Joe Rogan on Hair Transplants

[Melvin- Admin]

I'm a big Joe Rogan fan, love his work. His views on hair transplants are similar to the views that many who had HT's in the 80s and 90s, they DON'T WORK. At least thats his experience, and it's valid. But I wonder how Joe would've felt had he been 28 now and had a hair transplant. I mean when I see people like @aaron1234 and @Aftermath who are 10+ years post HT and looking better than ever. I can't help but feel what he says is no longer applicable to young men. The whole "just shave it bro" works for him now, but a shaved head at a younger age no doubt would have crippled his career. He doesn't even look like the same person. It's easy in hindsight to say I 'should've' shaved. But that's because he's a millionaire and successful. Thoughts?

 

[caricatura]

In an ideal world, both being bald and getting hair transplants would be considered perfectly normal. Because nature pushes our bodies towards balding and because there's more of a stigma around being bald than getting a hair transplant, I appreciate Rogan's message, which may put some at ease with this natural process and de-stigmatize balding. You're right that Rogan may have been in a critical period in his career during which baldness would have prevented success, but it's also true that he's never been more successful than when he's been bald. When I first heard about all the raving for his podcast, I was like, "that nondescript host of Fear Factor?!" Now I feel different, and I think the same reason Rogan's podcast has been successful is within his explanation for just shaving--not giving a bleep what other people think. This boldness which has led to success goes for other "transgressive" bald comics like Dave Chappelle and Bill Burr. Now, granted, it also helps that Rogan's head shape and face seem to be perfectly suited for being bald. And I do think he was going bald when the industry was nowhere near where it is today, and had he gotten transplants of today's caliber then, he'd probably be singing a different tune about the procedure. Nonetheless, again, I support his opinion, and even those people you cited each received over three procedures within that time. Most people simply do not have the money, nor want to deal with the constant upkeep and headache.

[TrialAcc]

I don't think he's wrong on the "just shave it" front in todays age. When he was losing his hair, shaving it was very much more taboo, to the extent where some places even associated it with racism and neo-nazi beliefs through the "skin head" movement. Now there is basically 0 real negative stigma or views attached with shaving your head, it's actually the route that people with extensive hair loss are expected to go. The horse-shoe on a young guy is much more taboo and socially unacceptable then shaving your head. That being said, being bald/shaved does eliminate you from the traditional Hollywood "lead man" persona unless it's in action movies, but Joe was never that guy anyways so would it even matter?

As for the hair transplant opinion, he's clearly biased because it didn't work long term for him. That being said, I still don't think he's wrong in the sense that HTs certainly are still not for everyone. I know being on this site it might not be a popular opinion, but you can't just cherry pick the best results and be like "hey look how great this procedure is and how great these 4 people look" when it's honestly basically a crap shoot if you're going to end up looking worse then when you started based on dozens of different factors ranging from doctor, price, hair quality, graft survival, extent of loss, etc. 

The average HT result industry wide is still not even close to where it needs to be in order for the procedure to be widely acceptable and an option for the average person. If it were, sites like this wouldn't need to exist, people would just go get the procedure done because it was widely known to be a successful procedure & option rather then the negative and "plug" stigma it currently has.  

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by TrialAcc

[caricatura]

Yes, let's also not forget that most men are not working in Hollywood where appearance is of such importance. And getting multiple HTs from the best surgeons in the world--which is still a risk--is certainly not an option for most balding men. Let's face it, HTs are a serious commitment.

[RandoBrando517]

Just shave it bros are the worst. If you can afford an HT and take fin, why wouldn’t you. Let’s face it 99.9% of men look better with hair. 

[Melvin- Admin]

2 hours ago, TrialAcc said:

 

The average HT result industry wide is still not even close to where it needs to be in order for the procedure to be widely acceptable and an option for the average person. If it were, sites like this wouldn't need to exist, people would just go get the procedure done because it was widely known to be a successful procedure & option rather then the negative and "plug" stigma it currently has.  

 

I disagree. The industry is already there, and it is an option for the average person. This forum isn’t made up of movie stars and millionaires, it’s average working class people. 

Now, consumer rated sites like ours will always exist. Because there’s always a need for consumer feedback. Industries across the board have varying quality. For example, restaurants, there are good ones, and bad ones. But that’s why Yelp is so popular, because people look up reviews and avoid the bad ones. 

