Showing posts with label alan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label alan. Show all posts

First Live Hair Transplant on YouTube

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 2:39 AM 0 comments
Alopecia in WomenI'm heading to Florida today for an unusual hair transplant... we're broadcasting it live at 10:00 EST and 1:00 EST on Friday, November 18. Details below on my second hair transplant with the lovely and talented Dr. Alan Bauman. It will also be broadcast by Hair Guru Spencer Kobren.
First Live Hair Transplant on YouTube
An Unlikely Form of Entertainment Joins YouTube’s New Lineup:
Internationally Renowned Hair Transplant Surgeon Dr. Alan J. Bauman and YouTube Celebrity Kevin “Nalts” Nalty to Broadcast the First YouTube LIVE Hair Transplant on November 18
November 18, 2011
Boca Raton, Florida – Dr. Alan Bauman, a leading hair transplant surgeon and founder of Bauman Medical Group, will perform the first-ever hair transplant broadcast live on YouTube on Friday, November 18. YouTube “Weblebrity” Kevin “Nalts” Nalty, whose videos have been viewed more than 240 million times, will be documented as he receives his second hair transplant with Dr. Bauman on YouTube’s new, highly-anticipated interactive live webcast platform.  The surgery makes for compelling yet unlikely entertainment for the online video giant that is also debuting new live channels from celebrities like Tony Hawk, Madonna, Ashton Kutcher, Shaq and Rainn Wilson.

The event kicks off at approximately 10:00am EST when Dr. Bauman will harvest individual hair follicles from the back of Nalty’s scalp using the Follicular Unit Extraction, or FUE, method.  A second broadcast will take place at approximately 1:00pm EST, where he will show how those follicles are carefully implanted into Nalty’s scalp to produce a permanent, natural hairline. The 1:00pm webcast will also include a live ‘call-in’ Q&A segment hosted by best-selling author and The Bald Truth’s radio talk show host, Spencer Kobren.
Bauman and Nalty are anticipating even more response to Friday’s event as consumer interest in hair restoration is higher than ever, and new techniques like NeoGraft FUE, which will be used again for Nalty’s procedure, have made hair transplantation a less invasive and less detectable option for the estimated 100 million American men and women with thinning hair.What is NeoGraft/FUE?FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction is an advanced minimally-invasive hair transplant technique which, according to ISHRS statistics, has experienced an exponential increase in volume worldwide over the past several years. FUE eliminates the need for doctors to remove a large strip of skin from the back of the scalp—a procedure known as a linear or strip-harvest—and therefore leaves no linear scar.The FDA-cleared NeoGraft is a dramatic advancement over previous manual FUE methods which were more time consuming and less accurate.  Years ago, Dr. Bauman became the first Diplomate of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery to routinely use NeoGraft device for mechanical FUE which comprises 90% of all transplants he performs today.“FUE is an extremely effective surgical option for patients that allows for a quicker, more comfortable recovery, less post-op activity restrictions, as well as avoiding the tell-tale linear scar associated with traditional hair transplants,” says Dr. Bauman.  However, patients should keep in mind that a natural FUE hair transplant still requires keen artistry and precision and should be performed by a surgeon with extensive specialized hair transplant training, certifications and experience.Key Benefits of NeoGraft FUE:
    Least invasive hair transplant available No ‘tell-tale’ linear scar where the donor hair is harvested Shorter, more comfortable recovery No stitches or staples to be removed Less activity restrictions after surgery Very short haircuts are possible after surgery Transplants more than twice as many hair grafts in a single surgery as the previous manually-performed FUE surgery in the same amount of time
While the benefits of FUE hair transplantation are undeniable, celebrity endorsements help build consumer confidence and awareness.“My celebrity patients are usually reluctant to reveal their hair restoration work,” says Bauman. “However Nalty and Benson are part of a more open generation of celebrities… or weblebrities. Like ABC‘Anchorman’ Jim Abath and NBC Dateline’s ‘Follicle Five,’ they’re helping de-stigmatize hair transplants as a viable hair loss treatment, and help people understand that so much has changed with hair transplantation since the days of old ‘hair plugs’ or ‘strip’ scars.”
“The procedure was pretty much pain free, and it’s actually an engaging process that’s more art than science,” says Nalty. “I love sharing it with my viewers because I feel like Fred Rogers doing a tour of a candy shop.”

