NBA Hair Awards - GQ.com

Who has the best hair in the NBA? Who has the worst? Do ponytails belong on the court? To find out, check out GQ.com's NBA Hair Awards, see the slideshow here. 

I write a lot about celebrities, but a growing number of high profile athletes are taking advantage of the new technologies available to treat hair loss. In the past few years, Broncos' wide receiver Wes Welker, LeBron James, and Tom Brady have all reportedly undergone hair transplants to help restore their hairlines. English footballer Wayne Rooney even documented his transplant experience for the media and his fans. 

No doubt these athletes are drawn to new transplant techniques that require little downtime and discreet healing. The FDA-approved NeoGraft FUE device is used to extract individual hair follicles from the donor area at the back of the patient's scalp which are then implanted into the bald areas of the scalp. This method replaces the prior technique of cutting a large strip from the back of the patient's scalp and eliminates the use of sutures or staples. FUE procedures leave no linear scar and patients can return to moderate athletic activity in just days instead of weeks making it perfect for athletes.

Broncos' Wes Welker Discusses Hair Transplant

Photo by PR Photos

Denver Broncos' wide receiver Wes Welker is proud of his new head of hair - and he wants to tell you about it! The athlete has given a number of media interviews lately to discuss his recent hair transplant procedure and how happy he is with the results. 

Welker joins athletes like Wayne Rooney who have decided to publicly address their decision to undergo a hair transplant, he was quoted in a recent interview saying, “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. If you want to have hair, have hair. I don’t like to sit there and say ‘What are you talking about? I never got my hair done. People can notice it without wondering.”

Welker's transplant procedure was performed last year, and from the before-and-after photos, you can see how successful the procedure was. 

His openness to discuss his own procedure has prompted some reporters from asking him about the rumored transplant undergone by his former teammate Tom Brady - Welker politely declined to comment. To read more about how Tom Brady could have had a "secret" hair transplant, click here. 

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.

Tom Brady Hair Transplant Rumor

The National Enquirer started rumors earlier this week that Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady was seen at a hair restoration clinic in New England. Problem is, they're just unconfirmed rumors. 


But does Tom Brady really need a hair transplant?


From previous photos, it's clear he does have noticeable recession in the temporal regions - and he might also have light thinning in the crown. NeoGraft FUE wouldn't be a bad idea - combined with a preventative treatment like Propecia. ... Not to mention, NeoGraft doesn't require stitches after the surgery. So athletes can get back to the gym after three days.


It's my guess that, rumor or no, he will be getting hair restoration work soon. From the recent photo below, it's easy to tell that he cherishes his locks.