twenties and early thirties (above) show the athlete’s hairline had severely receded, and his midscalp had been seriously affected also. He seemed to be approaching Norwood stage 4-5.
As soon as Joe realised his hair loss had become advanced, he spent the next few years doing everything in his power to hide it. He amassed an impressive collection of about 100 hats and caps, which he would wear everywhere, including indoors:
That’s where my love of caps started. But it was mainly to hide the fact that my hair was going. And then, I don’t know, I just kept hiding it because even around the house, I’d be wearing hats in front of Daisy and the kids at dinner, at bedtime. I just have the hats on then take it off last minute before going to bed. And they’re like, “Why have you got a hat on at home?” I don’t know. I just had this self-consciousness. I’m thinning. My mohawk’s gone. Sort of a part of my identity. (Joe Marler, addressing hiding his hair loss on his podcast)
As he reached 35, Joe decided that enough was enough, and he no longer wanted to have to hide his alopecia. So he took a leap of faith and got a hair transplant. However, since his baldness was quite advanced and he was certain he would never change his famous hairstyle, he decided to only fix his mohawk area. Thus, he only had grafts implanted into his central hairline and mid-scalp to increase the hair density of this region.
At the time he recorded the podcast about his procedure, his surgery was fresh (about 1 week old), but his healing was almost complete. Only a few stubborn scabs were still visible on his transplant area. While he seemed very satisfied with the procedure and the care he received, Joe could not comment on his results, as he was still months away from even partial hair regrowth.
At the beginning of 2026, almost 8 months after his surgery, Joe Marler’s transplanted hair looks amazing. It is full and thick, and this is still only a partial result. His mohawk may grow even denser during the next 4 months, until the final results are achieved, about 1 year after his hair transplant.
While he has made no further comment on this matter, Joe is probably satisfied with his new look, as he no longer feels the need to hide it. He has matched his now-perfect mohawk with a full, healthy beard and seems to be thriving (if you want facial hair like his, check out these low-maintenance full beard styles for confident men).
Joe opted for a follicular unit extraction (FUE) surgery to restore his famous mohawk. This procedure involves harvesting individual hair follicles from the safe hair transplant donor area and inserting them into the balding area. It is presently the most popular type of hair restoration surgery, followed by follicular unit transplantation (FUT).
The main difference between FUE and FUT rests in the way the hair grafts are harvested from the donor area [5][6]. While during FUE, they are extracted individually, FUT involves harvesting an entire strip of skin from the back of the head. This strip is then cut up into individual grafts. This means that patients who opt for FUT will always have a fine, linear scar on the back of their head. Moreover, while it is faster to perform, FUT is slightly more painful, and the healing process takes a bit longer due to the wound on the donor area.
Joe Marler made it clear from the get-go that he is very attached to his mohawk, and he wants it to look perfect. A hair transplant scar that interrupts it would look unsightly. However, FUE leaves virtually no scarring. Moreover, the former athlete leads a very dynamic lifestyle – he was in the studio filming his podcast merely a week after his surgery. So a faster hair transplant recovery allows him to get back to the things he loves sooner.
Joe’s hair transplant request was unconventional, and he consulted several surgeons before he found one who agreed to it. He only wanted the hair on the central strip of his scalp restored, so he could still have a full-looking mohawk. It is not customary for surgeons to design hair restorations around specific hairstyles. The main objections raised were that:
However, Joe explained to his surgeon that his mohawk was more than just a hairstyle; it was part of his identity, as he had an important part of his life philosophy revolving around it. He used it as a driver in his sports career, as he believed the flashy, confident cut only worked if he had the performance to back it up. Moreover, it was a nod to his working-class background and a way to rebel against what he saw as a rugby culture dominated by prim and proper young men.
This convinced the surgeon that Joe would probably just continue to shave the rest of his hair anyway, so there was no point in offering him a full hair restoration. Moreover, he was concerned that minor scarring that might occur on the sides of the head during transplantation would be visible if that area was shaven. So, leaving it untouched was determined to be the best option for this patient.
