Elon Musk is known as one of the most influential inventors of our decade. From electric cars that are actually cool, to PayPal and his ventures with SpaceX, the man is incredible. And, when you consider how he combatted hair loss, he really is unstoppable. But, how did he do it? Looking at early pictures of Musk, you will see that he had tremendous hair loss in the early 1990s, yet now his head is full of hair and is even iconic in many ways. Here’s a look at how Elon Musk’s hair has changed over the decades, what he did to get it back, and what you can do to get your hair back, too.

Early photos of Musk show that he was losing hair at the beginning of his career. In pictures captured of him working on PayPal, it is clear that Musk had vertex and hairline balding. Indeed, it is easy to see changes in his hairline even before PayPal was created. Bear in mind, many men start to lose hair in their late teens to early twenties, so Musk was not unusual in this way.

Hair loss usually starts along the hairline, where it starts receding. Often, a hallmark sign is a distinct ‘M’ or ‘V’ shape appearing where a solid hairline once occurred. Musk had hairline changes, but he also had thinning on the vertex. Hair loss that occurs this early and is this progressive undoubtedly will lead to almost or complete balding earlier than you would likely expect.

Once he created PayPal, it is clear he also had crown thinning, which is very hard to treat. And by the late 90s, Musk had no hair on his hairline and temples. What hair he did have was rather wispy and did not look like it was there to stay.

At some point, it is clear that Musk made the decision to take action against his hair loss. Based on his pictures before and after, he had a hair transplant that has served him well. Indeed, whoever performed his transplant did an incredible job designing a hairline that is bold and fitting for his face shape and jawline.

Hair transplants are performed by doctors who have specialty training in performing this type of procedure. Often, it is a dermatologist who goes for specialty training. However, hair transplants specialists can have a variety of medical backgrounds, including internal medicine, general surgery, and plastic surgery.

There are different types of hair transplant procedures. For some patients, doctors will remove a strip of skin from another part of the scalp that has thick hair (called the donor part) and uses a tiny microscope to place the follicles in the area without hair growth. Another procedure involves the surgeon using a tiny punch hole device to remove follicles from a donor area to the area without hair. These procedures can lead to scarring. However, as technology advances, scarring is less noticeable.

Of course, there are other methods for helping with hair regrowth. However, hair transplants are not necessary for men with early to moderate hair loss. Regarding Elon Musk, it is safe to say that his hair loss had progressed rapidly, and a hair transplant was his best bet to have the locks he sports today.

So, it begs the question: why did Elon Musk lose his hair at such a young age? Indeed, why do many men lose their hair early on?

The main culprit behind most cases of hair loss is androgenic alopecia or male-pattern baldness. Of course, women can be affected by this condition, too. Indeed, it is particularly common after women reach midlife and menopause.

Androgenic alopecia is likely linked to your genetics. It is thought that people with hair loss have a sequence in their genetic code that selects for sensitivity to DHT, or dihydrotestosterone. DHT sensitivity can lead to follicular dysfunction, meaning that the presence of DHT can shrink hair follicles, making them fine and delicate. Eventually, the hair will stop growing entirely.

Androgenic alopecia can start as early as the teenage years in some men (like Mr. Musk). However, it most commonly shows up in middle age in men. And, by age 50, almost 85% of men have some form of hair loss. Furthermore, because it is genetically linked, it tends to travel in families. Thus, if you want to know your chances of having hair by age 50, just take a peek at your relatives.

Hair transplants are for more severe cases of hair loss, like Musk’s. Ideally, you will want to stop hair loss in its tracks the moment you notice changes to your hair quality or thickness. Here are some action steps you can take to combat hair loss early on.

Start using the right products.

The right hair products will make a great difference in your hair thickness and quality. Use a shampoo and conditioner that helps keep your existing hair healthy while decreasing scalp inflammation and blocking DHT.

The REVITA shampoo system fights follicular dysfunction with select ingredients that block DHT while preventing inflammation. For example, it contains caffeine, ketoconazole, biotin, rooibos, and TriCopper peptides.

Aside from shampooing products, you will want to add in a topical solution that contains 5% Nanoxidil - a powerful alternative to minoxidil that does not have the side effects associated with this older formulation. You can find 5% Nanoxidil in the Spectral.DNC-N and Spectral.CSF products. Unlike more well-known hair regrowth solutions, this formulation is non-greasy and can be easily applied, so it can work while you go about your day.

Take supplements.

Our hair requires specific nutrients for optimal growth. Usually, we get most of the nutrients we need through our diet, like biotin. But, if you are combatting hair loss, you may need to increase your intake of key nutrients. To ensure you have the best foundation for regrowing your hair, take the REVITA Nutraceutical Tablets for Hair Growth Support.