The German shot-stopper Marc-André Ter Stegen is a demon between the sticks. Ranked as the best goalkeeper in Europe, this “brick wall” has made uncountable flying saves for Barça. 

And considering his excellent form in the recent La Liga season, you’d think that’s what everyone would be talking about. Well, not quite. 

While Ter Stegen’s comeback made everyone eat their words, his hairline couldn’t help but send the Twitterati into a frenzy. It’s speculated that the German goalkeeper made a rather covert pit stop in Turkey after his World Cup stint in Qatar. 

But is there any truth in these speculations about Ter Stegen’s hair transplant? Let’s find out. 

Who Is Marc-André Ter Stegen?

Ter Stegen is a professional footballer, playing as the goalkeeper for the football club FC Barcelona and the German national team. 

Born on 30th April 1992 (he’s 31 years old at the time of writing) in Mönchengladbach, Germany, he kickstarted his career in his hometown when he was about 18 years old. 

However, after 4 seasons with the club, he was signed on by Barcelona in 2014, when he was around 22 years old – the second German goalkeeper in the club after Robert Enke. 

Even in his first season with the club, he won the award for the “Best Save” in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase. And in 2015, he made his La Liga debut against Atlético Madrid (Barcelona won).

Since then, with the help of his nimble footwork and extraordinary saves, he’s been slowly making his way up as the goalkeeper with the most clean sheets in a La Liga season.  

Following his spectacular form for many years, many noticed how the German footballer struggled in the 2021-2022 season. His injury aside, many were not happy with how he was playing. 

And while some questioned his status as Barça’s first-choice goalie, he made a spectacular comeback in the 2022-2023 season; Barcelona beat Espanyol to win their first La Liga title since 2019 with Ter Stegen playing a very critical role. 

Has Ter Stegen Had A Hair Transplant?

It’s rumoured that Marc-André Ter Stegen had a hair transplant in 2022 for his receding hairline. 

Before that, the German footballer had been progressively losing hair due to androgenetic alopecia, leaving him with a characteristic “M-shaped” hairline.

While the surgery doesn’t cure hair loss, it can restore growth in the balding areas by taking hair grafts from the back and sides of the scalp. 

It can be done using the follicular unit extraction (FUE) or the follicular unit transplant (FUT) technique. 

Most people opt for the former FUE technique because it doesn’t leave a prominent linear scar at the back of the scalp. 

The recovery is also quicker because a large piece of skin isn’t removed from the scalp. However, still, the final results can take a year to show, and hair growth also starts a few months after the transplantation surgery (following shock loss).

The rumours that Ter Stegen had a hair transplant seem true enough because the shape of his hairline has changed considerably in 1 year. 

The bald spots on his temples are filled out with hair, and his hairline also looks much straighter. 

How Many Grafts Did Ter Stegen Need?

According to a graft calculator, Ter Stegen would have needed around 1,000 to 1,600 grafts to cover all of his bald spots.

The goalkeeper didn’t have extensive baldness. Most of it was just limited to his temples, making him a Norwood 3. 

Keep in mind, however, that how many grafts you need can depend on different factors, such as the health of your donor area, the size of bald spots, and your desired thickness. Only your surgeon can give you a final estimate. 

Where Did Ter Stegen Get His Hair Transplant?

It’s alleged that Ter Stegen had a hair transplant in Turkey, where Istanbul, in particular, is considered a hair transplant capital. 

The goalkeeper himself hasn’t confirmed or denied this. But he also hasn’t said anything about the surgery itself. 

If Stegen had a hair transplant in Istanbul, Turkey, he might not be the first one to do so. In 2022, Zinedine Zidane, the French football manager and former player was rumoured to have had a hair transplant in Turkey.

How Much Did Ter Stegen’s Hair Transplant Cost?

Some say that Ter Stegen had a hair transplant for €7,000 (almost £6,000) in Turkey. However, if this is the truth, it’s way more expensive than the cost of an average hair transplant in Turkey, which is around €2,300 or £2,000. 

It’s mainly due to the exchange rates and low cost of living in Turkey that the procedure is so affordable, especially for foreigners. 

The quality of transplants doesn’t suffer. In fact, you can expect it to be much better, considering how experienced the surgeons in Turkey are. 

Conclusion  

Ter Stegen hair transplant doesn’t really come as a surprise. Many of his peers like Wayne Rooney, Rob Holding, Antonio Conte, etc., have also had hair transplants. 

It’s a very personal choice. Many people feel like losing a part of themselves because of their hair loss. Losing hair can also make you look much older and not everyone is comfortable with this. 

However, with a hair transplant, it’s possible to grow your hair back. The results are also very natural (as you can see from Ter Stegen’s thick quiff). But make sure to find a qualified and experienced medical professional.