10 Celebrities Who Had a Hair Transplant and Their Results

Hair transplants used to be a secret, and the list of celebrities who had a hair transplant was mostly guesswork. Today, footballers, actors and musicians talk about them openly, post before-and-after photos and explain why they did it. Below are 10 celebrities who had a hair transplant and confirmed it in their own words, what they said about the result, and what their stories teach anyone thinking about the procedure. We only included people who confirmed it themselves in an interview, a book or their own social media. Rumours and “spot the difference” photos were left out.

Table of contents

1. Wayne Rooney
2. Jürgen Klopp
3. Akon
4. John Cena
5. Jimmy Carr
6. James Nesbitt
7. Joel McHale
8. Brian McFadden
9. AJ McLean
10. Elton John
11. How much did they pay?
12. Can you get the same result?
13. What these stories teach us
14. Frequently asked questions
15. Sources

1. Wayne Rooney

The former England and Manchester United striker was one of the first major sports stars to go public. In June 2011, aged 25, he announced on Twitter that he had had a hair transplant, explaining that he was going bald young and saw no reason not to do it. Reports at the time linked the procedure to a clinic on Harley Street in London.

Result: Rooney said he was delighted with the outcome, and his openness made the subject far less taboo for men in the UK.

2. Jürgen Klopp

In April 2013, while managing Borussia Dortmund, Klopp confirmed to the German newspaper Bild that he had undergone a hair transplant before the season began. His relaxed, honest answer became one of the best-known celebrity confirmations in football.

Result: Klopp described the result as really cool, and his fuller hairline became part of his public image at Dortmund and later at Liverpool.

3. Akon

In an October 2022 interview, the Senegalese-American singer said he had his hair transplant in Turkey, at a cost he put at about $7,500. He said the most painful moment was the numbing injections at the start, which is exactly the step that needle-free anesthesia is designed to improve.

Result: Akon said the result looks amazing.

4. John Cena

The wrestler and actor had his procedure in November 2024 and discussed it publicly in 2025, including in a People magazine cover interview. He explained that being able to change his hairstyle gives him more options as an actor.

Result: Cena said the transplant completely changed the course of his life. His hair was still growing in months after surgery, which is normal: final results take around a year.

5. Jimmy Carr

The British comedian revealed his transplant in June 2020 on BBC One. In his own joking style, he said his hairline had been retreating from his forehead, and he described how hair was taken from the back of his head and moved to the front after his head was shaved. That is a simple description of FUE.

Result: Carr presented the change with humour and without embarrassment, which helped normalise the procedure for a wide audience.

6. James Nesbitt

The Northern Irish actor said in 2010 that he had two hair transplants and described how hair loss had become close to an obsession for him. In a 2019 interview he said he believed the transplants had probably helped him win leading roles.

Result: Nesbitt said he was very pleased with the results. His story shows that two sessions over time is common.

7. Joel McHale

In 2025, the American actor and comedian said on a podcast that he has had four transplants in Los Angeles, costing around $10,000. His first procedure used the older strip (FUT) method, which he found painful, while he called the newer follicle-by-follicle method a miracle. He also warned viewers that a suspiciously cheap offer is a red flag.

Result: McHale is happy with his hair today, but his story is a useful reminder to choose a clinic on quality, not price alone.

8. Brian McFadden

The former Westlife singer shared his transplant on Instagram in February 2018 with photos and videos. He explained that his thinning hairline had made him self-conscious and uncomfortable, and that he preferred to be honest rather than hide it.

Result: He shared his progress openly with fans as the hair grew in.

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9. AJ McLean

The Backstreet Boys singer posted before-and-after photos of his transplant on Instagram in March 2013 and publicly thanked his doctor.

Result: McLean said he could not be happier with the outcome.

10. Elton John

Not every story is a success. In his 2019 memoir Me, Elton John wrote that his hair transplants in earlier decades went badly, and he later spoke about them on radio. He went on to wear hairpieces.

Result: His experience reflects the older methods of the 1970s and 1980s, which often produced unnatural “plug” results. Modern FUE and DHI techniques move single follicular units and are designed to look natural.

How much did celebrities who had a hair transplant pay?

