Radio Personality Kevin Rolston’s Live Web Broadcast Hair Transplant Procedure by Dr. Alan J. Bauman Draws Global Audience and is Digital Multi-Media Platform and Social Media Sensation

Over 74,000 viewers tune-in for Live Hair Transplant Surgery in High-Definition.

Boca Raton, Florida July 23, 2012 -- He’d been going bald for 13 years and finally decided to do something about it, but not before talking about it for years on his radio show. And, being the completely transparent radio host regarding his personal life for one of Clear Channel’s leading radio station’s, WILD 95.5, West Palm Beach, Kevin Rolston, the upfront, out-front ring leader of the “Kevin, Virginia & Jason,” a top rated drive-time morning show, not only had his hair transplant procedure, but he did it live, and not just for his listening audience, but to a global viewership via the internet.

Performing his fourth internet web broadcast of a medical procedure, Dr. Alan J. Bauman, one of the nation’s leading hair transplant surgeons performed Rolston’s hair transplant procedure that was broadcast via Livestream’s high-definition webcast platform. Promoted heavily on air and via social media four weeks in advance of the procedure to the station’s listeners, the feed was streamed direct to the radio station’s website where listeners were able to watch their engaging, fun-loving, balding, morning show hero get, as Rolston said on the show, his “follicle intervention.”

Says Rolston, “it was great fun not just for me, but this was a first in the radio industry with the live video simulcast of a procedure of this kind, it was a tremendous success on many levels, and a great opportunity to educate our audience about the incredible breakthroughs in technology in performing this remarkable medical procedure.” According to Wild 95.5 officials, the station’s website received an “impressive amount of traffic” throughout the live hair transplant event.

“As far as listener engagement,” says Rolston, “this event and the model we created to truly involve our listeners for this project was the first of its kind and extraordinarily successful using all digital and media assets, it’s the wave of the future.”

Direct from Dr. Bauman’s web-enabled operating room in Boca Raton, Florida, cameras were set up, a live switcher and director were on hand and in place in the operatory (similar to a CNN broadcast), even a monitor was manned by a Social Media Moderator who was fielding questions from Twitter and chat room audience comprised of more than 23 countries who tuned into Dr. Bauman’s high-definition channel on www.livestream.com/hairtransplantnow.

At noon, a second feed went to The Bald Truth, a Los Angeles based web-radio show hosted by best-selling author Spencer Kobren, dedicated to “the medical community, hair transplants and people interested in hair transplant procedures.” Exponentially reaching the live Internet audience, Kobren and his co-host, Andrew Zarian of Guys From Queens network in New York, hosted a live one-hour call-in Question and Answer Segment. “At one time,” says Dr. Bauman, “the show was being seen and streamed live by multiple entities to a global audience – Clear Channel’s listeners tuned in to the radio station’s website to see Kevin’s hair transplant, our patients and colleagues watched and interacted on our Livestream channel, and others watched it on Spencer Kobren’s widely syndicated “The Bald Truth” via Andrew Zarain’s “Guys From Queens” network, both of whom were talking about it live and split screen while we were all streaming it to our viewing audiences.” In case you missed it, you can watch the replay or download the itunes podcast of The Bald Truth Q&A segment. Dr. Bauman adds, it was the quintessential digital multi-media event.

Huge Social Media Involvement: Twitter, Facebook Live All Day

But wait, there’s more. “Social media played a huge role in the event,” adds Dr. Bauman. During the entire hair transplant process, using two different social media handles, Kevin was tweeting every step of the way. Using the twitter handles @KevinRolston or @DrAlanBauman and the #livehairtransplant hashtag, viewers were chatting live, interacting with each other and asking questions all day long. “This not only increased our consumer interest and engagement,” says Dr. Bauman, “but it also shows exactly how easy the procedure is, that Kevin was up, aware, cognizant and funny as always all while undergoing his hair transplant procedure.”

