Month: April 2006

Hi Dr, I’m 19 years old and I was diagnosed a few months ago with MPB. I’ve noticed something that I told to my doctor that laugh at me. My question is : is there a link between the shape of your forehead and MPB? I explain myself. A few months ago when I start to lose my hair, I’ve noticed that it was preceded by a change in the shape of my forehead : two bumps appears in the middle and two lines or holes are reaching the side. It’s a very agrresive shape that makes feel I’m going to be bald very fast. I can give you some examples of celebrities who have this shape and started to lose their hair very early such as prince william, pablo puyol, tony blair… I’ve noticed that in the university where I’m studying medicine, a great part of the young people like me who are becoming bald have this shape of forehead. My cousin started to lose his hair at 17 and he has this shape of forehead whereas his brother who is 30 has got a full head of thick hairs and he hasn’t got this shape of forehead. can you give me you opinion on this…

There is no connection between shape of the forehead and balding. I believe that what you are observing is the normal shape of the individual’s forehead, which was covered by hair until the hair receded. Most hairy boys have so much hair that you have no idea what shape the skull is below the hair, but when it goes from genetic balding, then its shape dominates. For some people like you, the forehead shape seems to be a surprise.

One very famous celebrity that I transplanted about 8 years ago focused upon his flat head as the main drive for getting hair. He had crown balding and did have a flat skull. I placed the hair in such a manner as to give the back a good lift and the illusion worked well. He has strong wavy hair so his hair type helped a great deal and he was never bothered by his flat head again. I know this because we do talk from time to time and have maintained a cordial relationship over the years.

Hello Doctor!
Great site you have I really like all the info on it, it seems to be like a great library of info…most of the information on the internet can be found but it is scattered everywhere and has to be pieced, so I thank you for having it all available here…Now with regards to my question. In this era, I’m sure you know that sometimes there are a lot of animals being pumped full of steroids. Couldn’t this have something to do with hairloss? It would elevate testosterone, as if I recollect, steroids are lipid soluble, so they would tend to be found more accumulated in lean meats such as chicken…again correct me if im wrong, but this is just what I recollect from Bio class. I am starting to think it had some kind of effect on me, because I did enter puberty much earlier than my parents, everyone in my family was fairly resistant to acne, well I tend to be moreso, and I grew up to be much taller than anyone in my family…I am a full 5 inches taller than my dad and noone in my family has ever broken the 6 foot barrier. I do realize that there is such a thing as recessive genes that may not be expressed, but my younger brother who has lived a somewhat different lifestyle than me, seems to be in much better shape overall. Whats your take on this doc?

Your theories are interesting, yet there are plenty of vegetarians who are bald. While it is true that some animals may be subjected to anabolic steroids, I doubt any significant levels (if any at all) would be found in the consumables. Even if it is, heat would denature (or make ineffective) any steroid in the meat. Futhermore there are strict guidelines that the United States FDA sets on meat and poultry products.

With respect to your second question, genetics may play a part in your physical appearance, but other factors such as your lifestyle and even pure randomness will also play a part. It has been noted that first generation Americans are almost always taller than their parents, with a larger frame as well. This is even taken to second generation Americans, as the diet is more and more Americanized.

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Hello Dr Rassman,
Let me first state that I am so thankful for this free service. All of the posters on this board are richly rewarded to have access to a service like this.

I realize the following, somewhat meandering, question may be vague, but I will ask it anyway, as it is of considerable concern to me. (I am a 23 year old male.) Do men with the genetic potential to experience MPB at some point in life need to be constantly monitoring their stress level?

I run my own small business, and find that during the busiest weeks of the year, I become extremely stressed. Usually this stress lasts only for 2-3 weeks, and then I take some time off to de-stress. I always worry that those periods of stress will do permanent damange to my slightly receding hairline(between Norwood 1 and 2. If 5-8 weeks of high stress a year is dangerous to my hair health, I would immediately begin taking on less inventory and earn less money. I know myself well enough to realize that I’d rather be an average income earner with hair, than a business tycoon without! And their isn’t a shred of doubt about it!

Thank you Good Dr.

Good question! Stress is part of life. Managing stress is a matter of balance and there are many ways to manage stress properly. As the Bobby McFerrin song from the late 80s says, “Don’t worry, be happy!” Not a bad philosophy, so the key is to manage stress better without necessarily changing your life direction to address the fear of going bald, for example.

I would never be so bold as to suggest that potential hair loss is something that you need to worry about. If you wish to take that extra step, then get your hair mapped out for miniaturization from time to time, which is a way to show (with good measurements) if there is anything to worry about with regard to genetic balding. It only takes a few minutes and it will give you peace of mind. Meditation is also a good way to manage stress, so spend some of that money you are making and learn the art of meditation. That might give you the best of all worlds.