Only a few celebrities who had a hair transplant have talked about price, and the figures vary widely depending on the country, the clinic and the number of sessions:

Celebrity	Reported cost	Where	Source of the figure
Akon	About $7,500	Turkey	His own interview (2022)
Joel McHale	About $10,000 for four procedures	Los Angeles	His own podcast (2025)
Calum Best	About £6,000 for 1,257 grafts (second session)	Manchester, UK	Clinic publicity (2014)
Louis Walsh	About £30,000	Dublin	Interview reported by the Mirror (2011)

These numbers are not a price list. A celebrity hair transplant in London or Los Angeles usually costs several times more than the same procedure in Istanbul, which is one reason many patients, famous or not, now travel to Turkey. What matters more than the price is who performs each step and how carefully your donor area is planned. You can compare what is included in each package on our prices page.

Can you get the same result as celebrities who had a hair transplant?

In most cases, yes. Celebrities who had a hair transplant do not get a special technique. They get the same FUE or DHI procedure that is available to any patient. What makes a celebrity hair transplant look good on camera is the same thing that makes yours look good in real life:

• A strong donor area. The number of grafts you can safely move depends on the density at the back and sides of your head.
• A natural hairline. A well-designed hairline follows your face, not a template. This is where DHI is often used.
• Realistic expectations. If your hair loss is advanced, you may need more than one session, as several celebrities on this list did.
• Patience. Results appear gradually over 12 months, so judge the outcome at the end, not in the first weeks.

If you want to know what is realistic for you, a doctor can estimate it from a few photos. That is the same first step every celebrity who had a hair transplant went through.

What celebrities who had a hair transplant teach us

• Hair loss often starts early. Rooney was 25. A good surgeon plans your donor area for the long term, not just for the first session.
• More than one session is normal. Nesbitt had two, Calum Best at least two, McHale four.
• Techniques have improved enormously. Compare Elton John’s early failure, or McHale’s painful strip surgery, with today’s FUE methods.
• Patience is part of the process. Final results take about 12 months. See our guide to the patient journey.
• Do not choose on price alone. Ask who performs each step and check the clinic’s licence.

More celebrities who had a hair transplant

Other names who have spoken about their own procedure include British TV personality Calum Best, who has described having more than one session, Irish music manager Louis Walsh, singer Jake Quickenden and TV presenter Joe Swash.

Singer Jake Quickenden announced his transplant on Instagram in August 2017, saying he had finally sorted out his hairline after years of insecurity and that the swelling would settle within about a week (Attitude, 2017).

Inspired by these celebrities who had a hair transplant? Send your photos for a free hair analysis on WhatsApp (+90 544 476 83 87) or see our prices.

Frequently asked questions

Which celebrities who had a hair transplant went to Turkey?

Of the people in this list, Akon said publicly that he had his transplant in Turkey. Many other public figures are rumoured to have travelled to Istanbul, but we only list people who confirmed it themselves.

Do the results of celebrities who had a hair transplant look natural?

Modern FUE and DHI transplants can look completely natural when the hairline is designed well. The poor results people remember, like Elton John’s, mostly come from older techniques.

How many sessions do celebrities usually need?

It varies. Several people on this list had two or more procedures over the years as their hair loss progressed.

Why do more celebrities talk openly about hair transplants now?

Results are better and more natural, and public figures like Wayne Rooney and Jürgen Klopp made it acceptable to talk about.

Did any of these celebrities have their transplant at Hair Cultivate?

No. Hair Cultivate has no connection with any of the people named here. Their stories are shared from public sources for information.

References

1. Ahram Online / AFP. Rooney reveals hair transplant. 5 June 2011. english.ahram.org.eg
2. The Local Germany. Klopp admits to hair transplant. 13 April 2013. thelocal.de
3. Complex. Akon recalls painful hair transplant in Turkey. 19 October 2022. complex.com
4. The Daily Beast. John Cena on his hair transplant. 7 August 2025. thedailybeast.com
5. The Irish News / PA. Jimmy Carr reveals he has had a hair transplant. 26 June 2020. irishnews.com
6. News Letter. James Nesbitt: hair transplants helped my career. February 2019. newsletter.co.uk
7. AOL / People. Joel McHale on spending $10,000 on hair transplants. 18 June 2025. aol.com
8. Express & Star / PA. Brian McFadden documents hair transplant online. 4 February 2018. expressandstar.com
9. ABC News. Backstreet Boy AJ McLean hair transplant photos. 9 April 2013. abcnews.com
10. CNN via KRDO. 11 details from Elton John’s memoir. 19 October 2019. krdo.com

This article is for general information and does not replace a consultation with a qualified doctor.