Transplant Watch: Gordon Ramsey

Photo by PR Photos

As I discussed last week, the Internet is buzzing about whether or not celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey underwent a second hair transplant recently. 

Recent photos seemed to suggest he had, and more evidence to support the transplant theory can be seen in new photos showing a completely shaved undercut. While many are calling his new look bizarre, that kind of shave definitely gives good access to the donor area.

The speculation with no doubt continue for Ramsey, and I hope he considers speaking up about his transplant. Hair transplants are not the taboo topic they once were, and he would hardly be the first celebrity to publicly discuss his experience.

Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean's Hair Transplant

Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, who some may recall was often seen wearing a fedora to cover up his balding hair, can now hit the stage this summer sans fedora, thanks to his recent hair transplant.

The 35-year-old Backstreet Boys singer recently revealed on Instagram that he underwent a hair transplant and proudly showed off before and after pictures, saying, "he couldn't be happier."

McLean, who appears to have undergone a traditional strip harvest transplant, is hardly the first celebrity to take action against hair loss, more celebrities are investing in hair restoration than ever before. New technology, like FUE, are selling points for many stars looking to enhance their looks discreetly. 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.


McLean's transplant looks good and he should feel comfortable hanging up the fedora!

Olivia Munn Admits Trichotillomania

"Photo by PR Photos"

Actress Olivia Munn's career seems to be taking off, but it appears the stress of stardom is taking its toll on the beauty.

Munn recently opened up about her struggles with Trichotillomania, an impulse control and anxiety disorder, which can cause those afflicted to pull out hair from any part of their body, including the scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes. She was quoted telling The New York Daily News, “I don’t bite my nails, but I rip out my eyelashes.”

Frequent hair-pulling traumatizes the follicles and can lead to permanent hair loss. Trichotillomania often leads to the total loss of eyelashes and eyebrows, in addition to bald spots in the scalp. The permanent hair loss can make it difficult for recovered trichotillomaniacs to return to a normal life. But there are treatment options available that can help these patients regain a natural look once their condition has been successfully treated, including:

• "Eyelash transplantation": A new surgical procedure that creates new living, growing eyelashes by transplanting hair from the scalp into the upper eyelids. Doctors can implant up to 100 new lashes per eye in a single session.
• "Eyebrow transplantation": Delicate single-follicle transplant procedure that recreates the eyebrows by imitating the unique angle and position of the original hair follicles. The popular technique has been described by Dr. Alan Bauman in multiple lectures and publications, include three widely popular hair transplant textbooks on hair transplantation including "Hair Transplantation" by Avram/Rogers, and "Hair Transplantation 5th Edition", edited by Unger/Shapiro.
• "Follicular-unit extraction": Minimally invasive, micro-surgical hair restoration procedure that uses tiny donor sites (as opposed to larger "strips" in micro-grafting) to transplant new follicles into balding areas of the scalp or eyebrows.

In many cases, trichotillomania has been successfully treated by Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy.  If you are suffering or recovering from trichotillomania, contact a ABHRS-certified hair restoration physician to help you determine which hair restoration procedure or treatment is right for you.

First Live Hair Transplant on YouTube

Ever wonder what a hair transplant looks like? Tune into YouTube Live on Friday to find out! 

Dr. Alan Bauman, a leading hair transplant surgeon, will be performing the first-ever hair transplant broadcast live on the new, interactive webcast platform, YouTube Live. The event kicks off at approximately 10:00am EST with the harvesting of individual hair follicles from the back of YouTube Celebrity Kevin "Nalts" Nalty’s scalp using the Follicular Unit Extraction, or FUE, method.  A second broadcast will take place at approximately 1:00pm EST, where we 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.

To see the YouTube LIVE broadcast, visit http://www.youtube.com/nalts at 10am EST and 1pm EST, and watch for updates on http://www.twitter.com/nalts and http://www.twitter.com/dralanbauman.

What is the Story With Joey Lawrence's Hairline?

Joey Lawrence's hairline has caused much speculation over the years. After years of sporting a bald head, it appears the 35-year old is ready to start growing his hair out. Despite those who say otherwise, Joey appears to have underwent a hair transplant. When you look at his hairline up close, you can see that it is sparse and "grafty," telling signs of a transplant. But he is fortunate that it doesn't appear "pluggy." 