“By inviting hair loss sufferers into the operating room, and showing them exactly what happens during a modern hair transplant procedure, they can not only see first-hand how sophisticated the minimally-invasive microsurgical FUE/NeoGraft hair transplant harvesting process has become, but also how easy it is for patients,” said Dr. Bauman, a board-certified hair restoration physician. “Our main goal with these live media events is to show people that hair transplantation can be safe, virtually pain-free and completely undetectable. The days of painful ‘hair plugs’ are long gone and ‘strip-scar’ surgery is fading fast. Those who watched were able to see that Kevin and I were talking all day, he was tweeting all day long, and we were both answering questions to a live, real-time global audience all while my staff and I performed the procedure, it was amazing.”

Dr. Bauman, A Leader in Medical Procedure Webcasts

Dr. Bauman’s previous webcasts attracted larger than expected crowds, proving the appeal of “behind the scenes” medical videos. Bauman streamed YouTube “Weblebrity” Kevin “Nalts” Nalty’s transplant in 2009, and their videos documenting the event have been viewed more than 250,000 times. The same year, Bauman also participated in a live broadcast with Greg Benson, actor and director with MediocreFilms, which became the most-watched live hair transplant procedure in history, amid a flurry of emails, blog-posts and ‘tweets.’ And most recently, he performed a second live hair transplant with Nalts, which attracted a record-breaking 70,000 viewers in November of 2011 in the first ever live hair transplant broadcast on YouTube/Live the web giant’s live streaming video platform.

See Still Images and Video of Kevin’s Hair Transplant on his Blog Page

A host of images, before-and-after pictures, Kevin’s late night confessions about his hair loss and his conflicted drama about the procedure, along with incredible still photos of the actual hair transplant, and even video can be seen on the radio station’s website. Kevin’s personal blog page set up on WILD 95.5 is devoted exclusively to Kevin’s hair transplant procedure: http://www.wild955.com/pages/bmg.html or http://hai.rs/kevinshairblog

About Kevin Rolston & Clear Channel Radio

Kevin is the main host of the KVJ Show, which has been entertaining listeners on their drive to work for over 11 years. Kevin tried out radio in his early 20s saying that he would "stay in the biz until he got fired" never dreaming that one day he would be the No. 1 morning show in the West Palm Beach Market. Affectionately known as "the diet pansy" Kevin is seen as the more mature, health conscious, responsible one of the trio. Originally from Ohio, Kevin has found a home in South Florida where he lives with his wife Kim and their three children. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, with its 237 million monthly U.S. listeners, is the leading media company in America with a greater reach than any radio, digital or television outlet.

About Dr. Alan J. Bauman (http//:www.BaumanMedical.com)

Dr. Alan J. Bauman is a surgically trained M.D. and one of only approximately 100 board-certified hair restoration physicians in the world. He is a Diplomate of the esteemed American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and is one of only 50 doctors worldwide who is recommended by the American Hair Loss Association. He has built an international practice, treated nearly 15,000 hair loss patients since 1997, and has been extensively featured in the world’s leading media in print, radio and television as a medical expert and successful early-adopter of the most advanced technologies in the treatment of hair loss. Appearances, interviews and profiles include the Today Show, The Early Show, Good Morning America, Extra, Access Hollywood and Dateline NBC among other TV appearances. Newspaper and Magazine articles and feature stories include The New York Times, Newsweek, Cosmo, Vogue, Allure, and Men’s Health among others.

No stranger to live hair transplant surgery webcasts, in 2009 Dr. Alan J. Bauman performed the first Live Hair Transplant using the NeoGraft/FUE device and also the first Live Hair Transplant on YouTube/Live, the online on-demand video giant’s live web-streaming platform which drew over 70,000 viewers.

Time Zone Converter Chart for Kevin Rolston/Dr. Alan Bauman Live Hair Transplant Event in High-Definition

Dr. Alan Bauman is located on the East Coast of the USA in Boca Raton, Florida, currently in EDT (GMT -4:00) time zone.  Use http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc or similar service to calculate local viewing times worldwide.  For example, for times in India (GMT +5:30) see the chart below.  

Follow @DrAlanBauman on twitter for continuous status updates and any scheduling changes, which almost never happens! ;)

Use #livehairtransplant hashtag for q+a on twitter.

For more information on the event, please see the Live Surgery Annoucement.

