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.
Showing posts with label fue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fue. Show all posts
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During the live patient viewing at ISHRS's national meeting, a lot of people wanted to know how long it's been as they examined my new hairline and the donor areas.
Without moving around my hair and using a scope, nobody was able to notice any donor scars since FUE (follicular unit extraction) doesn't involve a surgical slice of the scalp- it's individual follicles and done while you're wide awake and numb.
My friend Joe Shields had taken the photo on the left before I had the transplant (late summer 2009) and we tried to replicate it last month (about 14 months post surgery). There are some variations in the lighting and smile, but I carefully chose the closest shot... some of the "before pictures" were way worse than this one. But I resent when people manipulate before and afters so I'm trying to avoid that here.
The photo on the very bottom shows why I wore a hat and avoided profile shots. The soldiers were not exactly in full force up there...
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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.
Here's a recent photo taken by my friend Joe Shields, who took the headshots on my book and consulting site. If you can get past the "weepy puppy" look, you'll see the hairline has visibly improved. The collection of photos from "Hair Insider" are here.
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?
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 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?
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?
- They don't talk about it because they feel it would hurt their image.
- The doctors can't reference their celebrity patients... unless they're weblebrities who chose to take themselves a bit less seriously.
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Greg Benson, actor and "Mediocrefilms" and "Mediocrefilms2," got a hair transplant this week from SurgeonofNalts (Dr. Alan Bauman).
Now it's a race to see who can have the best forehead by spring. I have two months of a headstart, but Benson had a Bosley transplant when he was 30 (about 20 years ago).
On your marks. Get set. Groooowwwwww.
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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....
When you get a normal hair transplant, you have a big ol' scar on the back of my head. Check out this photo of my head the next day. Pretty clean, thanks to FUE (follicular unit extraction) and we did nearly 2,000 grafts.
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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.
"It's okay to do something about your hair loss," says Spencer Kobren in this teaser for this Sunday's 8 EST "The Bald Truth" radio and web show. I hope you'll join us, as we discuss my transplant and the odd stigma around getting a transplant or being concerned about hair.
I'm far from a celebrity, but I do play one on YouTube (with nearly 100,000,000 views and 136,000 subscribers).
When you talk among hair-transplant physicians, they won't reveal their celebrity patients. But they know who's had a transplant, and you and I don't. According to this website, they include Kevin Costner, Brendan Fraser, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, and Matthew McConaughey. I'd add Matt Lauer and Mel Gibson to that list. And Tiger Woods is often mentioned.
For goodness sakes, look at these photos and decide for yourself, then join the Hair Loss Help forum and start your own rumors!
I'm far from a celebrity, but I do play one on YouTube (with nearly 100,000,000 views and 136,000 subscribers).
When you talk among hair-transplant physicians, they won't reveal their celebrity patients. But they know who's had a transplant, and you and I don't. According to this website, they include Kevin Costner, Brendan Fraser, Tom Hanks, John Travolta, and Matthew McConaughey. I'd add Matt Lauer and Mel Gibson to that list. And Tiger Woods is often mentioned.
For goodness sakes, look at these photos and decide for yourself, then join the Hair Loss Help forum and start your own rumors!
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It's really hard to tell the difference in this photo, but it's one I just took from my laptop as an interim update (I'm editing the footage from the hair transplant currently). I ended up with nearly 2,000 grafts transplanted on Monday, but many follicles contained 2-4 hairs each (so we're talking about maybe 5,000 new hairs). In fact, the challenge was to find single-hair units for a tapered front line.
Here's more detail than you may want, but this describes the innovative new type of transplant I had (versus the traditional strip-harvest where they gotta take a chunk of your scalp off).
- Notice how Dr. Alan Bauman gave me a circular recession, rather than a flat front (which looks abnormal).
- You'll see I volunteered to shave my head (optional) because I knew it would make things easier, and all of my camera hijinx and live web casts interfered with the otherwise efficient process of a hair transplant. Maybe half of people prefer not to shave the head, presumably because they don't want people knowing they had a transplant.
- I had an FUE (follicular unit extraction), which means I had no surgical incision that's known as a "strip harvest." That means I'll have no visible scar on the back of the head, I experienced less pain, and benefited from a variety of different transplanted hairs (a range of densities) that aren't found in one strip. And nobody has to dissect the harvest strip into individual follicles.
Hair transplants are basically moving "donor" hair to the forehead or crown from the back of the guy's head, where the hairs are higher density and not prone to harm by DHT, the nasty little substance that kills off hair.
- In an FUE, which is relatively new, they randomly grab follicles (containing 1-4 hairs each) with a tiny, sharp rotating knife tube (like a circular cookie-cutter). No pain. Then they quickly pluck 'em (or use suction) and place 'em in dishes until they're counted and sorted. Wanna see some photos of the FUE? It's not something I'd look at over breakfast, but trust me it's better than looking at a harvest (see gross picture).
- Those little individual rice-sized hair follicles are later inserted into the tiny slits that Dr. Bauman carefully decorated on my forehead to resemble the natural pattern and angles of a normal hairline (in one of my videos, you'll learn this is the real art that separates the good transplant doctors from the ones that give you a Frankenstein or pencil-troll look).
- Candidly, I'm glad I didn't do the normal "strip harvest" incision because it's an older and more invasive approach. Although strip harvest has advantages (you can do 3000-5000 follicles at one time, it's faster and less expensive), it's kinda freaky to think of a chunk of my scalp getting chopped off and dissected. FUE was once dismissed by transplant physicians because it's time consuming and (if they're not trained well) some of the hairs get chopped and don't grow. But if you're skilled at using an FUE tool, and have an auto rotating machine (Bauman used a "cutting edge" and expensive NeoGraft machine), then the process is quick and the success rate is high.
- My sense is that FUE will become the standard of care, especially for touch ups and folks that lack good donor hair along the back of the scalp. The trick is that surgeons need to be trained to do it quickly, but there's almost nothing but upside (besides cost) for the patient getting FUE. And FUE is easier to learn and do, so newer physicians and dermatologists are more likely to use them than fussing with incisions and strips (which have risks if you cut too deep, and fail if you cut too shallow).
- I have a significantly lower hairline now, and it's going to be much more dense than before. I'll need to wait for the hair to grow out, and the maximum benefits won't be realized until 9-12 months or longer. Most of the new grafts will grow soon, then drop (maybe 30 percent will hang). Eventually, they'll get back into the normal hair growth pattern.
- I can't wait to share the "behind the scenes" footage, because it's informative and really fun. I had a blast, and experienced very little discomfort (mild and short pain with the first anesthesia shots, and while some of the hairs being slid into the mini incisions toward the end of the day). Lots of post-operative treatments helped-- oxygen foam, bruise-reducing herbals, prednisone, pain medication, and even a pressurized oxygen tank -- where I watched a whole movie inside a 7-foot tube enjoying medical-grade pure oxygen (this heals, and has loads of other benefits). Harvest patients usually complain about the pain from the donor scar, but I can lay comfortably on a pillow because the only tender area is on my forehead.
More coming via the magic of video!
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.
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.
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.
