Alessa Avec Fashion

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.

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.

Finally the exorbitant physical pain associated with male-pattern hairloss has been documented by The Onion, a hysterical parody of news media. In a report titled "Male Hairloss is 7 Times More Painful Than Child Birth," the article reported...
"Clinical studies show that as hair gradually separates from the scalp, men experience intensifying waves of all-consuming pain equivalent to having their insides ripped out through the thousands of tiny follicles on their head," said Vincent Kwan, who led the all-male research team that carried out the study. "While strong uterine contractions and tearing of the vaginal walls undoubtedly cause a degree of discomfort among women in labor, balding men would give anything to experience those sensations instead of lying awake and suffering all night as their hair thins."

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).

Here's a photo I just took (March 21, 2010) after a haircut, so you can better see the hairline.

This is almost exactly 7 months after Dr. Bauman did his magic on me (should be a bit more than 50% of the benefit visible now, with 90% after a year).

It's hard to compare the location of the hairline in these photos, but you do see a density (different lighting conditions aside) that I didn't have before. Basically if I let my hair grow before I'd get these nasty patches and then blank spaces.

Much more even now. I may go hat free when it gets hot! :)


Compare to a few photos I took before the transplant. Whatya think?

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. :)

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....

Not familiar with JimmerSD's term "Squirrel bomb"? It's kinda like getting rickrolled I guess.

Here's a couple "after" photos to show my new hair. It's kinda hard to see because they aren't next to "before" photos that match. The first was taken August. 26 and the second on August 30 (my surgery was August 18). Whatya think?

Most people think the hair-transplant procedure results are immediate, but it takes about 6 months to see 50% of the benefit, and a year to see 90% of the benefit. So I'm taking my Propecia and dabbing on my minoxidil (what Bauman calls the "sugar and caffeine).

Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow!

Hey, if I'm going to broadcast my hair transplant live, why not the follow-up? In my first real live-broadcast (I've done 800 plus videos online, but the live thing always terrifies me), I conduct a live & public follow-up consult via Stickam with someone from Bauman Medical. And I try to stay focused as I read the myriad of insults so common on Stickam. :)

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.

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.

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. :)

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!

Today's the day. Off to Bauman Medical in Boca Raton, Florida, to get my hair transplant!

If you'd like to watch live... Alan (fallofautumndistro) will be MCing a 30-minute session from 12:30-1:00 EST at this blogtv.com.

See you there!

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.