![Patrick Dempsey Hair Gallery](https://cdn.statically.io/img/people.com/thmb/iwf7LyUIGMehZXwJPU6KFiMAuzg=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(750x110:752x112)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-tout-110623-381223ae626149ca8e3aceb0857607a9.jpg)
Michael Putland/Getty; Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
PEOPLE's 2023 Sexiest Man Alive Patrick Dempsey has a lot going for him — wife! kids! career! this title! — but there's been one constant that fans have always seemed to really love: his incredible hair.
Ever since he hit the scene in the 1980s, the actor has had some particularly luscious locks, whether he's wearing them naturally and wavy or perfectly salt-and-pepper styled (by wife Jillian for PEOPLE's cover!).
Here, take a look at Dempsey's five decades of hot hairstyles.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 1986
![Patrick Dempsey (as Mike Damone) in 1986 in CBS television's Fast Times, a sitcom based on the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High.](https://people.com/thmb/bHqi_BAAMsrjD7J9eMgea7zZOXo=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1199x0:1201x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-2-110623-f832cbe21cdd409a857f6f9919904068.jpg)
CBS via Getty
In one of his first roles, on the 1986 CBS series Fast Times, Dempsey kept his thick black curls long and tall.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 1992
![Actor Patrick Dempsey poses for a portrait at the Independent Spirit awards at Raleigh Studios on March 28, 1992 in Los Angeles, California.](https://people.com/thmb/7MYLQQG2JqPowj_Yga0gg3NTPYQ=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-5-110623-10a56b23b69b47e5a8e0cdd766cb0c1a.jpg)
Dianna Whitley/Getty
At the Independent Spirit Awards, the actor sported the early makings of what would become his signature hairstyle.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 2005
![Patrick Dempsey in Grey's Anatomy, 2005.](https://people.com/thmb/bHf6h4lGgvOSLn03K5KlX2o1ySQ=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1081x0:1083x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-4-110623-c3efceb846254e489d420bdd7003e1e6.jpg)
Frank Ockenfels/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
As Dr. Derek Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy, Dempsey was absolute #hairgoals with his perfect dark coif.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 2005
![Actor Patrick Dempsey attends Moves' 2013 Fall Fashion Issue Cover Party on August 26, 2013 in New York City.](https://people.com/thmb/6rR7WhT5O4z-npEcLnLMjqRVkL0=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(898x0:900x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-3-110623-3b1153e6854c4497afe98958f5e023f1.jpg)
Mike Pont/FilmMagic
In the 2010s, the actor went shorter for a while, and started letting his pops of gray come through.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 2022
![Patrick Dempsey at D23 EXPO 2022](https://people.com/thmb/c5S_lPmuQ2OLkwvGvFOfTZYep-w=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(999x0:1001x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-6-110623-1124842bc2804c318212858f139b0d37.jpg)
The Walt Disney Company via Getty
When he began filming his upcoming movie Ferrari, Dempsey went platinum blond for the role of race car driver Piero Taruffi — a process he said took six hours.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 2022
![Patrick Dempsey gives himself a buzz-cut, 2022](https://people.com/thmb/fQ2HWvtpXNNS7BQhJRGeVIl4qqY=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(461x0:463x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-8-110623-cc9692ee3b674709bf740fc97a1fd1f7.jpg)
Jillian Dempsey/ Instagram
And what'd he do when filming was done? Shave it off!
Wife Jillian told PEOPLE at the time that the cut was a beauty "rebirth" much needed for the star after dyeing his hair, which resulted in hard-to-manage roots that looked almost "invisible" as they grew out.
Patrick Dempsey's Hair in 2023
![Patrick Dempsey attends a photocall for the movie "Ferrari" at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2023 in Venice, Italy.](https://people.com/thmb/Oic5M1G926SYUDJsVbMZc5V6quk=/4000x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(969x0:971x2)/patrick-dempsey-hair-gallery-7-110623-ff734f82f9814e18b3717db7d3f31976.jpg)
Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
When Dempsey hit the red carpet at the Venice Film Festival to promote Ferrari earlier this year, he broke the Internet with his silver fox status.