WILD 95.5/Clear Channel Radio Host, Kevin Rolston, Palm Beach County’s Leading Morning Radio Personality Goes Live and Unedited with On-Air Hair Transplant Procedure

Palm Beach, Florida…Never one to shrink from any material that is potentially fodder for his radio show, no matter how personal the subject matter may be, Palm Beach County’s top radio personality, Kevin Rolston, the head loony-tune of Clear Channel Radio’s “The Kevin, Virginia & Jason Show”  (that airs prime time morning drive,  6:00 AM to 10:00 AM, 95.5 on the FM listening dial), will be taking his listeners through the personal drama he has been experiencing concerning his hair loss and his plans to have a live on-air hair transplant procedure.  On the day of surgery, when Rolston actually has his procedure, July 11^th, he will be broadcasting it live, direct from the operating room to his listeners from the office of Dr. Alan J. Bauman. It will also be streamed live via the station’s website, http://www.wild955.com/pages/bmg.html as well as on Livestream.com. A live call-in portion of the webcast will be featured on Spencer Kobren’s widely-syndicated web show “The Bald Truth” on http://www.thebaldtruth.com and “Guys From Queens” Network http://www.gfqlive.tv.

A “Hair Loss” Story 13-Years in the Making  -- Kevin’s “Follicle Intervention”

“This story, this problem, my hair loss has been plaguing me for more than 13 years,” says Rolston, “I’m only 38, but started losing my hair when I was in my early 20’s,” he says in the good-natured self-effacing way that has attracted the largest listening audience in the West Palm Beach radio market. Says Kevin, “It’s finally time for me to have a ‘follicular intervention.’”

Rolston’s Initial Investigation into a Hair Transplantation Procedure

Rolston, a professed “party animal,” who perfected the keg stand after attending the number one party school in the country, Ohio State University, is remarkably the product of a father who is an attorney and a mother who is a schoolteacher. His radio career includes various stations in the country, New York City (WHTZ), Fresno, California (KTHT & KDON), Kansas City (KMXV), and now WILD, West Palm Beach. Despite the early wild antics of his youth, which only came to an end when he had to start waking up at 3:00 AM in order to run his morning radio shows, he’s now come full circle as a father and dreads the day when his kids ask how he perfected his Keg stand. Today, in addition to worrying about his children in college, he is equally preoccupied with his hair loss at such an early age, (in his mid-20s he began going bald, which is not uncommon for men), and he began his journey to find a Hair Transplant doctor.  His search led him to Dr. Alan J. Bauman, located in Boca Raton, and remarkably coincidentally one of the world’s leading hair transplant physicians.  “I just wasn’t ready to pull the trigger on the procedure back then,” says Rolston. Even though Rolston’s hairline began to recede, his ratings began to soar and according to Rolston being a radio disc jockey today means being able to work in all digital media and platforms, this includes internet, video and television.  With that in mind, Rolston points to his noggin. “My forehead has gotten bigger and I’m seeing more shiny scalp and less hair on my head, the time has come, and I’m just gonna do it.”

The Last Straw -- Rolston’s “Monkey Butt” Pushes him over the Edge for Hair Transplant

What pushed Rolston to finally get a hair transplant?  Two things says Rolston. “I was at a baseball game and my radio partners, Virginia and Jason were there, just a few rows behind me unbeknownst to me, and they started making fun of the bald spot on the top of my head, the crown, as they call it in the medical field, but on the baseball field and then later in the radio control room they were calling it Kevin’s “monkey butt.” “Monkey Butt” is the inside industry phrase used to describe the thinning “crown” on the top of the head that looks very much like a – well, you get the point,” says Rolston. From then on my “monkey butt” became a major topic of conversation on the show and what got me thinking about a hair transplant.” Thirteen years later, Rolston went back to Dr. Bauman to see what could be done.

The Technology has finally made Hair Transplant Procedures Undetectable, Less Painful, More Practical

While Rolston lost 13 years and bunch of hair while waiting to get the procedure done, the good news is the technology has evolved to the point today that hair transplants are completely undetectable, they don’t involve stitches or linear scars at the back of the head. Long gone are the days of “corn rows” or that pluggy “doll’s hair” look, the procedure is practically painless, there is virtually no downtime and Rolston says he can be at work the very next day.

