Celebrity Hair Transplants: Full Before and After Analysis

Elon Musk

Not many people will know Elon Musk for his hair loss, but in the 1990s he had extensive hair loss, which was treated with an estimated 3000-4000 grafts.

Our extensive review of available pictures indicates he had the procedure in the last 90s. He likely used the FUT (Follicular Unit Transplantation) technique, which was the available technique at that time. There is a chance he has had further procedures to top up or treat further hair loss.

If a picture of Elon with a bald head feels almost strange to you, that is probably an indication of how successful and stable his hair treatment has been over the years.

His hair loss was more visible in his PayPal days, and he appears to have explored hair transplants.

Lewis Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton had an early hair loss classified at Norwood scale 4 in his 20s. While this is an early age to start having hair loss, about 25% of men are expected to suffer male pattern hair loss around this age.

The level of recovery from his hair loss and stability indicates he likely had a hair transplant procedure.

As recommended to patients after a hair transplant procedure, he is likely to have used minoxidil or finasteride to maintain his current hair density and hairline.

While a hair transplant can effectively restore lost hair, it does not prevent hair loss from the surrounding non-transplanted hair, and this is why Finasteride or Minoxidil are recommended alongside surgery to slow further hair loss and effectively maintain existing hair. Finasteride works by reducing the levels of the hormone DHT, which is responsible for male pattern hair loss.

His Norwood scale 3 hair loss has required an original transplant of 2,500 hair grafts in 2011 and a further 1,000 hair grafts in 2013.

Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney is one of the most talented football players of his generation, with a successful career playing for Manchester United and England. He is one of the first high profile public figures to publicly confirm having a hair transplant and is often credited with helping thousands of men deal with the social stigma around having a hair transplant.

His hair loss started in his early twenties, and he decided to have the hair transplant at age 25 in 2011. By 2007, his m-shaped hairline was beginning to form, and between 2008 and 2011 it progressed quickly, drawing media attention and jokes online.

Rooney never disclosed technique or graft numbers, but he is likely to have had an FUE hair transplant with an estimated 2,000 grafts in 2011 and an additional 1,000–1,500 in 2013 to treat further hair loss. His hairline was estimated to be Norwood 3 before the first intervention.

“Early intervention does not necessarily mean having surgery early. The advantage of identifying and treating progressive hair loss sooner is that we may be able to preserve more of the existing native hair, which can reduce the amount of restoration required later on. This also allows us to plan more carefully around the patient’s finite donor supply, preserving grafts for the future should further hair loss occur.”

Dr Roshan Vara, Co-Founder and Hair Transplant Surgeon at The Treatment Rooms London

David Silva

David Silva started showing signs of early hair loss, which happens to about 25% of men around that age. His hair loss started presenting as mild recession at both temples, forming an m-shaped hairline.

The recession deepened between 2010 and 2016, during his trophy-winning years at Manchester City. At this time, the temples pulled back further, with the hairline forming a deeper m-shape. This was mostly disguised by wearing his hair long and shaggy. His hair loss is assessed at Norwood stage 3 at this time.

He was seen in the summer of 2017 with a shaved head, which is quite uncharacteristic of him. Shaving of hair is commonly associated with a FUE hair transplant to give the surgeons access to the donor and recipient areas. By 2018, his hairline appears noticeably fuller and more youthful, which may be consistent with a result of a hair transplant.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Even at age 40, Ronaldo’s hair remains well-defined, symmetrical, and free from the usual tell-tale sign of m-shaped recession of male pattern baldness. This may suggest that he has experienced relatively little progression of male pattern hair loss compared with many men of a similar age, which can be attributed to a favourable genetic history.

While genetics plays a significant role in hair loss or otherwise, Ronaldo’s rigorous hair care habits would have contributed significantly to his state of hair.

Gordon Ramsay

Although he has never publicly confirmed treatment, we believe that he must’ve had an FUE hair transplant around 2010. 

Based on a review of publicly available pictures, Gordon’s hair loss had progressed to Norwood scale 3 at one point. Our review also suggests he had a hair transplant with the unshaven follicular unit excision (UFUE) technique likely used.

The UFUE technique offers an additional level of benefit compared to the traditional FUE method. As the donor area is not shaved, it can be done discreetly, making it possible for the patient to get back to work faster.

Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes started showing early signs of hair loss at around age 24. His hair loss started presenting as temple recession and thinning around the crown area, which started forming an m-shaped hairline.

The hair loss advanced from 2015 to 2017, with the thinning on the crown becoming more visible. According to him, seeing his hair loss being captured by overhead cameras made him more self-conscious.

He had his hair transplant at age 26, choosing to intervene before the condition progressed further. He kept the procedure private for some years and later spoke about it in 2023, raising awareness about mental health and sharing his experience about the positive impact on his confidence after the procedure.

