Melbourne hairdresser Mario Guardini talks to In Style magazine about hair restoration…

Melbourne hairdresser and business owner Mario Guardini has rewarded himself with what some may describe as the “hair style of a lifetime.” 

Acquiring this top notch hair style has seen Mario travelling to Perth for a permanent hair restoration procedure with renowned physician Dr Jennifer Martinick. 

The September 2009 procedure involved replanting 2,500 donor grafts from the back of his head into a balding spot at the front. 

And, just  less than six months after that procedure Mario is already beginning to see the benefits. 

“I really didn’t expect to see the results this quickly, but thanks to surgical hair restoration I can now wear a very sharp looking short cropped haircut,” Mario said. 

“I am amazed at how it’s grown and how natural it looks.” 

The hairdressing veteran of over 30 years, who owns the chain of Linea hair salons across Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, quipped that colleagues and friends alike were keen to witness what his new hair would look like when it began to grow. 

Mario said these people, who were obviously sceptical about such procedures, had indicated they would also make the plunge and reward themselves with a hair transplant. 

‘My friends were all waiting to see me sprout and see what it looks like,” Mario said.  

“It’s amazing how inquisitive clients have been. They have also been really positive as well.” 

Mario’s friends desire to see what his new hair would look like echoes the reticence the hairdressing professional also had about permanent hair restoration. 

Having spent many thousands of hours cutting men’s hair Mario has seen more than his fair share of bad hair transplants.  

However, he willingly concedes that until recently he was unaware he has unwittingly seen many transplants that are completely natural looking. 

“I spent many of my early years in hairdressing cutting the hair of men who looked like they had palm trees transplanted on their heads, Mario said.

“I still see this occasionally when I cut the hair of clients who have had a transplant some years ago, but that is a very rare occurrence these days. 

“But of course, I don’t recognise the good ones because it’s so hard to tell. 

“These days people tell me they’ve had a transplant and I’m at a complete loss to tell where the new hair has been transplanted.”  

Married with two teenage children, the self-confessed gym junkie said the fashion conscious industry he worked in demanded a polished and youthful image. 

“It’s really nice to have a short cropped hairstyle instead of keeping my hair long to try to disguise my hair loss,” Mario said. 

“I’m on the salon floor most days and thrive on the fact that our role is geared to ensuring clients leave our salons feeling great. 

“With that in mind, I don’t think clients would warm to a fat balding hairdresser.” 

Mario said although wigs and hairpieces had improved considerably in recent years, he had sought a permanent hair loss solution so his hair would grow naturally again. 

At the recommendation of an associate and clients he sought an appointment with hair restoration physician Dr Jennifer Martinick. 

Mario said he had never been particularly sensitive about his hair loss, but he was acutely aware of how many men, in particularly younger single men, could be affected by it. 

He said the majority of male clients who chose to talk to him about hair loss said they’d rather preserve their hair than lose it. 

“A lot of men tend to make a joke about their lack of hair and say do what you can with what I have, “Mario said. 

“If they are open they’ll usually say they wished they had more hair.  

“But the younger guys, particularly those who don’t have partners, seem a lot more deeply affected. Some guys have told me they won’t even attend social occasions if they can’t wear a hat, 

“Others say they lack the confidence to meet a partner and they even choose occupations that will keep them in the background.” 

But whether or not clients choose to discuss their hair loss, the condition presents itself to hairdressers every day.  

With 70 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women being affected by hair loss at some stage of their lives, hairdressers are constantly in contact with people affected by the condition. 

Mario said hairdressers had an important role in showing sensitivity to clients with hair loss as well as being a reliable source of information. 

While he was not advocating that hairdressers try to counsel people with hair loss, he called for greater industry awareness of the condition. 

“As hairdressers we have a vested interest in preserving the hair of our clients, so we really need to give more thought to how we can help clients who have concerns about hair loss,” Mario said.    

“While hairdressers can recommend products and treatments to preserve and improve the condition of hair and ways of camouflaging hair loss, it’s also important to advise clients of the importance of obtaining medical advice. 