Hair loss can be a painful experience for both men and women, but today, scientific advances have made hair loss a treatable condition and hair transplants can now be performed 100% undetectably without the pain, scars and long recovery times that used to be associated with the procedure,” explains Bauman. “I hope viewers can learn from Nalty’s public journey and discover the abundance of resources available from the relatively small number of qualified doctors who specialize in hair loss.”
ABOUT DR. ALAN BAUMAN:Alan J. Bauman, M.D., founder of Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, Florida, is a full-time board-certified and internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon whose pioneering work has been featured extensively in the national and international print and television media, such as Newsweek, The New York Times, Cosmo, Vogue, Allure, Men’s Health, Today Show, The Early Show, Good Morning America, Extra, Access Hollywood and Dateline NBC.Dr. Bauman is recognized within the medical profession as top U.S. medical expert on the treatment of hair loss in men and women. A board-certified hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Bauman was the first to demonstrate ‘live’ the FUE method of hair transplantation at the 2003 International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Orlando Live Surgery Workshop and the first to demonstrate the NeoGraft FUE device at the ISHRS Orlando Live Surgery Workshop in 2010. His practice is divided equally between male and female patients, and Dr. Bauman provides state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures and a multi-therapy approach to the medically treatable condition of hair loss. Dr. Bauman is a member and often a featured speaker at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Annual Scientific Meetings.

Follicle Five

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 3:23 AM 0 comments
Check out the Dateline episode featuring The Follicle Five. Surgeonofnalts (Dr. Alan Bauman) makes an appearance, and you can see the difference it made for his patient.



They Touched My Scalp

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 5:35 AM 0 comments




The hair transplant doctors gather annually at the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery meeting, and this year's event was in Boston in October (2010).

I gave a presentation with my physician (Dr. Alan Bauman) about social media for physicians, and then was his "model patient" during a live patient viewing. The doctors run their fingers through your hair, and one guy even brought a little eye scope to inspect the work. I'm sure I experienced weirder moments in 2010, but this one would certainly find a place in the top 10. Here are some photos courtesy of Dr. B.


Want White Teeth or Better Hairline?

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 2:36 PM 0 comments
According to a recent RealSelf.com survey (see press release by Dr. Bauman), guys want better hairlines second only to whiter teeth... and 20% of the 2000 plus adults said they wanted hair transplants.

Bauman's release observed that this number was deceptively low. Had it included some of other red "widely available and non-invasive hair loss treatment options like Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT), finasteride, minoxidil and dutasteride, the percentages of interested men and women would have been even higher.”

Yo RealSelf.com. Youze be writing about men and hairloss and not consulting the King of Social Media for Hair Renewal?

Also according to RealSelf... 90% of celebrities get work done... but few confess. Yo, celebrities... how about giving normal people permission by talking about what you've had done? Is that too much to ask?

Most-Viewed Live Hair Transplant Ever

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 6:41 PM 0 comments
Greg Benson, the follicularly challenged brains behind MediocreFilms, has selected Earth's best hair-transplant doctor to update his Bosley transplant (see video). With more than 13,000 live viewers via the Internet, this would indeed make hair-transplant history.

Dr. Alan Bauman, who you may know as SurgeonOfNalts, did the work... and now it's a race to the finish. Will Nalts (me), the YouTube personality who once pitched Propecia, have the best hairline of 2010? Or will Greg? In a great moment of irony, Benson's sporting the old Propecia mirrors. Ah, the days that we pharmaceutical firms could give out tissue boxes, pens and mirrors. Those were the days.



