Frankie Muniz [00:00:04]:
I have tons of people because I think I've been vocal, and they see my results, right? They see the before and after they saw it, and they go, what did you do? Like, I have to know. Like, it's something I'm super self conscious about. So I love being able to just tell them, call HairClub. Go for the free consultation. They'll show you the options, because they don't have to go down the path that I did of trying. Like, if you think of all the solutions that there are for trying to combat hair loss, I did them. So the fact that I can just send people to HairClub and they can find a solution that works for them, I think is really cool.


Kevin Rolston [00:00:50]:
Welcome to HairPod, the podcast where you get to hear real people talk about their hair journeys. I'm your host, Kevin Rolston. And each week, I get to interview people from different walks of life whose lives have been touched by hair loss in some form or fashion. Many of our guests have experienced hair loss themselves and found a way to get their confidence and their hair back. Today, we're joined by somebody who has truly lived a life in the spotlight, Frankie Muniz. You might know him as the star of Malcolm in the Middle, Big Fat Liar, or Agent Cody Banks. Or maybe you follow his current stock car driving career. Frankie has experienced a remarkable journey.


Kevin Rolston [00:01:30]:
But what many people don't know is that Frankie has faced his own challenges off camera, including hair loss. In this episode, we're going to dive into his personal experience, how it impacted his life, and the steps he's taken to navigate this journey with confidence.


Frankie Muniz [00:01:50]:
I remember actually really early, like, being 19 or 20 years old, when I always had thick hair. Like, I always had a lot of hair. Like, if you look at, like, the episodes of Malcolm in the Middle or you look at even movies, I did, you know, I'll look back and I'll go, how did I go from having so much hair and, like, three years later, I was really thin to where I started the journey of looking for solutions, right. I started taking the medications and doing topical creams and laser hats and kind of all the things that I could. And I remember it just kind of continued to get worse and worse and worse, and I really didn't know what to do, almost to the point to where I kind of gave up on it. You know, I was tired of trying things that weren't helping the situation and just made me more and more self conscious about my hair. And it's not that I was self conscious for, like, what other people thought I know that might sound weird. It was like, for me, like, I found myself every time I was in front of a mirror, like, checking it out.


Kevin Rolston [00:02:48]:
Yeah.


Frankie Muniz [00:02:48]:
You know, looking down, like, seeing it, like, taking pictures, comparing pictures. So it's definitely something that even though I try to say it didn't really affect me that much. It definitely did, you know what I mean? And now that I found a solution with hair club, like, I can't believe I waited as long as I did to go there to feel the way I do now.


Kevin Rolston [00:03:08]:
Yeah. Tell me where you were in life at this age. What are you doing career wise when you start to notice your hair loss?


Frankie Muniz [00:03:15]:
I mean, I was still, I think, on the last season of filming Malcolm in the Middle. It's also when I initially started racing cars professionally, but I was always busy. I was always working. And I think maybe that's why, I don't know. Like, I don't want to say it shocked me how I went from having hair to not having hair. Like, I didn't really notice it, like, until I noticed it, but maybe I was just so busy, like, kind of doing things. I also, you know, when you're on a movie set or you're filming, you have hair and makeup people and they have little things that they might put in or they might make your hair look thicker in certain ways. And, you know, when you're having your hair done every single day, like, you don't really have to worry about it that much.


Frankie Muniz [00:03:50]:
It wasn't until really, I think, yeah, Malcolm was just ending and I started having to actually comb my hair for the first time myself. As weird as that sounds, right?


Kevin Rolston [00:03:58]:
Yeah.


Frankie Muniz [00:03:58]:
And it definitely was, like, just a shock, you know, especially because I was young, you know, 1920 years old. Like, you just don't expect it, you know? Yeah, I was in it big time.


Kevin Rolston [00:04:10]:
So when you're in a world where you are doing acting and you have hair and makeup people, do you have somebody then that's a consultant that can help you, that walks you through? Because I'm sure you're not the only person in Hollywood. In fact, I'd imagine we'd be stunned if we knew all the people in Hollywood, film and TV that have hair loss issues and what they've done for it. So when you're acting on a tv show, you're doing movies and things like that, is there somebody there that walks you through to say, okay, here's what you do with your hair loss? Or were you, like anyone else, you were googling your own searches and trying to find your own path.


