In this episode, Alan Bauman, certified hair transplantation surgeon and hair restoration expert, discusses both male and female pattern hair loss, the science behind what drives it, and what that tells us about prevention and restoration. Having treated over 20,000 patients, Alan shares his invaluable insights into what works and what doesn’t in terms of the non-surgical treatment options. We also go into great detail about the more invasive approaches like PRP, and of course, hair transplantation, a procedure which Alan has refined over the years into a proprietary method that seems to produce unbelievable results. Additionally, Alan provides tips for maintaining scalp health, which is vital for hair growth, as well as the importance of choosing a hair specialist who has the tools, expertise, and patience to develop a compassionate and encompassing approach to hair restoration.

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We discuss:

Alan’s unique path, and how he became interested in hair transplantation [7:15];

The prevalence of hair loss, types of hair loss, and the different patterns in men vs. women [15:45];

The role of genetics in hair loss, and when does it start [19:00];

Female hair loss: the role of hormones, pregnancy related hair loss, and what it means to have thinning and shedding [22:30];

Primary drivers of male hair loss, finasteride as a treatment, and the potential side effects [26:15];

Common treatments – Proscar, Propecia, Rogaine, and more – how they all came about and what you need to know [29:45];

Primary drivers of female hair loss, potential treatments, and the different types of hair follicles [33:15];

What are some of the unproven/snake oil methods of hair treatments being pushed to the public? [37:15];

Preventative steps to take if you’re worried about future hair loss [42:00];

Medications that may negatively affect hair quality [45:30];

The importance of seeing a hair specialist [47:15];

Impact of scalp health and inflammation on hair growth, how to pick and apply shampoo and conditioner, and how to avoid and treat hair breakage [50:15];

Treatment options – finasteride, minoxidil, laser caps – how they work and what you need to know [57:15];

PRP treatment: How it works, details of the procedure, and Alan’s proprietary protocol [1:11:45];

The hair transplant procedure [1:29:30];

Risks involved with a hair transplant procedure [1:44:00];

Is a donor hair susceptible to the forces of the implant site that caused the hair loss? Can a hair follicle grow anywhere on the body? [1:47:45];

Age appropriate procedures, how far the field has come, and why Alan loves his work [1:51:45]; and

More.

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Alan’s unique path, and how he became interested in hair transplantation [7:15]

Met through a mutual patient

Peter was intrigued and impressed by the hair restoration Alan had done on a mutual patient

Alan’s training

Medical degree from New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY

Mt. Sinai Medical Center and Beth Israel Medical Center is where he did residency in general surgery

Alan trained in general surgery ⇒ This is unique, most hair specialist don’t do this

One of only ~200 surgeons certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery

Alan had a mentor in hair transplantation dating all the way back to high school

“I always thought that plastic and reconstructive surgery, that’s kind of where I was headed. It really wasn’t until I met a patient, who had had a hair transplant, did I even consider looking at hair transplant surgery as a potential procedure that I would even want to perform. . .And then I met this patient, and I couldn’t tell that he had had a hair transplant, I was basically blown away.”

The prevalence of hair loss, types of hair loss, and the different patterns in men vs. women [15:45]

Hair loss is super common according to the American Hair Loss Association

80 million men

46 million women

Forms of hair loss:

Thinning

Receding hairlines

Loss of volume

Loss of coverage of the scalp

“It’s a big concern for many, although very much undertreated.”

Men vs. women

For men, it’s more socially acceptable Side note: Peter shaves his head about once per week

For women, there’s much less socially acceptable hair loss, so it can be much more devastating.

Female pattern hair loss:

behind the hairline, that’s where that density loss can occur.

Not equally, it’s very rarely equally distributed

This is helpful in the sense that women can lose 50% of their hair but from across the room it can look like a full head of hair

Male pattern hair loss:

Men lose more hair on top and less, if any, along the sides

So with men you can see the hair loss progression more easily than in women

Figure 1. Male vs. female pattern hair loss. Image credit: pcds.org

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