Thor Hushovd and his hair transplants – in his own words

He describes how it started: “Even before I turned 30, I got comments: ‘Wow, you're getting thin at the front, Thor…’ I put up with it, it was true after all, but people should still understand that it's a silly thing to say. Nobody is happy about a comment like that.” He writes that a friend in Monaco who had already had a transplant convinced him and his wife Susanne, who is a hairdresser, that it was the right thing to do.

About the procedure itself he is plain-spoken: “With a sharp needle, holes were made in the scalp, and with painstaking precision the hair follicles were put in place, one by one. Even with local anaesthesia it was quite unpleasant, I heard a click every time the needle went through the scalp.” He also called it “one of the most boring things I've been through”.

The first round went well enough that he went back: “The difference was big. I decided to do another round, and in the autumn of 2013 I was there again. 1,800 new holes in the scalp. I'm happy with the result.” He added that he paid 8,000 euros per round and saw no reason not to do it when he could afford it and wanted a slightly thicker head of hair.

That is everything we rely on. He did not name the technique by its medical name, so this article does not guess at it. Where methods and timelines are described below, they refer to hair transplantation in general, not to his treatment.

He also points out that the comments themselves hurt more than people think, which is a reminder that hair loss is not a trivial subject for the person going through it.

His description is also honest about the less glamorous side: local anaesthesia, discomfort, a long session and a second round when he wanted more density. Male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia) usually continues over the years, and a transplant does not stop it; it moves hair that is resistant to it from the back of the head to the thinning areas. That is why some people choose a second session later, as he did. Whether a transplant makes sense for you is a medical decision best made with a doctor who has examined your hair and donor area.

• DHI — grafts are implanted with a special implanter pen without pre-made channels, which gives fine control over angle and direction.
• Combined DHI+FUE — FUE extraction followed by DHI implantation.

The right option depends on how far the hair loss has progressed and on the quality of the donor area, so the choice is made at a consultation rather than in advance.

There are contraindications, including patchy (focal) alopecia, age under 18, trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder, cancer, severe heart disease, diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a pacemaker and intolerance to anaesthetics. After booking, the patient receives a list of tests and instructions for the days before surgery.

More details are on the hair transplant page; to book a free consultation, leave a request there or write to us on Telegram.

To be clear: City Medical Centre has no connection with Thor Hushovd or his treatment. His words are quoted here because he chose to share his experience publicly in his autobiography.

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.