“This ensures the client gets the most appropriate treatment for them.” 

Hair restoration physician Dr Jennifer Martinick said hairdressers potentially had enormous influence for raising awareness about hair loss and appropriate treatments. 

Dr Martinick, past president of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) said part of her personal quest to raise consumer awareness about hair loss would focus on greater liaison with the hairdressing profession.   

The consulting physician to New Hair Clinic, who will attend the Hair Expo in Sydney in June, said the subject of hair loss was only touched on superficially in hairdressing schools. 

“Hairdressers are highly influential and they can be a valuable source of information to clients, ” Dr Martinick said. 

“To raise awareness about hair loss issues among these industry specific professionals makes a great deal of sense.”  

Dr Martinick said that while hair loss could be medically treated with medication, topical solutions and use of a clinically approved laser comb, the only permanent solution was through hair transplantation. 

“Modern hair restoration has evolved so much and people who have been treated with the latest surgical methods enjoy the benefits of a hair transplant that is extremely difficult to detect to the naked eye,” Dr Martinick said. 

“So a hairdresser has no way of knowing these people have had a transplant unless they tell them. 

“The only hair transplants that can be easily detected are those that look completely unnatural or where the recipient of the transplant has scarring or pitting. Because of this, hairdressers often base their impressions on dated procedures.” 

Dr Martinick said that along with developing a greater awareness of modern hair restoration it was important for hairdressers to be aware of the causes of the condition. 

She said hair loss was a medical condition and people affected by it should ultimately gain a medical diagnosis from a physician specialising in the field before embarking on a course of treatment.  

The most common type of hair loss was genetic male pattern baldness – hair loss which was caused when the enzyme 5 alpha reductase converted testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. 

Hair loss in both men and women could also be related to stress, illness, psychological conditions, trauma or poor nutrition.  

Having specialised in the field of hair restoration for over 25 years, Dr Martinick has dedicated her career to researching and refining undetectable transplant techniques. 

The Martinick Transplant Technique ™ - is now internationally recognised as setting the “Gold Standard” in permanent treatment for baldness. 

Dr Martinick said her major professional drivers were to ensure a patient’s transplanted hair resembled the direction, orientation and curl of natural hair and that time in surgery was kept to a minimum. 

For more information visit www.newhairlcinic.com.au or call 1800 689 939

Professional baseball player shares his story…Patient Review Dr Martinick of Martinick Hair Restoration

When star Perth Heat pitcher Daniel Schmidt first started noticing his thinning hair at 18 he was determined to ensure he didn’t waste ‘the best years of his life” feeling low on confidence.

He researched solutions, sought a medical consultation and took Proscar to slow down his hair loss.

While the medication didn’t promote renewed growth it helped to preserve precious existing hair follicles so that, if he eventually chose to, he could successfully have a hair transplant.

Daniel says he knew he ‘had to take care of ” the genetically inherited male pattern baldness - possibly brought on early by the stress of a busy school and sporting schedule - that was making him increasingly self conscious.  

At the age of 21 and after several consultations with renowned Perth based hair restoration physician, Dr Jennifer Martinick, Daniel had a hair transplant.

Now, at 25, after having two procedures, there are no signs of the former hair loss that once affected his confidence.

Daniel, who spends six months of the year playing baseball in the United States, says he is fortunate that, unlike many young men, he received appropriate treatment from the outset.

Although generally guarded about his privacy, Daniel is sharing his story to help other young men.

“Your early to mid twenties are meant to be the best years of your life and I didn’t want to spend those years with poor confidence and self esteem,” Daniel says.

“Losing your hair in your late teens and early twenties really does affect your confidence. 

“I was a bit worried about the questions I may get from other guys after surgery, however I decided not to let that stop me.”

Daniel says young men’s concerns about hair loss are often trivialised and this deters them from seeking appropriate medical treatment.

Also, a lot of young men tend to put off obtaining a medical consultation because they hope the many promoted ‘quick fix miracle cures’ will renew their hair growth.