Another red flag is the frontal peak and straight lines of his hairline, which look unnatural. Hopefully he plans to remedy this later with micrografts that can fill in the hairline and help create a more natural looking appearance. 

While his hairline is telling, the major giveaway is the lack of temporal points and the bizarre hair directions you can see in the frontal 1/4 inch that do not follow or match the hair behind. Grafts were placed perpendicularly to the skin and low density. 

It appears that he, like many stars and athletes today, decided on a transplant using Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), the procedure is favored by many to the traditional strip harvesting. This less invasive approach means that no scalpels, sutures, or staples are used in the donor area and it leaves absolutely no linear scar, so short haircuts, like those worn by Lawrence are still possible. 

Major Increase in Less Invasive Hair Transplants

In spite of the sluggish global economy, demand for hair restoration surgery is on the rise - increasing 15 percent in the U.S. and 66 percent worldwide between 2004 and 2010, according to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery’s 2011 Practice Census. The key reason for this spike is the demand for a less-invasive hair transplant procedure known as Follicular-Unit Extraction, or FUE. 

FUE has proven to be a major advancement for the field of hair loss as it allows the surgeon to restore living and growing hair to balding patients without the traditional removal of a large strip of ‘donor’ skin from the back of the head. This traditional strip-harvest method requires the use of scalpel and stitches – and results in a tell-tale linear scar at the donor site. It’s easy to see why patients would prefer the less-invasive no-scalpel/no-stitch FUE over the traditional strip-harvest method. Now that FUE is gaining increased acceptance in the hair transplant community, and there is a growing track record of results worldwide, patient demand is soaring.

The percentage of FUE transplants doubled from 2009 to 2011. In 2009, FUE accounted for 10.8 percent of all surgical procedures; by 2011, that number had increased to 22 percent. In other words, in 2009, 25,200 of surgical hair restoration procedures were FUE transplants. In 2011, the number had more than doubled to 61,464.

For more on the increase in FUE hair transplants and key findings of the 2011 Practice Census, read my full release. 

John Travolta Bald Photos Leak

John Travolta has long dodged questions regarding his vanishing - then suddenly reappearing - hairline. Many, myself included, have noted his ever-changing, unnatural hairline as evidence that he is wearing a hair piece.

In a recent story by The Daily Mail, John, 57, is seen sans hair piece, revealing the full extent of his hair loss. Maybe Travolta is finally ready to embrace his baldness and age naturally? Doubtful. Although he's playing John Gotti in a new biopic by Barry Levinson, and will likely go bald to play the role, it's unlikely he'll stay bald. Considering his status as an A-list actor, and the lengths he has gone to in the past to conceal his hair loss, it's reasonable to assume he'll go back to the hair piece soon enough. 

Now, the bigger question: Could Travolta regain his locks with treatment? He could regain some scalp coverage by undergoing a NeoGraft FUE transplant, combined with other therapies like Rogaine, Low Level Laser Therapy and Propecia. However, had Travolta not avoided hair restoration treatment for so long, and started on a regimen of Propecia and Rogaine earlier, he could have had a relatively full head of hair today. 

For more on the NeoGraft FUE, click here. 

Yale Researchers Uncover New Clues to Baldness

A new study from Yale University has uncovered clues that will hopefully lead us to a better understanding of the causes of hair loss and possibly one day reverse it.

Researchers discovered a chemical trigger they believe can restore hair growth in dormant stem cells that have stopped growing. The breakthrough came after they identified that signals from fatty skin cells under the scalp were necessary to stimulate the stem cells at the base of hair follicles. While it is widely known that those suffering from androgenetic alopecia have the stem cells necessary for hair growth, until now there has been much debate as to what causes them to go dormant. 

During the study, researchers learned that when the hairs die, a layer of fat in the scalp shrinks, and when a new hair begins to grow, that layer of fat expands, in a process called adipogenesis. Precursor cells, which are responsible for controlling the process, were tested on mice who were unable to grow hair, two weeks after the injections, hair follicles had begun to grow. 

"If we can get these fat cells in the skin to talk to the dormant stem cells at the base of hair follicles, we might be able to get hair to grow again,” said Valerie Horsley, the lead author of the study. “We don’t know for sure if it’s a cure for baldness,” she said. “But I’m hopeful that we can get human cells to do the same as the mice cells.”

