Elton John Hair Transplant: An Overview of Elton’s Hairline

Celebrities usually rise to fame because of a specific talent that they have. In the case of Elton John, it’s his incredible musical ability that made him a star. Everyone knows his name, most people know his story, and anyone who listens to his music agrees that he is a legend in every right.

That’s not all celebs are known for, though. While the most important thing about Elton John is undoubtedly his musical talent, nobody can deny that famous people are often scrutinised for their appearance. If there’s a hair out of place, then there’s also going to be a camera to take a picture and cement that moment in time for eternity! That’s why it’s so common for celebrities to get surgical procedures to improve their looks. For men, one of those popular procedures is a hair transplant. In this article, we’ll look at Elton John’s hairline specifically, seeing how his hairline evolved over the years and his experience with the hair loss treatment of a hair transplant.

Elton John: A Musical Legend

Elton John is known all over the world as a musical legend. The star rose to fame in the late 1960s after releasing several songs and albums. Some of his most notable hits include “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”, “Your Song”, “Rocket Man”, and “Tiny Dancer”. He has won multiple Grammies, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and even became Sir Elton John in 1998 when he was knighted. He’s had an incredible career!

Elton John’s hair isn’t the most interesting thing about him by a mile, but it’s still an important part of his identity. Most people don’t want to lose their hair at any point. When it happens, it can make a person – yes, even someone as legendary as Elton John – feel less confident in their skin.

Did Elton John Get a Hair Transplant?

Yes. Elton John is one of the few celebrities who has had a hair transplant and been open about it, which he detailed in his memoir. In fact, the musical legend has had two hair transplants over the years. Unfortunately, these hair transplants did not give him the results he was looking for, even causing him a lot of pain. Below, you can see how these hair transplants affected him.

Elton John’s Hair Throughout the Years

Did Elton John get hair plugs? Are the Elton John hair implant rumours true? When looking at Elton John’s hair throughout the years and seeing what he had to say in his memoir, we have a clear view of his hair loss journey.

Elton John Hair: Early 1970s

At the beginning of his fame, Elton John looked quite different to the way he looks today. As a twenty-something, the musician had long hair, much like many other rock legends at the time. It was a common hairdo in the 70s! At this stage, it doesn’t look like he was experiencing any hair loss (if he was, he was hiding it with his longer locks).

Elton John Hair: Late 1970s

Moving forward a few years, Elton John began experiencing a receding hairline. He wasn’t too far on the Norwood scale – perhaps at stage 2 or 3. However, it’s certainly enough to be noticeable.

It was at this stage in his life when Elton John decided to opt for two hair transplants. Unfortunately, they were quite unpleasant experiences for the musician. In his memoir, he wrote: [1]

“I had it done twice, and both times it hurt like hell. The sound of the hair being removed was disconcertingly like a rabbit gnawing its way through a carrot.”

Clearly, he wasn’t happy about the procedure or the results.

Elton John Hair: 1980s

In the 1980s, Elton John could often be seen with much longer hair. However, he also wore a hat a lot during this stage of his life, indicating that he was still experiencing hair loss even after the transplant and he wanted to conceal that fact.

Elton John Hair: 1990s

Unfortunately, Elton John’s hair loss became more significant during the 1990s, which is common with age. It’s at this stage he opted to wear a wig to hide his hair loss (as well as the poor results from his hair transplant surgery), which was quite noticeable and gained some unpleasant media attention.

Elton John Hair: 2000s to Today

Elton John now wears a wig to hide any hair loss. It works well for him – it looks very natural and doesn’t require surgery. When you see Elton John today, you will see him wearing his trusty wig that suits him so well.

Why Did Elton John Experience Hair Loss?

Hair loss is prevalent in men, so it’s not entirely surprising that Elton John experienced hair loss while he was in his 20s. However, his lifestyle may have played a role in his hair loss, too. Elton John has opened up many times over the years about his rock and roll lifestyle during the 1970s and 1980s, when he had a lot of drugs and alcohol. Combine this with poor nutrition, and it’s a recipe for early hair loss.

Why Did Elton John’s Hair Restoration Go So Wrong?

These days, hair transplants are commonplace and produce excellent results for many people – celebrities included. However, Elton John got his hair transplants in the 1970s. That was around fifty years ago when techniques weren’t quite as precise.

The type of hair transplant he got could also be the reason for the poor results. Elton John got a FUT hair transplant, which involves the surgeon extracting an entire strip of hair and then transplanting it to the area that’s experiencing hair loss. The results aren’t entirely natural because they use an entire strip rather than individual follicles. However, Elton John had a really bad experience, which could have been exacerbated by the fact he was taking a lot of alcohol and drugs at the time.

Can You Avoid a Poor Hair Transplant Result?

If you’re interested in a hair transplant, you may be sceptical knowing that Elton John’s experience was less than perfect. However, you don’t need to worry about that – Elton John’s hair transplant took place around fifty years ago when the procedure wasn’t quite as good as it is now. These days, surgeons are exceptionally skilled, providing high-quality results that last and last.

The best way to ensure your hair transplant goes smoothly is by doing your research on the clinic you choose and opting for a FUE hair transplant. A FUE hair transplant involves using small hair follicles from the back or side of your head, which creates a very natural result. The procedure is fast, and you’ll leave the clinic on the same day.

Remember – it is always worth paying for a procedure like this. If the cost of a hair transplant seems too good to be true, then it likely is. You want to be in the hands of a skilled and experienced surgeon who knows what they are doing.

Another thing to do is to follow hair transplant instructions to a tee. Your surgeon will give you aftercare instructions that you must read and follow. It will include things like being careful when washing the hair – the last thing you want is to cause pain or trauma to the scalp after such a procedure.

You’ll be pleased to know that the success rate of hair transplants is now much higher than ever before – if you opt for this hair restoration surgery, you are highly likely to enjoy a full head of hair after recovery. Studies now show that graft survival rates are between 90-100%! [2]

Do Your Research

It’s all about doing your research and choosing the best surgeon for the job. Ideally, find a surgeon in your own country and pay the entire amount (there are payment plans if you don’t have the cost upfront). That way, you’re more likely to experience good results and be able to receive the correct medical care if need be. At Harley Street Hair Clinic, we have a revolutionary hair track app that puts you in touch with our top hair transplant surgeons, so you can make the most informed decision.

Elton John Hair Transplant: In Summary

Celebrity hair transplants are very common. This hair restoration method often produces excellent results, but unfortunately, Elton John got a hair transplant when the procedure wasn’t as refined as it is today. As a result, he did not experience great results, which is why he now opts to wear a wig, which works very well for him!

Don’t let Elton John’s experience put you off if you are experiencing hair loss – fifty years have passed since then, and surgeons are better than ever at creating long-lasting, natural results. Plus, the local anaesthetic will ensure the procedure does not hurt. If interested in seeing good hair transplant results, check out our patients gallery, where you will see just how skilled our surgeons are.

 

Sources: 

1. https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/elton-john-agonising-hair-transplant-20543997
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2956960/