Hair transplantAustralia5 min read
Jason Donovan's hair transplant: “something I did just for myself”
Jason Donovan, the Australian singer and actor who rose to fame on Neighbours, was asked about his hair on live TV in 2012 and did not dodge the question. He confirmed he had had a hair transplant, called it a small procedure and said he was happy with it. Here is exactly what he said, and what the procedure looks like for anyone considering it today.
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Medically reviewed by Ellina V. Goncharova, dermatovenereologist, trichologist, surgeon. Review date: .
The main points in 30 seconds
- In 2012 Jason Donovan admitted on TV that he had a hair transplant, as reported by Nine.com.au.
- He called it a small procedure done four years earlier, said he was really happy with the results and did it just for himself.
- A hair transplant is done under local anaesthesia, and you go home the same evening.
- Transplanted hairs shed in weeks 2–4, new hair appears at months 3–4 and the final result is assessed at 12–18 months.
- At City Medical Centre an FUE hair transplant costs $2,200, and the first consultation is free.
Key facts about the procedure
- Stay in clinicSame day
- Final result12–18 months
- AnaesthesiaLocal
- Price
$2,700from $2,200
Profile
Jason Donovan
- Country
- Australia
- Who
- Australian singer and actor, Neighbours star
- Quote source
- Nine.com.au, 21 March 2012
What did Jason Donovan say about his hair transplant?
In March 2012 Jason Donovan, the Australian singer and former Neighbours star, was pressed on live television by Piers Morgan about his hair. According to Nine.com.au, he eventually admitted that he had "done a Rooney" — a nod to footballer Wayne Rooney, who had gone public with his own transplant a year earlier.
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WhatsAppIn a follow-up interview quoted by Nine, Donovan was more specific: "I did have a small procedure four years ago and am really happy with the results." He added: "It's something I did just for myself and haven't ever felt the need to publicise it."
That is all we rely on. Donovan called it a small procedure, said he was happy with it and said he did it for himself. He did not name the technique, the number of grafts or where it was done, and "four years ago" is not an exact date, so we do not state a year. The rest of this article describes hair transplantation in general, not his treatment.
Why his answer still matters
Donovan did not make an announcement. He was asked, he answered, and he kept it short. That is how many men feel about hair loss: it is personal, it is common, and it is nobody else's business until someone asks. His two sentences carry a useful message for anyone in the same position — a hair transplant can be a modest, private decision rather than a dramatic makeover.
More on this topic: Hair Transplant, Beard Transplant, Eyebrow Transplant, FUE & DHI Hair Transplant in Detroit, FUE & DHI Hair Transplant in Denver.
He also said he was "really happy with the results" years after the operation. For a reader, the practical lesson is about time: a transplant is judged not in the first weeks, when the scalp is still healing, but many months later, when the transplanted hair has grown in.
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How a hair transplant is done today
A modern transplant is performed under local anaesthesia in one day, and the patient goes home the same evening. Hair follicles are taken from the donor area at the back of the head and the temples, where hair is resistant to genetic hair loss, and placed in the thinning zones. The main methods are:
- FUE — follicles are extracted one by one and placed into small channels, with no incisions or stitches;
- DHI — follicles are implanted with a Choi implanter pen without pre-made channels;
- combined DHI+FUE — FUE extraction with DHI implantation.
How grafts are placed
- FUE
- Into channels made first
- DHI
- Directly with an implanter pen
Stitches or linear scar
- FUE
- No
- DHI
- No
Anaesthesia
- FUE
- Local
- DHI
- Local
Often chosen for
- FUE
- Larger areas, crown
- DHI
- Hairline and fine detail
Price at City Medical Centre
- FUE
- $2,200
- DHI
- $2,500
Which method suits a patient, and how many grafts are needed, depends on the extent of hair loss and on the quality of the donor area. The doctor decides this at the consultation.
Who is a candidate and how to prepare
Typical candidates have a receding hairline or temples, thinning at the crown, low density or diffuse hair loss, with enough healthy hair at the back of the head. A transplant can also restore hair after trauma or burns. It is not performed under the age of 18. Contraindications include patchy (focal) alopecia, trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder, cancer, epilepsy, severe heart disease, diabetes mellitus, a pacemaker, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B/C and intolerance to anaesthetics.
Before the operation the patient receives a list of tests and instructions.
Recovery: what the first year looks like
The scalp heals in about ten days. In weeks two to four the transplanted hairs shed while the follicles stay in place — this is normal and expected. New hair starts to grow at three to four months, density becomes noticeable at six to nine months, and the final result is assessed at 12–18 months. In other words, the result Donovan was happy with is the kind that only shows itself with time.
Hair transplant recovery, step by step
- Operation dayLocal anaesthesia, extraction and implantation of grafts, home the same evening.
- First 10 daysCrusts form and fall away; you follow the washing and sleeping plan.
- Weeks 2–4Transplanted hairs shed while the follicles stay in place.
- Months 3–4The first new hairs appear.
- Months 6–9Density becomes noticeable.
- Months 12–18The final result is assessed.
A hair transplant at City Medical Centre
City Medical Centre performs FUE ($2,200), DHI ($2,500) and combined DHI+FUE ($2,700) transplants for international patients, including patients from Australia. The first consultation is free and can be held online: the doctor reviews photos of the scalp and donor area, estimates the number of grafts and names a price that is then fixed in the contract.
Follow-up appointments at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, dressings and a personal coordinator are included, and the clinic gives a lifetime guarantee of hair growth. To start, book a free consultation or send your photos and questions on Telegram. More details are on the hair transplant page and the page for patients from Sydney.
City Medical Centre has no connection with Jason Donovan or his treatment. We quote him only because he spoke about the procedure openly.
Hair transplant prices in this article are the current offer, valid until 30 November 2026. Regular prices: FUE $2,700, DHI $2,900, combined method $2,900. The price that applies to you is confirmed at the consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Did Jason Donovan have a hair transplant?
Yes. In 2012 he confirmed it after being questioned by Piers Morgan and said in a follow-up interview that he had a small procedure four years earlier and was really happy with the results.
When did Jason Donovan have the procedure?
He only said it was four years before the 2012 interview. He gave no exact date, so we do not state a year.
Which method did he use?
He did not say. Today the main methods are FUE, DHI and a combination of the two, all done under local anaesthesia.
How long until a hair transplant looks natural?
New hair starts to grow at three to four months, density is noticeable at six to nine months and the final result is assessed at 12 to 18 months.
What does a hair transplant cost at City Medical Centre?
FUE costs $2,200, DHI $2,500 and combined DHI+FUE $2,700. The first consultation is free and the price is fixed in the contract.
Sources
What the article says about the celebrity is based only on these public statements.
- Nine.com.au, 21 March 2012
Medical background and further reading
General information about the procedure from health authorities and medical societies. It is not advice for any individual patient.
- PubMed / NCBI — Follicular Unit Extraction for Hair Transplantation: An Update (Actas Dermosifiliogr, 2017)
- PubMed / NCBI — Donor site healing in follicular unit extraction hair transplantation (Cell Mol Biol, 2025)
- International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery — Hair loss treatments and solutions
How we prepare and review medical content · Medical disclaimer
Considering the same operation? Get a free consultation
Message a coordinator on Telegram: we reply right in the chat, and you can send photos and questions there too.
- The first consultation is free, online consultations are available
- The doctor names the cost after the assessment, and it is fixed in the contract
- A personal coordinator guides you from the first message to recovery
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