Landon Donovan Hair Update Draws Thousands of Messages
“If you look good, you feel good.” Landon Donovan built his landon donovan hair update around that idea after years of hair loss and a public rethink of what to do about it. The 44-year-old said he finally tried a hair piece after first dealing with thinning hair around 20.
Donovan said the choice became practical as much as personal. After a few years and a failed first attempt at restoration, he waited until the summer of 2024 to try again, then documented the process online in October last year and later told followers he had finally tried a hair piece.
Donovan’s September reset
In September, Donovan told social media followers that going completely bald or keeping the status quo were not options. He said he could try a hair system, which he described as basically a wig, and asked what type of hairstyle he should get if he used one. That put the decision in public view before the result did.
His openness landed differently because the former LA Galaxy star had already gone viral for a patchy look while working for Fox Sports at EURO 2024. He also had previously spoken about depression, and said worries over his appearance and hair loss had not helped.
October last year, online
In October last year, Donovan documented the hair restoration journey online, then posted again a few days after his first appointment to thank followers for their support. He wrote, “After years of trying different methods, I’ve finally tried a hair piece. I’ve been encouraged by your messages over the last few days. It’s allowed me to be vulnerable and open up about my experience and process. Thank you for all your messages of support!”
Donovan later said he had received “thousands of messages” from people dealing with hair loss. That is the part most athletes would not get from a cosmetic change: the response turned a private grooming decision into a public pressure valve for anyone watching their own hairline slide in the mirror.
A few weeks later, Donovan told The Athletic that his confidence in “the last week” had “skyrocketing,” and said, “I didn’t realize how much I was aware of my hair, or lack of it, because now I walk around and think: ‘I’m kind of handsome. I’m not this ugly balding guy.’ I feel like I’m an all right-looking guy.” For a player who spent years as one of the most visible names in U.S. soccer, the message is simple: he did not just change how he looked online, he changed how he walked into the room.
