Did Elton John have a hair transplant?
Said he had a transplant
In short: In 1978 John said his scalp operations had been 'a hundred percent vanity' (as recounted from a People interview). Below: what 24 people on reddit believe. Those are opinions, mostly from comparing photos, not facts about him.
What he said on the record
He told People it had been “a hundred percent vanity."
Ultimate Classic Rock, May 2019About this source: Music site recounting a 1978 People interview; quote is John's but secondhand and the People original was not retrieved.
What people on reddit think
24 people said something about his hair (2015–2024); 21 said how they think he got it:
- a transplant: 52% (11)
- a hairpiece or system: 48% (10)
Of the 21 with a definite view, 0 pointed to photos or how his hairline looks, 2 to something he said himself, and 19 gave no reason or another one.
Year by year
How many people on r/tressless and r/HairTransplants said something about his hair each year, and what those with a view believed. Each account counts once a year, with its latest view that year.
| Year | People | Said transplant | Said something else | No view |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
In their own words
Copied word for word from reddit. Opinions, not facts about him.
“Elton John had a failed one back in the day, but has since given up and now wears wigs.”
In Famous men who’ve gotten transplants (reddit, Feb 2022)“Elton John wears a hair system because he was bald 50 years ago.”
In Why are there so many bald rich people? (reddit, Nov 2022)“Some made terrible decisions like Frank Sinatra and Elton John, picking a hair transplant when the technology was deforming.”
In Conversations about hair-loss with normies: They're always funny. (reddit, Apr 2021)“Elton John has explained that he wears a hair system.”
In How Elon Musk and other celebrities have maintained their hair? (reddit, Nov 2022)“Elton John, the story goes, had hair transplants when they were 'PLUGS', which left him devastated.”
“Elton John had 2 (?) hair transplants done and he wear wigs”
In Perez Hilton Had 3 Transplants.. Yet Losing Hair.. Someone Explain? (reddit, Nov 2023)“I never understood why someone like Elton John did not go with a thin skin hair system instead of the ridiculously fake system he wears.”
In Can you get a hair system with temple points? (reddit, Nov 2020)“Good hair systems were worn by Sinatra, Elton John, Donald Trump today”
“But elton john never had a good amount of donor hair to begin with.”
In Perez Hilton Had 3 Transplants.. Yet Losing Hair.. Someone Explain? (reddit, Nov 2023)“I believe Elton John has a wig bro”
In Why Do People Go To Turkey For Hair Transplant New (reddit, Mar 2023)“Elton John (though not a great one)”
In Famous men who’ve gotten transplants (reddit, Mar 2022)
Where it was discussed most
The threads where the most people talked about his hair.
- Perez Hilton Had 3 Transplants.. Yet Losing Hair.. Someone Explain? (r/tressless, Nov 2023; 2 people)
- Why Do People Go To Turkey For Hair Transplant New (r/tressless, Mar 2023; 2 people)
- Why are there so many bald rich people? (r/tressless, Nov 2022; 2 people)
- Famous men who’ve gotten transplants (r/HairTransplants, Jan 2022; 2 people)
- What type if transplant did Elton John get? He had so little hair before hand he couldn't of gotten a FUE or FUT...right? Anyone got any more info? (r/tressless, Jun 2019; 2 people)
- Do you guys think older actors like Keanu reeves, Tom cruise and Brad Pitt and on fin / min or are they just blessed? (r/tressless, Jan 2024; 1 person)
- Considering a 3rd hair transplant / then SMP… (r/HairTransplants, Dec 2023; 1 person)
- Celebrity Transplants - How do they look so full? (r/tressless, May 2023; 1 person)
Other celebrities
All celebrities compared: who said it themselves, and who didn’t.
- John Cena · Said he had a transplant
- Elon Musk · Nothing on the record
- Justin Bieber · Nothing on the record
- Steve Carell · Nothing on the record
- Matthew McConaughey · Denied a transplant
- Harry Styles · Nothing on the record
- LeBron James · Nothing on the record
- Wayne Rooney · Said he had a transplant
- Jürgen Klopp · Said he had a transplant
- Jimmy Carr · Said he had a transplant
- James Nesbitt · Said he had a transplant
- Calum Best · Said he had a transplant
- Gordon Ramsay · Said something else
- Jude Law · Nothing on the record
- David Beckham · Nothing on the record
- Cristiano Ronaldo · Nothing on the record
- Jeff Bezos · Nothing on the record
- Antonio Conte · Nothing on the record
If you are thinking about one yourself
Celebrities can pay any surgeon and have work redone, so their hair says little about what to expect yourself. The independent doctor directory lists published prices and checked credentials, hair transplant cost adds up a full trip, and before and after shows ordinary patients’ own results at 9+ months.
How this page was made
What he said comes from news archives, interviews and his own posts, archived when we quoted them; clinic marketing, tabloid claims and surgeons’ photo analyses are left out. The reddit part covers every live post and comment in r/tressless and r/HairTransplants that names him. Each account counts once, with its latest view; removed posts are left out and usernames are not shown. Data as of Oct 2026.
SaveMyHairline is an independent hair transplant doctor directory: published prices, checked credentials and real patient reports, with sources — and no clinic can pay to appear.