8 Celebrities Who Experienced Hair Loss — and Refused to Let It Stop Them

Hair loss is something plenty of people deal with — and celebrities are no exception. The difference is that those in the spotlight often have access to clever ways of masking it, so most of us never even realize it’s happening. Even though the topic can still carry a lot of unnecessary shame, some stars have chosen to speak openly about how they handle thinning hair or baldness. From wearing hairpieces to undergoing hair transplant procedures, they’ve shared the steps they’ve taken to feel more confident in their appearance.

1. Joel McHale

During a podcast interview with fellow actor Justin Long, Joel McHale, better known for his role in the hit TV show Community, admitted that he had had not one but three hair transplants in order to achieve his look.

“I’d be totally bald. We’re not all born with gorgeous, thick hair like you,” he said jokingly to Long before recalling when his hair loss journey started. “18, 19 [years old]. When I started The Soup, I look at some of the promo photos, and I’m like, ’Oh yeah.’ Maybe I’ve gone overboard, and this really shows my midlife crisis, but my theory is that I’m never going to die, and it’s a good theory,” he added.

2. Steve Carell

In Season 1 of The Office, Steve Carell’s hairline appeared to be receded, forming a distinct “M” shape with noticeable thinning at the temples. Although he has never publicly confirmed undergoing a transplant, many fans and hair clinics observed that his hair looked fuller by Season 3.

According to Wimpole Clinic, if Carell did have a procedure, it most likely took place in mid-2006 during a break in production, with results becoming evident by the next season. They noted that his hairline appeared both denser and more defined.

Hair Palace also supports the idea that he may have had an FUE transplant, while recognizing that differences in styling, lighting, or makeup could explain some of the changes.

3. Cheyenne Jackson

In a now-deleted Instagram post, the American Horror Story star opened up about his “horrible secret.” Following a collage of two images, one of which that showed a big scared across the back of his head, was a caption that described his battle with hair loss since he was 22 years old.

“I’ve been DREADING this day for 17 years. The day when my horrible secret would be revealed,” he wrote. “No, this gnarly scar across my head isn’t from life-saving brain surgery, nor did I narrowly survive a shark attack. It’s worse. (At least in Hollywood...) I had hair transplant surgery. 5 of them, to be exact over 14 years.”

He then went on to explain he got the surgeries because he “felt less like himself” as his baldness progressed, and he shared his experience because he wanted to inspire others to “let go” of their secrets.

4. Sean Connery

Sean Connery was as young as 35 years old when he first began to lose his hair. “My hair went at 35. It’s not the end of the world, and it’s not that important really,” he said nonchalantly, before having a dig at those who wear ponytails. “The really stupid thing is to see someone who has a whisper of hair about 8ft long, and he’s curled it around the back of his head, and it looks like a snake trying to take off. I never understand the point of it.”

Despite his view on going bald, Connery ended up wearing a hairpiece every time he played the role of James Bond.

5. Robbie Williams

In 2013, Robbie Williams revealed he fell victim to the peer pressure in Los Angeles to get cosmetic surgery, including a hair transplant. According to the British singer, he didn’t actually need it. “I’ve lived in LA for a long time, and they say, ’If you sit in a barber’s shop for long enough, you will get a haircut.’ Well, if you live in Los Angeles for long enough, you’re going to get some surgery,” he said during one of his appearances on The Graham Norton Show.

“I’ve had a thatch done, and I didn’t even need it. That’s the weirdest thing. I had three months off and got bored,” he admitted.

6. Ted Danson

Danson has been blunt about using different methods in order to cover a bald spot in his head, including coloring and wearing hairpieces on and off-screen over the years. “My hair became a topic of conversation in the beginning of ’Cheers,’” he said and went on to describe how he’d hide a small bald spot with coloring “and comb [his] hair over it.”

Five years into the show, he moved on to a hairpiece. “I indeed did have to wear a little divot hairpiece for Sam Malone. (...) And then one of the tabloids airbrushed my entire head and said that I’m one of the people who is totally bald,” he recalled.

7. Elton John

Elton John has tried hair transplants and wigs to get the hairstyle he feels comfortable with. However, only the latter worked out for him. In his autobiography, the iconic singer revealed that by 1976, he had gone bald almost entirely, and he decided to take on advice to do a hair transplant.

Besides being grueling, the procedure was ineffective. “Undergo a simple procedure, I was told, and I’d be leaving his clinic a changed man,” he shared. “It didn’t quite work out like that.”

After the unsuccessful attempts, Elton started wearing a wig, something he continues to do to this day.

8. Chrissy Teigen

Chrissy Teigen was open about a cosmetic procedure she underwent in 2025. After noticing that the front of her hairline was thinning, she chose to have a hairline-lowering surgery.

The model and cookbook author posted a video from the hospital showing her with a bandaged face, and she explained why she was there on her Instagram Stories.

“Hi friends! [A]lot of you have been wondering about my hospital pic which is very understandable as I gave no explanation lol. I had a hairline lowering procedure,” she wrote, sharing a photo of herself pulling back her bandage to reveal stitches along her hairline.

She went on to describe her hair situation: “Lost a lot in the front from babies and it’s just very thin up there,” and added, “When you see it on a carpet, it’s ALWAYS extensions.”

Be sure to check out our other article featuring celebrities whose transformations through the years are hard to believe.