Frankie Muniz [00:04:44]:
No, you know, really, I didn't have anybody helping me, you know what I mean? I just kind of went down the path like I think most people do is like, what can I do? I think I went to a doctor. The doctor put me on. Is it finasteride?


Kevin Rolston [00:04:56]:
Yeah.


Frankie Muniz [00:04:57]:
Propecia. And to be honest, I actually had a really negative side effect to the medicine, so I couldn't even be on it that long before, like, I realized I can't take it. I was kind of one of those. I kept hearing, oh, if you do this, like, yeah, there could be side effects, but it happens in one in a million people. Well, every one of those things, like, happened to me. I always couldn't, like, accept the side effects of what it was, whether it be the Propecia or even Rogaine. Right.


Kevin Rolston [00:05:26]:
Wow.


Frankie Muniz [00:05:26]:
I even did a hair transplant. I had one full hair transplant done, I think, in 2012, 2013, and I have like crazy shock loss. Like, I was like the worst-case scenario of like, what could go wrong during a hair transplant. Went through all that. So even like, my before photos that, like, I've shared online, those are all like, post every other treatment I had already done, right. That was me trying to do everything. Like, all the list of things that I thought were options, including having a hair transplant, you know, those are my before photos, if that makes sense. So that was, I feel like if I hadn't even done those, my before photos would be even worse.


Frankie Muniz [00:06:10]:
But it's shocking the difference of my before photos, which is post trying everything else, and then my afters, which is now as a hair club member.


Kevin Rolston [00:06:23]:
Studies show that the side effects of treatments like minoxidil, finasteride and hair transplants are very rare. And if you want some information on stuff about that, we will link a few specific scientific studies in our show notes. Unfortunately for Frankie, he was that lucky person that got hit with all the side effects, which had to be hard to deal with given how his hair loss was affecting his confidence. In Hollywood, theres an unspoken rule, nobody talks about it. Even when people find something that works for them, they dont usually broadcast it to the whole world. That's why Frankie is so outspoken. He wants others to know it's okay to talk about your hair loss and the path that you take to get your confidence back.


Frankie Muniz [00:07:12]:
You know, I think one thing, like, for some reason, maybe it was just me, like, in my world, I feel like people were like, afraid to talk about it. Like, it was almost not taboo, but like, didn't really want to kind of, it had to be this big secret of, like, if you did have a hair transplant. I remember having one and, like, saying it out loud, someone and people on the side would be like, hey, I had one, too, but didn't want anyone to know. Like, it was some kind of secret, which I guess I get, like, if you have a procedure done, like, maybe you don't want to share that you had it. You just hope to show the benefits of maybe have had it. I don't know. No, I really honestly don't remember having many people to talk to about it. Like, maybe because I was also trying to be secretive.


Frankie Muniz [00:07:51]:
Not secretive, but kind of keep it to myself.


Kevin Rolston [00:07:53]:
I know what you're saying, though, because people unfairly, really get brutalized for any kind of treatment that they've done in Hollywood. People run with it. The tabloids are all over it. It becomes a big conversation and it becomes what you're known for. And people can't get away from the fact that, okay, all you're right. Yeah, Malcolm had a hair transplant. And that's the whole narrative that people say it is.


Frankie Muniz [00:08:15]:
You know, I think it's interesting because, you know, we live, especially now, in a time where most celebrities, most people that you see on social media have tons of work and they don't hide it, but it's still a touchy subject when it comes to men talking about their hair. And it's such a. I think that's an interesting thing because, like, it's not something that you can help, right? If you're losing your hair, if you have issues like that, it's nothing like you did something wrong or you know what I mean? It's genetics. It's just kind of the hand that you were dealt. So I think that's why I'm so willing and open and want to share my story, because I want people to know, like, hey, it's okay to talk about it. I know how I feel. Post going to hairclub. Right, right.


Frankie Muniz [00:09:00]:
Like, I didn't expect it. To be honest. My wife, you know, maybe you want to get into this later, but my wife forced me to go to hairclub and I was like, I don't care anymore. I was shaving my head, like, bicking it. Like, looked all just easier.