Hair transplantation will never be a perfect science, it’s not like you’re building a car, it involves the human body, which is faulty by nature. Results will vary, and it’s not solely because of the surgeon. Hair characteristics and genetics play a role. It’s never ever going to be a one-size fits all procedure.  

[caricatura]

2 hours ago, RandoBrando517 said:

Just shave it bros are the worst. If you can afford an HT and take fin, why wouldn’t you. Let’s face it 99.9% of men look better with hair. 

I'm not a fan of the "just shave it bros," but I'm also not a fan of "just get a hair transplant because being bald is consigning yourself to the trash bin." It's more like "if you can tolerate fin for years and/or afford and tolerate multiple hair transplants while considering a slew of risks." I agree that everyone looks better with hair, but that doesn't mean everyone necessarily looks horrible bald. I also agree that most people look better at 25 than 50. So what? The question is, how much money, time, and energy do you want to spend on one aspect of your appearance before you feel diminishing returns and decide your money, time, and energy is better spent elsewhere, on other things that matter to you. It comes down to resources and personal choice.

Edited March 18, 2021 by caricatura

[TrialAcc]

1 hour ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

I disagree. The industry is already there, and it is an option for the average person. This forum isn’t made up of movie stars and millionaires, it’s average working class people. 

Now, consumer rated sites like ours will always exist. Because there’s always a need for consumer feedback. Industries across the board have varying quality. For example, restaurants, there are good ones, and bad ones. But that’s why Yelp is so popular, because people look up reviews and avoid the bad ones. 

Hair transplantation will never be a perfect science, it’s not like you’re building a car, it involves the human body, which is faulty by nature. Results will vary, and it’s not solely because of the surgeon. Hair characteristics and genetics play a role. It’s never ever going to be a one-size fits all procedure.  

You cannot compare Yelp and the accessibility of opening a restaurant with a permanent surgical procedure. Of course this forum isn't made up of movie stars and millionaires, but that misses the point completely. The point is that if you do not utilize a forum like this one, open your cheque book for a minimum of 5 figures, know that you will respond decently to medical treatments and not get side effects and be willing to travel around the globe for a good doctor, then you're probably going to end up with a poor result. Even if you do all that, you're still not guaranteed to have a passable result. Those are not the characteristics of a stable/reliable procedure that average people should be undertaking. 

If I order food without checking on Yelp first I'm not doomed to have food poisoning. 

[RandoBrando517]

55 minutes ago, caricatura said:

I'm not a fan of the "just shave it bros," but I'm also not a fan of "just get a hair transplant because being bald is consigning yourself to the trash bin." It's more like "if you can tolerate fin for years and/or afford and tolerate multiple hair transplants while considering a slew of risks." I agree that everyone looks better with hair, but that doesn't mean everyone necessarily looks horrible bald. I also agree that most people look better at 25 than 50. So what? The question is, how much money, time, and energy do you want to spend on one aspect of your appearance before you feel diminishing returns and decide your money, time, and energy is better spent elsewhere, on other things that matter to you. It comes down to resources and personal choice.

I don’t think anyone is pushing HTs here, but if you want to be delusional about the fact that balding and shaving makes you less attractive, then more power to you

[TrialAcc]

3 hours ago, RandoBrando517 said:

Just shave it bros are the worst. If you can afford an HT and take fin, why wouldn’t you. Let’s face it 99.9% of men look better with hair. 

What? Clearly because most people don't care to that degree or are willing to accept it. Taking fin is insane to the majority of guys who are losing their hair, we just lose sight of that because we've been normalized prevention methods and HTs in our minds though membership and discussion on sites like this. 

I mentioned fin to one of my friends who is starting to thin as well and he looked at me like I was crazy for suggesting he takes drugs for years to prevent his hair from going. 

[Melvin- Admin]

2 minutes ago, TrialAcc said:

You cannot compare Yelp and the accessibility of opening a restaurant with a permanent surgical procedure. Of course this forum isn't made up of movie stars and millionaires, but that misses the point completely. The point is that if you do not utilize a forum like this one, open your cheque book for a minimum of 5 figures, know that you will respond decently to medical treatments and not get side effects and be willing to travel around the globe for a good doctor, then you're probably going to end up with a poor result. Even if you do all that, you're still not guaranteed to have a passable result. Those are not the characteristics of a stable/reliable procedure that average people should be undertaking. 

If I order food without checking on Yelp first I'm not doomed to have food poisoning. 

