David Beckham is globally famous for his fashion and hairstyles over the years. So when the football star’s hair started thinning, it’s no surprise that the tabloid press took notice. After a few months being seen only wearing hats in 2018, David attended a Buckingham Palace reception sporting a noticeably straighter and thicker hairline.
So has David Beckham had a hair transplant? Possibly. If not, it certainly seems as if he has undergone some type of hair restoration treatment to make his hair appear thicker.
The facts have never been confirmed by the man himself or his spokesman, who told reporters it “was a matter of privacy whether [the rumour was] false or true”.
Unlike other UK celebrities including Wayne Rooney, Calum Best, and Louis Walsh, who have all been open about the fact they’ve had a hair transplant, it seems David Beckham wants to keep the matter private.
Nevertheless, being open and discussing David Beckham and other celebrities having hair restoration treatments helps to raise awareness about hair loss and the available procedures.
It’s thought that around 6.5 million men in the UK suffer from male pattern baldness. In the past, there was not much you could do about a receding hairline apart from wearing a hat or shaving all your hair off. These days hair transplant procedures are more affordable, more accessible, and look more natural than many men think.
What Type of Hair Transplant Did David Beckham Get?
As a popular celebrity, David Beckham is photographed pretty much everywhere he goes. So the progression of his thinning hairline is clear to see in photos taken in 2017 and early 2018.
A reputable hair transplant surgeon, Dr Asim Shahmalik from the Crown Clinic in Manchester, pointed out that in photos of David from June 2018, there was greater hair density in the front of the hairline, while the mid-scalp and crown areas were showing signs of male pattern baldness.
This indicates that the star may have had hair transplanted into the front of his scalp and hairline.
He noted, “Men having their first hair transplant typically address the front of the hairline first where the balding is most clearly visible. They will have up to 2,000 grafts (around 3,000 individual hairs) taken from the back and sides of the scalp and then replanted in the balding area. In this way, they can cover up their bald spots and keep a full hairline.”
If David Beckham did have hair loss surgery, it was most likely an FUE hair transplant. This is the most common choice for thinning around the hairline as it has great success rates, looks very natural, and leaves minimal scarring.
Where Do David Beckham and Other Celebrities Get Hair Transplants?
As any reputable client will do whatever it can to provide a discrete experience to its celebrity clientele, it’s no surprise that the clinic where David Beckham may have had a hair transplant remains a tightly guarded secret.
But there are several celebrities who are happy with their results and willing to endorse the clinics that treated them.
Crown Clinic on Harley Street has performed hair transplants on a number of celebrity clients including Coronation Street actor Jack P. Shepherd, Callum Best, Dr. Christian Jessen from Channel 4’s Embarrassing Bodies, and Gogglebox star Chris Steed.
KSL Clinic in Maidstone is another hair restoration clinic boasting an impressive celebrity client photo gallery with stars from sport and reality TV.
Did David Beckham Get a Beard Transplant?
Some think that David Beckham has also had a beard transplant to achieve a fuller and less patchy beard.
The beard transplant procedure is performed in the same way as a normal scalp hair transplant, however it can be more challenging as there are more nerves in the face.
However, as full beards are very much in fashion at the moment, beard transplant procedures have become very popular.
It is rumoured David Beckham may have had a beard transplant in Dubai. Some celebrities prefer to have cosmetic procedures overseas as it’s easier to hide from the paparazzi and they can use the excuse of going on holiday to hide from the cameras for a few weeks.
It’s also becoming more popular for non-celebrities to go abroad for hair transplants, mainly because the procedure is a lot cheaper in clinics in Europe, India, and other countries than it is in the UK. However, there are risks to choosing to have a hair transplant abroad.
Other Hair Restoration Treatments David Beckham May Be Using
While some experts are pretty convinced that David Beckham has had a hair transplant, others are not so sure.
David’s hair appears to be thinning all over his scalp rather than typical male pattern baldness, which usually starts at the temples. This might mean he’s not a good candidate for a hair transplant.
However there are several other treatments that David Beckham may have used to make his hair appear thicker.
Medications such as Finasteride (Propecia) and topical applications like Minoxidil (Regaine) can help to slow down the natural progression of hair loss and can even trigger the scalp to start growing new hair.
It’s also possible that David is using a shampoo or product containing hair-thickening fibres. This technology has become common in mascaras to thicken and lengthen eyelashes but is also available in a formulation designed to make natural hair look thicker.
These products work very well to disguise hair thinning and are very affordable, with most treatments costing around £20 or £30 for a supply that should last for a couple of months. However they’re only temporary and can’t do anything to cover up bald or very sparse areas.
Another possibility is that David Beckham has had advanced tricho pigmentation (ATP) treatment. This is a type of tattoo that applies pigment to the scalp to disguise thinning areas.
David Beckham’s Body Double Hair Transplant
It’s not only the man himself who is rumoured to have had a hair transplant. David Beckham’s official body double, Jamie Gleeson, had an FUE hair transplant at the British Hair Clinic to restore his receding hairline and beard in 2020.
While Jamie refused to comment on any cosmetic procedure that David Beckham may or may not have had, he was very happy with his own results.
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