Robbie Williams has been open about his hair loss in recent years. The former Take That star has talked about treatments as varied as hair transplants and toupées to hide his thinning hair.
But unlike most other celebrity hair transplants — such as Ben Stokes’s hair transplant and Rob Holding’s hair transplant — Robbie has had less success with the procedure. So what does Robbie Williams’s hair look like after more than 30 years in the spotlight?
Let’s take a tour of Robbie Williams’s hair throughout his career.
Yes, Robbie Williams has had a hair transplant. On the Graham Norton Show, he said he’d had a “thatch” to address hair loss around his temples:
On the show, Robbie said:
“I’ve had a thatch done, I’ll tell everybody now. I didn’t even need it. That’s the weirdest thing. I had three months off, I got bored, so I thought, ‘I’ll go in.’ I got some round the sides [temples] done, and I actually didn’t need it.”
Unfortunately, not only did Robbie get a hair transplant before he needed one, the hair grafts didn’t actually take, leaving him with lacklustre results.
Robbie Williams reportedly had his hair transplant in 2013, so let’s compare some before and after photos:
There does seem to be little difference between Robbie’s hairline pre- and post-hair transplant.
But he seems to be in the early stages of male pattern baldness at this stage, with some light frontal thinning. So even if a hair transplant wasn’t necessary, this would have been a good time to start using Finasteride, Minoxidil, or another type of non-surgical hair loss treatment for men.
While Robbie’s hair used to be thick and full, he has seen some substantial thinning over the years. Let’s take a look at how Robbie Williams’s hair loss has progressed over the course of his career.
When Take That burst onto the scene in the 90s, Robbie Williams had a full hairline and thick hair across his scalp and crown:
It’s unsurprising that Robbie’s hair stayed intact throughout this period. As the youngest member of Take That, he was just 16 when he joined the band. While some unlucky men see the first signs of thinning hair as a teenager, they’re the exception rather than the rule.
When Robbie Williams embarked on his solo career, his hairline stayed pretty straight despite a series of style changes over the decade.
In 2013, Robbie Williams had his hair transplant. But as Robbie himself noted, there were few changes in his hairline pre- and post-hair transplant:
Robbie Williams also said he didn’t need a hair transplant at this point. His hair is around a Norwood 3, with substantial temple hair loss. But his frontal hairline and crown are still pretty full, suggesting his hairline is maturing rather than genuinely receding.
While it’s not known where Robbie Williams got his hair transplant, it probably took place at a Los Angeles hair transplant clinic. He’s said he was influenced to get surgery while living in LA, and Beverly Hills is a popular location for cosmetic surgery among the rich and famous.
Despite his hair transplant, Robbie Williams has shown visible signs of thinning in recent years, especially around his frontal hairline.
In an Instagram post in 2021, he explained that his hair loss had led to a new experimental hairstyle:
“I’m losing my hair, I’m thinning and I thought instead of fighting against it I should just lean into it. The first step was doing a number one all over and to see how that looked. I thought that was OK. Then I thought while Ayda was out, I’d just shave a Mohican. This is what has happened.”
Robbie Williams considered getting a second hair transplant around this time, but the extent of his hair loss led surgeons to advise against it:
“My hair is getting thinner and thinner. Nobody will give me a thatch job [hair transplant] because they say my hair is too thin. I’m just going to have to embrace what is happening: in real time, Robbie Williams, losing his hair.”
Since deciding against a hair transplant, Robbie Williams has begun to experiment with other hairstyles to hide his receding hairline.
He’s also discussed the possibility of wearing a wig on stage:
“I’m thinking of getting a hairpiece. There are these great wigs that you can get now, you have to shave all your hair off and then you have it placed on with glue and it sticks on for a couple of weeks. I might actually do it just for touring.”
Robbie doesn’t seem to have resorted to wearing a wig just yet, but human hair wigs can be a good way to boost your confidence in public.
While Robbie Williams has openly discussed his hair transplant, he hasn’t revealed how many hair grafts he received. It’s estimated he had around 1,000-1,500 grafts transplanted to his temples (zones one and two):
However, it’s possible he had more hair grafts due to hair transplant overharvesting. This may be the reason he doesn’t have enough grafts left for a second hair transplant.
Hair transplants can fail for lots of different reasons. Common causes of a failed hair transplant include:
Despite his hair transplant, Robbie Williams’s hair has thinned a lot over the years. That’s why it’s so important to create a hair loss management plan with a trusted, experienced clinic.
Rather than looking for a one-and-done procedure, patients should consider including non-surgical treatments like Finasteride and/or Minoxidil to supplement their hair transplant. This prevents ongoing hair loss, helping you maintain your existing hair while also replacing lost hair.
If, like Robbie Williams, you’ve already had a procedure and are looking for further advice about tackling your hair loss, book a free consultation at the Wimpole Clinic.
Most FUE and FUT procedures are more successful than Robbie Williams’s hair transplant, which is why so many celebrities turn to these procedures to enhance their hairlines. England cricket captain Ben Stokes revealed his hair transplant at the Wimpole Clinic, and how it improved his mental health as well as his hairline:
“When I had my hair done in 2018, I was 27 or 26 years old. Losing your hair at that young of an age is not something you want to be screaming and shouting about. It’s just amazing how much confidence I got after having [my procedure] and seeing the results. I wasn’t worried about it any more.”
Watch the full interview with Ben here:
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