“Concerns about hair loss are not always purely cosmetic. For some patients, hair loss can have a genuine impact on mental wellbeing, contributing to anxiety, reduced self-confidence and limitations in daily life. Addressing hair loss properly therefore also means understanding the psychological concerns a patient may have. By discussing both the physical and emotional impact, we can provide a more holistic and individualised approach to their care.”

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

Jimmy Carr

Jimmy Carr has openly discussed his hair transplant, making joking remarks about improved confidence and appearance. While he has not revealed the exact techniques used, our expert surgeons estimate he likely had a Follicular Unit Excision (FUE) hair transplant technique done.

He also gave details around the time of the procedure. According to him, he had the hair procedure during lockdown after becoming unhappy with how his hair loss had progressed.

Steve Carell

While Steve Carell has never confirmed having a hair transplant, changes in his hair over the years have been a source of speculation. Earlier in his career, he appeared to have a mild recession around the temples. The hair loss was estimated at Norwood stage 2 at that time. 

If Steve did undergo a hair transplant, restoring the degree of the hair loss may have required around 1,000 to 1,500 grafts. The FUE technique would also be a suitable option due to lower downtime.

It is important that there is no clear evidence that Carell has had a hair transplant. His hair has remained stable for about 20 years, which was the source of the speculation about a hair transplant.

Rob Brydon

Rob Brydon, the beloved Welsh comedian and Gavin & Stacey star, was on Norwood scale 4 before 1st  hair transplant. Brydon could have had approximately 1200 – 1500 grafts transplanted into his temples and frontal hairline, with each graft consisting of 1-4 hair follicles on average. 

Having looked through sequential years to assess his hair length, our team of Surgeons believes that he would have had what is commonly referred to as an unshaven hair procedure.

Lebron James

LeBron James has suffered from male pattern baldness since his early to mid-20s. LeBron’s hair loss continued slowly, moving towards a Norwood stage five in 2014.

Unfortunately, in June 2015, LeBron James hit the back of his head on a camera during the NBA Finals. This led to some very high-definition close-up footage of his likely donor area and what appears to be “dot-like” scarring in keeping with FUE hair transplant surgery, which can be seen in the photo above.

Elton John

In his autobiography, Elton John describes two unsuccessful and painful FUT hair transplants he received in the late 1970s. These did not produce the results he had hoped for, as hair transplant technologies were relatively underdeveloped at the time, and the results were still unnatural.

He said he did not follow some of the doctor’s post-operative instructions well and believes it could have contributed to his poor outcome. He suffered from an advanced Norwood scale 4 hair loss, which caused him to have significant insecurities, and he continued to seek out treatment. 

He had a final FUE hair transplant in 2013 to fix the previous hair transplant, and combined with the use of Propecia (Finasteride) and Rogaine (Minoxidil), has maintained a full head of hair since then.

While male pattern baldness can sometimes be treated with medication, a hair transplant such as the unshaven FUE hair transplant (UFUE) can be a good alternative if that proves ineffective.

Cesc Fàbregas Hair Transplant

Known as a creative midfielder with a successful career at Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea and currently as a manager for Serie A club Como, Cesc Fabregas is a football legend with a trophy-laden career at the top flight. While there is no confirmation of a hair transplant, a review of his photographs suggests he has had one.

The first visible sign was seen around 2013, with recession at the temples and an m-shaped hairline forming alongside. By the time he joined Chelsea in June 2014, the loss had progressed to a fuller Norwood 3 with mild crown thinning concealed by styling.

He likely had his hair transplant between 2013 and 2014 when he was seen with a low haircut. While anyone can decide to have a low haircut, this was uncharacteristic of him.

He likely had the unshaven or minimally shaven FUE (UFUE) technique, which helps get back to being seen in public again due to its low downtime.

Perez Hilton Hair Transplant

Perez Hilton is a familiar face in the media. He is known for his work as a US gossip columnist, TV personality, and blogger.

Perez Hilton’s hair transformation suggests he opted for a FUE hair transplant procedure specifically suited for individuals concerned about quick recovery times and returning to normal activities.

Jürgen Klopp

Current manager of the German team, Jürgen Klopp is a celebrated football manager with tremendous success at Liverpool, where he brought an intensive, energetic style of play and passion.

When a Bild journalist asked him about his fuller hairline, he was open and confirmed it directly: “Yes, it’s true… I think the results are really cool, don’t you?”

Our review indicates he had the procedure in 2012 at a clinic in Düsseldorf. He was aged 44 at that time while managing Dortmund.

James Nesbitt

Actor James Nesbitt is no stranger to being in the public eye with his TV and film work. So it is no surprise that people began to notice when he started to lose his hair.

In a patient testimonial in 2017, after his second hair transplant brought a fantastic transformation, he said: “I’d go as far as to say they’ve changed my life.”

Antonio Conte

The Italian football coach suffered from extensive hair loss at a young age. He had significant balding on the top of his head and had a Norwood scale of 4 based on the degree of hair loss. 

