February 2006 – Page 13

February 8, 2006

Minoxidil, Propecia and Frontal Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,
I am male, from Nebraska US. I’m suffering hair loss for about 4 years, as far I can see I think I lost hair on every region of my head… but basically I can see baldness on the front the most. I didn’t consult a dermatologist yet because I’ve been told that there is not alot that I can do to get my hair back. My questions are: Do you think is worth it to go to a dermatologist (I have a dandruff case also)? Since I have frontal hair loss, will a minoxidil treatment work for me?

Thank you

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It is worthwhile to visit a dermatologist for your hair loss. He/she can decide which type of hair loss you have and possibly the cause for it. There are many reasons for hair loss besides just male pattern baldness. Minoxidil and Propecia will mostly likely help slow down your loss, if not stop it completely and in men, Propecia for stopping hair loss in the frontal areas is more effective than minoxidil.

February 8, 2006

Using Rogaine with ProCede – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’m currently using Rogaine. Is it safe to apply an application of Procede (supposed to be once every 90 days, applied to the scalp and then rinsed off)?

As I’ve said before, I do not know much about ProCede. Read the material in their package carefully. I would personally doubt that the two are incompatible, but if you get any side effects, any at all, then stop what you are doing and abandon whatever you changed. A patient called me yesterday and told me about an infomercial he had just seen on Procede. When the claims are too good to be true, they usually are.

February 8, 2006

Thyroid Medication and Female Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 29 year old woman. 5 years ago a number of symptoms creeped up on me (this started 1 year after i stopped ortho-tri cyclen). The symptoms got progressively worse over the years. They included: hair loss, decreased metabolism (irregular bowel movement inspite of high fibre diet), cold intolerance, fuzzy headedness (lack of concentration), depression, dry skin, increasingly recurrent mild yeast infection.

My TSH was normal, so thyroid probs was ruled out. 2 months ago, i went to another doctor who listened to my symptoms and put me on synthroid. He thought i may be suffering from sub-clinical hypothyroidism. All my symptoms (except hair loss) have since compeletely clerared up … (i feel like i was given a new lease on life …and feel normal for the 1st time in years).

I am hopeful that the medication will resolve the hairloss as well, however i am worried since i have a lot of Hair miniaturization all over my head including back , side and top but most pronounced on top of my head and temples and sides. Do you think that thyroid problems could also cause miniaturization and i should wait and see if the problem gets helped. Or should i be starting another regimen…

Also , where can i get the desitometer measuring the progress or worsening of hair miniaturization, to figure out if my hair is improving with thyroid meds or not…

Thanks in advance !!

Female hair loss precipitated by birth control pills and thyroid disease in women programmed for genetic hair loss may not reverse. Only time will tell you.

The best place to get your own densitometer is at Radio Shack or a local small electronics shop. Look for something they call a hand microscope which should sell for around $15. Someone other than you will have to do the measurements at the same place each and every time you are examined and plot it out over time, possibly monthly.

February 8, 2006

Marigold Flower for Hair Growth – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Marigold

I’ve heard that the marigold flower, if rubbed on the head, will promote hair growth. True?

At the least, you can pick them from your neighbor’s lawn. This sounds like the most cost effective remedy I have heard lately and it may be as good as so many of the products I have been asked about over the past year. Be careful, the hair that grows may be yellow.

I hope my sarcasm was not missed. The short answer is most likely false.

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February 8, 2006

Female Hair Loss from Stress – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 44 year old female. Over the past 4 years, I have experienced a series of extremely traumatic events (far above average) resulting in a variety of stress related symptoms. Approximately 18 months ago, (almost overnight) I began to notice a significant amount of hair loss. It only caught my attention at first because of the dramatic increase of hair in the tub after showering. I was put on thyroid medication approximately one year ago (my levels were normal but my MD thought the hair loss might be related to a thyroid condition.) This did not seem to be effective. At this point, it seems the hair loss (although all over to some degree) is primarly at the temples / sides of the head, where the hair is now patchy and thin, with visible bald areas. Could this be a reaction to the years of extreme stress? I am at a loss as to what to do next, and so is my physician.

Stress is a major cause of hair loss in women with a genetic predisposition to it. You need to have a complete medical work-up to try to identify diseases or conditions that cause hair loss (such as hypothyroidism, eczema, alopecia, dieting, malnutrition, autoimmune, drugs, infection, genetics, etc). Then you need to have your hair mapped out for miniaturization to determine if your have the genetic patterns of female hair loss. The following laboratory tests are often useful if underlying problems are suspected: Estradiol, FSH, LH, SHBG, Prolactin, T4, TSH, ANA, Iron, TIBC, Ferritin, Free and Total Testosterone. Show the information from this blog to your doctor to help him point to the various medical tests he should perform.

February 7, 2006

Hair Loss InformationAlopecia Totalis and Laser Results (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

These photos were sent to me by Dr. Richard Burgmeier in Arizona who had a patient with Alopecia Totalis that failed to respond to treatment for many years. Dr. Burgmeier said:

“The patient is sixteen years of age and had the problem since the age of twelve. She has seen different doctors and has tried multiple treatments with no improvement. She started the Laser (LLLT) in November 2005 and at the same time started Joe Soaza’s protocol which included L-Tyrosine 3 pills in morning 2 at night and minoxidil 5% twice a day after showering. Since November 2005 she has been getting treatments with the Laser for 20 minutes twice a week. The patient is very excited with this treatment. This is the best treatment she has tried. It is the only treatment that has stimulated hair growth over her entire scalp. The patient stated “This is the most hair I have had in 2 years.” She has had problems with eczema over her scalp that has completely resolved since her treatments started.