Kevin Rolston [00:09:12]:
Wow, okay.


Frankie Muniz [00:09:14]:
Yeah, I kind of went to that level where I was like, it is what it is. Like, wear a hat, shave my head. It is what it is. But my wife really kind of forced me to go. And I remember thinking like, okay, they're going to tell me stuff that I want to hear. And I had the free consultation, the initial consultation, and I went, all right, I'll try it, I'll try it. But I was so used to being kind of let down by the results of things that you spent a lot of money on, or you spent a lot of time or pain, like, physical pain. So I kind of didn't have very high hopes.


Frankie Muniz [00:09:45]:
But I remember the moment that I got my system through hair club, and I looked in the mirror, and, like, it makes me emotional, even right now. Like, the immediate gratification and the way I felt and the confidence I felt that moment, it was truly life changing. And like I said, that's a big reason why I want to talk about it, you know what I mean? Because I know what people are going through. Like, maybe they're thinking with their hair, and the fact that they can do something like I did and maybe feel the way I do it changed every aspect of my life. It made me more confident in everything from a work standpoint, from a working out standpoint, everything, because I wasn't caught looking in the mirror, like, thinking, like, oh, man, I felt good, and I wanted to, I don't know, just be out there in the world.


Kevin Rolston [00:10:35]:
What really struck me about Frankie was the passion that he brings to helping others on their hair loss journeys. It's so clear that even though he's a celebrity, hair loss became an isolating experience for him. He struggled with how he looked in the mirror, and he stopped feeling like himself, which is an experience that so many of us have already been through. When Frankie talks about that first moment where he got his hair system on, you can hear exactly where his excitement comes from. He went into that experience unsure of what to expect and was absolutely blown away when he finally looked in the mirror with his new system on.


Kevin Rolston [00:11:14]:
So the first time that you got your hair system, it was just an unbelievable transformation for you that right away you fell in love. You loved the way that you looked, and it just. It stuck.


Frankie Muniz [00:11:25]:
Oh, yeah. I mean, I remember being, like, just so shocked by it, because, you know, the results are basically immediate. You know what I mean? You don't have to wait for a long time. You know what I mean? Get it on. And there it is. Right? You have hair. And I remember just being so shocked. I did go through a small period where, like, it was just such a drastic change to me because I was so used to looking in the mirror and feeling like, oh, dang, what can I do? And then I was looking in the mirror going, like, who am I? Right? Like, I just felt like a different human.


Frankie Muniz [00:11:55]:
And I will say, like, I was not worried, but I was kind of curious what other people would think, right? People who knew me, my family, my friends. And I remember being a little nervous going to dinner for the first time because I went from being pretty bald to, like, having hair, and literally everyone was like, man, you look good. You've been working. Like, what are you doing? You've been working out to get a tan. Like, nobody could actually pinpoint it, because, you know, one thing I think people don't realize is, like, when you fixate on something or you see something, you think everybody else might notice that thing, but, like, not everybody looks in the mirror or sees you every single day. Right?


Kevin Rolston [00:12:35]:
Right.


Frankie Muniz [00:12:36]:
Even my mom was like, wow, like, you look great. Like, what did you do? And when I told her, she couldn't believe it. They were just shocked, you know, everybody. And I think that was kind of the coolest thing, too, is that I thought maybe it would be extremely obvious to outsiders. But they really, like I said, like, they couldn't pinpoint what was different about me, just that they thought I looked improved.


Kevin Rolston [00:13:06]:
I love this point that the things that bother us about our own appearance may not be as obvious to somebody else. It drives home something Frankie mentioned before. He didn't really care what other people thought about his hair. Choosing to get a hair system was something that he did for himself. And because he's so open and talks about what he did so freely, people in his life feel comfortable asking him about what he did to achieve such great results.