The study, published in the journal Cell, has doctors and researchers hopeful that we are getting closer to one day finding a cure for baldness.  

But thankfully for the millions of men and women facing hair loss today, they don't have to wait to get help. From FDA-approved medications like Rogaine or Propecia to Low Level Laser Therapy and FUE hair transplants, hair loss today is a treatable condition. 

FUE Transplants Doubled Since 2009

Hair restoration has advanced tenfold in recent years, most notably in hair transplantation. Long gone are the days of “hair plugs” - today, advances in artistry and surgical techniques can undetectably restore hairlines and coverage--without the 'tell-tale' signs.

Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), which has quickly risen in popularity among patients and physicians. For more on what a no-scalpel/no-stitch FUE hair transplant procedure is, click here.

According to the 2011 Practice Census Results from the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), there was an 11 percent increase worldwide in the number of hair restoration surgeries, and a more dramatic increase in FUE-type procedures as a percentage of all hair transplants.  The percentage of FUE transplants doubled from 2009 to 2011.  In 2009, FUE accounted for 10.8 percent of all surgical procedures; by 2011, that number had increased to 22 percent. In other words, in 2009, 25,200 of surgical hair restoration procedures were FUE transplants. In 2011, the number had more than doubled to 61,464. 

Recession Alert: Chef Mario Batali

Celebrity Chef Mario Batali is known for cooking up delicious meals and traveling the world in search of new and exciting culinary creations - but it is his receding hairline that has grabbed our attention. 

From recent photos, it looks like Mario, 50, is a Norwood Class II, and possibly a class III, due to the considerable recession in the corner areas. The Class III pattern can be a sign of early balding, and in some cases, worthy of a transplant.

I would suggest a preventative treatment like Propecia to stop further recession. But for optimal results, Mario may want to consider a NeoGraft FUE transplant. The FUE is a popular choice among those in the entertainment industry as there is no scarring and no stitches. 

Wayne Rooney opts for FUE hair transplant, tweets photos

Footballer Wayne Rooney experienced hair loss in his 20s, which is common for about 20% of men.  At 17 years of age (below), he was sporting a pretty good head of hair...

As he aged, he his hairline and temples receded as male pattern hair loss caused miniaturization of the hair follicles as seen in the photo below.  Early treatment with medical therapy could have prevented this (or at least slowed it down considerably).  At age 25, he looked much older than his his age as the 'frame' of the face changed.

Shortly after his transplant, he tweeted:

"I was going bald at 25 - why not. I'm delighted with the result," Rooney posted over the weekend, adding: "It's still a bit bruised and swollen."

For about a week after his FUE hair transplant procedure, his scabs will remain, then begin to flake off.

 The designed hairline, see here in this photo with scabs (above), looks especially straight and round. It is not clear at this point whether this was Rooney's choice or that of his hair transplant surgeon.

FUE-style transplants require no scalpel or stitches for harvesting of hair follicles, so there is no activity restriction after three days.  A variety of devices, like NeoGraft, can assist with this type of procedure. New robotic methods are also being researched.

For more information on FUE hair transplants using NeoGraft, do a search on YouTube or visit http://www.neograft.info.

John Travolta Debuts Balding Head

Speculation about his hairline has followed John Travolta for years. Many, myself included, have noted his ever-changing, unnatural hairline as evidence that he is wearing a weave or hair plugs.

But on a recent vacation with his family, John can be seen enjoying some rest and relaxation sans his hair piece, revealing a balding head.

No word yet on whether Travolta is going to embrace his baldness and age naturally - but considering his status as an A-list actor, I doubt it.

However, there are many options available, including the NeoGraft FUE hair transplant, if John wants to invest in a more natural look.

NeoGraft is a popular choice among actors, athletes and those looking for discreet treatment options. With the right planning and careful execution, the procedure can be completely clandestine, which is a huge advantage over previous transplant procedures. 

Drew Carey - Hair Transplant

Funnyman Drew Carey is making headlines for his dramatic weight loss, but as you can see from the photo, that isn't the only thing that is different about the comedian - he is also benefiting from a hair transplant. 


