Brendan Fraser’s Hair Transplant Makes Debut
Brendan Fraser has long been a sex symbol and his lush, full head of hair has been the focus of many of his roles, from Encino Man to the Mummy series. This Friday marks Brendan’s return to the big screen in the family-friendly remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth and provides a look at his latest hair treatment.
When Brendan was photographed without any false hair a few years back, his severely thinning hair was very much in evidence. Hair restoration expert, Dr. Alan Bauman says, “Obviously with a significant amount of hereditary hair loss going on, he hasn’t been taking his “Vitamin P” (Propecia or Finasteride 1mg), or didn’t start soon enough. (Those ‘in the know’ understand the benefits of early medical therapy with finasteride, which helps 90% of men keep their hair looking the same or better for years.)”
In addition to not warding off his hair loss, Brendan has actually made his hair loss worse by wearing hairpieces for his film roles as well as public appearances. Glue and tape used to attach hair devices weaken hair. Dr. Bauman says, “Hair loss in the frontal hairline can be caused by the progression of hereditary hair loss, and accelerated by the chronic use of tape or glue used to attach the front of hairpieces onto that area, which we know Fraser has used for years both on screen and off.”
Dr. Bauman also notes that, “Coming up on his 40th birthday, he’s reached the average age for hair restoration surgery (39.5) according to the ISHRS (International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery).”
Make Me Heal sympathizes with Brendan’s hair loss trauma, but tends to agree with Dr. Bauman’s comparison of Brendan’s former hairpiece with the one Tom Hanks sported in The Da Vinci Code (See Make Me Heal’s story on Tom Hanks’ hair transplant).
At a recent premiere of his film, Brendan appeared without a hairpiece and with rather obvious plugs instead, which showed an awful lot of forehead. This could be the result of an old transplant done by a plastic surgeon that does not specialize in hair transplants.
Dr. Bauman explains, “Often, actors will use a combination of non-medical techniques to achieve a youthful hairline and adequate scalp coverage under the ‘bright lights.’ Many times, this means front-heavy toupees (like in the case of John Travolta) which simply do not look natural. Unfortunately, too few are under the care of physicians who have specialty training in the field of hair loss and hair restoration—which would enable them to more effectively hang on to their own living and growing hair, and help restore it undetectably with modern methods of transplantation, if need be. Hairpiece ‘transitions’ are never straightforward, presenting many technical and psychological obstacles. Having helped my own father, who had extensive hair loss, transition out of his hairpiece years ago using hair transplantation (three sessions, to be exact) taught me a great deal about the process.”
Although Brendan’s hair is not looking well right now, Dr. Bauman says that it is not too late to correct the situation. A new transplant could result in a more natural appearance.
Dr. Bauman advises, “However, it is not beyond help. A new transplant would ‘touch-up’ the density by adding new follicles into the thinning area, and also the addition of more acutely angulated follicular-unit grafts would help hide the ‘grafty’ appearance of the previously transplanted groupings of hairs, which are easily seen from the side. In stark contrast, today’s microsurgical ‘follicular unit’ transplants are NOT performed using rows of grafts. Modern methods allow the transplanted hairs to be artistically angulated and placed one-by-one into a completely natural direction delivering both naturalness and coverage.
But mostly, in Fraser, it is the shape of the temporal part of the hairline which tends to ‘draw the eye’ and look unnatural from afar. Hair transplantation performed today would utilize the ‘follicluar-unit micrografting’ method, which duplicates how hair follicles naturally grow in the scalp (mostly 1, 2 or 3 hair groups) and a hairline shape could be designed to more closely mimic one that mother nature would normally create herself.”
Make Me Heal urges Brendan to follow Dr. Bauman’s advice so that at his next premiere, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor later this summer, his hair doesn’t steal the spotlight.
Read the complete celebrity plastic surgery profile of Brendan Fraser on Plasticopedia, the largest celebrity plastic surgery encyclopedia.
on July 13th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Brendan could have no hair at all, he is still sexy and a great actor. His hair doesn’t make him the actor he is today, it’s his acting and what he brings to the screen.
on July 13th, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I know I wouldn’t kick him out of bed
on July 17th, 2008 at 4:39 pm
This site is total CRAP. These people live and die by their appearance what do you expect ? That said, I don’t know what John Travolta is thinking - his ‘hair’ looks like somebody painted it on. A dude with that many bucks should get the best - he got ripped, man.
on July 17th, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Oh yeah - and how do we know you haven’t ‘photoshopped’ every single image…. making the OK look bad and the bad look worse ? I don’t trust you - at all. Scumbags gain notoriety from hurting the reputation of others - You are a scumbag, and your site is scum. Period.
on July 17th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Hair today - gone tomorrow.
on August 4th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Why does everything have to be about the way we look? Brendan Fraser is a sexy man? To me, you have to have a heart to be my number one…That’s why I like Brendan Fraser so much…it’s because I have heard nothing but good things about him. And the whole world wants to know why america is so screwed up!!!! If it weren’t for people like Brendan Fraser, america would be boring and there would be no entertainment industry!!! We should be thanking him instead of poking fun at him. The ones who point out his imperfections should first look into the mirror and realize that the only ones they are hurting are themselves.
on August 23rd, 2008 at 3:10 am
Why is it so unbelievable that Brendan Fraser cares about the way he looks. I find it funny when people say with hair or without hair…who cares???
The people who are living with hair loss cares. No one wants to have thinning hair or be bald.
Think about it…
If losing your hair is so great, why don’t more people shave their healthy head of hair and walk around bald? They don’t !
I also agree that if a successful man is going to do something about his hair loss, the whole world does not need to know.
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on October 8th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
oh just leave him alone! so what if he is loosing his hair? he is still handsome and no less talented!
find something else to write about instead of this garbage.
on November 18th, 2008 at 5:22 am
well, i think balding male stars probably suffer the same fate as aging female stars…….less work.
on December 29th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
I know we may scream “it’s not about the looks!”, but these are movie stars, folks. Not everyone can look great bald like Bruce Willis. And Brendan is known for his flowing locks. I feel for him, I really do.
on February 6th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
I love brendan hes gorge! Hair is hair so wat. I think he look sexy bald.
on April 14th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
To the women who say “So what? It’s only hair and Brendan is gorgeous either way.” I say two things: 1. Go to L.A. and visit long enough to realize that image is everything there and 2. Have you ever dated/married a balding/bald guy? Most women talk the talk but won’t walk the walk…I’m a damned good man and have lost too many dates to thinning hair.
on May 14th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Women wear makeup to cover up their flaws. Why can’t a balding man wear a hair piece without being criticized?
Brendan’s hair system looks great! GOOD FOR HIM!
on May 25th, 2009 at 3:46 am
with those lips, eyes,and sexy booming voice, he could wear three feet of weave or have hair like fire marshall bill, he’s a great actor (from what ive seen) and a bonafide sexpot! When his looks fade completely, ill still download his movies.
on June 23rd, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Brendan Fraser is da Man…End of Story! He is a great actor and from what I have read, a really nice guy, too!
Yes, he is losing his hair. If it bothers him, I advise him to look into doing something about it. Firstly get on Propecia, secondly go to a GOOD HT surgeon. Doctor’s like Hassoon and Wong in Vancouver, Rahal or Armani in Toronto, are great.
Think about Laser Therapy, too.
Good Look Brendan! Peace bro!!
on September 21st, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Either way it looks decent……..and it does look like it was photo shopped to make it worse but either way all he would have to do is come his hair down to the left or just let it grow out longer