Super Bowl Star Tom Brady Hair Transplant Rumours Resurface
American football star Tom Brady is widely-known for many reasons; his record-breaking sporting prowess, being married to supermodel Gisele Bündchen, his controversial friendship with Donald Trump and his hair.
Now, thanks to media hype surrounding the New England Patriots v Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl final, decade-old rumours about Brady's hair loss have been recirculating.
As one half of such a glamorous, high profile couple, Brady was regularly photographed both on and off the football field. Both fans and sports journalists started to notice how Tom Brady's thinning hair was becoming less obvious. Depending on which reports you read, the marked difference was assumed to be due to either hair loss treatment or, the more popular assumption, down to the quarterback having hair transplant surgery. The 40 year old has never commented publicly on his hair's fortunes.
Looking back, it is certainly true that Brady's hair used to look thinner than it does now, suggesting an active predisposition towards male pattern baldness. His father, Tom Brady Snr, has clear signs of this genetic condition so it is not improbable that his son would inherit it too.
Flicking through the Patriot's gallery of photos, showing the four-time Super Bowl MVP's various looks from 2000 to 2014, it looks as if he has experienced some issues with a receding hairline. There are recurring signs of thinning edges visible in the photos where his hairstyles didn't cover his temples, up until 2007 when his hair started looking fuller around the hairline. Interestingly, in 2005 the sportsman appeared with a buzzcut - possibly where the hair transplant rumours started as this is often required ahead of the procedure. However, the New York Post tabloid reported in 2015 that rumours at the time suggested Brady visited 'hair re-growth specialists' in 2008 and 2010 - after his hair had started to show signs of improvement.
Tom Brady is one of the most successful American football players in history - missing out on becoming the only one to ever to win six Super Bowl rings thanks to the Eagles victory at the weekend - not to mention being a keen businessman and best-selling author. Back then he wasn't doing too badly either, with Forbes magazine naming Bündchen - who was the world's highest paid model from 2007 to 2010 - and Brady as the World's Highest Paid Celebrity couple in 2011. With this in mind, stumping up the thousands of dollars required for one - or more - hair transplant procedures is highly unlikely to have been an issue.
What seems more likely due to the ebb and flow seen in his frontal hair thinning over the years, is that he was using some kind of hair loss treatment - though perhaps not consistently, hence the varying results. When using pharmaceutical hair loss treatment it is important to use the optimal products for your level and pattern of shedding, and to use them exactly as directed in order to get the best results.
For example, there are are two clinically-proven, MHRA licensed and FDA approved medications for male pattern baldness - finasteride 1mg and minoxidil- however, finasteride 1mg - an oral DHT-blocker - is not proven for frontal hair loss. As a result, specialists may recommend a course featuring both this once-daily tablet and topical applications of high strength minoxidil, which promote regrowth given these medications can be used separately or simultaneously. Additional hair growth supporting products may also prove useful.
When taking the surgical route, it is important to be aware that many top surgeons recommend not only following this type of non-invasive treatment regimen for at least six months prior to surgery to maximise hair regrowth, but also on an on-going basis after a hair transplant.
The reason for this is that it is only the follicles that have been relocated that will not longer be affected by DHT; the rest of those located in the MPB target area will continue to be at risk. For those who ignore this advice, or who are not consistent with their treatment, preventing baldness can be a tricky business and may result in further hairloss - and potentially additional hair transplants in the future.
Now, thanks to media hype surrounding the New England Patriots v Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl final, decade-old rumours about Brady's hair loss have been recirculating.
Signs of male pattern baldness
As one half of such a glamorous, high profile couple, Brady was regularly photographed both on and off the football field. Both fans and sports journalists started to notice how Tom Brady's thinning hair was becoming less obvious. Depending on which reports you read, the marked difference was assumed to be due to either hair loss treatment or, the more popular assumption, down to the quarterback having hair transplant surgery. The 40 year old has never commented publicly on his hair's fortunes.
Looking back, it is certainly true that Brady's hair used to look thinner than it does now, suggesting an active predisposition towards male pattern baldness. His father, Tom Brady Snr, has clear signs of this genetic condition so it is not improbable that his son would inherit it too.
Flicking through the Patriot's gallery of photos, showing the four-time Super Bowl MVP's various looks from 2000 to 2014, it looks as if he has experienced some issues with a receding hairline. There are recurring signs of thinning edges visible in the photos where his hairstyles didn't cover his temples, up until 2007 when his hair started looking fuller around the hairline. Interestingly, in 2005 the sportsman appeared with a buzzcut - possibly where the hair transplant rumours started as this is often required ahead of the procedure. However, the New York Post tabloid reported in 2015 that rumours at the time suggested Brady visited 'hair re-growth specialists' in 2008 and 2010 - after his hair had started to show signs of improvement.
Did Tom Brady have a hair transplant?
Tom Brady is one of the most successful American football players in history - missing out on becoming the only one to ever to win six Super Bowl rings thanks to the Eagles victory at the weekend - not to mention being a keen businessman and best-selling author. Back then he wasn't doing too badly either, with Forbes magazine naming Bündchen - who was the world's highest paid model from 2007 to 2010 - and Brady as the World's Highest Paid Celebrity couple in 2011. With this in mind, stumping up the thousands of dollars required for one - or more - hair transplant procedures is highly unlikely to have been an issue.
What seems more likely due to the ebb and flow seen in his frontal hair thinning over the years, is that he was using some kind of hair loss treatment - though perhaps not consistently, hence the varying results. When using pharmaceutical hair loss treatment it is important to use the optimal products for your level and pattern of shedding, and to use them exactly as directed in order to get the best results.
For example, there are are two clinically-proven, MHRA licensed and FDA approved medications for male pattern baldness - finasteride 1mg and minoxidil- however, finasteride 1mg - an oral DHT-blocker - is not proven for frontal hair loss. As a result, specialists may recommend a course featuring both this once-daily tablet and topical applications of high strength minoxidil, which promote regrowth given these medications can be used separately or simultaneously. Additional hair growth supporting products may also prove useful.
When taking the surgical route, it is important to be aware that many top surgeons recommend not only following this type of non-invasive treatment regimen for at least six months prior to surgery to maximise hair regrowth, but also on an on-going basis after a hair transplant.
The reason for this is that it is only the follicles that have been relocated that will not longer be affected by DHT; the rest of those located in the MPB target area will continue to be at risk. For those who ignore this advice, or who are not consistent with their treatment, preventing baldness can be a tricky business and may result in further hairloss - and potentially additional hair transplants in the future.
The Belgravia Centre
The Belgravia Centre is a world-renowned group of a hair loss clinic in Central London, UK. If you are worried about hair loss you can arrange a free consultation with a hair loss expert or complete our Online Consultation from anywhere in the world for home-use treatment.
View our Hair Loss Success Stories, which includes the world's largest gallery of hair growth photos and demonstrates the level of success that so many of Belgravia's patients achieve.
