A cheeky and personable television icon, Declan Donnelly has been a fixture of British television for decades. While much is already known about the Geordie star, one thing about Dec has remained a mystery since the late 2000s: his hair.
The use of hair building fibres, Propecia, and wigs to as much as Declan Donnelly’s hair transplant has been rumored. With the exception of one, Dec has said nothing about any hair loss treatment he might be using.
Nevertheless, there is no denying that the BGT host’s hair has changed for the better. The question is, what exactly did he do? Let’s find out.
Who Is Declan Donnelly?
Declan Donnelly is a British TV presenter, best known as one-half of the famous double act Ant and Dec.
The pair first met on the set of Byker Grove, where Declan played Duncan and Ant played PJ, and that is how the duo came to be. PJ & Duncan, who later became Ant and Dec, initially dabbled with music, but their big break came with TV presenting.
Following the successful run of their comedy show Ant & Dec, they eventually became more mainstream through presenting on shows such as Saturday Night Takeaway, Britain’s Got Talent, and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
As a stand-alone TV personality, Declan Donnelly is one of the most popular in the UK, ranking 35 in a list of more than 500.
Has Declan Donnelly Had A Hair Transplant?
Based on his photos, Declan Donnelly doesn’t appear to have had any hair transplants. Additionally, his publicist has denied reports that he had hair transplant surgery in the 2000s.
The Heart Radio quoted Dec’s spokesperson as saying the following to The Sun in 2012:
“Declan has certainly not had a transplant. He knows his hairline is receding and has taken some steps to tackle it. There are all sorts of remedies out there you can get, including tablets and shampoos. He’s not exactly kept it a secret. He was even joking about it at the NTAs as people he hadn’t seen for a while had noticed the change."
Declan Donnelly’s Hair Loss Over The Years
Let’s examine Dec’s hair over time to see how it has changed.
Year 2009
At 34 years old, Declan had developed a noticeable bald spot on his crown, and the front of his scalp was thinning. It appeared that he was somewhere between Norwood Stages 3 and 4.
Year 2010
A year later, the Alien Autopsy actor’s hair looked much fuller with no apparent hair loss.
Year 2012
Dec’s hair continued to look better. Moreover, he had grown it slightly longer, which provided better coverage to his scalp.
Sean Reynolds from Liverpool, United Kingdom, Britains Got Talent Dec (6745457881), CC BY 2.0
Year 2014
Dec’s hairline had started to look particularly full, with no signs of recession on the edges.
Year 2024
If he is indeed taking finasteride, it seems to be working quite well for him because even at 49, Dec’s hair looked very full and dense.
What Did Declan Donnelly Do To Regrow His Hair?
While he might not have gone under the knife to restore his hair, there are other options he could have tried, such as:
Finasteride
The hair loss drug finasteride could have most likely been responsible for Declan Donnelly’s hair regrowth.
Finasteride, whose brand names include Propecia and Proscar, is an FDA-approved drug that is used in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. Though you need to be taking the drug to see the results, finasteride can effectively promote hair growth.
In Dec’s case, there have been several reports of the TV star taking this drug. Dec’s friend was quoted by the Mirror in 2012 as saying:
“The tablets are the best thing on the market. They are working really well to boost his follicles and Dec says he is thrilled with the results. Everyone knows in TV image is everything. Dec was worried that hair loss could impact on his career so he decided to be proactive about it.
The treatment uses a combination of tablets and special chemical shampoo to stimulate hair growth, but it’s not as expensive as people might think. The pills are quite cheap to get hold of.”
The pill in question refers to finasteride or Propecia.
Hair Fibres
Some hair-building fibres might also have contributed to Donnelly’s dramatic improvement in hair density in 2010. Because hair fibres stick to existing hair through a static charge, they can be useful for concealing hair loss.
It is, however, even more temporary than finasteride when it comes to dealing with alopecia.
Is It Possible That Dec Wears A Wig?
Dec’s hair appears to be real enough on closer inspection, so it seems unlikely that he’s wearing a wig.
Additionally, in a Saturday Night Takeaway Q&A, when the duo was asked if they wore wigs, Dec replied, “If we did wear wigs, they’d be better than this. These aren’t wigs.” So, Dec himself has denied wearing wigs.
Declan Donnelly’s Hair Before And After
Here’s a look at Declan Donnelly’s hair before and after his alleged hair loss treatment:
Damien Everett from Southampton, UK, Declan Donnelly (2009), Cropped, CC BY 2.0 (left) and Sean Reynolds from Liverpool, United Kingdom, Ant and Dec (6745425497), Cropped, CC BY 2.0 (right)
Interested In Getting A Hair Transplant?
If you are experiencing hair loss and are thinking about getting your hair back permanently through a restoration surgery, get in touch with us. Longevita is a UK-registered provider of hair transplants in both London and Istanbul. We’re here to help you!