That’s true for any cosmetic procedure, if you don’t do research you can get botched. You don’t have to travel the globe for a doctor. There’s enough quality doctors all over the world. Cost is relative to hair loss, if you’re a Norwood 6 yes, 5 figures sounds right. If you have minimal amount of hair loss, then a few grand is reasonable id you go to a affordable surgeon. Quality and affordability are not mutually exclusive. 

You can never guarantee any surgery period. That doesn’t make it not viable. Maybe not for you, but not the general population. If you’re not willing to accept the limitations and costs associated, then don’t bother. Shaving is always an option, but not the best option in my opinion.

[TrialAcc]

5 minutes ago, RandoBrando517 said:

I don’t think anyone is pushing HTs here, but if you want to be delusional about the fact that balding and shaving makes you less attractive, then more power to you

It's not delusional not to care lol. Different people prioritize different things in life, it's that simple. 

[RandoBrando517]

1 minute ago, TrialAcc said:

What? Clearly because most people don't care to that degree or are willing to accept it. Taking fin is insane to the majority of guys who are losing their hair, we just lose sight of that because we've been normalized prevention methods and HTs in our minds though membership and discussion on sites like this. 

I mentioned fin to one of my friends who is starting to thin as well and he looked at me like I was crazy for suggesting he takes drugs for years to prevent his hair from going. 

Why the hell are you here then? Shave your head and go

[RandoBrando517]

2 minutes ago, TrialAcc said:

It's not delusional not to care lol. Different people prioritize different things in life, it's that simple. 

Why are you here? If that’s how you feel. Sounds like cope to me. Mad cause you’re broke and can’t take fin, the rest of us can

[TrialAcc]

Just now, RandoBrando517 said:

Why the hell are you here then? Shave your head and go

I clearly like having hair, that's why I'm here. I'm telling you that we tend to forget that our experience here is not the norm. Hundreds of millions of men around the globe are losing their hair and not on preventative measures or contemplating hair transplants. 

[TrialAcc]

3 minutes ago, RandoBrando517 said:

Why are you here? If that’s how you feel. Sounds like cope to me. Mad cause you’re broke and can’t take fin, the rest of us can

Wow what a pathetically insecure answer. 

If you must know, I'm on fin, and have been for over 6 years successfully. I also have more then enough money in my 20s to afford basically any doctor on this site and not have to worry about it in the slightest. That's why I'm here. 

Guess what? Me and you aren't representative of the entire population of balding men. We're outliers. 

Edited March 18, 2021 by TrialAcc

[caricatura]

8 minutes ago, RandoBrando517 said:

I don’t think anyone is pushing HTs here, but if you want to be delusional about the fact that balding and shaving makes you less attractive, then more power to you

That's silly, I just said, verbatim, that I agree most people look better with hair. The question is how much better, and if it's all worth it. For example, I think Joe Rogan looks pretty good bald, and I wouldn't be surprised if many think he's more attractive now because he has a great attitude to boot. If I looked like Joe Rogan bald, I'd probably rest easy and focus my attention elsewhere. That's my personal opinion. However, because I don't think I'll look good bald and am pretty sure I'm willing to commit to a HT, I'm here. This isn't about being on teams, ha--the universe is more complex!

[TrialAcc]

7 minutes ago, Melvin-Moderator said:

That’s true for any cosmetic procedure, if you don’t do research you can get botched. You don’t have to travel the globe for a doctor. There’s enough quality doctors all over the world. Cost is relative to hair loss, if you’re a Norwood 6 yes, 5 figures sounds right. If you have minimal amount of hair loss, then a few grand is reasonable id you go to a affordable surgeon. Quality and affordability are not mutually exclusive. 

You can never guarantee any surgery period. That doesn’t make it not viable. Maybe not for you, but not the general population. If you’re not willing to accept the limitations and costs associated, then don’t bother. Shaving is always an option, but not the best option in my opinion.

But again, should the average NW5-6-7 even be looking down this path? I would argue that the industry and technology is no where close to where it needs to be for them to be. That's where I agree with Joe Rogan. 

If you're NW5 or less, not in your 20s and can stabilize your hairloss? HTs are a great option that should be explored. 

[Melvin- Admin]

Just now, TrialAcc said:

I clearly like having hair, that's why I'm here. I'm telling you that we tend to forget that our experience here is not the norm. Hundreds of millions of men around the globe are losing their hair and not on preventative measures or contemplating hair transplants. 