Benson made me proud when he, like perhaps every male transplant candidate, made the obligatory joke when one of Bauman's peeps warned him about the loud, wet and cold cleansing-wash machine. It's funny because it's predictable, like his inclination to yell "bye MiniMi" before he runs over midgets.

Nearly 3500 new follicles (which represent a few hairs each) may be a record for a minimally invasive (no surgical slice) transplant. Dr. B uses a NeoGraft to do follicular unit extraction (FUE). Cutting edge that's so cutting edge, it doesn't require a cutting edge. Here's a photo of Benson, with wife Kim Evey (producer of TheGuild and star of Gorgeous Tiny Chicken Machine Show).



Go, Greg. As YouTube funnyman Mark Day exposed, there are some side effects as I well know. Here's some footage I just found that someone took of my live Internet broadcast during treatment, and here's my summary video called "Hair Transplant Fun."

Also worth watching are the educational videos we both did. Here's my conversation with Bauman (which summarizes the steps in 5 minutes), and here's Benson/Bauman talking about the entire procedure. Benson said he slept like a baby after his transplant, which is not what he experienced years before with the traditional surgery from Bosley. In a sequel to Alan's interview, the duo speak about how even a year ago this 3K plus process wouldn't have been possible, and about the recovery phase. After 6 months, you don't notice much, but by 10-12 months you'll see 90%.
Benson and I spoke recently, and are just gaga over this experience. In my Merck/Propecia capacity, I had lots of insights on the best hair-transplant surgeons. When I asked people who they'd chose, Bauman's name came up constantly. We both know why.

Benson did it for his acting career, and I did it because 3 years working on a medication that treats hairloss will make you somewhat self conscious.

With all of this buzz, one can only hope that hair-transplants don't need to be secrets. Some of the film and television actors and actresses you love have had these procedures, but you wouldn't know it. Why?

  1. They don't talk about it because they feel it would hurt their image.

  2. The doctors can't reference their celebrity patients... unless they're weblebrities who chose to take themselves a bit less seriously.


Well here's a 5-minute video that takes you through the 7 steps of a simple hair transplantation. Dr. Bauman and I documented the NeoGraft FUE procedure in layman terms... it's on the SurgeonofNalts account, and Greg Benson (Mediocrefilms) is the next candidate for a hair transplant this week.

We discussed this video during tonight's "Bald Truth" show. I hope you find this informative and mildly entertaining. :)


YouTube Star Gets Hair Transplant

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 8:46 AM 0 comments
Greg Benson, actor and creator of "MediocreFilms" (one of the most-subscribed YouTube channels) is getting his second hair transplant next week with Dr. Alan Bauman. Dr. B was my hair transplant, and Benson participated in our live blogtv and stickam chats when I had my transplant 2 months ago.

Read more about it on "The Bald Truth" blog, and tune in Sunday (Nov. 1, 2009) at 5 Pacific and 8 EST to hear Dr. B, Benson, me and the show's host, Spencer Kobren. Kobren is the author of "The Bald Truth," a book that focuses on hair loss and what people can do about it.

Nalts Hairloss Videos & Hairloss Education

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 2:40 PM 0 comments

I just finished editing a fun video that explains my procedure in my language, as well as in medical terms. The video -- hosted by me and Dr. Bauman -- is designed to help educate hair-transplant candidates through the various steps of a follicular unit extraction, and show how the NeoGraft left no scaring on the back of my head. Here's a photo of the back of my head 24-hours after surgery, and 2 months later. No incision scar because the hairs were taken from random spots! More importantly, because the donor hairs weren't from a single strip, Dr. Bauman was able to pick various grades of hair to create a forehead that's more natural... as opposed to that Frankenstein look. Which would be cute this weekend, but not beyond that.

