Pavel Durov wears a wig? The main mystery of Telegram

Comparing his photo from 2006 with fresh Instagram posts, it's hard to believe they're the same person. At 22, Pavel Durov was a slender young man with receding hairline, sticking ears, and glasses. At over 40 — a fit billionaire with sharp cheekbones, an android-like appearance, and an absolutely incredible for his age full head of dark hair. The internet is buzzing: Durov himself explains it all with a strict regimen, sports, and a vegetarian diet, but observers doubt it. The mystery of his hair has grown into three main versions.

Version one: wig

The main evidence for this version is the too sharp contrast. Many surgeons and laypeople claim that even the best-quality hair transplant doesn't give such an incredible density as Durov demonstrates. In cases of baldness, donor follicles often aren't enough to cover the entire head. Therefore, commenters on Reddit and Telegram channels, comparing photos, concluded that it's either a wig or a hair system. Opponents of this version counter that ultra-modern transplant technologies allow for incredibly high density.

Version two: hair transplant

Many plastic surgeons believe that Durov still had a transplant. Arguments: the unnaturally clear hairline, noticeable on some videos, and the change in hairstyle — Durov started combing his hair forward, which is characteristic of people who need to hide the transplanted area. Supporters of this theory are confident that the entrepreneur has undergone at least one, and more likely several, hair transplant operations. The founder of Telegram himself does not comment on these rumors.

Version three: hair replacement system

This is the newest and most substantiated insider version. It was announced by Ksenia Sobchak, citing informed sources. According to her data, Durov did not have a transplant, but hides his head under a hair replacement system — a high-tech attachment that is glued to the head and worn for years, with the edges reapplied once a month. Such a pleasure costs about 100 thousand rubles, and, according to legend, many Hollywood stars use this method. In this case, the explanation for the sudden appearance of the luxurious mane becomes the most logical.

Why is this important?

On the one hand, Pavel Durov's hairstyle is his personal matter. On the other hand, this story shows how even the most closed person becomes the subject of intense analysis by millions of eyes. Users, posting gifs of his transformation, summarize: the changes affect not only the hair but also the shape of the face and ears. Durov continues to post photos of his bare torso in freezing water and merely smiles at rumors.

Conclusion: until the founder of Telegram gives an interview to a plastic surgeon, the mystery of his hair will remain one of the main IT mysteries.

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