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.

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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.”

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.”