In terms of Hollywood stars, Matthew McConaughey epitomizes the ideal. The A-lister’s acting chops have won him several accolades over the years, but it’s that smooth, almost meditative, baritone of his voice that elicits “alright, alright, alright” the moment you think of him.
Maybe it’s that very thing that makes him sound so believable, but then there are some things that even his heavy Texan twang can’t do much for. One of those things is his hair, which has made a rather miraculous comeback and remains a peculiar mystery. It’s time to unravel the truth of Matthew McConaughey’s hair transplant.
Has Matthew McConaughey Had A Hair Transplant?
There is a good chance that Matthew McConaughey had not one but two hair transplants – the first in 2000 and the second in 2013 – although the actor himself denies it.
Starting in 1998, when Matthew was around 29 years old, the hair on top of his head had started to thin a little. However, it got progressively worse in the following year, with his famous 1999 mugshot showing the true extent of his hair loss.
His temple peaks had clearly receded, and the hair at the front also looked quite thin and sparse. But then, the following year, Matthew completely shaved his head, and in 2001, his hair was back with no signs of hair loss whatsoever.
It’s quite likely that that’s when the actor had his first hair transplant, although Matthew’s spin on it is vastly different (and rather suspicious). In an interview with LADbible, he said, “I had a silver dollar back here. So I shaved it off because I’d read, you know, hey, get a fresh start, shave it off.”
And, around the same time, the actor also put in a bit of “manual labour” (it’s how he described it!) in the form of rubbing a hair product called “Regenix” onto his head to stimulate growth. According to the Interstellar star, that was his miracle potion, and he continues to use it to this day.
Putting that aside, it’s very likely that Matthew had another hair transplant in the same year he got his first Oscar nomination (and later the award itself) for Dallas Buyers Club in 2013. Following that, his hairline looked much straighter, and his temple peaks had again come a bit forward.
Who Claimed To Do Matthew McConaughey’s Hair Transplant?
A Swedish surgeon claimed that he’d done Matthew McConaughey’s hair transplant at an international hair transplant convention.
Matthew recounted the incident at LIVE with Kelly and Mark, where he came upon this information after bumping into a surgeon at Beverly Hills.
The surgeon told him that Matthew’s picture was brought up as a success story at the convention for 10 years, and no one in that convention said they’d done the surgery. But then, in the last 3 years (this was back in 2017), someone from Sweden started to say that they had done Matthew’s hair transplant.
On that, Matthew said that it wasn’t true because he’s never had surgery. Even the Beverly Hills surgeon checked his scalp for signs and didn’t find any (all Matthew’s side of the story). And then the Magic Mike star again brought up Regenix as the ultimate cure for his hair loss.
What Does Matthew McConaughey Do To His Hair?
According to Matthew, he rubs Regenix ointment on his scalp every day for 10 minutes, and he’s been doing so for the last 20 years.
Their manufacturers of Regenix claim that their products are “bio-pharmaceuticals with vitamins, minerals, plant extracts and essential oils.” However, to our knowledge, they don’t mention the active ingredients in their products.
According to them, they have “hundreds of potential formulations” because they offer custom solutions to their clients as “no two hair loss problems are exactly alike.”
While it’s true that there are many types of hair loss if its treatment was really that simple, baldness wouldn’t even be a problem.
And mind you, it’s not cheap either as their 30-day starter kit alone costs $250, which is, of course, going to be a recurring cost. Add it up and you’d be out of $7,500 by the end of the year (whereas a hair transplant in Turkey is around $2,000, and it’s permanent).
Regenix mentions that results can be seen in 3-6 months, and you do not need to continually use the products to maintain results. But then, they also say that after you’ve reached your goal, “stay on a simple maintenance routine.”
Now we can’t say what it is that Matthew’s been rubbing on his head every day for 10 minutes, but it has to be nothing short of a magic potion to work as it did on his hair. Because even to McConaughey, it is “a great mystery.”
Why Was Matthew McConaughey Going Bald?
Matthew McConaughey’s hair loss was probably due to pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. It’s when a hormone called dihydrotestosterone miniaturises the hair follicles. This eventually leads to baldness.
But this kind of hair loss progresses in a distinct pattern where the temple peaks first recede, and then the hairline starts to move back, and the front and crown areas begin to thin. It goes on until the entire top of the scalp goes bald.
There’s no cure for androgenetic alopecia, but treatments can include FDA-approved drugs like minoxidil and finasteride. Some people also get PRP for boosting hair growth or low-level laser therapy, among other things. A hair transplant is a surgical solution for it.
Does Matthew McConaughey Have Naturally Curly Hair?
Matthew McConaughey has more wavy than curly hair. According to the actor, his hair used to be straight before he had it permed in 1985, after which it never really returned to its original state, as reported by Entertainment Tonight. But hair perms aren’t really permanent, so it might’ve been something else that changed his hair.
Hair type is significantly influenced by genetics, but environmental factors can also play a role in it. Straight hair may get a bit wavy with age as well. So, it’s possible that this is what happened with Matthew’s hair.
Conclusion
Matthew McConaughey’s hair very likely grew back the way it did thanks to a hair transplant (or two), even though the actor vehemently denies these claims and continues to endorse Regenix.
Problem is Regenix remains shrouded in mystery as well. There is no “ointment” on their product shelf – something that Matthew claims to have been using for the last 20 years.
It’s clear enough, but it’s the actor’s choice to come clean about it. Till then, if you’re also losing your hair, don’t just rely on “doctor Google,” make sure to get in touch with a board-certified professional.
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.