He says young men must be aware that the more they delay seeking appropriate treatment, the more time they waste on preserving their precious hair follicles.

“My advice is to get the first consultation with the right doctor as quickly as possible to ensure they take the treatment path that is right for them,” Daniel says.

“I think a lot of young men want to tell themselves that some of these promoted cures work, but there’s no miracle shampoo out there. ‘“

Daniel says he gained the confidence to go ahead with a hair transplant after witnessing the results on several men.

“A defining moment for me was when I saw just how good a hair transplant can look,” Daniel says.

“I have heard and read of cases where people have very obvious looking hair transplants, but after seeing the results of hair transplants by a local physician I felt very comfortable about going ahead.”    

Dr Martinick, the former President of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, (ISHRS) says she hopes young men will share their concerns about hair loss with a doctor.

She advises young men with male pattern baldness to seek treatment as early as possible to prevent further hair loss and, in the event that they may eventually choose to have a hair transplant, ensure they preserve precious donor follicles

Dr Martinick says she receives a lot of requests from young men for hair transplants, but as a general rule she doesn’t perform hair transplants on men under 26.

However, she believes there are circumstances, where a more flexible approach is needed.

She says her professional concerns are that young men can be unrealistic about what can be achieved from a hair transplant and expect to regain the hair line of an eighteen year old.

In many cases, these young men do not comprehend that they only have a limited number of follicles for transplanting to achieve the results they desire.

“But if I am presented with a mature 21 year-old with a realistic perception of what hair transplanting can achieve  - and his hair loss is interfering with his quality of life – then I’ll consider undertaking a transplant,” Dr Martinick says.

“I have a much more open mind about transplanting young men than I had a couple of years ago as I understand they are only young once.” 

When a decision to treat hair loss can be a life saving measure ….

A trip to a hair restoration physician may prove a life-saving measure for some men who would otherwise elude the diagnostic eye of medical professionals.

Martinick Hair Restoration’s Dr Jennifer Martinick said a hair restoration physician can be the first port of medical call for men who generally avoided prostate cancer screening.

.

Dr Martinick said a routine procedure at the clinics she consulted to was to ask all male patients over 40 to take the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test before she prescribed the hair loss medication, Finasteride.

While this had been routine practice among medically-qualified hair restoration professionals for the past decade, the PSA tests were not normally done in general medical practice for men under 50.

Dr Jennifer Martinick said test results were best used to show changes in PSA levels over time with sudden elevations pointing to a need for further investigation.

A PSA level of 4.0 or below was considered to be safe among men under 40, however in older men – 65 and above – a PSA reading of up to 5.5 was considered acceptable.

“Despite greater public awareness about men’s health issues, a lot of men remain reluctant to go to their general practitioner for regular health checks for things like prostate cancer,” Dr Martinick said.

“It’s surprising how many men I see who would never consider prostate screening.

“Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men, yet far too many men ignore the need for screening.

“When diagnosed and treated early these patients usually have a good recovery rate.”

Dr Martinick said the importance of regular screening was highlighted at a clinic she consulted to when a 70-year-old patient’s PSA levels jumped from 5.5 to 8.9 within a year.

The patient was immediately referred to a urologist and a biopsy showed he had an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

The cancer was enclosed in the prostate, however it had progressed to a point where it was ready to spread to other parts of the body.

“This situation highlights just how important it is for men to be screened on an annual basis,” Dr Martinick said.

“Despite the fact that we live in an information era, many men remain unaware of the risks of prostate cancer.”

Dr Martinick said in recent years 15 of her patients, who showed elevated PSA levels in testing, were referred to a urologist.

“I’m positive they benefited from early intervention,” Dr Martinick said.

“In another incident a patient developed a breast lump after taking Finasteride for six months.

“While increased breast size can be a side effect of taking Finasteride, the patient was advised to have a mammogram. This detected a pre-existing breast cancer which would not have been detected if the patient hadn’t been taking the medication.”