Frankie Muniz [00:13:37]:
I have tons of people because I think I've been vocal, and they see my results, right? They see the before and after they saw it, and they go, what did you do? Like, I have to know. Like, it's something I'm super self conscious about, so I love being able to just tell them, call HairClub. Go for the free consultation. They'll show you the options, because they don't have to go down the path that I did of trying. Like, if you think of all the solutions that there are for trying to combat hair loss, I did them. Every one. I don't think there's one I didn't try. You know what I mean? And so the fact that I can just send people to hair club and they can find a solution that works for them, I think is really cool.


Frankie Muniz [00:14:15]:
I don't know. I loved having people talk to me about it and ask me questions and see the disbelief on their faces when I tell them what I have or, like, what I did. You know what I mean? People just can't believe that it's not. I mean, it's my hair, but you know what I mean? It's not.


Kevin Rolston [00:14:31]:
Yeah.


Kevin Rolston [00:14:32]:
I gotta tell you, your energy about it is very contagious. And I've seen the videos that you've put out for hair club and you speaking about it, and I think it's really amazing that you're so bold and you're so open because there really are people and how it affects people's self esteem. You know, you've been on the other end of it that you think the whole world notices, and your self confidence does take a massive hit. And the way that you feel after you find your solution, whether it be a hair system or whether it be something else, it truly is life changing. And so I think that's really awesome. I just want to talk to you today about your own personal journey. It's interesting to hear how many failures you had on the path. And because you have a great wife, she didn't let you give up, and she finally got you there across the finish line.


Frankie Muniz [00:15:15]:
She's funny because she was always like, look, it doesn't bother me that you have thin hair, balding, whatever, and she's like, but I see how much it affects you. And like I said, I had given up. I tried one more solution or one more thing that I thought was going to work. It really didn't. And I was like, look, I don't care anymore. Shave my head. And she was talking about it with her hairstylist, who was like, set him up for a consultation at HairClub. And so my wife did it.


Frankie Muniz [00:15:43]:
And I remember her telling me, I was like, no. Like, I'm not wasting time. I'm not doing it. Like, I don't care. You know what I mean? Like, they're going to tell me the same stuff, that they can have this magic solution and. And we're just going to be let down. And so I think I actually canceled the first consultation. She's like, just go.


Frankie Muniz [00:15:59]:
She, like, drug me in there and. Best decision I ever made, you know what I mean? Like, I honestly, like, I know it might sound cliche, like, and I. It just. It really changed every aspect of the way I feel about everything. Like, it gave me the confidence to even, like, as dumb as it sounds, like I went back racing. It gave me the confidence to go back racing. As weird as that sounds. I don't know, I just felt like I could do it.


Frankie Muniz [00:16:25]:
Like, I felt like, I don't. I think I'd kind of just kind of crawled almost in a hole a little bit, you know what I mean? And kind of just stayed away from the acting stuff, stayed away from kind of like putting myself out there and I don't know, like, I hate to admit that almost, but I didn't realize it had such a big effect on me in a negative way, my hair, until I had the positive feeling after going to HairClub. Right. And having a solution, because every aspect of my life changed. So, yeah.


Kevin Rolston [00:16:59]:
Losing your hair is more than just a physical change. It's an internal journey. It can make you want to hide, isolate yourself, and avoid the world. The emotional toll could be overwhelming, making you question how you see yourself and how you see others. We want to thank Frankie Muniz for showing us that there are options out there for everyone and encouraging anyone who has tried everything not to give up hope. Because its not just about getting your hair back, its about getting yourself back. When you feel good about the way you look, it can give you the strength that step out of the shadows and embrace life with a renewed sense of self. It's about living your life with confidence, no matter what challenges you face.


Kevin Rolston [00:17:41]:
Frankie's journey reminds us that while the road may be difficult, the destination is worth every step. For more inspirational stories and words of wisdom from people who have been through hair loss, make sure to subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening to another episode of Hairpod. Check us out at Hair Club on Instagram or search Hairpod on Facebook to continue the conversation. If you know someone who could benefit from hearing this episode, we would love it if you would share it with them. If you're enjoying the show, consider leaving us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. We also have a website. Check it out by going to podcast hairclub.com.com.


Kevin Rolston [00:18:26]:
we're here to build people up and to share real stories so people experiencing hair loss feel a little bit less alone. And when you share, review, and subscribe, it helps us do just that. So thank you. Until next time.