Although Joel McHale kept quiet about his hair transplant for many years, his hair transformation has taken place in the public eye. Joel went from showing classic signs of male pattern baldness, to a full head of thick, healthy hair.
And in time, he decided to open up about it. In one interview, he said. “Three surgeries later, look at my hair! The technology is bananas now. They pluck your hair and stick it there [1].”
Ready to learn more about Joel McHale’s hair transplant? In this article, we’ll explore:
Joel McHale is a world-famous actor, comedian, writer, producer, and TV host. He was born on November 20, 1971, in Rome and raised in Seattle, USA.
He’s best known for his starring role in the sitcom Community, and hosted the pop culture commentary show The Soup. He’s also starred in movies like Ted and Spider-Man 2, and has continued to be involved in the media with guest appearances on game shows, talk shows, and comedy specials.
After years of dodging questions about his hair, McHale finally came clean. During a podcast with Justin Long, he admitted that he had had three hair transplant surgeries. Joel told Long, “Yeah! I’d be totally bald. We’re not all born with gorgeous thick hair like you… [1]”.
Before his transplants, Joel had classic signs of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). This was most publicly visible when he appeared in the movie Spider-Man 2 with an M-shaped hairline and temple hair loss.
Male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss in men, and affects up to 80% of men by the age of 80 [2]. This condition causes hair follicles to gradually shrink and produce thinner, shorter hairs. Over time they can stop producing hairs altogether.
Joel started losing hair young. He was asked when his hair loss started, and he replied, “Oh, 18-19 [years old] [1]”. Joel is one of many celebrities who’ve had a hair transplant to fix male pattern baldness. Others include:
Joel had healthy hair growth as a child and as a young teenager. As he reached his late teens, he began to experience the first signs of thinning and balding.
By the time he starred in Spider-Man 2 in 2004, he was a classic stage 3 on the Norwood scale. He had a receding hairline, which had become M-shaped, and significant hair loss around his temples.
But by 2009, when he first starred in Community, Joel’s symptoms had reversed. As you can see in this image from 2010, he no longer had an M-shaped hairline, and areas of frontal balding had regrown.
This suggests that one or more of his three hair transplants took place between 2004 and 2009. Fans speculate that his first procedure took place between 2006 and 2007.
By 2015, Joel’s hairline looked fuller again. He likely had at least one further procedure between 2010 and 2015.
10 years later, Joel has maintained his new hairline and thick hair growth around the front of his scalp. This is no surprise because a hair transplant is permanent. You should continue to experience the benefits 10 years after a hair transplant or even longer, provided you take steps to manage any ongoing hair loss.
Joe McHale lives in Los Angeles, so he likely chose an LA hair transplant clinic. Although he hasn’t discussed specific costs, we can estimate how much he paid for his transformation.
The average LA hair transplant cost is $15,200. Joel had three, meaning he may have paid around $45,600 in total for his new locks. However, his hair transplants may have cost more or less than this, depending on his choice of surgeon and clinic, and how many hair grafts he had.
We estimate that Joel McHale had between 2,250 and 4,450 grafts in total. 2,250 grafts cover zones 1 and 2, which were Joel’s areas of visible balding at the peak of his hair loss.
However, there’s a good chance he needed additional density at zone 3, and he may have also had a bald spot on the crown (zone 6). If he also needed follicles transplanted to these areas, his total number of grafts would be closer to 4,450.
Although Joel has not discussed other hair loss treatments, he may have had additional therapy before, alongside, or after his hair transplants. Other types of hair loss treatment may have included:
When discussing his hair transplant in interviews, Joel highlighted the importance of choosing a high-quality surgeon and clinic. In one interview, he shared:
“The guy who did mine, he’s like, ‘Oh, I spend a lot of time fixing crappy surgeries where they go to different countries and it’s a third of the cost’. [1]”
For example, the cost of a hair transplant in Turkey can be much cheaper than in the UK. However, watch out for red flags at Turkish hair transplant clinics — these clinics may come with more hair transplant risks and complications due to lower adherence to safety standards.
For peace of mind, choose a clinic with a longstanding history of success. The Wimpole Clinic is one of the longest-running clinics in the UK, established in 1975.
We work with some of the best hair transplant surgeons in the UK, who create such natural-looking results that it’s possible to get a hair transplant with anyone without anyone knowing. If you’re ready to learn how we can help you with a transformation like Joel McHale’s, book a consultation at your nearest clinic location today.
Elton John has confirmed having not one, but two hair transplants in the late 70s. Unfortunately, these were both unsuccessful. Elton himself has said that this may have been due to his alcohol and drug use, which can weaken hair, or potentially his use of hats too soon after his surgery. Learn more about Elton John’s hair transplants.
Wayne Rooney has had at least two hair transplants over the years. The first of these took place in 2011, at the peak of his Manchester United career. He had at least one top-up since then to keep his hair looking its best.
There is no set number of hair transplants you can have throughout your life. The number of surgeries you can have depends on your hair donor supply and the extent of your balding. Calum Best, for example, has had six hair transplants with excellent results.
You’re more likely to need a second hair transplant (or even multiple hair transplants, like Calum Best and Joel McHale) if you have significant ongoing hair loss after your first transplant, or if you need a high number of grafts. That’s because there’s a limit to how many grafts can safely be transplanted in one session.
The best age for a hair transplant varies from person to person. However, a 2022 study established that the most popular ages for getting a hair transplant were 30-39 for men, and 40-49 for women [3].
Many celebrities are known to have had a hair transplant. While Joel McHale has been forthright about his, other celebrities prefer to keep their hairline enhancements under wraps.
Find out about other celebrities who have (or are rumoured to have) had a hair transplant below:
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