Dr Jennifer Martinick: My Journey as a Hair Transplant Surgeon

Patients, colleagues, associates and friends I write to address the nature of some misleading material published on the website, Hair Transplant Network, including the inaccurate and generalised statement on Hair Transplant Network that there are no quality hair restoration professionals in Australia.

Operated by Media Visions, www.hairtransplantnetwork.com is one of several interconnected websites claiming to provide unbiased information about hair restoration physicians and treatments.

Media Visions does not employ any medical doctors and is not affiliated with or approved by any medical specialisation board or certification organisation.
The website derives its income from sponsorship fees – fees which I paid during my membership of Hair Transplant Network between 2000 and 2006.

I accepted an invitation to join Hair Transplant Network in 2000 and in accordance with that invitation I paid an annual fee of approximately $20,000 to $30,000. This fee was for the promotion of my services as a hair restoration surgeon on the site. I remained a member until 2006; however, at that time I chose to allocate the money spent with Hair Transplant Network, towards creating awareness and education about hair restoration surgery and hair loss issues across a broader variety of media, professional and public education forums.

I advised Hair Transplant Network that I intended to utilise my $30,000 in other ways, however representatives of the company continued to pursue my business for the following three years.

Although I chose to withdraw my financial support, reports on the site suggest that I was ‘removed’ from recommendation on the website and was no longer qualified to be in the ‘coalition’ of doctors.

I am a member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), the Australasian Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, a faculty member of the European Society of Hair Restoration Surgery and an honoured member of the Argentina Association of Medicine & Cosmetic Surgery.

The ISHRS is a member of the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates (HOD) and the ISHRS is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education (ACCME). In my capacity of President of the Australasian Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, Program Chair for the ISHRS meeting in Sydney and President of the ISHRS I have worked for greater
education and awareness about hair loss and the medical treatment available for people affected by it.

This work has generated coverage reaching millions of readers and viewers across a variety of media including newspapers, magazines and digital media.
I have been acknowledged for my contributions to scientific research and have presented lectures in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United States.
I was the first Australian and first woman to receive the highest honour in the field of hair restoration surgery, being awarded the ISHRS Platinum Follicle Award in New York, 2003.

I am also the recipient of the Italian Society of Hair Restoration Milestone Award and the ISHRS Research & Development Grant – 1999 & 2000.
In further acknowledgement of my contribution to scientific research I earned international prominence for studies on damaged hair and for developing the snail track method to develop a natural looking hairline.

My involvement in the list of medical associations mentioned in this article has given me the privilege of working with some of the most dedicated, compassionate and highly accomplished hair restoration professionals - all located right here in Australia.

 
Jennifer Martinick

Parting with a plasma?

Can you imagine exchanging your plasma television set for more hair on that thinning area of your scalp?

This is exactly what the majority of men with hair loss said they would do when polled for the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).

The survey for the ISHRS, the world’s leading medical authority on hair loss, finds that some 57 per cent of 2,338 men with hair loss said they would be willing to give up something in exchange for hair.

Among the material possessions cited that men would give up were an expensive car, a plasma television set, a lap top computer, a stereo system or even a boat.

While the internet survey, which was conducted by global market research company, TNS Healthcare, was conducted in the United States, the findings are relevant to Australian men.

In the 25-plus years that I have been specialising in hair restoration surgery, I have spoken to a lot of men who say they’d be willing to give up anything in return for hair.

Of course, in most cases it is not necessary for someone to part with valued material goods.

I have seen a major shift in the attitudes of Australian men over the past five years towards cosmetic procedures.

Many of the men who attend the clinics I consult to in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne, tell me they see no reason to put up with baldness and the loss of confidence and self esteem that hair loss brings.

The bottom line is that the Australian public is far more accepting of the look good feel good concepts which include hair transplants and cosmetic surgery.

There is an awakening out there about the exponential improvements that have been made in hair transplants over the past decade.

Up until a decade ago you could spot a person with a transplant a mile away.

But gone are the days when visible “plugs” were the standard hair restoration treatment.