No, despite horror stories he had heard about hair transplant pain prior to his surgery, Joe’s procedure did not hurt at all. The former athlete recounts that he was pleasantly surprised at how comfortable his entire experience was. He only felt a mild pinch as the local anaesthetic was injected into his scalp, then no unpleasant sensation at all. Joe even rated hair transplant pain as 2/10, while he rated getting a tattoo as 7/10. Here is how he described the experience on his podcast:
Yeah, there was exactly that, a couple of sharp scratches, but after that, I couldn’t feel a thing. Bear in mind, I was a little bit nervous going into it, having spoken to a few teammates the day before, and they described it as horrific: “You’re gonna have to get your head in the zone for this one, mate!”, because it is the worst pain they’ve experienced. And I was like, what? This isn’t good. […] That’s not what I experienced. Numb my head, chatting away, music in the background, and it was just these little noises in the back of my head. Couldn’t feel a thing apart from the actual noise of it all. But it was, I don’t know, just really easy. (Joe Marler addressing his hair transplant pain level on his podcast)
Normally, hair transplants do not hurt much. That is because the scalp is thoroughly numbed before any incision is made. Patients may feel some pressure or tugging, but most agree that the only somewhat painful part of the procedure is the injections that deliver the numbing agent. These are typically no more painful than the average anaesthetic shots you may get at the dentist or for other cosmetic procedures.
Still, like Joe, many patients are very concerned about hair transplant pain, having heard unsettling stories. Our experienced surgeon, Dr Dinesh Patel, recounts a similar patient experience and emphasises that the medical team is trained to manage this anxiety and bring physical and psychological comfort:
I treated a young patient who was extremely anxious about the pain associated with a hair transplant. He had a pronounced needle phobia and a low pain threshold due to previous negative medical experiences. Understanding his concerns, I took extra time to thoroughly discuss anaesthesia options and decided to use a combination of local anaesthesia with mild intramuscular sedation to help him remain relaxed throughout the procedure. Additionally, while administering the anaesthesia, I applied cold ice packs to the injection sites and performed gentle tapping on the area to minimise his sensation of the needles.
During the surgery, he remained calm and comfortable, frequently expressing surprise at how little discomfort he felt compared to his prior experiences. After the procedure, his pain was minimal and easily managed with over-the-counter pain medication.
According to Joe’s surgeon, the former athlete needed 2200 grafts to restore his mohawk area. This means his hair loss was quite advanced, since he probably would have needed an over 4000-graft hair transplant to fix his entire scalp.
Fortunately, while he was experiencing midscalp and frontal balding, Joe’s donor area was well-covered, and he boasted “excellent hair follicles” at the back of his head. A follicular unit can produce between 1 and 4 hairs, but often produces 2. Usually, about a third of patients’ hair grafts yield 3-4 fibres, but according to Joe’s surgeon, 45% of his follicles did so. This allows for fewer grafts to be harvested to achieve the same hair density. However, he still needed about 300 single-hair grafts to transplant on his hairline, so it has a softer, more natural appearance.
While Joe talked extensively about his hair restoration procedure, he remained discreet regarding its price. However, given the fact that it was an over 2000-graft hair transplant performed in the UK, it is not difficult to estimate his approximate hair transplant cost.
Our research shows that the average price per hair graft in the UK is £3.25. This means Joe likely paid upwards of £7000 for his procedure (around £7150). However, the exact bottom line for a hair transplant depends on several factors, such as:
If you want to get an accurate estimate of what surgically fixing your hair may cost, simply book a free hair transplant consultation and get your hair restoration needs assessed by an expert. The best hair transplant clinics in the UK offer this service to all prospective patients, no strings attached.
At the time of the podcast, where he discussed his procedure, Joe was only around 7 days after his hair transplant. His scalp seemed to have healed very well; most of his hair transplant scabs had fallen off, and the worst part of recovery was already behind him.
However, it was far too soon to tell how successful his surgical hair restoration was. Joe was yet to undergo hair transplant shock loss, then to see his hair regrow, sparse at first and then fuller and fuller, over the span of several months. Here is how our highly-skilled surgeon, Dr Chirag Gadhia, explains this process:
“ I would expect most patients to start showing early results—namely, a visible improvement in density—by six months, particularly in the hairline and temporal regions, as vellus (thin) hairs begin transitioning into terminal hairs. However, final results may take up to 12 months. When it comes to the crown, I would expect very few patients to see noticeable improvement at six months, as this area often takes longer—sometimes up to 18 months—to show full results.”