Hundreds of millions of people are also obese and don’t exercise. That’s not a good reason. I can bet that almost every bald man has at one point tried a treatment, whether it be vitamins, shampoo, old wives tales’, etc. The extent that people go too depends on how much the condition affects you. I don’t believe your points make any difference on the viability of getting a hair transplant.

So basically the majority of people don’t get one, so it’s not viable. You need to research and spend money, so it’s not viable. There’s no guarantee so it’s not viable. None of these things affect its viability to the general public, only to you as an individual.

[RandoBrando517]

3 minutes ago, TrialAcc said:

Wow what a pathetically insecure answer. 

If you must know, I'm on fin, and have been for over 6 years successfully. I also have more then enough money in my 20s to afford basically any doctor on this site and not have to worry about it in the slightest. That's why I'm here. 

Guess what? Me and you aren't representative of the entire population of balding men. We're outliers. 

Who gives a damn? People are stupid. If you wanna follow what everyone else does you’ll be lost in life peace 

[TrialAcc]

Just now, Melvin-Moderator said:

Hundreds of millions of people are also obese and don’t exercise. That’s not a good reason. I can bet that almost every bald man has at one point tried a treatment, whether it be vitamins, shampoo, old wives tales’, etc. The extent that people go too depends on how much the condition affects you. I don’t believe your points make any difference on the viability of getting a hair transplant.

So basically the majority of people don’t get one, so it’s not viable. You need to research and spend money, so it’s not viable. There’s no guarantee so it’s not viable. None of these things affect its viability to the general public, only to you as an individual.

Because the poster I was replying to said "if you can take fin and get a HT, why wouldn't you"? There are a million reasons why people would choose not to take hormone altering medication and have a cosmetic procedure done, and that's why it's not the norm. 

[TrialAcc]

1 minute ago, RandoBrando517 said:

Who gives a damn? People are stupid. If you wanna follow what everyone else does you’ll be lost in life peace 

Yes, people who don't focus all their time on their extremities, take synthetic hormone altering drugs and get cosmetic surgery to preserve their vanity are stupid. 

See what I mean? Have some perspective. You're equally guilty of the exact thing you are calling people stupid for right now because by your own words above, you think that everyone who can do something, should. As much as I want to keep/improve my hair, when compared to your attitude, the healthier option is to let it go. 

[Melvin- Admin]

2 minutes ago, TrialAcc said:

Because the poster I was replying to said "if you can take fin and get a HT, why wouldn't you"? There are a million reasons why people would choose not to take hormone altering medication and have a cosmetic procedure done, and that's why it's not the norm. 

My response was to your response about viability. In fact, I always tell people not to get an HT if they can’t or don’t want to accept the realities. There are other options, hair systems, shaving,  smp. Just because something takes money and research does not mean it’s not viable to the public, and just because the “general” population don’t do something doesn’t mean it’s not viable. Flawed thinking in my opinion. Regardless, we can agree to disagree. 

[Melvin- Admin]

11 minutes ago, TrialAcc said:

But again, should the average NW5-6-7 even be looking down this path? I would argue that the industry and technology is no where close to where it needs to be for them to be. That's where I agree with Joe Rogan. 

If you're NW5 or less, not in your 20s and can stabilize your hairloss? HTs are a great option that should be explored. 

As a recovered Norwood 6 I completely disagree, you can’t make blanket statements, as everyone is different. Are some Norwood 6s bad candidates absolutely, but it comes down to the individual. If you have favorable donor characteristics, an HT is a great option. The technology today can restore a Norwood 6 and 7, but it all depends on the individual’s donor. Nothing to do with the technology.

[TrialAcc]

Just now, Melvin-Moderator said:

My response was to your response about viability. In fact, I always tell people not to get an HT if they can’t or don’t want to accept the realities. There are other options, hair systems, shaving,  smp. Just because something takes money and research does not mean it’s not viable to the public, and just because the “general” population don’t do something doesn’t mean it’s not viable. Flawed thinking in my opinion. Regardless, we can agree to disagree. 

It's not just about the money, it's about the overall barriers to having a successful procedure as a average young balding male. Joe is doing the correct thing by saying that most guys shouldn't have hair transplants because he's speaking to guys who were like him. Young (20s), probably semi broke and desperate to get back their youthful looks. That is not the ideal hair transplant candidate, I'm sure you will agree.