Follow Kevin’s Hair Transplant on the WILD 95.5 Radio Station Blog

Every day, every week, from now until his procedure, and even after his live broadcast surgery day, Kevin will be posting his most intimate thoughts about the suffering, the concerns, the issues he had with his receding hairline at such an early age and up through today, his anxieties and concerns about his hair loss, the mental machinations he went through when contemplating going through a hair transplant procedure and then finally what culminated in his decision to as he says, have his “follicle intervention to get rid of his monkey butt.” Here is the link that will take you to Kevin’s Hair Transplant Blog Page: http://www.wild955.com/pages/bmg.html

Kevin Rolston’s Live Broadcast On-Air Surgery Day

• Wednesday, July 11^th – 7:00 AM–5:00PM EST;  Dr. Alan J. Bauman will be performing Kevin’s FUE NeoGraft Hair Transplant from the operatory in his medical clinic at Wharfside in Boca Raton.

• The live web event kicks off at approximately 10:00am EST when Dr. Bauman will harvest individual hair follicles from the back of Kevin Rolston’s scalp using the Follicular Unit Extraction, or NeoGraft/FUE method. A second broadcast will take place at approximately 12:00pm noon EST, where he will recreate Rolston’s hairline and crown area using as little as one follicle at a time. The 12:00-1:00pm 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, and syndicated via Andrew Zarian’s “Guys From Queens” Network.

• Listeners will be able to hear Rolston “check in” live on Wild 95.5 FM’s popular KVJ Morning Show in South Florida, but they will also be able to listen and view the live webcast directly on the station’s website, www.Wild955.com/pages/bmg.html throughout the procedure.

• The hair transplant procedure will also be live streaming to a global audience on http://www.thebaldtruth.com, http://www.gfqlive.tv, http://www.livestream.com and http://www.stitcher.com radio website.

• The worldwide interactive chat portion of the event will be on Twitter with participants tweeting live questions @DrAlanBauman using the #livehairtransplant hashtag.

About Kevin Rolston & Clear Channel Radio

Kevin is the main host of the KVJ Show which has been entertaining listeners on their drive to work for over 11 years. Kevin tried out radio in his early 20's saying that he would "stay in the biz until he got fired" never dreaming that one day he would be the #1 morning show in the West Palm Beach Market. Affectionately known as "the diet pansy" Kevin is seen as the more mature, health conscious, responsible one of the trio. Originally from Ohio, Kevin has found a home in South Florida where he lives with his wife Kim and their three children. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, with its 237 million monthly U.S. listeners, is the leading media company in America with a greater reach than any radio, digital or television outlet.

About Dr. Bauman  (www.BaumanMedical.com)

Dr. Alan J. Bauman is a surgically trained M.D. and one of only approximately 100 board-certified hair restoration physicians in the world.  He is a Diplomate of the esteemed American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery and is one of 50 doctors worldwide who is recommended by the American Hair Loss Association. He has built an international practice, treated nearly 15,000 hair loss patients since 1997, and has been extensively featured in the world’s leading media in print, radio and television as a medical expert and successful early-adopter of the most advanced technologies in the treatment of hair loss. Appearances, interviews and profiles include the Today Show, The Early Show, Good Morning America, Extra, Access Hollywood and Dateline NBC among other TV appearances. Newspaper and Magazine articles and feature stories include The New York Times, Newsweek, Cosmo, Vogue, Allure, and Men’s Health among others.

No stranger to live hair transplant surgery webcasts, in 2009 Dr. Alan J. Bauman performed the first Live Hair Transplant using the NeoGraft/FUE device and also the first Live Hair Transplant on YouTube/Live, the online on-demand video giant’s live web-streaming platform which drew over 70,000 viewers.  

About NeoGraft/FUE Hair Transplants

Hair transplants are comfortable, outpatient procedures that have improved dramatically over the past few years. Living and growing hair follicles are harvested from the back of the scalp and implanted into the thinning or balding area to restore coverage permanently. New instruments, like NeoGraft FUE, now allow the harvesting of grafts as small as individual hair follicles from the back of the scalp without the ‘telltale’ linear scar to hide.  Combined with the critical artistry and precision of the surgeon, the end result is as natural as the hairline and coverage you once had.