I learned today that Bauman uses NeoGraft to, in fact, conceal transplant scars. So if you had a transplant and decide to enhance it... you can use some of your individual grafts to hide the scar. Cool.

Here are a bunch of the videos documenting the journey. Stay tuned for the educational one. Dr. Bauman is sharing that on his YouTube channel....


Vlogging for Hair: Awareness Campaign

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 12:41 PM 0 comments
Here's a recent story about our "cause" to make people aware of treatment-options for hair loss and balding. I'm looking forward to 8 pm tonight (Aug . 23, 2009) when Spencer Kobren, Dr. Alan Bauman and I discuss these issues live on The Bald Truth, via web, Stickam and Sirius Radio.

Hey- it's still hair-loss awareness month!

Hair-Transplant Fun: The Videos

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 12:51 PM 0 comments
Here are the first two videos, documenting my hair transplant! Now let's see if we can get a real celebrity to "come out." Don't forget to join me on "The Bald Truth" on Sunday at 8 pm EST.




Web Savvy Physician?

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 11:36 AM 0 comments

How many web-savvy physicians do you know? My surgeon, Dr. Alan Bauman, has a YouTube account, a Twitter account, and Blogtv and Stickam accounts. He sends me an FTP file to upload video (almost ready to post first footage of my transplant), and today sends me a batch of photos from the event on Flickr.

Check me out! Note- you don't have to shave your head like I did, but it makes it easier and faster. Given that I was running around getting footage and broadcasting the surgery to hundreds via Stickam and Blogtv, I wanted to ensure the surgery didn't go too long.

Won't see the full benefits until 6-12 months, but already I have a hairline that looks like it's going to resemble my 1996 wedding photo. :)

10 Tips to Pick the Best Hair-Transplant Doctor

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 8:08 PM 0 comments
It's hard enough to decide whether to get a hair transplant and how to afford one. Choosing the right doctor can be overwhelming. A Google search reveals countless objective and biased sources, and who has time to sort them all out?

Here are a dozen sample resources on picking a good doc, in no particular order. But I've summarized practical guidance below in 10 tips, so you don't have to go on a web safari to find the key considerations.

  1. WebMD: Picking a Surgeon
  2. US Hair Restoration
  3. OmniMedical Search
  4. Hair Restoration Advice
  5. Skin Treatment Guide
  6. eHow: How to Rate Them
  7. International Hair Surgical Group
  8. International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery: a leading organization with the world's worst logo.
  9. Life Tips: Finding a Hair Restoration Doctor
  10. International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
  11. American Hair Loss Association

Whew- that's a lot of content to "comb over." Now before I give you my own top 10 approaches, I should explain my two potential biases. First, I title this blog "The Hair Insider" because I gained some inside perspective while working as Product Director of Propecia (the only prescription product proven to save and grow hair). I met many of the leading physicians -- some made me cringe, while others seemed sincere. Still, I'm more likely to have a favorable view of those larger affiliations like MHR or Bosley (mostly due to the impressive Medical Director Ken Washenik, who struck me as a well regarded leader, despite a whole anti-Bosley site).

Second, I'm obviously partial to (Bauman Medical) because I had a positive experience with Dr. Alan Bauman this week (and I didn't need to pay full price because I am helping him market via online video). But in my own due dilligence (2 years considering getting a transplant), Dr. Bauman and his team in Boca Raton, Florida came highly referenced, well credentialed on television and print, and were often identified by peers as the guy they would choose. I felt like that mattered more than anything.

