For years, people have been wondering whether or not Rafael Nadal has had a hair transplant.
The social media attention around this isn’t surprising as Nadal is one of the most well-known tennis players in the world, having won 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles and 13 French Open titles.
Nadal was known for more than just his tennis skills. His good looks and thick dark long hair have long graced celebrity photoshoots.
Sadly, like millions of men the world over, Nadal started losing his hair. This has made headlines and created rumors that the tennis ace underwent a hair transplant to return to a more youthful look.
When Did Rafael Nadal Start Losing His Hair?
The first reports of Rafael Nadal’s hair loss began circulating in early 2016 after he appeared in Melbourne with noticeably thinner hair. Multiple news outlets published pictures of him highlighting the increasingly bald spots on the top of his head where his hair had been denser.
Other pictures showed an increasingly visible scalp through his hair. This is a common sign of hair loss. The exact cause of this is unknown. Male pattern baldness is the most likely cause, however, Nadal was not experiencing any hair loss on the hairline.
When did he decide to have a hair transplant?
In late 2016, The Mirror reported that the Grand Slam champion had undergone a hair transplant at a clinic in Madrid. Given the extent of his hair loss at the time, it’s likely that Rafael Nadal required a 4,500-graft hair transplant.
What Kind of Transplant did Nadal Have?
According to our expert analysts, Rafael Nadal most likely opted for a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant. As this is the most commonly performed type of procedure that offers the best results.
During an FUE transplant, a surgeon must first remove healthy hair follicles from a donor area—most commonly at the back and sides of the head—before then implanting them into the recipient area. These newly-implanted hairs will soon begin to grow on their own and within 12-18 months, there will be no remaining evidence of previous hair loss.
How many transplants did he have?
Rumors about a second Rafael Nadal hair transplant have been around for a few years now. As it stands, though, there’s no evidence to suggest that this is the case
However, it’s not unheard of for a patient to undergo a second transplant. This often occurs when a transplant is done before hair loss has finished. It can take years for male pattern baldness to run its course. Wayne Rooney, for example, has undergone more than one hair transplant in his fight against chronic hair loss.
Was Nadal’s Hair Transplant Successful?
Rafael Nadal has never publicly addressed his hair loss or treatment, so there’s no way to know whether or not he’s happy with the results. That said, his hair does seem to be noticeably thicker since the infamous 2016 photos.
However, during his appearance at Wimbledon in 2022, it was obvious that Nadal is still losing hair. The areas where he had been thinning in the past (those treated with a hair transplant) were still dense and thick, but his hair is visibly receding around the temple and hairline.
The progress is typical of male pattern baldness and would be easily treated with a second hair transplant.
Hair Transplants In Turkey
As a leading destination for hair restoration treatments, Turkey has a large number of world-class, experienced doctors. Combined with the lower overhead costs in Turkey, patients can get leading medical care at a small fraction of the price. Rest easy knowing that all of our clients at the Dr. Serkan Aygin Clinic receive a warranty as part of all of our all-inclusive package for a hair transplant in Istanbul.