Editors Note:  The media are invited to participate in and cover Kevin’s live, hair transplant surgery at the office of Dr. Alan J. Bauman. Please contact the Media Representative below for details.

Media Inquiries:  Michael Sias / Firm19  704-286-6035  [email protected]

First Live Hair Transplant on YouTube

An Unlikely Form of Entertainment Joins YouTube’s New Lineup:

Internationally Renowned Hair Transplant Surgeon Dr. Alan J. Bauman and YouTube Celebrity Kevin “Nalts” Nalty to Broadcast the First YouTube LIVE Hair Transplant on November 18

Boca Raton, Florida - Dr. Alan Bauman, a leading hair transplant surgeon and founder of Bauman Medical Group, will perform the first-ever hair transplant broadcast live on YouTube on Friday, November 18. YouTube “Weblebrity” Kevin “Nalts” Nalty, whose videos have been viewed more than 240 million times, will be documented as he receives his second hair transplant with Dr. Bauman on YouTube’s new, highly-anticipated interactive live webcast platform.  The surgery makes for compelling yet unlikely entertainment for the online video giant that is also debuting new live channels from celebrities like Tony Hawk, Madonna, Ashton Kutcher, Shaq and Rainn Wilson.

The event kicks off at approximately 10:00am EST when Dr. Bauman will harvest individual hair follicles from the back of Nalty’s scalp using the Follicular Unit Extraction, or FUE, method.  A second broadcast will take place at approximately 1:00pm EST, where he 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.

Bauman and Nalty already proved the appeal of “behind the scenes” video of a transplant procedure, Dr. Bauman transplanted 1958 follicular units totaling nearly 5,000 hair follicles on Nalty in 2009, and their videos documenting the event have been viewed more than 250,000 times. The same year, Dr. Bauman also participated in a live broadcast with Greg Benson, actor and director with MediocreFilms, which became the most-watched live hair transplant procedure in history, amid a flurry of emails, blog-posts and ‘tweets.’

Bauman and Nalty are anticipating even more response to Friday’s event as consumer interest in hair restoration is higher than ever, and new techniques like NeoGraft FUE, which will be used again for Nalty’s procedure, have made hair transplantation a less invasive and less detectable option for the estimated 100 million American men and women with thinning hair.

What is NeoGraft/FUE?

FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction is an advanced minimally-invasive hair transplant technique which, according to ISHRS statistics, has experienced an exponential increase in volume worldwide over the past several years. 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.

The FDA-cleared NeoGraft is a dramatic advancement over previous manual FUE methods which were more time consuming and less accurate.  Years ago, Dr. Bauman became the first Diplomate of the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery to routinely use NeoGraft device for mechanical FUE which comprises 90% of all transplants he performs today.

"FUE is an extremely effective surgical option for patients that allows for a quicker, more comfortable recovery, less post-op activity restrictions, as well as avoiding the tell-tale linear scar associated with traditional hair transplants," says Dr. Bauman.  However, patients should keep in mind that a natural FUE hair transplant still requires keen artistry and precision and should be performed by a surgeon with extensive specialized hair transplant training, certifications and experience.

Key Benefits of NeoGraft FUE:

• Least invasive hair transplant available
• No 'tell-tale' linear scar where the donor hair is harvested
• Shorter, more comfortable recovery
• No stitches or staples to be removed
• Less activity restrictions after surgery
• Very short haircuts are possible after surgery
• Transplants more than twice as many hair grafts in a single surgery as the previous manually-performed FUE surgery in the same amount of time

While the benefits of FUE hair transplantation are undeniable, celebrity endorsements help build consumer confidence and awareness.

“My celebrity patients are usually reluctant to reveal their hair restoration work,” says Bauman. “However Nalty and Benson are part of a more open generation of celebrities… or weblebrities. Like ABC ‘Anchorman’ Jim Abath and NBC Dateline’s ‘Follicle Five,’ they’re helping de-stigmatize hair transplants as a viable hair loss treatment, and help people understand that so much has changed with hair transplantation since the days of old ‘hair plugs’ or ‘strip’ scars.”