Biases disclaimed, I'm a former journalist who is sincerely trying to give fellow male-pattern hairloss folks thorough and objective advice to picking the right doctor or practice. Here is "the least you need to know":

1) Nothing beats a reference. True, I can't compare my Bauman experience with other doctors, but I was treated well, liked the staff, and I fully expect positive outcomes. If I hadn't heard so many positive things about Bauman, I would have wanted to speak with his patients -- both the ones who returned, and the ones that might have had a less positive experience, assuming they exist. If you get a reference, put the most stake in the one that comes from someone who had the transplant a year earlier, and can vouche for not just the experience but the ultimate outcome. And put less stake in the references you get from the practice, since those are clearly not drawn randomly.
2) Listen to "The Bald Truth" by Spencer Kobren, an author and founder of IAHRS. Kobren charges doctors for the exhaustive work he conducts to weed out the wackos from the credible surgeons with good reputations and patient experiences. I'm not sure all of the best surgeons are part of IAHRS, but I doubt many hacks are among them. Initially I called Spencer for a reference, but then decided to go with my gut, and called the guy I had met and had been well referenced by my colleagues as somone sincere, progressive, and talented.
3) Remember what's important.
If someone is pitching you hard on a specific doctor, take a step back. Don't shop by price-per-graft, or you'll get what you pay for. You want an experienced physician not a noob, but you also one who's not so late in his career that he's unlikely to keep current on the latest technology.
4) The doctor isn't the only factor. Hair transplantation involves a variety of roles: a doctor, a counseler, technicians, specialists, assistants. A good surgeon keeps his staff, and they become a well-oiled machine. Although the responsibility rests in the hands of the physicians, the tech team does a variety of critical work... from harvesting to implanting the hair. It's a team job, so ask about the entire team and don't get woed by the doctor alone. Now consider this tip when you assess the Bosley's or MHR. They've probably got good training, but ultimately the franchise name is less important than the doctor and team you get.
5) Don't worry about location. Hair transplantation can be done anywhere, but proximity isn't vital. It's convenient to have someone close, but far more important that you find the right team. The cost of a flight is trivial in the grand scheme.
6) Don't get pressured by the "consultants." These guys are important to keep doctors doing what they do best (surgery) and they can help you assess your needs. But they're often glorfied sales people, and they want to close the deal. I could not fathom approaching a chain via a consultant, because I'd feel like I was buying time share.
7) Look for passion not profit pursuit. My surgeon, who is about my age, always knew he wanted to be a hair transplant surgeon, and found his calling after dabbling briefly in cosmetic surgery. But there are other physicians that were doing general medicine, and decided they were sick of managed care and wanted the hours and money of cash-paying cosmetic patients. That's not the ideal profile for me.
8) Plunge into a community (Kobren's is called the The Bald Truth Talk forum). Here's a nice post that has some advice for the noobs. Another is the Hairloss Help Forum. These forums will help you learn from people that have, or are currently in your same boat. If you're the guy that likes Consumer Reports and ePinions, then you'll want to conduct thorough reference checks and ask loads of questions. But the references are certainly hand picked by the practice, and who has time for that? I believe in crowdsourcing, so if I see lots of posts and threads that are favorable about a doctor, I'll hope it's not someone "gaming the system" but real patients praising the best doctors (or slamming the worst).
10) It's a Buyer's Market. The transplant industry is not booming like breast augmentation or Botox, and some of the poor surgeons are fading away... while even the good ones are eager for new cases. That doesn't mean you want to haggle or shop and compare, but it means you don't need to feel rushed or pressured.

I long for a day when physicians can be rated by patients on such key attributes as "bedside manner" and "technical excellence." Indeed, perhaps there's a Trip Advisor for hair surgeons that isn't really a disguised pitch for one group or practice. Let me know, and good luck!

I "Came Out" of the Closet: Kobren and Bauman

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 3:31 PM 0 comments
Below is a great (and short) video clip featuring Spencer Kobren (who's an author, national association leader, and host of "The Bald Truth") talking with my hair-transplant surgeon Dr. Alan Bauman (Bauman Medical in Boca Raton, Florida)... it was a live broadcast before yesterday's surgery, and they talked about my journey to break hair-treatment stigma.  I've been invited by Spencer as a guest on next Sunday's "Bald Truth" ( to discuss the treatment, and explore why hair treatment is still not "okay" enough for the 100s of celebrities who have been treated to come forward!