Given reports of Carey's impending return to television, it's probably safe to say he went for a follicular-unit extraction, or FUE, hair transplant surgery, to avoid any linear scarring. I call this the "Cadillac of hair transplants" - particularly when it's combined with the NeoGraft device.



This procedure is not only great for those in the spotlight that can't afford scarring but also for those looking to treat their hair loss discreetly. 


Drew looks healthier and younger thanks to his recent transformation and hopefully more will follow his example. 


Here are a few tips for keeping your hair transplant a secret:
1) minimally-invasive NeoGraft FUE - so there's no tell-tale linear scar
2) grow your hair to 1" in the donor area to hide a 'stealth-shave'
3) wear a hairstyle or hat for one week to cover the transplanted areas until the scabs flake off.
4) choose a surgeon and staff who can create an aesthetically-natural and undetectable hairline.
5) use healing treatments (like hyperbaric oxygen, low level laser therapy, protein sprays, Acell/Matristem, copper-peptide solutions, etc.) to accelerate the body's recovery.

Kelsey Grammer's Thinning Hair

Kelsey Grammer is in the midst of a bitter divorce and planning a wedding - no wonder this guy is losing his hair! 

Grammer has deep recession across his hair line, but all hope it not lost. The thin strands of hair across the recession area suggest that with proper treatment, he might be able to stimulate some growth. 

If he were my patient, I'd start him on Rogaine and Low Level Laser Therapy treatments immediately, which could help turn his wispy strands into thicker, healthier hair. 

But if he really wants to start his new life with a new look, I'd recommend a hair transplant using NeoGraft FUE. 

Gavin Rossdale Rocks Receding Hairline

Rocker Gavin Rossdale is known for his trendy style and is usually seen around town wearing the latest fashions. But his newest accessory, a receding hairline, isn't what most would consider fashionable.

From recent photos, when he pulls his hair back, it looks like Gavin, 45, is a Norwood Class III, due to the considerable recession in the corner areas. The Class III pattern can be a sign of early balding, and in some cases, worthy of a transplant.

I would suggest a preventative treatment like Propecia to stop further recession. But for optimal results, Gavin may want to consider a NeoGraft FUE transplant. The FUE is a popular choice among those in the entertainment industry as there is no scarring and no stitches. 

Did Gordon Ramsay Get an FUE?

The British press is reporting that Hell's Kitchen star Gordon Ramsay underwent an FUE (follicular-unit extraction) hair transplant at a California hair loss clinic in late December. 


If it's true, then I applaud Mr. Ramsay for opting for the most advanced hair restoration surgery currently available. One of the main benefits of an FUE, as opposed to a traditional linear strip harvest micrograft transplant, is that there is no long linear incision at the back of the head. Instead, small groupings of follicles are extracted one at a time - and the result is no linear scar. 


My preference is to perform the FUE with the NeoGraft device, as it allows for a shorter treatment time. It's also completely free of scalpels and stitches.


Read the news coverage here:


- The Telegraph
- News.com.au

Joel McHale - Hair Transplant

The E! network's witty Joel McHale is great at dishing up the latest celebrity news and rumors - but he's also good at something else:  regrowing hair.


After sorting through a number of photos of Joel - both now and in the past - it's clear to me that the comedian has had hair transplantation to fill out his 'do.' I think he looks good. As I'm not aware of any linear scarring at the back of his head (unlike the unfortunate Jeremy Piven), it's probably safe to say he went for a follicular-unit extraction, or FUE, hair transplant surgery. I call this the "Cadillac of hair transplants" - particularly when it's combined with the NeoGraft device.


Joel's fuller hairline looks great, and makes him look years younger. (See the older picture below if you don't believe me.)


I wish more male stars would follow in his path.

Sal Alosi Faces Suspension and Hair Loss

NY Jets coach Sal Alosi has been suspended for the remainder of the season after he was caught tripping a Miami Dolphins player during Sunday's game. Yesterday, during his public apology, it became apparent that in addition to heavy media scrutiny for his behavior, Sal is also facing hair loss.


From the photos you can see he is suffering from deep temporal recession, which he has attempted to "hide" by shaving his head. Considering he spends most of his time in a hat on the sidelines, this no-fuss style probably suits him.


But now that he is going to be spending some time off the field, he might want to consider other alternatives. For example, a regimen of Propecia and Rogaine could help keep what hair he has, while Low Level Laser Therapy could help improve the quality and thickness of his other hair follicles. 


