Elon Musk is one of the most renowned engineers and entrepreneurs, as well as being one of the richest men in the world as of 2020. However, he’s also been in the spotlight for over two decades, starting in 1999. In his earlier years, the Tesla founder looked completely different, which is why a famous picture comes up when searching “Elon Musk bald.”
Elon musk bald transformation started in the 1990s. He had a receding hairline at the time he ran PayPal in 1999. However, by 2003, photos of Musk in magazines revealed a fuller hairline. Doctor Debra Rose Wilson said based on the new photos, it’s likely that Musk had an FUT hair restoration procedure.
When comparing the past to the present, it’s easy to see why Elon Musk bald is trending. He’s a popular figure now, worth over $100 billion. He has enough money to change everything about his appearance, and that doesn’t just include his hair. So what work has Musk had done?
Did Elon Musk Get Hair Restoration?
There’s no question that the famed Tesla founder had some work done. Hair transplant procedures are pretty easy to hide depending on the number of grafts. The question is what procedures did he have done?
There’s also no question that Musk was a prime candidate for hair transplantation in the 1990s. While Musk has never said whether or not he’s had hair restoration surgery, his photos from the past to present show that he had at least one hair transplant between 2000 and 2003.
See our Definitive Guide to the Best Hair Restoration Methods
Elon Musk Hairline Before Restoration
The internet hasn’t forgotten about the younger Elon Musk. Photos from his 1999 press kit with PayPal reveal a receding hairline.
Elon Musk After Hair Restoration
Between 2000 and 2003, a subtle hair growth began that transformed Musk’s hairline.
Why Did Elon Musk Lose His Hair
Until the older photo of Elon Musk bald became popular, many hadn’t realized the full extent to which the engineer had changed his appearance. His balding was likely the result of male pattern baldness and an abundance of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
In the late 1990s, Musk’s receding hair was quite noticeable. His hair loss patterns resembled those of many men who had maturing hairlines.
Based on the Norwood scale for thinning hair, he had reached a later stage of 4 to 5, which indicates very thin hair at the front and a bald spot beginning at the crown. Eventually, he would have likely developed into a stage 7. By many accounts, it’s the worst hairline, which is a completely receded all the way to the back of the head.
What Hair Restoration Method Did Musk Use?
There are many hair restoration methods to consider when hair loss is eminent. However, some of them aren’t permanent and have more side effects. For example, most hair loss medication only provides temporary hair growth, as opposed to a permanent hair restoration method like FUE or FUT hair transplants.
According to the history of hair transplants, the 1990s saw the expansion of hair transplantation methods to follicular unit transplantation, known as FUT. Before that, men had to undergo an expensive and painful procedure commonly known as hair plugs.
It’s likely that Elon Musk had an FUT procedure in the early 2000s to restore his hairline and add more hair to his crown. He now has a full head of hair, but the corners of his hairline seem to be lacking fullness as of 2020.
We compare FUT vs FUE procedures including scars, side effects, recovery, and cost.
Did Elon Musk Show His Hair Transplant Scar?
In an interview with CBS This Morning, the back of Elon Musk’s head was shown and may have revealed evidence of a hair transplant scar. This is likely due to older FUT procedures that always resulted in the same linear scar.
Current follicular unit extraction (FUE) procedures leave very little scars when done correctly. This procedure removes individual hair follicles to reduce the amount of invasive surgery and scarring.
