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.”

Dr Martinick Hair Transplant Review

It’s not often that a bad hair cut is cause for celebration.

However, in Ryan Gaw’s case an irritating incident over a really bad hair cut was short lived after he reminded himself that such an experience wouldn’t have been possible a few years earlier.

Ryan, 31, who spent a big part of his late teens and twenties trying to conceal his hair loss, is mindful that unlike baldness, a bad haircut can be grown out within a few weeks.

“I recall being pretty upset about a bad haircut,” Ryan says.

“But by the time I’d gotten home and had another look in the mirror I started to see it as a good thing.

“I was actually grateful for the experience. A few years earlier I would’ve been hiding my hair loss with a hat or shaving it at home with my clippers.”

Ryan, who became affected by androgenetic alopecia during his late teens, sought medical help for his condition with renowned hair restoration physician Dr Jennifer Martinick in 2008.

Having since had two hair transplant procedures – a 2,000 graft and 1500 graft hair transplant – he no longer shows any signs of the hair loss that once affected his self-esteem and interaction in social and professional situations.

Motivated by personal experience and a passion for helping others (men) whose self-esteem has been affected by hair loss, Ryan trained to gain employment as a consultant for Dr Jennifer Martinick in February 2009.

Ryan says his career path, which has seen him undertaking further training to work as a technician and assistant in surgery since March 2011, couldn’t be more perfect.

Having endured years of feeling bad about his thinning hair, he is keen to share the positive life changes that can occur when patients are counselled toward proven medical treatments.

“I’ve heard lots of stories from patients about how they’ve wasted money on (inappropriate),” Ryan says.

“The level of empathy for someone affected by hair loss is obviously very high when one has had the same experience.

“I’ve built a lot of close relationships with patients. They say they appreciate being able to speak to someone who has been through the same thing.

“In particular, a lot of men are deeply affected by hair loss, but don’t share their feelings because they think their concerns will be trivialised.

“But the fact is there is a real way to treat the condition and enjoy all the benefits that come from renewed self-esteem.

“It really means a lot to people to be able to look in the mirror and feel good about what they see.”

Ryan says like many of the people he has consulted, his own life changed considerably after he had a hair transplant with Dr Jennifer Martinick.

In the three years since having a hair transplant, he has met his partner, started a new career and is moving forward with other life goals.

“My lifestyle has also improved significantly because I’m no longer restricted by a former preoccupation with covering up with a hat.

“I have greater self-esteem and this is reflected in my relationships, because I now have the confidence to relate to people on a deeper level.”

Modern Hair Restoration Heals the Wounds of Over Five Decades

Eileen Thomas is ecstatic that a lifetime’s practice of arranging her hair to cover up bald spots is now over with.

Mrs Thomas, who suffered burns to her scalp as a seven month old baby, has been unable to grow hair on the scarred parts of her head for most of her life.

However, a hair restoration procedure developed and performed by hair restoration specialist, Dr Jennifer Martinick, has changed all that for her.

In September 2004, Mrs Thomas had 350 hair follicles transplanted to a bald spot above her forehead.

Now sporting a thick growth of hair in her former bald spot, she is sharing her story in the hope she can help others who have experienced similar traumas.

Mrs Thomas said she was overwhelmed that the wounds which prevented her from growing hair for almost five decades could be healed by a short afternoon procedure.

The transplant cost her just over $2,500.

Mrs Thomas’ bald spots stems back to an accident in Dundee, Scotland when as a seven month-old she fell out of her pram and into a coal fire.

From then on she was unable to grow hair in the coal-cinder scarred parts of her head.

She spent her childhood and most of her adult life trying to cover up her bald patches with hats, headbands and careful positioning of her hair.

“I was very self conscious about my bald spots, but didn’t do anything about it because it wasn’t life threatening,” said Mrs Thomas.

“I was also very busy in my twenties with four young children and didn’t have as much time to think about myself.”

When Mrs Thomas reached her early thirties she finally asked her general practitioner if there was anything she could do.

This was during the 1970s - a time when hair restoration was nowhere near as sophisticated as it is today.

The doctor referred her to a surgeon who recommended a scalp reduction. She eventually had four of these procedures, but as she got older the effects of gravity saw the scalp loosening and her bald spots were exposed again.

“This was the only solution on offer,” she said.

“One surgeon did it for free to help me out, but unfortunately the solution didn’t last.”

Mrs Thomas said she didn’t learn about the new hair restoration techniques now available until, after relocating from New South Wales to Perth, a local plastic surgeon recommended Dr Martinick.

“I went to see a plastic surgeon about getting another scalp reduction, but he told me that no matter what he did my bald spots would eventually come back as my scalp loosened up again,” Mrs Thomas said.

“He then told me that Dr Martinick was doing some wonderful work with new hair restoration techniques.”

Dr Martinick, who is the resident hair restoration specialist at the Bondi Junction Private Hospital, said the successful transplant offered hope to many thousands of burns victims who thought they could not grow hair on scarred areas.

Her technique, “known as the coronal technique” had been used to treat over 60 burns or accident victims at her clinics around the country.

“I want people to know that if you have a scar in a hair bearing area it can be treated with hair transplantation,” Dr Martinick said.

Amongst the other patients who have benefited from Dr Martinick’s techniques are a farmer with a gun shot wound to his head, an eight year-old Indian girl with burns who was treated in Mumbai, and a Sydney dentist whose scalp was badly damaged in a car accident.

Mrs Thomas said few people realised that modern hair restoration was virtually impossible to detect.

“I am telling my story in the hope that other people, in particular young kids, will become aware that they can have things done,” Mrs Thomas said.

“If I can save one kid from going through what I went through I will be very pleased.

