Theo Von’s one of a kind. While some think of him as a comedic genius, there are others who find it hard to make sense of his jokes (or even sentences). However, one thing that a lot of people might agree on is that mullet of his is the stuff of dreams. It has to be up there with some of the more iconic mullets like that of Patrick Swayze or maybe even David Bowie.
But that hair didn’t really come “naturally” to him. Theo’s admitted on several occasions and on several platforms that he’s had a hair transplant. That, too, not once but multiple times.
And the more shocking part of it is that he’s admitted to not really “needing” those hair transplants. So, then why did he have the surgeries in the first place? In this blog, you’ll learn more about Theo Von’s hair transplants and how much they might’ve cost him.
Who Is Theo Von?
Born March 19, 1980, in Louisiana, Theodor Capitani von Kurnatowski III is a podcaster and stand-up comedian. While it’s only more recently that’s he all over people’s TikTok feed, Von’s actually been in the comedy scene for decades now, going all the way back to MTV and Comedy Central.
However, even right from the start, it was podcasting where he really found his niche. At first, it was his The Comedy Sideshow, where, as you might’ve guessed already, he interviewed comedians. He did a couple of others as well but it was This Past Weekend, launched in 2016, that really stuck and struck a chord with the masses, especially on social media.
At the time of writing, This Past Weekend is ranked #1 among all global podcasts, according to Chartable. It’s those awkward pauses between the narration of rather questionable stories and the guest interviews that have drawn in a much larger audience over the years.
Theo’s been a frequent guest on many other popular podcasts as well, including, of course, The Joe Rogan Experience, on which he’s appeared 7 times now. He’s also been on Hot Ones, with the episode garnering over 17 million views, The Fighter and The Kid, and Impaulsive, among others.
Did Theo Von Have A Hair Transplant?
Theo Von has admitted to getting multiple hair transplants. Back in 2017, while doing an episode of The Fighter and The Kid podcast, Theo explained that he had some of his hair “taken out from the back and put in the front,” – describing the procedure for a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant.
Then, in November 2019, just 2 years after his first transplant he said he’d gotten his hair “rejuvenated,” by which he referred to another transplantation surgery.
However, it should be noted that it wasn’t because his first transplant had failed. But the few reasons that he cited for his decision were “I love surgery” and “I like having hair” – not what you’d normally hear someone tell you.
Now it’s possible that Theo might’ve had a third hair transplant as well. In 2022 while on The Joe Rogan Experience, Joe remarked that Theo’s hair looked great to which he replied that he’d had surgery. The reason he gave to him was that it was less about losing hair and more about him being “paranoid” and “preparatory.”
But what hinted at the possibility of a third transplant is that Theo also said that he was “having a lot of stress” the year before. This might’ve prompted him to get another surgery. However, again, it should be noted that stress triggers a kind of temporary hair loss.
The hair should grow back, although it can take a few months. So, we’re not exactly sure about the rationale for which he might’ve had a hair transplant for stress-related hair loss.
Other than a hair transplant, Theo’s also admitted to getting platelet-rich plasma injections, which have recently become quite popular for hair loss.
In PRP, a sample of your blood will be taken to extract platelet-rich plasma from it. The platelets and the growth factors are believed to increase blood supply to the scalp.
This is, in turn, thought to help with hair density. Several pieces of research have shown its promising potential although it might not always work for permanent hair loss.
What Type Of Hair Transplant Did Theo Von Have?
Theo had an FUE hair transplant in which what he described as a “baby shovel,” actually called a punching tool, is used to score out individual hair follicles from the back of the head. These are then transplanted into the bald spots through small incisions.
While the “shovel” part might make it sound like the procedure’s painful, that’s actually not the case. A hair transplant takes place under local anaesthesia, so your scalp will be numb the entire time.
Describing his own experience, Theo called it “awesome” saying, “They let you watch whatever you want the whole time you’re in…” (he said something about “beautiful babies” being in there as well, but we assume it was just Theo being Theo).
FUE hair transplants can take quite some time, somewhere between 6-8 hours, and since it can be a long day, it’s true that patients can watch movies/dramas or listen to music while they’re getting the surgery.
Follicular Unit Transplant (FUT) is the other technique for hair transplants. But the problem with it is that it cuts out an entire piece of skin from the back of the scalp to extract the grafts. This can leave a linear scar behind and the recovery is also relatively more difficult (you’ll need stitches with this one).
How Many Grafts Were Transplanted Into Theo Von’s Hair?
Seeing how Theo Von wasn’t actually balding, it’s hard to estimate the number of grafts he might’ve had for his surgery. It’s possible that that number is over a thousand since the top of the head is much denser than what it used to be.
Only your surgeon can give you an exact estimate of the number of grafts you need. It can vary depending on the strength of your donor area, the size of your balding area(s), the type of hair you have, and your desired density. You can use a graft calculator for an approximation.
Why Did Theo Von Have A Hair Transplant?
Theo Von has cited some of the oddest reasons to get a hair transplant, such as “I love surgery,” to get a “mullet in the front” because “who has that,” or the fact that he likes having hair, even when he already has it.
As mentioned above, he also said that he did because he was being “preparatory.” However, on being asked whether he really needed the surgery he’d usually end up saying “probably not” or that he didn’t really know because hair loss was a non-issue for him. Here’s how Theo’s hair looked in 2015 (2 years before he had his first surgery):
Even a couple of years back, he wasn’t showing any signs of baldness.
You don’t always have to be balding to consider a hair transplant. For instance, some patients have this surgery to lower their hairline, in general. Theo probably had it to reshape his hairline a little and improve his density, but to have it multiple times for the latter reason is strange, to say the least.
Now, there are a few things you should know here. “Future-proofing” hair loss surgeries aren’t something that all doctors agree on. And it’s simply because if there’s no problem to begin with, the need for a solution becomes moot.
Hair transplant surgeries are also supposed to give permanent results, so you don’t need multiple surgeries over the years to maintain the results. Also, say if you lose hair in the future, but you’ve already exhausted the donor area – back/sides of the head – getting needless surgeries, you won’t be able to cover up those bald spots.
Dense packing of the hair follicles might be another consideration as well as it can affect blood supply to the scalp. So, you must think all these things through, together with your surgeon, before deciding on a surgery.
Theo Von Before And After Hair Transplantation
Theo Von always had quite a sensational mop of hair before and after his hair transplant. However, it became much denser afterwards. Theo Von had short hair some time ago but he’s since grown it out.
Where Did Theo Von Have A Hair Transplant?
Theo Von had his hair transplant at a clinic in Beverly Hills, LA (celeb spot), where the price for a single graft can be anywhere from $8-$10. Assuming, you need about 2,000 grafts, that would cost you a grand total of $16,000 to $20,000 (more when you consider the aftercare).
This is, of course, the much higher end of the price range, and the location of the clinic probably has a lot to do with it. On average, a hair transplant in the US might cost you $7,500. But if you’re looking for a more affordable option, you can consider a hair transplant in Turkey, where the surgery averages $2,500.
Turkey is cheaper because of the lower cost of living and the exchange rate. No matter where you’re getting your surgery, it’s important you do your research in finding a good surgeon/clinic.
Conclusion
Theo Von’s hair surgery or surgeries, really, are surprising, especially for the reasons he had them. It’s possible that Theo was just taking a bit of “artistic license” with his storytelling and maybe he was losing his hair a bit, in which case it’s fine to get a hair transplant. There are many other celebrity hair transplants that have taken place.
However, if you’re losing your hair, you should first and foremost consult a board-certified doctor to learn about the underlying cause of alopecia. They’ll recommend you a suitable treatment plan accordingly.