“The procedure was pretty much pain free, and it’s actually an engaging process that’s more art than science,” says Nalty. “I love sharing it with my viewers because I feel like Fred Rogers doing a tour of a candy shop.”

 “Hair loss can be a painful experience for both men and women, but today, scientific advances have made hair loss a treatable condition and hair transplants can now be performed 100% undetectably without the pain, scars and long recovery times that used to be associated with the procedure,” explains Bauman. “I hope viewers can learn from Nalty’s public journey and discover the abundance of resources available from the relatively small number of qualified doctors who specialize in hair loss.”

To see the historic YouTube LIVE broadcast, please 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. For more information on the Bauman Medical Group, please visit www.baumanmedical.com or call 1-877-BAUMAN-9 or (561) 394-0024.

ABOUT DR. ALAN BAUMAN:

Alan J. Bauman, M.D., founder of Bauman Medical Group in Boca Raton, Florida, is a full-time board-certified and internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon whose pioneering work has been featured extensively in the national and international print and television media, such as Newsweek, The New York Times, Cosmo, Vogue, Allure, Men's Health, Today Show, The Early Show, Good Morning America, Extra, Access Hollywood and Dateline NBC.

Dr. Bauman is recognized within the medical profession as top U.S. medical expert on the treatment of hair loss in men and women. A board-certified hair restoration surgeon, Dr. Bauman was the first to demonstrate ‘live’ the FUE method of hair transplantation at the 2003 International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Orlando Live Surgery Workshop and the first to demonstrate the NeoGraft FUE device at the ISHRS Orlando Live Surgery Workshop in 2010. His practice is divided equally between male and female patients, and Dr. Bauman provides state-of-the-art diagnostic procedures and a multi-therapy approach to the medically treatable condition of hair loss. Dr. Bauman is a member and often a featured speaker at the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery Annual Scientific Meetings. 

In August of 2009, YouTube celeb Kevin 'Nalts' Nalty had a hair transplant with Dr. Alan Bauman using the minimally-invasive NeoGraft FUE technique live on the internet via streaming video.
Well, it's been over a year now... Did the transplanted hair grafts grow as planned? Did the results suck? Was it painful? Was it painful to watch? Does his mom like the result? Will he keep the new pig? Will he continue to gain weight? Find out all this and more...

If you missed his previous videos about his hair transplant experience please watch this collection of hair transplant videos on NeoGraft/FUE procedure: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list...

To find out more about Dr. Alan Bauman, board-certified hair transplant specialist, visit http://www.baumanmedical.com

To find out about the FUE technique which Dr. Bauman has been using since 2001, and now with the new NeoGraft device, visit http://www.neograft.info

In November of 2009, Greg Benson's hair transplant made history.  First, by becoming the most widely-viewed LIVE hair transplant surgery webcast in history, and also because the procedure entailed the transplantation of over 3300 FUE-type follicular-unit grafts using the NeoGraft FUE device--the largest procedure performed with the most-advanced minimally-invasive device on record.  During the procedure, Benson 'tweeted' status updates during his procedure and SKYPE'd with consumer hair loss advocate, Spencer Kobren (TheBaldTruth).

Before his procedure, Greg vlogged about his hair loss and 'Going Bald' with his YouTube fans and why he was going to have the procedure. Afterwards, he made a light-hearted video of his procedure called "Hair Transplant FUN!?" and also filmed a three-part interview with Dr. Alan Bauman:

"How to Get a Hair Transplant 1,"  "How to Get a Hair Transplant 2" and "How to Get a Hair Transplant 3"

Last week, he posted a video update "How's Your Hair!?" about his hair transplant progress so far (which is about 75% of the final cosmetic result).

In accordance with the initial treatment plan which called for approximately two procedures, this week (August 27, 2010) Greg visited Dr. Alan Bauman in Boca Raton, FL for some additional density in the frontal area using the NeoGraft/FUE.  Currently at nine months post-op from his initial procedure, Greg is seen here in these photos of his NeoGraft hair transplant results with approximately 75% of the visible results from the initial session.

Greg's most recent YouTube "Happy Surgery Day!" video details his experience with his second hair transplant procedure w/ Dr. Bauman.