“We’d like to think that kids don’t tease each other but they do and that can be very painful.”

….From self conscious to self confident ..

Losing hair can be difficult at any age.

But for a young man in his late teens/early twenties it can be so much more emotionally and psychologically devastating.

This was certainly the case for carpenter, Declan, who began losing his hair as a 19-year-old while still living in his native Ireland.

Good looking and athletic, the then captain of his local rugby team, was socially confident and had always found it relatively easy to date girls of his choice.

But when his hair began to thin rapidly he became increasingly introverted, stopped socialising and playing sport and constantly ruminated about his perceived ‘sub-standard’ appearance.

Trying to conceal his ‘desperation for a cure’ from those close to him, he attended appointments to obtain medication and undergo a series of laser treatments in ‘secrecy’.

Each Saturday morning he pretended to his parents that he was going to work rather than admit he was having laser treatment for his hair loss.

When he attended weekly laser treatments on Saturday mornings he pretended to his parents that he was working, while at the same time telling his employer he wasn’t available Saturdays because of family commitments.

Determined to find a permanent solution for his hair loss he travelled to England to have treatment at a hair restoration clinic.

He paid ‘heftily’ to have 500 grafts transplanted from the back of his head to a donor site, suffered considerable pain during the procedure as well as scarring afterwards.

Disheartened by the experience he then found a spray on fibre hair solution which gave the illusion of thickened hair, but came with its own set of problems.

“I was afraid to go swimming because I couldn’t get the fibre wet and when my girlfriend stayed over I would sleep on my arm to prevent the ‘hair fibre’ from falling all over the pillow,” Declan said.

“I was never myself. If I got comments about how light my hair looked I would go into a deep emotional decline. You are far more vulnerable when hair loss affects you at a young age.”

Things changed for Declan after accepting an invitation from one of his sisters to move to Australia, he consulted with renowned hair loss specialist Dr Jennifer Martinick.

His sister suggested he use his fresh start to shave his head to liberate himself from concealing his thinning hair.

However, shaving his head would have exposed the ugly scarring that had occurred as a result of the ‘unsuccessful hair transplant procedure’ undertaken in England.

After a consultation with Dr Martinick he learned that along with providing the latest in natural looking hair transplantation she could successfully treat his scarring from past procedures.

A procedure known as a trichophytic closure which is used routinely in her practice is achieving excellent camouflage results in the donor areas of patients.

Declan said the hair restoration surgery and treatment of his former scarring has changed his life.

“In my early twenties hair loss stopped me from doing a lot of things,” Declan said.

“Now I am completely back to my old outgoing self. I am swimming, playing football again, dating and enjoying a full social life.

“I’m sharing my story because I want to help other young men. I’d hate to think of anyone else missing out on the best years of their lives because they feel bad about their hair loss.”

Dr Martinick, the immediate past President of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, (ISHRS) said she hoped young men would share their concerns about hair loss with a medically trained hair loss specialist.

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

She said she received 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 believed there were circumstances, where a more flexible approach was needed.

She says her professional concerns were that young men could be unrealistic about what could 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.

“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.”

Regenerating the brow

Hair transplant procedures are being successfully used here in Western Australia to assist patients who have lost their eyebrows as a result of an accident, medical condition or psychological trauma.

The hair restoration technique is also being used to successfully conceal and heal scarring in the eyebrow area.

Eyebrow transplants have been around since the 1940s, however the use of more refined surgical techniques over the past 15 years is allowing physicians to recreate the appearance of a more natural looking brow.

The new eyebrows are created by harvesting hair follicles from the back of the scalp and then replanting them into the eyebrow area.

The use of single hairs enables the physician to meticulously follow the eyebrow contour to recreate the appearance of natural eyebrows.

Perth-based physician Dr Jennifer Martinick has successfully performed eyebrow transplants for 20 patients at her Nedlands clinic.

Dr Martinick said the procedure had been used for patients who had either lost their eyebrows or needed to conceal scarring from burns, explosions or plastic surgery.

In providing an example, she referred to how the procedure had been used to heal and conceal the scars a woman incurred from previous surgery.

Dr Martinick said the patient, who was referred to her by a West-Perth based plastic surgeon, had 4 mm wide and 2 mm pitted concave scars in her eyebrow area.

She said over 500 follicles were transplanted from the back of the patient’s head to create youthful thick eyebrows.

Like most patients, she required only mild sedation and a local anaesthetic during the three-hour procedure.

Dr Martinick said recovery time after the eyebrow transplant procedure was relatively quick with it only taking two to three days for the swelling to go down.

It usually took around three to four months after the procedure before the new eyebrows started to enter their anagen (growth) phase.

The full effect of the replanted eyebrows was usually evident after 9 to 12 months.

Dr Martinick said people who had the procedure would need to regularly trim their eyebrows because the replanted hairs grew at a much faster rate than natural brows.

“Eyebrow hair usually only grows at half the rate of scalp hair which has a growth cycle of around .30 mm - .41 mm per day,” Dr Martinick said.

“However, the transplanted eyebrows grow at the same rate of natural hair and will require fortnightly trimming.

“The anagen phase of the new brows usually begins at around 9 to 12 months after the transplant and regular trimming is needed after this.

“Reports from the international medical authority on hair loss, the International Society for Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS), show that the rapid growth phase of the transplanted brows usually slows down after a few years, thereby requiring less regular trimming.”

Dr Martinick said that like all forms of hair loss a medical diagnosis should be sought before a patient committed to an eyebrow transplant.

Eyebrow loss in men and women could be due to an accident, systemic disease, a congenital inability to grow eyebrows or the self-inflicted plucking disorder trichotillomania.