From Plug Transplants to Peace: A 40-Year Hair Loss Journey & Hard-Earned Lessons

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In this deeply personal and emotional long-form podcast, I sit down with Adrian Brown from Australia to explore a hair loss journey that spans nearly four decades.

Adrian’s story begins in 1985, when he underwent his first hair transplant using plug grafts — followed by a second procedure the same year. At the time, he loved his hair, wearing it long and curly, inspired by rockstars like Jimmy Barnes. But as many early hair transplant patients experienced, the procedures left lasting consequences.

After several further surgical attempts with a plastic surgeon to remove the plugs, Adrian was left with a visible linear scar across the front of his hairline. He was ultimately advised not to pursue any more surgery and to consider a hair system instead.

For over 20 years, Adrian wore a wig and lived a full life into his 40s — but behind the scenes, the emotional weight of hair loss and scarring took its toll. In this conversation, Adrian speaks openly about the mental health struggles he faced, how hair loss affected his identity, and why seeking professional help was a turning point.

After stepping away from hair systems, Adrian tried scalp micropigmentation (SMP) for several years before deciding, around 2020, to pursue surgical restoration again. This decision led him to Eugenix Hair Sciences in India, where he underwent an extraordinary restoration journey involving over 8,000 grafts harvested from the scalp, beard, and even body hair.

Adrian returned twice more to further refine his results — and today, he finally feels at peace with how he looks.

Together, we reflect honestly on:

The emotional impact of early hair transplant techniques

Coping strategies for hair loss and visible scarring

Wearing wigs and hair systems long-term

Mental health and seeking support

SMP vs surgical restoration

What we would both do differently if we could go back

And the advice Adrian would give his 18-year-old self in 1985

This episode is not about promoting surgery — it’s about perspective, resilience, informed decision-making, and hope. If you’re struggling with hair loss, scarring, or regret over past procedures, this conversation may resonate deeply with you.

⏱️ Chapters

0:00 Adrian’s hair loss story
3:20 Getting his plug hair transplant in Melbourne at just 18
8:25 Surgery to remove the plugs via a strip procedure
10:20 The decision to wear a hair system
12:39 From 18–25: rock star hair, losing hair, and losing identity
17:23 Seeking help beyond hair loss
18:42 David’s strand-by-strand hair system experience
27:41 Discovering Joe Tillman and starting SMP
31:08 Researching hair transplants again — and getting cold feet
37:11 Surgery day at Eugenix Hair Sciences, India
40:40 Procedures two and three
43:20 Beard hair extraction and scarring concerns
49:00 Emotional reflections and helping others avoid the same mistakes
53:00 What Adrian would do differently with today’s knowledge
54:45 Advice to his 18-year-old self in 1985 — and to others

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