At the time of this article, Joe is approximately 8 months into his recovery and can soon expect to see his final results. It usually takes 9-12 months for most patients; however, it can take up to 18 months for some, as every person is different.
There are two main aspects to this question: whether you can benefit from a hair transplant and whether your results will look like Joe Marler’s. However, the answer to both of them is the same: only an experienced surgeon is qualified to make that assessment. They would need to diagnose your hair loss, take a detailed account of your medical history and get a good understanding of your hair restoration needs and expectations.
If you wonder whether you’re a good candidate for a hair transplant that can restore your hair’s fullness, as well as your confidence, look no further. Our excellent surgeons at the award-winning Wimpole Clinic are happy to help you. Book a free hair transplant consultation to receive a detailed assessment and personalised recommendations from industry leaders with years of experience and a portfolio that speaks for itself. You can see a small sample of our achievements in our before-and-after hair transplant gallery.
If you’ve enjoyed our account of Joe Marler’s hair transplant story, you may be wondering how other celebrities who got hair transplants have fared. Here are some more famous people’s hair restoration journeys:
If there are still things you may want to know about Joe Marler’s hair transplant, you may find them among the answers to these frequently asked questions:
If Joe decides to part with his signature mohawk at some point after his procedure, he will likely need a second procedure to cover the sides of his head. Otherwise, his scalp will have an unsightly appearance, with a fully covered central line and significant balding on the sides of his hairline and midscalp. Unfortunately, a mohawk is not very versatile, as it involves too little hair to style differently.
That depends on what Joe’s final results are and what his hairstyle preferences will be in the future. Normally, most patients (67.3%) are satisfied with their first intervention and never get a second one [7]. However, Joe’s case is special, since his hair transplant was unconventional. If his hair transplant is successful and he never tires of his mohawk, he may never need a second hair transplant. However, if he needs touch-ups or decides to fix the rest of his hair, he may opt for a subsequent procedure.
Most hair transplants last forever, so it is likely that Joe will be able to enjoy his surgical hair restoration permanently. Of course, it may not retain 100% of its present fullness, as hair naturally thins with age, but if they are well maintained, hair transplants can still look great after 10 years or more (here are some great hair transplant maintenance tips).
Yes, Joe’s surgeon recommended that he use hair growth medications after his procedure, to prevent further native hair loss. However, he did not specify what treatment he prescribed. Most surgeons recommend Minoxidil and/or Finasteride as the main hair growth medication to be taken after a hair transplant [8], so it is likely he will need to use one or both of these treatments in the long term to preserve his native hair.
While Joe never addressed this issue, it is normally recommended to wait at least 10 days to 2 weeks before working out after his hair transplant. However, if he wanted to play a rugby match for all time’s sake, he would have to wait at least 3 weeks post-op and preferably get his surgeon’s approval before engaging in a contact sport.
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Talk to a specialist
Dr. Hisham Band (GMC 7550130) is a distinguished hair transplant surgeon with deep expertise in the most advanced techniques, including FUE, FUT, and DHI.
Beginning his career as a resident in Plastic Surgery, Dr. Band developed a keen aesthetic sensibility and meticulous precision – qualities that are evident in every procedure he performs
With a prolific portfolio of over 1,500 successful procedures, he specialises in complex repairs, crafting results that blend seamlessly with his patients’ natural contours and characteristics. His extensive medical background spans Internal Medicine, Major Trauma, and Plastic Surgery, culminating in a master’s degree in Burns, Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery from the prestigious University College London (UCL).
His reputation attracts high-profile individuals and underscores his role in sports medicine, where he serves as a Level 3 English Boxing Association (EBA) doctor, providing top-tier care to elite MMA athletes, including those competing under the UFC banner.
At the core of his practice, Dr. Band prioritises the holistic well-being of his patients, ensuring each procedure enhances both physical and mental health. His patient-centric approach and meticulous craftsmanship continue to set him apart in the field of hair transplant surgery.
