Photo courtesy of Bauman Medical
His entire life, hair restoration surgeon Alan Bauman has been told he resembles the actor Neil Patrick Harris, who famously played the eponymous character in “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” as a teen in the late ’80s and early ’90s. It should come as no surprise that Bauman began learning from a family friend who was a plastic surgeon before he even got his driver’s license.
Now 56, he has performed 30,000 hair restoration and transplant procedures at his Boca Raton office, Bauman Medical. Since opening his practice in 1997, he has prioritized purpose over profit, offering life-changing services pro bono for select cases that hold deep personal meaning. More than 15 years ago, he formalized that mission by establishing the Bauman Philanthropic Foundation, with a board of directors to review potential cases.
Recipients of donated care include victims of car accidents, fires and domestic violence, as well as veterans whose scalps have been wounded in battle or serious accidents. He has also performed eyelash and eyebrow restorations, including for a woman who experienced hair loss due to radiation for cancer treatment. His work has even extended to children, such as a middle-schooler who had a large scar on the back of his head following the removal of a birth defect. Bauman’s procedure was able to help conceal the area, restoring the student’s confidence.
Hair is often seen as a marker of health, youth and either masculinity or femininity; when it’s lost, the impact can be profound. Some people feel their confidence slip, even falling into depression, as they resort to using baseball caps or bandannas due to self-consciousness.
“Hair loss is not about how you look — it’s about how you feel,” Bauman says. “Our identity is closely wrapped in with hair. That’s the whole tenet of hair restoration.”
Bauman’s focus on emotional well-being extends beyond his practice. He also volunteers as the medical director of Grey Team, a nonprofit that helps prevent suicide among veterans and members of the active-duty military, the reserves and the National Guard. The program enrolls participants for up to 90 days, focusing on fitness, nutrition and mental health while working to reduce reliance on pain and psychiatric medications. It’s another way Bauman helps restore not just appearance, but a sense of self.