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American Horror Story’s Cheyenne Jackson Reveals He’s Had 5 Hair Transplants: ‘My Horrible Secret’

American Horror Story's Cheyenne Jackson Reveals He’s Had 5 Hair Transplants
Cheyenne Jackson.Shutterstock

Baring it all. Cheyenne Jackson showed off a large surgery scar on his head for the first time and revealed it was the result of five hair transplants that he’s had over the course of 14 years.

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“I’ve been DREADING this day for 17 years. The day when my horrible secret would be revealed,” the American Horror Story star, 44, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, May 23. “No, this gnarly scar across my head isn’t from life-saving brain surgery, nor did I narrowly survive a shark attack. It’s worse. (At least in Hollywood…) I had hair transplant surgery. 5 of them, to be exact over 14 years.”

Jackson acknowledged that some people might find his confession superficial but he said that his hair transplants have caused him “shame & anxiety” throughout his life.

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I’ve been DREADING this day for 17 years. The day when my horrible secret would be revealed. No, this gnarly scar across my head isn’t from life-saving brain surgery, nor did I narrowly survive a shark attack. It’s worse. (At least in Hollywood…) I had hair transplant surgery. 5 of them, to be exact over 14 years. My inner monologue is “Really Cheyenne? With everything that’s going on in the world, you’re CONFESSING that you had hair surgery? Get over yourself.” I get it, but I’m admitting this really, to RELEASE how much shame & anxiety I’ve had about people finding out for years. I started losing my hair around 22. My older brother was balding too, but was way braver & cooler & just shaved his off. It was really emotional for me to watch it fall out & I felt less attractive & truly less like myself as the days went on, so I saved up and got my first surgery at 28. I hid it from everyone. It was painful & expensive but I started to feel better about myself. Over the years as my hair kept thinning, I kept secretly getting more procedures & would just pray that no one would find out. Why? Why did I care so much? What does that say about me? Being a vain actor in an industry that rewards beauty, I vowed to keep this my secret forever. I feel SO stupid saying that but it’s my truth. As if someone finding out would somehow negate my talent, or make me less viable or valuable in the world. At the beginning of every job, I’d secretly gather the hair & makeup people, dramatically close the door of the trailer, & make a big deal about REVEALING my devastating truth. Every. Single. Time. they basically said “ummm…yeah…so?” NO ONE CARED BUT ME! I’m sharing because maybe this will inspire someone out there to share a secret they’ve been hiding, or show a scar that they’ve been afraid of anyone seeing. Let it go. What I’ve learned during this pandemic is that shit like this just doesn’t matter. I’m trying to teach my kids to accept themselves & to be proud of who they are, & to put value on things that are IMPORTANT & REAL so as their father, the example should start with me. This is that. I’ll go first. #ShowYourScars

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“I started losing my hair around 22. My older brother was balding too, but was way braver & cooler & just shaved his off,” he recalled.”It was really emotional for me to watch it fall out & I felt less attractive & truly less like myself as the days went on, so I saved up and got my first surgery at 28. I hid it from everyone. It was painful & expensive but I started to feel better about myself.”

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The Descendants 3 star explained that his hair “kept thinning” over the years and he continued to undergo secret procedures while praying “that no one would find out.”

Jackson believed that his insecurity stemmed from being “a vain actor in an industry that rewards beauty” and he promised himself that he would never reveal his secret.

However, the Washington native finally decided it was time to come clean about his hair transplants after realizing it wasn’t that important amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m sharing because maybe this will inspire someone out there to share a secret they’ve been hiding, or show a scar that they’ve been afraid of anyone seeing. Let it go. What I’ve learned during this pandemic is that s–t like this just doesn’t matter,” Jackson wrote.

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He added, “I’m trying to teach my kids to accept themselves & to be proud of who they are, & to put value on things that are IMPORTANT & REAL so as their father, the example should start with me. This is that. I’ll go first. #ShowYourScars.”

Jackson shares 3-year-old twins, Willow and Ethan, with his husband, Jason Landau.

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