Ben Stokes’s Hair Transplant: Before, After and All You Need to Know

Key Takeaways: 

• How many hair grafts were used in the procedure? According to the clinic where he had the procedure, 1800 grafts were used in the procedure. Due to having the procedure in his late 20s, the clinic would have considered maintaining his donor area should he need additional procedures in the future. Ben Stokes, the dynamic England cricket captain and World Cup hero, has made waves both on and off the pitch with a striking new look that hints at a possible hair transplant.
  
• Has Ben Stokes had a hair transplant? Yes. During an interview, he mentioned that he underwent the procedure in 2018 and chose to speak about it 5 years later as part of his efforts to raise mental health awareness.
  
• Why did he have the hair transplant? In his interview in 2023, he mentioned that seeing overhead camera footage of himself with a thinning crown made him more self-conscious. He also mentioned that improving his confidence and overall wellbeing were major motivations as well.
  
• Which technique was used? He had the FUE (Follicular Unit Excision) technique, which involves moving hair follicles from the donor area to the hair with hair loss. He was seen with a shaved hairstyle around the time he had the procedure, with no apparent linear scar visible, further strengthening the likely use of the FUE technique.
  

Ben Stokes is widely considered one of England’s greatest all-rounders in cricket. He was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1991, and moved to Cumbria at the age of 12. He went on to win a Cricket World Cup with England and famously steered England back from the brink of defeat against Australia to one of the greatest run-chases in Test history, in what has come to be known as ‘The Headingley Miracle’

He captained England through an exciting and aggressive new playing style known as ‘Bazball’, which is a delightfully entertaining style of cricket to watch. He is a steely player known for producing his very best in the biggest moments. Recently, he announced his retirement from international cricket (2026).

Ben Stokes’s Hair Loss Over the Years

He had his hair transplant in 2018 after noticing hair thinning across his temple and crown area. We will look back at the earliest sign of hair loss throughout his professional career to understand how his hair loss progressed over time and evaluate the changes observed after the procedure.

If you are interested in understanding if you are an ideal candidate for hair loss, click here to read our full guide.

2015

Aged 24 and already an established member of the England Cricket team, he was beginning to show early signs of hair loss at this time.

Around 25% of men begin to experience some form of hair loss before age 21, and about 50% start to experience hair loss as well by age 50.

At the time, he had recession at the temples as well as thinning at the crown with a subtle but developing m-shaped Widow’s peak. Based on his comments, he was aware of his potential hair loss from an early age and was worried about it.

If you are worried about your hair loss, book a meeting with one of our surgeons for expert guidance on your current situation and suitable solutions.

“Having a hair transplant at an earlier stage can have advantages, as there may be a smaller area of hair loss to address compared with more advanced stages of hair loss. However, in younger patients, careful assessment and long-term planning are particularly important because their hair loss may continue to progress. Have a thorough discussion with your surgeon regarding your suitability for surgery as well as other treatment options that can be utilised.”

Dr Dilan Fernando, Hair Transplant Surgeon and Co-Founder at The Treatment Rooms London.

2015 to 2017

The hair loss continued to progress over the next few years, with the thinning on the crown becoming increasingly visible. At this stage, his hair loss appeared to be at a moderate level of around Norwood 3 on the Norwood Scale (Hair loss can continue to progress further up to Norwood 7 on the scale)

With overhead camera angles showing his hair condition during matches, he became more self-conscious of his hair.

2018

He had his hair transplant at a London clinic aged 26. While this was still early in his hair loss journey, his hair loss was already at a moderate stage.

Around this time, he managed to keep the procedure relatively private. He had a shaven haircut, which may have helped make his early stages of recovery less noticeable. According to the clinic where he had the procedure, a total of 1,800 grafts were transplanted from the donor area, restoring the hairline and the crown.

2023

Five years after having the hair transplant procedure, he spoke publicly about it in an interview explaining why he had it and how it positively impacted his confidence.

Commenting during the interview, he said, “As soon as I started seeing the results, it gave me so much more confidence, knowing that I didn’t have to worry about it as much as I did beforehand”.

Male pattern hair loss can have a significant impact on men’s mental wellbeing, affecting confidence and self-esteem. For some, addressing the hair loss and seeking treatment can lead to a meaningful lift in how they feel about their appearance and themselves.

“Hair loss is not always as simple as a cosmetic concern. For many men, it can have an impact on confidence, self-esteem, and overall wellbeing. During consultation, part of our assessment is understanding the psychological impact of hair loss and how it is affecting the individual. It is important to acknowledge these concerns as well as to understand what the patient wants to achieve, in order to develop a more holistic treatment plan.”

Dr Dilan Fernando, Hair Transplant Surgeon and Co-Founder at The Treatment Rooms London.

What Type of Hair Transplant Did Stokes Have?

Based on information provided by the clinic where he had the hair transplant, Stokes underwent an FUE hair transplant procedure.

During the time of the procedure, he was seen with a shaven head, which is a common practice required to give surgeons access to harvest hair follicles from the donor area. This is typically the back and sides of the scalp, which are not affected by the hormone called DHT, which is responsible for hair loss. 

Hair transplants leave scars of varying degrees depending on the type of surgery you opt for. An FUE hair transplant leaves minimal “dot-like” scarring, which is left from the removal of hair grafts, while the FUT technique leaves a linear scar due to the removal of a strip of scalp.

The FUE method is generally popular due to minimal scarring and relatively short recovery time. This fits individuals like Ben Stokes who require quick resumption either to work or to their public life.

What to Do If You are Considering a Hair Transplant

If you are considering having a hair transplant either at an early age like Ben Stokes or maybe at a later age, we recommend you have an extensive consultation with a reputable hair transplant clinic.

A proper consultation is important to know what are the best options are for your situation, what to expect with a potential hair transplant procedure, whether your hairline is stable enough to proceed, if you need to wait and stabilise your hair loss with medication prior to having a transplant, or if having a hair transplant is genuinely not the best option for your hair loss condition.

As a leading hair transplant clinic in London and the UK, we have worked extensively with public figures and celebrities both within and outside the UK, giving them the best experience and performing their hair transplant to the highest standards. We have an extensive library of successful hair transplant procedures you can explore to see past results.

Click here to contact us and book a consultation session with one of our surgeons.

References

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2. Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The psychological impact of hair loss. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8719979/
   
3. Asfour L, Cranwell W, Sinclair R. Male androgenetic alopecia. [Updated 2023 Jan 25]. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Blackman MR, et al., editors. Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000– [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278957/
   
4. Ho CH, Zito PM. Androgenetic alopecia. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 [cited 2026 Sep 4]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430924/
   
5. Jimenez F, Alam M, Vogel JE, Avram M. Hair transplantation: basic overview. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2021 Oct;85(4):803–814. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2021.03.124