The football schedule has been thrown into disarray as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, but Wayne Rooney had an altogether different headache as he joined up with his Derby County teammates for a kickabout.
The former England ace has spent an estimated £30,000 on hair transplants over a nine-year period, but despite digging deep to thicken his thinning hair the troublesome bald patch appeared to be back during a training session on Wednesday.
Wayne, 34, revealed his balding crown while preparing to resume the interrupted Championship season with Derby, who he joined as player-coach in January, from June 20th.
Receding: Wayne Rooney revealed a thinning crown as he trained with Derby County on Wednesday, seven years after undergoing the second of his two hair transplants
The footballer has gone to extraordinary lengths to tackle his receding hairline over the years, with two emergency trips to the Harley Street Hair Clinic in London helping to control his male pattern baldness.
Taking to Twitter in 2011, shortly after his first procedure, Wayne admitted he was forced to take action after realising he was losing his hair at an early age.
Sharing a snap of his reinvigorated hairline, he tweeted: ‘Just to confirm to all my followers I have had a hair transplant. I was going bald at 25 why not. I’m delighted with the result.’
Now an then: Wayne has struggled with male pattern baldness since bursting onto the scene as a precocious teen with Everton and England
First time lucky: Taking to Twitter in 2011, shortly after his first procedure, Wayne admitted he was forced to take action after realising he was losing his hair at an early age
He later joked: ‘It’s still a bit bruised and swollen when it dies down u will be first to see it. Anyone recommend any good hair gel. Haha.
‘I had it done in Harley street hair clinic London. Thanks to all the staff who looked after me.’
His supportive wife Coleen later tweeted: ‘Hiya!! Yes waynes had his hair done! His own decision not me asking him, like alot are saying!! Pleased for him and it will look great x’.
Back on top: Wayne looked delighted with his new hair as he soaked up the sun during a holiday to Barbados, taken shortly after his procedure
Quite a difference: Wayne’s hair was notably thinner as he played for England at the World Cup in South Africa 12-months earlier
The startling improvement was fully evident the following year as Wayne featured for England at the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.
The footballer displayed a notably thicker head of hair as Roy Hodgson’s men reached the quarter-finals, a complete contrast to his drastically receding hairline at the FIFA World Cup, held in South Africa two-years previously.
In 2013 Wayne returned to the Harley Street Hair Clinic for a second procedure, with specialists using a follicular transfer, whereby hairs are transplanted in groups of 1-4 and grow naturally in the scalp.
Annoying: Despite digging deep to thicken his thinning hair the troublesome bald patch appeared to be back during a training session on Wednesday
Nightmare: Hair loss has been a recurring theme throughout Wayne’s lengthy career, with his hairline experiencing some major changes
Hair we go: Wayne with a full head of hear at the European Championships in 2012, a year after his first transplant
It claims the method is ‘undetectable’ and a ‘major advance over older hair transplantation procedures that used larger grafts’ and often produced an ‘unnatural look’.
The procedure is ‘minimally invasive’ and, therefore offers a reduced recovery time and reduced risk of complications.
While costs are variable, the clinic is understood to charge £15,000 for 3,000 grafts/7000 hairs over a two session period.
Wayne has previously been accused of using a spray-on hair thickener during matches to cover up bald patches.
Mane man: The footballer showed off his thicker hair at the FIFA Ballon D’Or in January 2012
Popular: Both Wayne’s transplants have been carried out at the Harley Street Hair Clinic (pictured)
One witness told The Sun: ‘Wayne’s hair does almost as many disappearing acts as he’s done on nights out.’
On the pitch, Rooney is focused on trying to steer Derby towards a return to the Premier League following a 12-year absence, while he hopes his role as coach can lay the foundations for a career in management.
Male pattern baldness affects about six million British men and NHS doctors write thousands of prescriptions for the drug each year hoping to halt men’s hair loss.
Back in action: Wayne will be hoping to return with Derby County on June 20th after the season was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic