A Manchester City legend, David “El Mago” Silva is one of the greatest midfielders in Premier League history.
Also, he is among the select few footballers rumoured to have undergone a hair transplant. Though the Spaniard never spoke of it, his unusually shaved head a few years ago hinted at his surgery
Here, we’ll take a closer look at the details of David Silva’s hair transplant and what made him need one.
Who Is David Silva?
David is a retired Spanish midfielder who played for Manchester City for 10 years, scoring 60 goals and 93 assists. A vital cog in the team’s turnaround, he won 4 Premier League titles, 2 FA Cups, 3 Community Shields and 5 League Cups.
He was also on Spain’s national football team when it won the 2010 World Cup as well as Euro 2008 and 2012.
In 2020, after Silva bade goodbye to his former team, he joined the La Liga side Real Sociedad, bagging the Copa del Rey that season. Following his 19-year career, a knee injury forced him to hang up his boots in 2023.
Did David Silva Get A Hair Transplant?
The photos of Silva’s scalp from 2017 quite clearly suggest he had a hair transplant that year, though the ex-footballer hasn’t said anything about it.
Many Twitterati also noticed that something looked different about Silva’s scalp that year.
Has David Silva had a hair transplant? 👀 pic.twitter.com/ofMEcAUS8r
— Etihad Stadium (@Etihad_Stadium) September 30, 2017
Silva’s hairline had receded noticeably before the speculated hair transplant, leaving his forehead looking quite wide. As well as the typical M-shaped hairline associated with androgenetic alopecia, his temples were quite diminished.
However, he regrew his hair with a distinctive hairline and temples after shaving his hair completely in 2017, further supporting the hair transplant rumours.
David Silva’s Hair Loss Over The Years
Let’s take a closer look at Silva’s dwindling hair over the years.
Year 2007
At the age of 21, Silva’s hairline had already receded a bit, especially around the edges. Based on the Norwood Scale, he seemed to be between stages 1 and 2.
lakasa studyo/Depositphotos.com
Year 2010
Silva kept his hair long, perhaps to hide his receding hairline, but when his hair was whipped back off his forehead, his receding hairline was apparent.
Maxisports/Depositophotos.com
Year 2012
Silva, then 26, continued to lose hair, and while his long mane helped conceal things to an extent, it was still apparent that he was around Norwood Stage 3 at this point.
Year 2016
Silva’s hair still appeared to be falling out a year before he shaved his head and went through what was highly likely a hair transplant.
CosminIftode/Depositphotos.com
Year 2017
Silva’s scalp has a slight redness at the front, and his hairline is lower than usual with no receding edges – all indications that he had a restoration surgery.
Кирилл Венедиктов, David Silva 2017, CC BY-SA 3.0
Also visible at the front are some bald patches. This is not a sign of a failed hair transplant — temporary shedding is a common side effect of this surgery. In the beginning, the hair may appear patchy, but eventually, it will fill out.
Year 2018
Though his head was shaved in 2018 as well, the shape of his hairline was markedly different from what it used to be in 2017.
Brad Tutterow, Freshly Bald David Silva (36471171422), Cropped, CC BY 2.0 (left) and vitaliivitleo/Depositphotos.com
Year 2022
Despite growing his hair out again, Silva’s hairline looked fuller with more even growth and no receding edges.
[email protected]/Depositphotos.com
What Type Of Hair Transplant Did David Silva Get?
Looking at the back of his scalp, it seems most likely that Silva had an FUE (follicular unit extraction) hair transplant. That’s because this method of transplantation does not leave visible scars.
It uses a punch tool to extract hair from the back of the scalp. This hair is then placed into the balding areas to regrow. Even with short hair, the small scars left by the surgery are easily concealed.
It is unlike the strip harvesting or FUT (follicular unit transplantation) method, in which a piece of skin is cut out from the scalp, leaving a long, linear and relatively visible scar at the scalp. Since it makes the surgery less discreet, this technique is not as popular as FUE.
How Many Grafts Did David Silva’s Hair Transplant Need?
Per a graft calculator, Silva’s hair transplant would have needed somewhere between 1,000 to 1,500 grafts.
The Spanish midfielder hadn’t experienced extensive balding — he was on Stage 3 of the Norwood Scale.
Norwood 3
Despite the fact that hair loss is not so advanced at stage 3 of the Norwood Scale, hair loss is evident by the recession of the hairline.
David Silva Before And After Hair Transplant
Here’s how David’s hair looked before and after his rumoured hair transplant:
Espandero, David Silva vs Crystal Palace 2013, Cropped, CC BY-SA 4.0 (left) and [email protected]/Depositphotos.com (right)
Reactions To David Silva’s Hair Transplant
There were quite a few who noticed the change in Silva’s hair on Reddit, and they had the following to say:
“well, he either got a hair transplant or went through a biological miracle that caused his hairline to get lower in his mid-30s.”
"He hasn't just decided to shave his head for a change, he's had a hair transplant. The scars are clearly visible when you see him play for City."
“David Silva had his best year going through a transplant, just saying.”
Other Footballers Who Had A Hair Transplant
The hair transplant of David Silva is not the only one in football. There are many other players who are or might be a part of the list, including:
Interested In A Hair Transplant?
Longevita is a UK-registered provider of top-notch hair transplants in London and Istanbul. Working with a team of highly-qualified experts, you can expect excellent outcomes by getting this surgery with us. If you are interested in learning more about it, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