Join Spencer and me on "The Bald Truth" this Sunday, August 22 (2009) at 8 pm EST and call in!

It's odd and disappointing that caring about your hair and treating hair loss is still seen as taboo. It's no secret that balding is no sign of pride, and it's surprising that treating hair loss is viewed as vanity or insecurity. Pu-leeze. I am really excited to be a part of demystifying it, and Kobren and Bauman have made it their life calling.

One of the most exciting moments during our live broadcast of the surgery (see excerpt on Bauman's Stickam account) is when my friend and YouTube superstar Greg Benson called in, and "admitted" that he too had a transplant. 

I'm hoping Kobren (who has a great forum mentioned in this video) and Bauman (also on Twitter) can tap Benson for the cause. Benson talked about getting a transplant days before his commercial shoot (see his reel on his new daily vlog channel). Greg also has a really cute dog who reminds me of my new "Fred." 

Look... Hair loss isn't cancer, but male-pattern hair loss effects millions of people in far deeper ways than most realize. Women usually treat without reservation. But I've seen men distressed, depressed, paralyzed or in "avoidance" mode. Primary care doctors (and even dermatologists) are, as quantitative and qualitative research shows, largely disconnected from the impact on men. Some men learn not to care, or decide a shaved head's the way to go. I respect that a lot if it's genuine and not "gunny sacking." I also admire people that choose to treat when it bothers them enough. My heart goes out to the people that feel it's inevitable, and are just bummed out each time they look in the mirror.

Not everyone can afford a transplant, and there are medications that may delay or reduce the need for one. 

I can say two things about this experience:
1) I wish I had started taking Propecia when it launched. I just picked up a ProPak from Bauman's office this morning.
2) I can't believe I delayed getting a transplant. It was so much easier than I thought.




My Nalts Video Introducing This Blog

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 2:37 PM 0 comments
This is my video announcing my hair transplant. See the transplant LIVE from Dr. Bauman's office (August 17, 12:30 EST). It will be in FallofAutumnDistro's Blogtv.com channel.

I'm sure it's not the world's first live surgery, but how cool!? You know you want to see follicular extraction and implantation for yourself. Yey!

The post below (previous) has an extended Q&A: Why are you doing this? What's involved? Are you vain or insecure?


The Journey Begins: Nalts Hair Transplant

Posted by Sarah Sweetz Akhza On 8:05 AM 0 comments
Hi. I'm Kevin "Nalts" Nalty (one of the most-viewed people on YouTube, with 90 million views on 800 plus videos). I run a blog called WillVideoForFood.com, but I'm taking this hairloss information here because the content is so different.

I'm setting up this interim blog to document my hair transplant next week, and the experience before/during/after. If you discover this early enough, you can watch it yourself: Monday, Aug. 17, 2009... it's being done in Boca Raton, Florida by a leading physician in the field. If you'd like to watch part of it live, Alan (fallofautumndistro) will be MCing a 30-minute session from 12:30-1:00 at this blogv.com location. I'm writing my book about online-video marketing (likely publishing with Wiley) and Alan has written "YouTube: An Insider's Guide to Climbing the Chart." More importantly, Alan is savvy with the whole live-broadcast thing, and it intimidates me (unlike getting a hair transplant live for the world).

If anything changes regarding timing, look for this post, or check Twitter for updates.
A few Q&A about this:

Are you serious, dude? You're always pranking, so I don't know if this is real.

Yes! It's real. I broadcasted my anaphylactic fit via online video, and my doctor's visit when I thought I was pregnant (turns out, thanks to a comment from a viewer on this video, I discovered I really needed a spinal fusion. It's not a HIPAA violation if the when the patient consents, silly. So why not share a hair transplant with the world?

