Matt Damon is one of the most established names in Hollywood. The A-lister has been a staple of the silver screen for decades now, starting with his breakout roles in the film Good Will Hunting – winning him (and Ben) an Oscar for the best original screenplay.
Needless to say, he’s a force to be reckoned with. However, we’re not here to discuss what makes Matt Damon so good. It’s actually his hairline that’s been a subject of much curiosity, practically from the early 2000s. And while it’s not always evident, if you take a closer look, Matt Damon’s hairline has changed imperceptibly over the years.
But it’s not completely escaped the notice of some of Matt’s more eagle-eyed fans. While Matt’s hairline is naturally v-shaped, it couldn’t help but draw more attention to itself as his hairline receded a little. It’s made a comeback now, so what actually happened there? Hair transplant, fibres, PRP, or finasteride? Let’s find out if Matt Damon’s hair transplant is on the cards here!
Who Is Matt Damon?
Born on 8th October 1970 in Massachusetts, Matthew Paige Damon is a very popular (and successful) Hollywood actor, writer and producer. Although Matt landed his first role at the age of 18 in the film Mystic Pizza, he stated in an interview with Sam Jones he had been interested in acting since he was 13 (thanks to his high school teacher who inspired him.
Before Good Will Hunting came along, he’d done some other notable work as well, including Courage Under Fire and The Rainmaker. However, Will Hunting essentially became the turning point in both his and his best friend, Ben Affleck’s career.
Initially, it didn’t look like it would even be happening because while they were getting offers, the studios didn’t want Ben and Matt in the actual film. But both of them waited out the slump until they got the offer they wanted. And the rest is history.
Besides Matt’s Bourne and Ocean’s franchises, he’s been a part of many, many other successful projects, including Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr. Ripley, EuroTrip (of course), The Departed, The Brothers Grimm, True Grit, Interstellar, The Martian, Ford v Ferrari, and Oppenheimer, more recently.
Has Matt Damon Had A Hair Transplant?
Matt Damon quite possibly had a hair transplant sometime during the lockdown in 2020. Not only did his temple peaks become denser between 2020 and 2021, but the widow’s peak was also much more noticeable.
In the year before, not only did the temples look thinned out and recessed, but you can also notice how the size of Matt’s forehead is different (shorter height) in the subsequent year.
This seems more like a permanent arrangement (hair transplants are supposed to give lifelong results), with his hair looking much the same during the press for Oppenheimer.
In the years before, however, Matt’s hairline would curiously “fluctuate” quite a bit. He briefly grew his hair out for his film The Great Wall, and Matt Damon’s long hair made it seem like the actor had surgery, but it was just extensions.
But then Matt’s hair in 2017 went through quite a bit, as can be seen below:
Matt’s hairline in the far-right corner is quite clearly indicative of hair loss, but it’s not as evident in the first two pictures. It could be owing to the kind of hairstyle he’s wearing (different side-part, as well).
However, it’s possible that he might’ve been using hair fibres. He might’ve decided to get the surgery as the hair loss had started to become more noticeable.
If he were on finasteride, his hair/results might’ve had more consistency, although the drug may become less effective over time. Also, it can take 3-6 months to see results from this drug, and you have to keep taking it to maintain your hair.
Another possibility is that of platelet-rich plasma injections, which are used as non-surgical treatments for hair loss. It’s believed that they work by improving blood flow to the scalp.
While there’s promising research and many doctors recommend it, especially with a hair transplant, on its own, it might not work that well for permanent alopecia.
Why Did Matt Damon Get A Hair Transplant?
Matt Damon probably had a hair transplant because he was losing his hair due to androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. It’s the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women. It can occur due to a combination of genetics and the hormone dihydrotestosterone – a byproduct of testosterone.
The result is the miniaturisation of the hair follicles, with the hairline starting to recede in an M-shape pattern. Ageing itself could have also contributed to Matt Damon’s hair loss.
How Many Grafts Were Used In Matt Damon’s Hair Transplant?
Considering how most of Matt Damon’s hair loss was concentrated in the temple areas, a bit along the hairline and the top, it’s possible that about 2,000-2,500 grafts were used for the surgery.
Looking at Matt’s photos, he seemed to be on the Norwood Stage 2-3, so his hair loss wasn’t as extensive. As a result, he wouldn’t have needed a lot of grafts. But his hairline seemed to be a little lower, so extra grafts would’ve gone there as well.
You can also use a graft calculator for an approximation. However, only your surgeon can give you the exact number of grafts you need. It is significantly influenced by how strong your donor area is and how much hair you’ve lost, among other things.
Where Did Matt Damon Get His Hair Transplant?
Matt Damon lives in Brooklyn, New York, so it’s possible that he had a hair transplant in the area. Since it’s an expensive city (and he’s a celebrity), it’s possible for the hair transplant to have cost him $20,000 or even more.
Since this can be quite expensive for the “common man,” medical tourism has become popular over the years. You can get a hair transplant in Turkey for $2,000 because of the exchange rate and low cost of living. But no matter where you’re getting this surgery, make sure to do your research.
What Is Matt Damon Like Before And After Hair Transplantation?
Matt Damon before and after his hair transplantation does look different, especially considering the size of his forehead and the change in his temples.
Which Hair Transplant Did Matt Damon Have?
Matt Damon quite probably had an FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction hair transplant. It’s the more common technique in which individual hair follicles are taken from the back of the head and placed into the bald spots.
It’s also possible for him to have had a direct hair implantation (DHI) surgery. While the technique is the same as traditional FUE, it uses special Choi Implanter pens to simultaneously make incisions and insert grafts in bald spots. DHI can be done without the need to shave the entire head and it can give dense, natural-looking results as well.
It’s preferred over Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) because this technique involves cutting a piece of skin from the back from which the follicles are then taken out for extraction. It can leave a linear scar and the recovery can also be relatively difficult.
Conclusion
Matt Damon’s certainly not the first celebrity hair transplant and it won’t be the last one either. The reason why it’s kind of flown under the radar for this long is that his hair loss hasn’t been too aggressive.
His hairline was more or less intact (bar the bald spot at the centre) and there was no thinning in the crown. However, the size of his forehead and temple areas do indicate the possibility of Matt Damon’s hair transplant.
If you’re also experiencing hair loss, make sure to get in touch with a board-certified professional for a diagnosis and suitable treatment plan.
