Elton John ‘hated’ his hair loss and blamed baldness on years of drug abuse : TechnologyLast

Elton John 'hated' his hair loss and blamed baldness on years of drug abuse

Elton John has opened up about how he 'hated' his thinning hair and the many failed attempts to prevent his balding - here's everything we know about his hair loss journey

Elton began losing his hair in the 70s (pictured in 1973)

Image: Getty Images)

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Elton John is performing in London tonight (July 2) as he continues his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

The 75-year-old singer has been performing all over the world as part of the tour, which is set to be his last.

Throughout his career, Elton John has been a performer who exudes confidence.

The iconic Rocketman singer is known for his flamboyant style and big personality, but there was one thing that was a huge insecurity for the rockstar for decades: his hair.

Elton spent nearly three decades battling with his hair loss, which he said made him bear "a disturbing resemblance to the cartoon character Shrek".

Here's everything you need to know about his hair loss journey, including his failed attempts at preventing baldness and why he lost his hair.

How did Elton John lose his hair?

Elton lost most of his hair after a bad dye job in the 70s

Image:

( Getty Images)

Elton first started losing his hair at the beginning of his career in the early 1970s and in his autobiography, Me, Elton John, the singer revealed that the final catalyst to his hair loss was a bad dye job.

He wrote: "A bad dye job in New York suddenly caused the stuff to stage a mass walkout. By 1976, there was hardly anything left on top.

"I hated how I looked."

Although he attempted to save his hair with a hair transplant, it didn't work and Elton went on to potentially blame his drug use for this, saying: "Perhaps it had something to do with the amount of drugs I was taking."

Elton began taking drugs for the first time in the early 70s, the same time that he started to suffer from hair loss.

The singer went on to become addicted to cocaine and battled with his addiction for 20 years before getting sober in the 90s.

Does Elton John wear a wig?

Elton John now wears a hair piece

Image:

( Ben Gibson/HST Global Limited t/a Rocket Entertainment)

After decades of failed attempts to prevent his hair loss, Elton now wears wigs.

The singer underwent two brutal five-hour hair transplant procedures in an effort to prevent himself from balding, describing how "both times it hurt like hell" and left him "reeling in agony".

But neither procedures worked, instead they left his head "covered in scabs and weird craters".

For the next decade, Elton avoided pictures of his bald head being taken by wearing a hat constantly.

Elton wore hats to cover up his hair loss for a decade

Image:

( Michael Ochs Archives)

After he got sober in the 90s he had a weave done, which saw a hairdresser take what was left of his hair and attach it to new hair. But his new look was scrutinised and he was told it looked like he had a "dead squirrel" on his head.

But Elton agreed, writing: "I was forced to concede he had a point.

"Eventually, I gave up and got a hairpiece, made by the people who make wigs for Hollywood movies."

And it looks like Elton's wig has finally put his hair loss journey to rest. Reflecting on the difference it's made, he said: "For years, people were absolutely obsessed with my hair, or lack of it.

"Then I started wearing a wig and hardly anyone’s mentioned it since."

Elton John ‘hated’ his hair loss and blamed baldness on years of drug abuse

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