Joe Rogan is one of the most widely recognized faces in media and entertainment. He has succeeded in many arenas, from the UFC to stand up comedy and podcasting.
He hasn’t let his lack of hair hold him back, but Rogan hasn’t always rocked the bald look. In fact, he had a full head of hair for the first half of his career and even had numerous hair transplants to fight back against hair loss.
However, his procedures fell short, and he eventually committed to shaving his head completely. What do we know about Joe Rogan’s hair transplants, and what lessons can we learn from the celebrity’s journey?
Let’s see clues we can find out and offer some tips to ensure you don’t make the same mistakes.
Rogan’s career has been a roller coaster, and his hair loss experience has also had its ups and downs. Here’s an overview of Rogan’s hair through the years and speculation on when he might have had his transplants.
Growing up in the Boston area, the young Joe Rogan was known for his dedication to martial arts and a flowing, full head of hair. From the start, he was a hard worker and eventually shifted his focus to stand-up comedy after sustaining injuries from fighting.
Rogan soon found himself on television after relocating to Los Angeles in 1994, performing comedy and auditioning for various roles. He was in his mid-20s by then, and his hair had morphed from a youthful hairline to a more mature look.
By the time Rogan made his TV debut on the sitcom News Radio, his mature hairline was holding strong. Meanwhile, his comedy career was ramping up, and he made appearances on MTV, along with other TV spots and comedy circuits.
As Rogan gained momentum in his TV career, his hair was declining quickly. He admits to having his first hair transplant at 26 before debuting as a UFC announcer. We can see that Rogan’s hairline looked more complete in the early 2000s after he experienced some thinning in the years prior.
Rogan later explained that he felt the pressure of his career mounting and scrambled to get a hair transplant as soon as he could. Sure enough, his transplanted hair did not last long, and by the time Fear Factor hit the air, he was already showing signs of thinning again.
But despite his hair transplant falling short of expectations, Rogan persisted in his goals and continued to rise in the ranks of the UFC organization, comedy, and other pursuits.
Joe Rogan may be most famous for his Joe Rogan Experience podcast, which began in 2009 as a casual conversation recorded for entertainment purposes. Despite poor reception at first, he stuck with the podcast, and it was a top-performing show within a few years.
Meanwhile, Rogan was struggling with hair loss and had another transplant around this time, which restored a bit of his hair but still did not transform his look. Since his first transplant was major with several thousand grafts, Rogan was already running out of donor hair and couldn’t achieve the same coverage as before.
Rogan also discussed using Minoxidil at this time in an effort to keep the hair that remained, though this didn’t do the trick, either. Rogan started to buzz his hair short to minimize the appearance of hair loss, but he was clearly entering Norwood 4 or 5-stage hair loss by the time his podcast took off.
Rogan’s hair wasn’t just deteriorating on the frontal third of his head but was also thinning heavily on the top of his head. By 2015, he may have made a last-ditch effort with a third transplant since images from this era show Rogan with a slightly restored crown and hairline.
However, his transplants did not pay off long term, and he went back to the close-cropped look as he reached the height of his fame.
Rogan continues to thrive in all aspects of his career, from the comedy stage to a hugely successful podcast and the UFC. Around 2019, Rogan committed fully to the shaved-head look and currently has no trace of hair on his head.
Rogan seems comfortable with his look at this point, and he says he would have shaved his head earlier if he could. His current look fits his masculine appearance and seems to work well with his brand, though it’s hard to say if the bald look would have served him in his early career.
While Rogan might not be satisfied with how his hair transplants worked out, he let his work speak for itself and left his mark on multiple entertainment industries.
Rogan has spoken openly about his experience with hair transplantation on his podcast, which gives us some clues as to why his efforts didn’t shape up as intended.
Here’s why we think Rogan’s hair transplants didn’t work and what he might have done differently to get better, more permanent results.
Planning is everything in the hair transplant process, and this includes researching your best options and gathering as much information as possible.
Listening to Rogan’s account of his experience with hair transplantation, we learn that he was eager to get a hair transplant quickly and without proper research. He may not have researched the best methods or knew exactly what he was getting into.
Rogan’s experience teaches us that research matters with any type of cosmetic surgery and that you shouldn’t rush into anything without the knowledge needed to succeed.
Rogan had his first hair transplant in the mid-1990s, meaning that FUT strip surgery was the only available option at the time. He talks about the horizontal scar he received from the surgery and lists this as one of his regrets.
However, Rogan didn’t have the option for FUE at the time of his first transplant, which might have saved him some grief in the long run. FUE is less invasive and doesn’t leave a scar on the donor area. The recovery process is also less strenuous and provides high-quality results in most cases.
Of course, it’s possible that Rogan opted for FUE as one of his secondary procedures, which would explain the lower yield of his later hair transplants. Still, these methods fell short of his desired goals, and he eventually went clean-shaven to live comfortably with his natural look.
Inadequate recovery and care may have been another factor that led to Rogan’s poor hair transplant results. Rogan was likely under immense pressure as he started out his career and may not have adhered to the instructions of his clinic to take care of his newly transplanted hair.
Even with the best methods at the most expensive clinics, recovery protocols are critical to getting the most from your hair transplant. The young Rogan might not have stuck to the game plan and ended up dislodging grafts or failing to let the area heal.
Rogan has always been a fitness enthusiast and has discussed his use of hormones like testosterone to improve performance throughout his career. While he might not have had the steroid regimen of a bodybuilder, exogenous hormones of any kind can accelerate hair loss, even after having a transplant.
When undergoing a hair transplant, a healthy lifestyle and other treatments like microchanneling are key to maintaining grafts and keeping hair intact for the long road ahead.
Rogan might have hurt his odds of achieving lasting results by using anabolic compounds and increasing his rate of hair loss in the process.
Joe Rogan is one of the rare celebrities who speak openly and honestly about his experience with hair loss and various treatments, including medicines and hair transplants. While his story may be more of a cautionary tale, we can still learn some valuable lessons about how not to go about the process.
If you’re plotting your hair restoration strategy, it would be wise to keep Rogan’s story in mind when researching, consulting, and undergoing a hair transplant. Be sure to learn about the differences between FUT and FUE, and always stick to the recovery regimen outlined by your clinic while avoiding unhealthy habits and exogenous hormones.
Rogan managed to have a successful career without his hair in the long run, but you likely want to make the most of your hair and stick with best practices from the start. Reach out to Jae Pak MD Medical, and let’s approach hair restoration the right way.
Sources:
Here’s How Joe Rogan Got His Head Scar, so You Don’t Have to Ask Him in Person
What did UFC commentator Joe Rogan look like with hair before he started balding? | Sportskeeda
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