Throughout much of his career, former Galáctico Gareth Bale was seen with his signature top knot as he performed his on-field heroics. But regardless of how slick it looked, there were always whispers that Bale wore his man-bun to cover up a bald spot on the crown.
The bald spot in question became obvious during the 2016 Euro Cup, followed by reports of Gareth Bale’s hair transplant. But did the Welshman ever go under the knife? Let’s find out.
Who Is Gareth Bale?
Gareth Bale is a retired FC winger who played for Real Madrid, Tottenham, Southampton and LAFC. He has won five Champions League Cups, three European Super Cups, FIFA World Club Cups, Spanish Super Cups, and a Cope del Ray, among numerous other trophies. The footie also captained Wales’ national football team, helping the team reach its first World Cup in 64 years.
As a whole, Bale’s career was highly illustrious — he scored a total of 185 goals in his 554 appearances — but it was hampered by injuries on many occasions. The Welsh legend finally hung his boots in 2023, retiring from the sport at the age of 33.
Has Gareth Bale Had A Hair Transplant?
Bale has neither confirmed nor denied rumours about undergoing a hair transplant. However, back in 2017, it was reported that he was planning to address his bald patch through a restoration surgery.
There was a lot of talk about Gareth Bale’s bald patch during the 2016 Euro Cup, and in 2017, The Sun reported an anonymous source saying:
“Gareth’s been speaking to Joe [Ledley], who has taken the plunge to book an appointment. He’s followed suit and has it lined up after his season finishes in May. Both of them will be out (sic) the limelight for a while so it gives the hair plenty of time to settle in while the cameras aren’t watching them every.”
Possibly, Bale had a transplant for his crown at the time, but based on his photos, it seems that he also had a transplant for his hairline in 2023.
Bale appeared to have “taken care” of the bald spot in his crown since it wasn’t spotted after that year. However, his hairline, which had also receded at the time, continued to look the same until 2023 — after he’d announced his retirement.
What Caused Gareth Bale’s Baldness?
It’s likely that Gareth Bale’s hair loss was caused by a combination of two types of alopecia: pattern baldness and traction alopecia. Pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss in men, resulting in both hairline recession and crown hair loss. This type of alopecia is caused by a combination of hormones and genetics.
On the other hand, traction alopecia is self-induced. That’s because it’s a type of hair loss caused by wearing tight hairstyles, such as top knots and man-buns. Prolonged mechanical stress on hair can even lead to permanent hair loss. Moreover, keep in mind that traction alopecia can also affect both the crown and the hairline.
When it came to Gareth Bale, the loss of hair was greater in the crown than the hairline, likely due to the greater pulling of the hair in the crown due to his hairstyle. Even though the ex-footballer may have worn the bun as a disguise, it certainly worsened his condition.
Gareth Bale’s Hair Loss Over The Years
Let’s take a look at the change in Gareth Bale’s hair over time.
Year 2010
A young Spurs star, he did not seem to have lost any hair when he was about 21 years old. Although he had a widow’s peak, it appeared to be a genetic trait rather than a consequence of hair loss.
Allison Pasciuto, Gareth Bale July 2010, CC BY 2.0
Year 2013
By the age of 24, Bale had already become a Galáctico after joining Real Madrid for a then-world-record fee of £85.3 million. The footballer had switched his ‘do to an undercut, but he still didn’t seem to be balding anywhere.
Pablo Morquecho, Gareth Bale RM, Cropped, CC BY 2.0
Year 2015
The edges of Bale’s hairline began to recede. Where once they had sharp corners, they were now curved.
Maxisports/Depositphotos.com
Also, interestingly, as early as 2015, Redditors had taken note of Gareth Bale’s hair loss.
Year 2016
A growing bald spot on Gareth’s crown had caught the attention of the media that year.
Year 2017
Aged 28, it was reported that Gareth was planning to get hair restoration surgery for his crown hair loss.
Year 2018
The Real Madrid star’s crown didn’t seem to be balding anymore, but his hairline still looked the same until 2024.
zhukovsky/Depositphotos.com
Year 2023
Bale’s hairline appeared somewhat lowered after he retired and his edges looked filled out, possibly as a result of a second hair transplant.
What Type Of Hair Transplant Did Gareth Bale Get?
If Gareth indeed had a hair transplant, it’s likely that he had an FUE surgery. In this surgery, individual hair grafts are extracted from the back of the scalp using a small circular punch tool. These grafts are then implanted into the bald spots via small incisions.
The greatest advantage of FUE surgery is that it doesn’t leave noticeable scars (unlike its older counterpart FUT), so this surgery can remain discreet.
How Many Grafts Did Gareth Bale Need?
Gareth may have had just around 1,500 grafts for his hair transplant, as the footballer’s hair loss wasn’t too extensive.
In his crown area, where the bald patch was more noticeable, he likely needed around 1,000 grafts. And a 500-graft transplant may have been all that he needed to change his hairline.
Norwood Stage 3 Vertex
After the story about his bald spot blew up, Gareth Bale looked to be on Stage 3 Vertex of the Norwood Scale. It’s when the hairline recession is accompanied by slight hair loss in the crown. In the footballer’s case, however, the crown loss could’ve been exacerbated by traction alopecia.
How Much Did Gareth Bale’s Hair Transplant Cost?
According to reports, Joe Ledley, Gareth’s teammate, had recommended a UK-based clinic where hair transplants could cost up to £10,000. This is not to say, however, that Gareth’s hair transplant would’ve cost the same as prices can vary depending on how many grafts a person needs.
Reactions To Gareth Bale’s Speculated Hair Transplant
This is what some Redditors thought of Gareth Bale’s rumoured hair transplant:
“He definitely had a transplant. His hairline wasn’t bad before, but it’s definitely less regressed now than it was before. That doesn’t happen naturally in men.”
“That hair transplant is A+ tier”
“Bale’s hair transplant is magnificent.”
Other Footballers Who Had A Hair Transplant
Besides Gareth Bale, there are many other footballers who have speculated or confirmed hair transplant journeys of their own. You may find some of the following interesting:
- David Silva
- Jurgen Klopp
- Antonio Conte
- Rob Holding
- Xherdan Shaqiri
- Gabriel Magalhaes
Interested In A Hair Transplant?
For over 10 years, Longevita has been a trusted facilitator of hair transplants, supporting people get the best possible outcomes at affordable prices. If you’re experiencing permanent hair loss and are thinking about getting a hair transplant, get in touch with our experts!
Dr Cagla
Dr Cagla earned her medical degree at Trakya University’s Faculty of Medicine in Bulgaria and has almost 6 years of hair transplantation experience. She is a specialist in FUE, DHI and Sapphire hair transplants of the scalp, eyebrows and beard and has performed over 6,000 surgeries. Dr Cagla is multilingual, with fluency in English, Bulgarian and Turkish.
