Ex-Tottenham star Andros Townsend is among the footballers who are often rumoured to have had a hair transplant.
Although the right winger has never confirmed or denied the allegations, it is impossible to ignore the dramatic changes in his hairline.
However, some have questioned whether Andros Townsend’s hair transplant really happened or if it was just a very discreet wig. Let’s look a little deeper because we may have the answer.
Who Is Andros Townsend?
Andros Townsend is a London-born footballer who has played for the Three Lions and several Premier League clubs, including Spurs, Crystal Palace and Everton.
While at the latter, he suffered an ACL injury, preventing him from playing football for 18 months.
Afterwards, he moved to Luton Town, and he is currently contracted to Süper Lig’s Antalyaspor for two years.
Did Andros Townsend Get A Hair Transplant?
Despite the fact that Andros Townsend hasn’t spoken about getting a hair transplant, it is very likely that he had the surgery in 2017 at the age of 26.
Prior to the rumoured hair transplant, Townsend’s hairline had receded to an M-shape, characteristic of classic male pattern baldness — a type of permanent hair loss. Additionally, he’d experienced thinning on the crown.
Ben Sutherland from Crystal Palace, London, UK, Townsend 2016, Cropped, CC BY 2.0 (left) and Ardfern, Andros Townsend 2021, Cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0 (right)
Did Andros Townsend Get Scalp Micropigmentation?
It looks like Andros Townsend also had scalp micropigmentation (SMP) — a treatment that simulates the appearance of a full head of hair through the micropigmentation of hair follicles — before having a hair transplant.
Scalp pigmentation helps fill in bald areas when a large balding area or weak donor area makes it difficult to achieve the desired density through hair transplantation alone.
Andros Townsend’s SMP is obvious when you see the sharp “inked-in” margins of his temples (sides) with no actual hair covering them. Note that the pigment used in SMP is permanent, so it doesn’t wash off after the procedure.
oxguy3, Andros Townsend 16-07-2016 1, Cropped, CC BY 2.0
Andros Townsend's Hair Loss Over The Years
Let’s take a closer look at the progression of Andros Townsend’s hair loss.
Year 2010
While still a teenager, Andros Townsend had started showing early signs of hereditary-pattern baldness, as evidenced by the receding edges of his hairline.
Year 2013
The hairline and temples of Andros’ head had receded noticeably within a couple of years, giving his forehead a slightly wider appearance. He also had thinner hair on top of his scalp.
Year 2015
At this point, the temples had almost entirely diminished, while his hairline had taken on a more prominent “M” shape.
Year 2016
A small patch of thinned-out central forelock remained at the front of his head while the hairline continued to recede. The crown of his head had also started to bald.
Year 2017
No signs of hair loss were present. The hairline, temples and crown of his head had been completely restored.
What Type of Hair Transplant Did Andros Townsend Get?
Townsend seems to have undergone a FUT hair transplant, as seen in a 2017 photo where he was pictured with a shaved head, revealing a linear scar across the back of his scalp.
This continuous scar is one of the most noticeable aspects of strip excision surgery, another name for FUT.
SMPWIKI101, FUT Hair Transplant scar, Cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0
Due to this very reason, it is not favoured by patients and is not as popular as the latest FUE technique.
It is possible that Andros still had FUT because the curly texture of his hair made FUE more challenging for him.
How Many Grafts Did Andros Townsend's Hair Transplant Need?
Based on his photos and the hair graft calculator, Andros Townsend may have had anywhere from 2,500 to 3,000 grafts for his hair transplant. Andros Townsend the before hair transplant looked to be on Norwood Stage 4.
Hair loss is easily noticeable at this stage of the Norwood Scale since it is somewhat advanced. In spite of the receding hairline and bald spot on the crown, a band of hair still exists between the two.
Who Did Andros Townsend Use For His Hair?
It remains unclear who performed Andros Townsend’s hair transplant since he hasn’t publicly revealed whether he underwent the procedure.
Andros Townsend Before And After Hair Transplant
Here’s a closer look at Andros Townsend before and after his rumoured hair transplant.
Jon Candy, Andros Townsend, Cropped, CC BY-SA 2.0 (left) and Ardfern, Manchester United v Everton, 2 October 2021 (10), Cropped and Flipped, CC BY-SA 4.0 (right)
Reactions To Andros Townsend's Rumoured Hair Transplant
Townsend’s new thatch did not escape the notice of the public. In response to the question of whether Townsend wore a hairpiece or had a hair transplant, some Redditors said it was the former, while most agreed it was a transplant.
"Definitely a transplant. No hair system would work well for doing that much sweating. You gonna risk wearing it on TV?"
"I would guess transplant because it seems like wearing a system as an athlete would be risky (having it knocked off and such) but it looks so good it may be a hair system. Side note; isn't it sad how he looks like kind of a loser in the before pic and goddamn Adonis in the second one? It is what it is. I'm hoping to get a transplant soon. A system seems like too much maintenance and possibility of having it revealed. Plus, a transplant is a one time payment. A system is constant maintenance forever."
"Probably a transplant, judging by the temples."
Other Footballers Who Have Had A Hair Transplant
Footballer Andros Townsend’s hair transplant is only one among the long list of others who have had the same, alleged or otherwise, including:
Interested In Getting A Hair Transplant?
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