Analysing Shaqiri’s Hair Transplant

Xherdan Shaqiri is one of football’s most popular and charismatic characters. Playing in Europe for Switzerland, Germany and Milan, the Swiss footballer reached UK football in 2015 and has shown his passion for the sport and joyous outlook on life. He is currently playing for Liverpool and fans have greeted him warmly, celebrating him both on and off the pitch for his enthusiasm.

However, as with most elite sportsmen, playing at such a high level of sport and pushing your body to its extremes, not to mention the stress of injuries, moving clubs and countries, and being in the spotlight – it all takes a toll on the body, and often on the hairline in men. Shaqiri, currently 28, is approaching the age bracket where almost 25% of men start to experience some hair loss and thinning – something that hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans and pundits alike.

In late 2019, Shaqiri was off for over two months with a calf injury. On his returning debut back to the pitch, it was quickly noticed that it wasn’t just his physical health that was back to full strength. The player’s hairline was noticeably thicker and fuller, with a visible line tell-tale of an FUE hair transplant at his temples and forehead. Fans speculated that Shaqiri had likely used his injury time to secure a hair transplant, following in the footsteps of other famous footballers such as Wayne Rooney.

So did Shaqiri have a hair transplant?

The Swiss player hasn’t confirmed whether he underwent the procedure, but the evidence seems to fit with hair transplant timing and recovery. So what kind of hair transplant did Shaqiri have?

From photos, Shaqiri is likely to have undergone an FUE hair transplant. FUE stands for Follicular Unit Excision – it’s the most effective way of producing high quality, long-lasting results for patients. As FUE transplants use the patient’s own hair, there is a 100% match in colour and type so once fully healed, the hair blends in perfectly.

FUE transplants take hair from areas of the head unaffected by thinning. This is usually around the ears, or at the base of the neck. Each individual hair follicle, or graft, is then removed and implanted into the affected areas. For Shaqiri, this was the area at his temples.

This type of hair transplant has become popular as it is performed under local anaesthetic which reduces recovery time, and results can be seen in as little as 3-4 months, with full results visible in 12 months. By using patient hair where possible and following the natural hairline, fully healed results are seamless and often require no further procedures.

FUE hair transplants are designed to last a lifetime and have a 97% success rate in our clinic, provided patients follow the proper aftercare routine. Choosing an expert team of clinical care staff will also give you the best chance when it comes to your hair transplant – that’s why The Treatment Rooms is a dedicated hair transplant clinic with top surgeons and staff.

Get in touch today

If you’re interested in finding out more, The Treatment Rooms London has a host of resources that explains what an FUE hair transplant is and what goes into it. Take a look at our hair graft calculator to get a rough estimate as to how many grafts you might need or, take a look at our hair transplant cost page to find out how much a hair transplant might cost.

If you’re ready to take action, get in touch with one of our surgeon today.