#43 – Alan Bauman, M.D.: The science of male and female hair restoration – how to protect, enhance, and restore the appearance and health of the hair and scalp

“When [a patient] looks in the mirror and sees that hairline growing back in and says, ‘I would never have thought I would see my hairline again. I never thought I'd cover that bald spot.’ I mean, that's the exciting thing that keeps me going every day.” —Alan Bauman

Read Time 30 minutes

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

“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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Alan Bauman, M.D.

Alan J. Bauman, MD, ABHRS, IAHRS, FISHRS is a full-time hair transplant surgeon who founded his medical practice in Boca Raton, Florida in 1997 and has treated nearly 20,000 patients and performed over 8,000 hair transplant surgeries to date. His compassionate, patient-centered philosophy and individualized artistic approach to protecting, enhancing and restoring the appearance and health of the hair and scalp is what sets him apart from non-specialists and other practitioners. Dr. Bauman moved to Boca Raton with his wife Karen after receiving his M.D. degree from New York Medical College, doing his surgical residency training at Mt. Sinai Medical Center and Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan, and completing his hair transplant Fellowship training in New York.

Dr. Bauman is one of only approximately 200 physicians worldwide to achieve certification from the esteemed American and International Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS), be an accepted member of the International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons (IAHRS) and also recommended by the American Hair Loss Association. Dr. Bauman achieved the coveted Fellow status within the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (FISHRS) and is a frequently invited faculty member at numerous international scientific meetings, live surgery workshops, and major beauty industry events.

Dr. Bauman is the first-ever hair transplant surgeon to be formally accepted as an Intercoiffure America/Canada Industry Partner; Intercoiffure is the most powerful and influential organization in the hairdressing industry. He is also an Advisory Board Member for the World Trichology Society and an active Trustee-Level Member of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce; he credits part of his early and ongoing success thanks to his involvement in local and national professional networks. He is also the author of numerous articles and textbook chapters on the science of hair care and hair transplantation, including eyelash transplant surgery, and has been extensively featured in the world’s leading mass media as a medical expert and successful early-adopter and pioneer of some of the most advanced technologies in the effective treatment of hair loss. Dr. Bauman’s international reputation and his exceptional team at Bauman Medical attracts patients from all corners of the globe for hair loss diagnosis and the latest and most effective hair restoration treatments and procedures.

This past year, Dr. Bauman was named both a “Top 5 Transformational CEO” and one of “10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America” in Forbes, as well as voted North America’s “#1 Top Hair Restoration Surgeon” by Aesthetic Everything. His accessible and interactive presence on social media has garnered millions of video views on YouTube and thousands of subscribers, connections and followers on the most popular platforms. A recent Live Hair Transplant Surgery broadcast directly from the procedure room in his Boca Raton office gained over 100,000 simultaneous views from more than 20 countries. Dr. Bauman also has been a member of the highly respected Pantene Hair Research Institute, a global network of leading hair experts focused on the advancement of hair science, technologies, and products. He is currently serving as an inaugural Luminary Board Member for Church & Dwight (NYSE: CHD).

In addition to serving as the CEO of Bauman Medical and teaching and consulting internationally, Dr. Bauman personally treats patients at his nearly 12,000 sq. ft. Bauman Medical Hair Transplant and Hair Loss Treatment Center in beautiful oceanside Boca Raton, Florida. [baumanmedical.com]

Instagram: @dralanbauman

Twitter: @dralanbauman

YouTube: Dr Alan Bauman

Website: baumanmedical.com

Disclaimer: This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user's own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
  1. Hey, valuable info you provide in your articles about hair loss.
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    Thanks…

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  3. Alan Bauman made a comment about how antihypertensives adversely affect hair and then, when pressed to be more specific, he talked about how SSRIs affect hair loss. This was a real head-scratcher for me (pun intended). SSRIs are psychotropics, typically used for depression, not antihypertensives. I was surprised that Peter Attia let that pass obvious faux pas pass without comment.

  4. Great article. This site gives helpful information about hair loss and how to get it treated. A must read.

  5. One thing that feels like it was missed in this terrific interview was — what should a potential patient look for? I live in Los Angeles, and want to look into this, but it’s not clear to me after listening to this what I should look for / how to find a great doc to work with here.

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