However, if Sal really wants to make the most of his time off, he may want to look into a minimally invasive FUE transplant with NeoGraft. 

Could Tom Brady Have Had a "Secret" Hair Transplant?

Photo by PR Photos

Yes.


New minimally-invasive hair transplant techniques like NeoGraft FUE and careful hairline artistry actually makes this possible.  Many of our patients at Bauman Medical Group keep their hair transplant procedures 'a secret' for a variety of reasons.


The NeoGraft FUE hair transplant procedure allows athletes like Tom Brady to avoid having stitches in their donor area. Therefore, he could return to training and workouts in as little as three days and NeoGraft FUE leaves no 'tell-tale' linear scar, so very short haircuts are possible later on.

And, while a 'total shave' certainly allows us to move thousands of FUE grafts during a single hair transplant procedure, smaller 'stealth-shaves' in the donor area can be easily hidden with about an inch of hair length if a very short haircut is simply not feasible for the patient.


At my clinic, we carefully perform "stealth shaves" at the back of the scalp the day prior to the procedure. Little by little the hair is shaved always making sure the surrounding hair easily covers the area to be harvested.  During stealth-shave procedures, approximately 1000-1500 FUE grafts can be transplanted.


A small 1/4-inch shave is hidden easily with about an inch of hair.  Sometimes more than one small area can be shaved and still remain hidden immediately following the procedure.  Here's an example of FUE/NeoGraft harvested areas hidden immediately by the surrounding hair after the procedure.   

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanbauman/4111813653/

Afterwards, the healing process in the donor area is completely covered by the hair surrounding the harvested area. Since we are only harvesting a small percentage of hair from the shaved area, those hairs left behind will return to their normal length in just a few weeks and normal hairstyling can resume.


In the recipient area (where the transplanted hairs are implanted), scabs remain for about a week.  Depending on the length of the surrounding hair and the location of the transplanted area, creative hairstyling or a baseball hat might be needed for a few days.  Once the scabs flake off, there is no sign of the transplant having been performed!  


Because transplanted hair grows in slowly beginning in about three months, as long as careful planning, artistry and precision was used at the hairline, the transplanted result should be 100% natural.  Initially, thin wispy hair grows thicker and healthier over time.  Day by day, the improvements take a full year to grow in.

Tom Brady's visit to a New England hair transplant clinic has not been confirmed, but it is possible he could have had a secret transplant - even with all the photogs watching!


Dr. Bauman's tips for keeping your hair transplant a secret:

1) minimally-invasive NeoGraft FUE - so there's no tell-tale linear scar
2) grow your hair to 1" in the donor area to hide a 'stealth-shave'
3) wear a hairstyle or hat for one week to cover the transplanted areas until the scabs flake off.
4) choose a surgeon and staff who can create an aesthetically-natural and undetectable hairline.
5) use healing treatments (like hyperbaric oxygen, low level laser therapy, protein sprays, Acell/Matristem, copper-peptide solutions, etc.) to accelerate the body's recovery.

Prince William - Hair Loss Clock is Ticking

Exciting news yesterday, as Prince William announced his engagement to Kate Middleton - with a wedding planned for the spring or summer of next year. 


But what is he going to do about his hair loss before then?


At 28, Prince William has advanced male pattern hair loss for his age - in fact, he's a Norwood Class III-vertex, progressing quickly toward IV and beyond. Unfortunately, he doesn't have much time to fix the problem before the wedding - especially if it takes place in the spring. What the prince needs to be thinking about now is damage control.


He needs to throw 'everything but the kitchen sink' at this problem - and ASAP. Prince William should start a multi-therapy approach immediately that combines finasteride (Propecia), minoxidil (Rogaine) and Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT). Non-invasive FDA-approved therapies can start reversing the miniaturization of the hair follicles immediately. Because hair growth rates are slow, the results will take 3-9 months to become appreciated.


A microsurgical FUE hair transplant with NeoGraft (the "Cadillac of hair transplants") would also do wonders for him - however, he's running out of time before the wedding. If he did the FUE/NeoGraft hair transplant today, in six months his hair would certainly be improved, but only half-way grown in. Like all wedding planning, you need to get started early!