Antonio Conte is believed to have undergone two hair transplant procedures using the FUT method for the first procedure.

The first transplant was done in the early 2000s when hair restoration technology was less advanced by today’s standards. The results of his first transplant did not provide the long-term results he wanted, and he travelled to Canada for a secondary surgery in 2007.

Andros Townsend

Andros Townsend is experiencing hair loss at age 25 or 26. On the Norwood scale, Andros appears to be at Norwood stage 2 or 3 here. Stage 3 is the stage where male pattern hair loss becomes clearly more established with significant areas of balding. At this phase, most men would consider a hair transplant.

There are different hair transplant surgeries for male pattern baldness, such as follicular unit extraction, which is recommended for celebrities.

David Beckham

In his Manchester United years, Beckham had a mature hairline (Norwood 1–2). After moving to Real Madrid in the mid-2000s, temple recession became more visible, forming a defined “M” shape, which he often disguised with longer styles and a man bun.

From 2010 to 2018, the loss progressed to around Norwood 3, with moderate frontotemporal recession.

From around 2018, his hairline appeared noticeably fuller and more defined. The hair recovery and transformation is less typical of how male pattern baldness naturally progresses, giving indication that a possible hair restoration treatment, including a hair transplant, might have been done to reverse the hair loss, although this cannot be confirmed with photographs alone.

Dr Roshan Vara, hair transplant surgeon and co-founder at The Treatment Rooms London, estimates roughly 1,500–2,000 grafts.

Jordan Peterson

Jordan Peterson is a globally respected psychologist, author, and speaker. While he has never confirmed having a hair transplant, available pictures suggest he had one to treat his hair loss.

Pictures of him while working as a lecturer in 2010 show a clear m-shaped hairline with recession also noticed along the temples and frontal thinning.

Dr Roshan Vara, hair transplant surgeon at The Treatment Rooms London, assesses his hair loss at around Norwood 2 to 3 before his hair appeared noticeably fuller, which may be due to a potential hair transplant.

His hair loss looked fuller and denser from 2015- 2018, with the temples restored. The improvements continued into 2019 and have stayed stable since then.

Dimitar Berbatov

Dimitar Berbatov is well known as a prolific striker for Manchester United. He also played for Tottenham and Fulham and remains Bulgaria’s all-time leading goal scorer.

While he has never made a public comment on his hair transformation, evidence indicates he may have had a hair transplant to treat his male pattern hair loss.

For most of his football career, he had a classic m-shaped hairline with noticeable recession at the temples. This is typical of male pattern hair loss, which is naturally progressive over time if left untreated.

In 2019, he played in a Soccer Aid match, and fans noticed he had a significantly improved hairline. The changes sparked interest, with many commenting about how his hairline has changed.

Mo Salah

Mohamed Salah, the Liverpool superstar who came up through Al Mokawloon, Basel, Chelsea, Fiorentina and Roma, has never admitted to a hair transplant. However, a review of his previous hair loss and new hairline indicates he has had a hair transplant.

Salah had thick curly hair early in his career which covered his hairline. Photos from 2019-2023 show progressive temple recession developing into an m-shape. At this time, his hair loss is categorised as Norwood 2 to 3, a typical pattern of male pattern baldness.

He arrived for the start of the 2024-2025 season sporting an unusually close shave, which fueled transplant speculation. By late 2024 and into 2025, his hairline appeared fuller, lower, and denser than before.

Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford is an accomplished English goalkeeper. Undergoing a hair transplant brings back the flexibility and freedom to restyle your hair and switch between different styles.

Steven Whittaker Hair Transplant

As Hibs legend Steven Whittaker makes headlines for taking the Dunfermline player-coach role, many gazes have turned towards his hairline. Steven opted for an FUE (follicular unit excision) hair transplant surgery.

Steven Whittaker’s hair transplant was a tremendous success. His fuller hairline today gives him a more vibrant and youthful look. 

Are You Inspired by these Celebrity Hair Transplants?

Look and appearance are an intricate part of a celebrity’s life, work requirements, and overall source of confidence. While some celebrities may choose to undergo a hair transplant or other forms of treatment, our review shows the majority pay attention to their overall appearance.

Technological advancements in the hair transplant industry have also made this more accessible, as they can undergo a discreet procedure and get back to their public-facing roles within days.

If you are considering having a hair transplant as a treatment option for your male pattern hair loss, ensure you carry out due diligence before deciding on the hair transplant clinic to use.

Check to confirm the clinic is CQC registered and the surgeons are GMC registered if based in the UK. Also check available online reviews to review past hair transplant cases handled by the clinic.

At The Treatment Rooms London, we have worked with different public figures and top business executives, providing them with world-class discreet hair transplant solutions.

If you are a celebrity or you are inspired by success stories from other celebrities, reach out to a member of our team, and we will contact you to book a one-on-one consultation with one of our surgeons.