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Boca Raton News, by John Harris, Business Writer, August 2000
Rugs, plugs,
wigs, weaves, hairpieces, and snake oil are out.
State-of-the-art, ‘follicular-unit micrografting’ hair restoration
is in, providing more natural and maintenance free hairlines.
That’s the word from Dr. Alan J. Bauman, founder and medical director
of the Bauman Medical Group, a Boca Raton-based practice that specializes
in state-of-the-art hair restoration for men and women.
Dr. Bauman received his M.D. degree from New York Medical College, underwent
residency training in general surgery at Beth Israel and Mount Sinai medical
centers in Manhattan before undergoing intensive training in surgical
hair restoration in New York.
In the following interview, business writer John Harris explores facets
of modern hair restoration with Dr. Bauman.
Q:What is involved in modern hair restoration techniques?
A:Today’s highly trained surgeons are safely transplanting
much smaller hair-grafts in much larger numbers than anyone ever thought
possible before. Gone are the days of unsightly "corn-row" plugs
that were characteristic of now outdated transplant techniques.
New microsurgical techniques and highly trained teams allow the surgeon
to work with literally thousands of grafts—many containing merely
a single hair-producing follicle—allowing the creation of a highly
aesthetic, subtle, feathery and, most importantly, natural-appearing hairline.
Q:How is this accomplished?
A:Simply stated, by removing follicles from the back of the head
and surgically implanting them in the thinning or balding areas. Each
person’s head contains two very different types of hair. Hair on
the back and sides of our heads is genetically programmed to last indefinitely.
But hair on men’s temples and "crown" usually shrink and
eventually die in response to the body’s hormones. So we graft ‘permanent’
follicles from the back of the head to the thinning or balding spots.
The replaced hair will then last and grow indefinitely, and it works equally
well for both men and women experiencing hair loss.
Q:Is surgical hair restoration the answer for everyone with hair loss?
A:Not necessarily. In certain situations, I may recommend that
a patient not undergo a surgical procedure. Sometimes there is a scientifically
proven course of non-surgical treatment that will be beneficial. An in-depth
individual consultation is necessary to determine if a prospective patient
can satisfactorily benefit from a hair-restoring procedure. The patient’s
hair-loss pattern, rate of hair loss, "donor area" density,
as well as the patient’s goals and expectations are several of the
issues discussed during an initial complimentary consultation in order
to make this determination.
Q:Do some patients have unrealistic expectations?
A:There are a few patients who are looking for a full 18-year-old-type
head of hair when they’re in their 40s or 50s. That’s unrealistic,
of course. I use state-of-the-art computer imaging software to provide
a "sneak-peak" of what results he or she can realistically expect
to achieve through treatment. We strive for a natural-looking, age-appropriate
hairline for every patient.
Q:Hair restoration has traditionally been viewed as a very expensive
procedure. Is this still true?
A:Hair restoration was once considered financially out-of-reach
for the average patient, but new techniques have efficiently streamlined
the procedure, making it more affordable than ever. What used to take
a dozen or so treatments can now be accomplished in four or less. It isn’t
covered by medical insurance, being considered a cosmetic procedure, but
the Bauman Medical Group provides convenient financing and accepts several
major credit cards.
Q:You recently acquired a new French hair analysis machine. What does
it do?
A:Yes. In our effort to stay on the cutting edge of technology,
I became the first hair restoration surgeon in the U.S. to acquire and
utilize this exciting machine.
It’s called a "Capillicare" hair analysis machine. One
of its functions is to give live, high power magnification of the scalp
and hair to record and compare the quality of hair and scalp in different
areas of the head. Among its many uses, it can measure subtle changes
in density and caliber of the hair over time, enabling us to detect hair
loss early, as well as scientifically monitor the effectiveness of prescribed
treatments.
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