Stay tuned for more information and be sure to tune in tonight to The Bald Truth with Spencer Kobren who will be interviewing Greg Benson and Dr. Alan Bauman live on the air tonight (Sunday 8/29) at 8E/5P.

New Video: Happy Surgery Day! by Greg Benson

Naomi Campbell appears to be suffering from traction alopecia, as seen in this recent photo taken during a photo shoot for designer Dennis Basso.  Well known for her long time use of hair extensions, the British supermodel may be now dealing with the consequences of the pulling, styling and abuse her follicles have suffered over many years. 

Common amongst ethnicities who wear tight braids, those who use hair extensions over a long period of time, attach wigs or weaves with glue/clips/tape, or those who suffer from trichotillomania (hair-pulling disease), traction alopecia is a result of the chronic tension or pulling on the follicles causing irreparable damage.  The definitive cure is hair transplantation which permanently replaces the follicles into the bald skin.  However, without a change in hair-care habits, the transplanted hair is also at risk.

The use of hair extensions is a known cause of severe hair loss because of traction alopecia.

(Right) A patient who had suffered hair loss from traction alopecia, treated with a single session of transplantation by Dr. Alan Bauman, shown before and 12 months after her hair transplant procedure. 

Modern, minimally-invasive hair transplant procedures like NeoGraft/FUE can be performed without a scalpel, stitches or staples in the donor area allowing for harvesting of hair follicles with less discomfort, minimal downtime and no linear scar.

For more information on traction alopecia and its prevention and treatments, contact Dr. Alan Bauman or visit Bauman Medical Group.

Although linear harvesting or 'the strip-method' is the least expensive way to transplant hair, it can lead to a 'tell-tale' donor scar which may be visible from a distance if not covered with enough surrounding hair.   

This recent photo of Jeremy Piven (courtesy: TMZ) reveals a particulary wide, likely non-trichophytic, linear donor hair transplant scar.   

To avoid a linear scar in the first place, consider hair transplantation with the FUE or Follicular Unit Extraction approach.  A new device, called NeoGraft, allows the surgical team to efficiently transplant more hair follicles during an FUE procedure than before.  YouTube celeb Kevin 'Nalts' Nalty and Actor/Director Greg Benson (Mediocre Films) both recently underwent FUE/NeoGraft hair transplants and documented their experiences on YouTube.  FUE with NeoGraft, as seen recently on Rachael Ray "Plastic Surgery Breakthroughs," allows the harvesting of follcicles from the donor area without the use of a scalpel, stitches or staples.  And, while no procedure can be 100% scar-free, after a matter of days healing is complete and undetectable from a social distance--even with a very short haircut. 

If you must undergo a linear harvest (perhaps due to budget or extensive hair loss), be sure your hair transplant surgeon is adept at 'trichophytic closures.'  A trichophytic closure or tricho-closure is a microsurgical closure technique which allows hair to eventually grow hair through the scar--helping to camouflage it.   Tricho-closures are not a 100% perfect solution, but typically allow for shorter haircuts than non-trichophytic linear closures.  Also, in preparation for your transplant, let your hair length in the donor area grow to at least 1 inch.  This will allow camouflage of the stitches immediately following a linear harvest.

If you've already had a linear harvest and have a troublesome scar, all is not lost!  A small FUE/NeoGraft hair transplant procedure can be used to redistribute healthy donor hair follicles into the scar tissue left from hair transplants or scars from other scalp surgery, thereby camouflaging it.   Linear Scar Camouflage procedures typically require about 250-350 follicular-unit grafts and now with NeoGraft, can often be completed in just an hour or two.   Sometimes, more than one scar-camouflage procedure is needed, depending on the severity of the scar.   Again, scar-camouflage procedures are not a 100% cure for a bad scar, but they can often dramatically improve the coverage with just a single FUE/NeoGraft session.

Below is an example of an FUE/NeoGraft donor area Before, Immediately After and One-Week After harvesting of 1600+ Follicular-unit grafts.  More FUE donor area photos, including extraction and implantation pictures are on flickr.   

My suggestion to Mr. Piven would be to consider FUE/NeoGraft hair transplant procedure to camouflage the linear donor scar.