We currently have 10 other patients that have been using the Laser Hair Care System 20 minutes twice a week for the past 6-8 weeks. So far every one of these patients have been very happy with results. These other patients have only been treated with the laser.”

It is clear to me that the results in a very short time frame were beyond what Dr. Burgmeier had expected. Like our last blog entry for the laser therapy, Laser Treatment (LLLT) for Hair Loss (with Photos), there were multiple therapies used, but clearly the results were spectacular for the early treatment of this combined therapy. Dr. Burgmeier feels that the laser treatment has great value based upon his experience with it. If this patient continues with this type of gain, we all hope that much more of her hair will return. A bald female at 16 needs all the help and luck she can get. The relationship with the laser and the cause of its benefit is not clear from a scientific basis. I would have liked to see the treatments added with one therapy and then a second therapy separated over time so that their incremental value would be more directly evident. Then we might know which treatment actually produced the benefit you see here. Is there hope for this young girl? Frankly, I am a perpetual optimist, so I hope for her sake that she will continue with the growth, covering a wider and wider area. I will get follow-up pictures on her in the next few months and post them here. What I would hopefully see is that these small islands of hair will grow larger and then merge together to appear like a full head of hair (ideal result, of course). Click the photos below to enlarge.

Alopecia_Totalis_Laser_Results

February 7, 2006

My Husband’s Hair is Thinning – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

This question is about my husband. He is 25yrs. old, slightly balding on the front top of his head. I think it is because his father had the same balding, but what hair he has left on top of his head stopped growing. I don’t think it has grown in a long time cause I havent had to trim it, but I have had to cut the hair on the sides and on the back of his head. Why is that? and is there a way to get it growing again so he stops balding? an does the rogaine work and worth the money? thanks so much

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Your husband sounds like he has male patterned hair loss, which is present in almost 50% of the male population by the time they each 45. Your husband needs to have his scalp mapped out for miniaturization to determine if he has genetic balding. A good starting point can be found in my book, The Patient’s Guide to Hair Restoration, available free of charge by download (in PDF format) or sent by mail.

February 7, 2006

I Had Plugs Transplanted in the 80s – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Back in 1988 I had some of the old plug transplants done.I realized I made a mistake and stopped any further transplants.( 35 in all)
I had all the transplants (Plugs) removed with some scarring.I also had the doner area removed recently by a plastic surgeon.My problem is I would like to shave my head now but have no idea how bad the scarring is and the only way to find out is to shave my head.Are there any pictures that I may view to see how the area may look like shaved.Is there any makeup I may use after I shave my head until I have the scars corrected.
The were some of the transplants still growing will they look natural when shaved, will they grow faster ( on a daily basis ) then the hair that was originally there. I am exhausted with all the effort I have had to go threw to get me back to where I was in 1988. I await your response.

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This is not an uncommon question, but unfortunately the answer is not what you want to hear. The scar from excision of your open donor area will show very well, like any scar on the body, even if it healed perfectly. People who have had any excision (even today’s modern hair transplant) will have a large ‘smile like’ line on the back of their head if they shave their head. The shaved head will bring attention to every defect on your scalp from where each of the grafts were removed and it will be made worse in bright light. Normally, a shaved scalp is smooth, but I suspect that yours is puck-marked and shaving it will only draw attention to the defects.

February 7, 2006

Using FUE for Scar Repair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Trying to do scar repair on strip scar from 800 graft surgery. I was told the 500 FUE’s into scar would conceal it enough to shave my head or am I better off doing a Trichophytic Donor Closure. Scar is about 5 1/2 inches long and a 1/4 inch to slighlty smaller wide. Tryin to do this just once. Doctor told me he has about 80% growth with FUE (can that be true?). I would like to shave my head completely bald with a razor. please advise. Thank You

There is no guarantee that 500 grafts would cover the donor scar in a single surgery. Based upon that measurement, I would think that 250-300 grafts in two sessions might do the job. The problem is density per hair/graft and that they can not be placed too close in a single session, as that may be unrealistic in a scar (which is often not compliant as it does not stretch well). Packing the grafts too closely in the scar may produce a failure of some of the grafts to grow.

Growth in a scar varies between people. Most people will get 80-90+% growth if the spacing is properly placed. The FUE procedure itself is a reflection of the particular doctor’s skills in doing them (harvesting, graft preparation, placement). I cannot comment on the skill of a doctor I do not know and have not personally observed.

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February 7, 2006

Temple Hair Transplant – Balding Blog

Between the ages of 20-23 I went to an Norwood 2. Since the shedding of the hair at my temples, my hair has thickend elsewhere. Can a hair transplant be done just at the temples? Who could I contact for such a procedure?

What I am about to say relates to your age of 20-23. I would recommend first that you get your hair mapped out for miniaturization to determine the degree of the genetic hair loss that you have now and to get a good baseline for future reference. Then, based upon that examination (under the direction of a doctor), you may start on Propecia for your hair loss and take it for at least 8 months to 1 year and see if the temples return to the levels you want. Propecia may help regrow hair in the temple area. At the very least, it is worth an attempt. Beware of any person who would recommend surgery for you because he/she may not have your best interest in mind. I feel strongly that a trusting, supportive doctor-patient relationship is necessary in the hair restoration process. If you have any questions about the above information, I would be happy to answer them by email, telephone, or in person. If you live too far from California, I am more than happy to try to recommend a dermatologist in your area. I can be reached by phone at 800-NEW-HAIR.

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