Which one are you? Vain or insecure?

A lot of people feel like treating hair loss (via Propecia, Rogaine, lotions & potions, or hair transplantation) is a sign of insecurity or vanity. Often they'll say "you don't need to treat your hair loss... you look fine the way you are." But that's little consolation to someone bothered by hair loss. In a recent online survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), 59.8 percent of people who were asked whether they would rather have more hair, more money or more friends chose more hair. By comparison, only 26.2 percent of respondents chose more money and 13.9 percent said they would rather have more friends! My research revealed that many guys would give up most of their favorite electronics for it.

Does this have anything to do with your former role as Propecia's Marketing Director?

Nope. This is completely unrelated to Merck. Not Merck sponsored, not compensated by Merck, not Merck reviewed, and not designed to annoy Merck. But darnit, it's the first time in 3 years I can talk freely about hairloss without worrying about attorneys or the FDA! Weeeeee. As a Propecia Marketing Director (a role I left this summer to pursue online-video marketing full time) I did learn a lot about hair loss, and met some of the best hair-transplant physicians in the country. One caught my interest. He's Dr. Alan Bauman (www.baumanmedical.com) and has his own YouTube channel, where he showcases his regular media appearances on NBC, ABC and CBS. I approached him because he came well recommended by colleagues at Merck, and I felt an instant rapport. He reminds me of Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris). Other hair-transplant physicians turn me off because they're clearly in it for the money and gave me willies. Dr. Bauman is not paying me to promote this experience, but generously offered me a transplant for less than he normally charges. Had he not been interested, I might have approached Dr. William Rassman, who runs a really nice blog about hairloss, but I didn't know him as well. More likely, I'd rationalize my concern into submission. Hair Club for Men and Bosley are better known hair-transplant "brands," but I trust and like Bauman.

By getting a hair transplant, are you implying Propecia doesn't work?

Nope. Propecia worked for me, both helping me grow hair on my crown (top/vertex) and slow down hair-loss progression (see Norwood Hamilton scale for typical male-pattern hair loss progression). I believe I also grew some hair on my forehead, even though it's not "indicated" for that. If you're concerned about hair loss you really need to take Propecia before you start losing hair (talk to your doctor first, blah, blah, blah). So hopefully some of my video viewers who are 20 will learn the easy way. I would look dramatically different, I believe, had I started in my mid 20s or 30s and kept taking Propecia daily. Check out "Terry and Perry," identical twins from the Propecia television ads you may recall years ago (see video window at this page on Propecia.com). It's worth noting that Propecia's best advocates are, it might surprise you, hair transplant physicians. They typically urge their patients to treat with Propecia to help the new hairs and prevent additional hairloss (which would looks silly, since the donor hairs from the back of the head will otherwise outlive the forehead). A good hair-transplant physician helps the patient understand what to expect while taking Propecia, and how important it is not to stop. I tried Rogaine for a few months, but it made my hair sticky and rubbing it on my scalp was always a depressing reminder of my baldin head. I may go back on Rogaine after the transplant.

What? You want plugs?

Common reaction. Because we've all seen "hair plugs" that look like a doll, most people think that today's hair transplants are ridiculous looking. News flash. Plugs are the ancient method, and now individual hair follicles are extracted from the back of the head and placed individually on the forehead or other site (I'm getting an FUE- more on that later). So the people who have had recent hair transplants are invisible to you. A YouTube friend asked me if I'd know if I saw someone with a hair transplant, and I said no. He smiled and pointed to his head. And the actors, newscasters, athletes on television and film? It's a small industry... I know who they are, and I wish they'd just acknowledge it!

Why are you getting a hair transplant?