These plugs of 20 plus hairs were taken from the back of the head and placed in corn rows at the front. A person with a transplant was an object of derision.

Nowadays, hair transplants performed by physicians who practice highly refined surgical techniques, are impossible to detect to the untrained eye.

However, I still maintain that there is a need for people with hair loss to learn to differentiate between physicians who practice the highly refined surgical techniques now available and those that are not qualified to.

Men who decide to seek the permanent solution of a hair transplant should conduct thorough research.

This should include using internet search engines to find out if a surgeon is well regarded by his or her industry peers.

It is also a good idea to meet with some of the surgeon’s former patients to see the results for yourself and to learn about their experience.

Good luck.

Dr Martinick - Get the Medical Facts on Hair Loss Treatments

Do you feel like you are trying to navigate your way through a confusing maze of information about hair loss and all the cures available for it?

Then, before you do anything about your hair loss, be sure to obtain a copy of Hair Loss – The Medical Facts.

Compiled by renowned hair restoration specialist, Dr Jennifer Martinick, the concise document lists the plain medical facts about the causes of hair loss, the clinically proven treatments available and the expenses you can expect to encounter.

Dr Martinick, who has vigorously campaigned to raise public awareness on hair loss issues, said the document was designed to clear up a lot of “hair loss misconceptions.”

Dr Martinick, who consults to clinics in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, also cautioned about the importance of thorough research before committing to a hair transplant – the only proven permanent solution for hair loss.

“Completely natural looking hair transplants are achieved when the hair restoration physician transplants the new follicles at the same angle, direction and orientation of the original hair it is replacing,” Dr Martinick said.

“But people should never assume that every physician practices these techniques. “That’s why it is so important to do your research.”

Dr Martinick said men with early and intermediate stage hair loss could preserve their precious hair follicles by using Minoxidil, Finasteride and or the Hairmax low level laser comb.

The confidence behind the high performance success…

Luxury car builder Cane Taleski has many reasons to jump for joy.

The City Beach man, who builds replica Lamborghinis at his Malaga factory for a boutique market, enjoys strong demand for his high performance cars.

Mr Taleski’s company, Supercars Australia Pty Ltd, builds around 10 custom made replica Lamborghinis for clients in Australia, New Zealand and Asia each year.

Selling for around $100,000 each, the Supercars replica Countach, Roadster and Diablo 6.0, represent a relative bargain to the $600,000 price tag normally attracted for these cars.

The continued success of the 2002 formed company is testimony to Cane’s unique craftsmanship, acute eye for detail and business acumen.

Mr Taleski said he also attributed his success to the new found confidence he gained after being successfully treated for a condition which had long been a source of vexation to him.

He said a meeting with renowned hair restoration physician Dr Jennifer Martinick ended a decade long search to cover up scars left by previous scalp reduction surgery.

Mr Taleski, who is among the millions of Australian men with hair loss, said the scalp reduction surgery he had during the early 1990s was a futile attempt to cover up hereditary baldness.

The experience left him very wary of the hair restoration industry.

However, after a lot of time and research and an eventual meeting with Dr Jennifer Martinick, whose research into hair replacement techniques was making a positive difference for many burns victims and others with scalp damage, his faith in the ability to treat his condition was restored.

The rest as they say is history and he no longer has any signs of the former scars and baldness which affected his confidence.

Mr Taleski, who has had three 1000 graft hair transplant procedures, is among the thousands of Australian men to benefit from Dr Martinick’s award winning hair restoration surgical procedures.

Her pioneering surgical techniques, which have seen her honoured in New York for being the best in her field, draw on a unique combination of artistry, meticulous attention to detail and optimal placement of the transplanted hair follicle to ensure a completely natural looking hair transplant.

Mr Taleski said the confidence regained since having his hair restored had translated into many other areas of his life.

“I feel a lot more confident about meeting people in both business and social situations.

“People should never underestimate the link between confidence and success.

“Everyone who knows me and my work is building replica Lamborghinis will tell you that I do not settle for anything less than perfection.”