I have two agendas. First, duh, I would like to have hair and look younger. My brother (7 years older and 20 years wiser) has an xtreme receding hairline. But he's a priest dwelling higher on Maslow's Heirchy of Needs than I. Second, I'm hoping to help break the taboo around treating hairloss. My research while at Merck of men with "male pattern hair loss" (MPHL) gave me a deep appreciation for how a portion of the 40-million MPHL men are deeply bothered by hair loss. No kidding- some people see hair as their identity, and are very depressed losing it. The national hair loss society (ISHRS) has some nice statistics on hair loss transplantation (nearly 100K people had one in the US in 2008). But here's the amazing thing. I knew of many celebrities that have had transplants but don't discuss it. Now that's vanity.

Why is it okay for guys to talk about "erectile dysfunction" bot not hair loss?

That's a question that confounded me during my 3 years marketing Propecia. Pfizer and Bob Dole used big bucks and TV to create ED as a socially acceptable condition, but I also think people are okay "admitting" they're treating ED because it's code for "I'm still getting some action." But mention treating your hair loss and you're either vain or insecure. The cause of a flaccid wiener could be medical or psychological, but there's no disputing that hair loss is genetic (not caused by wearing hats, butthead) and can be medically treated.

So this is a public service effort?

Of course that's not my only goal. I wear the old "Nalts" hat because I'm bothered by my Burt-like forehead, and I wouldn't get a hair transplant just for fun or as a cause-marketing alone. But I do hope by treating my hairloss in public I might do -- albeit on a smaller scale (social media not television) -- what Bob Dole did for erectile dysfunction (ED). It became okay to treat, and I believe hair loss should be the same. It always confounded me that a celebrity wouldn't boast proudly about a hair transplant like many do when they treat with Botox. Are they afraid of ridicule?

Are bald people losers?

While it's true that society has a stigma about balding men (look no further than your choice of television or film), I have a lot of respect for people who age with dignity. They focus inward and don't worry about their appearance. "God made so many perfect heads, and the rest he covered with hair." In my marketing Propecia, I was very careful not to suggest people should be concerned about hair loss. Rather, IF YOU ALREADY ARE, then you shouldn't be embarrassed or afraid to treat it... right? I expect a lot of comments on my videos from men who are balding, and feel like me promoting treatment is an insult to their being "one with baldness." To each his own.

What does your wife think about this?

Oprah got a standing ovation on her show when she said "I'd love my man the way he is." That's admirable. But so is being supportive when a spouse wants to take reasonable means to improve his or her health or appearance. Jo (wifeofnalts) would never urge me to treat hairloss, and like many spouses felt obliged to "talk me out of it." I'd probably do the same thing if she considered plastic surgery, botox or a boob job. It would be my way of telling her (and I'm sincere on this) that her outward appearance is not as important to me as her inner happiness. But if it made her happy I would support it.

Dude- this is unnatural. Are you mental?

There was a part of me that considered how odd it is to combat the natural progression of aging. And when I saw Joan Rivers on her recent "Roast" or Michael Jackson's face in recent tributes, I was reminded how sad it is when people fight aging so hard they look unnatural and frightening. Anything in moderation. If you see me looking like Dick Clark in 30 years then I've gone off the deep end. In the meanwhile, however, hair loss is a pain. It's a sad but true reality (as evidenced in research you're welcome to Google) that people with hair are more likely to get a job, make friends, be a leader, and the list goes on. That's not something that will soon change.

How much does a hair transplant cost?

I probably would have gotten a hair transplant years ago, but when you're in debt and not saving enough for the kids' college, it doesn't seem fair to shell out $5,000-$20,000 for myself. Hair transplant prices vary, but ultimately the profession price competes on a "per graft" (unique hair) charge. Rassman (who wrote "Hairloss and Replacement for Dummies,") quotes $3,000-$10,000. It's not for everyone, and I certainly wouldn't shop by price. Many men get multiple transplants over time.


What's next?

This blog is an interim one. I'll post about the journey... answer questions. Try to keep from annoying those regular viewers and readers who don't give a hoot about hair. And hopefully reach, via this blog, some new people who do.