June 2006 – Page 8 – Balding Blog

June 20, 2006

Chemical Damage? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello Dr. Rassman. I experienced a sudden hair loss and breakage from strong chemicals. In the months since ive stopped using the chemicals there has been no further hair loss. But a few days after putting the chemicals on my hair I noticed that 1000’s of hair strands were markedly thinner. Is it possible that a chemical could just shrink the hair shaft permanently? Also the texture of my hair is different. If I stopped using the chemicals would my texture and hair shaft diameter return to normal or would the follicles continue to produce thinner and finer hair shafts?

I have addressed this question in a variety of forms (see: chemical damage). Please note that even though you think the cause is chemical, there is no substitute to getting a good examination in the hands of a good doctor who can look throughout your scalp at the condition of the other hairs on your scalp that do not seem to bother you.

June 20, 2006

Article – Parade Magazine Discusses Modern Techniques – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

We are constantly bombarded with news releases that bring the modern techniques in medical and surgical treatments for hair loss to the forefront. Here is another such release, important for its review of today’s standard of care.

Parade Magazine – Hold on to Your Hair

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June 19, 2006

Hair Loss InformationI’ve Had 7 Strip Surgeries – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

ive had about 6 or 7 full strip procedures over the past seven years and have developed a scar that runs almost ear to ear and is an inch wide!

My surgeon has tried twice unsuccessfully to cut out the scar. There feels like very little excess tissue when i try and pinch. Im a dentist and am sure the tension from looking downwards post surgery was a factor although my surgeon says no. He is now talking about FUE from my chest. Would i be better suited seeing a plastic surgeon. He doesnt think anyone could achieve a better scar result. Ive had 2 colleagues get similar scars from the same doctor. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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You must be careful here. Do you want to continue on a never ending process from surgery to surgery? There are creative options including:

FUE — but not from the body, rather from the scalp where hair is active 85% of the time, rather than 20% of the time as with body hair
Balloon expanders which can reduce scars very nicely if there is reasonable donor hair

Send me pictures (which I will keep confidential) and then I can offer you general advice about what is possible and what is not. You might consider coming to California after I get your photos for a one-on-one consultation if the photos lead me to believe that there may be a good solution for you.

June 19, 2006

Traction Alopecia from Dreadlocks? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m an african-american and I’ve had my hair in dread locks for the last 6 years. Because of work I have to wear my hair in a bun at the back of my head and I have noticed for the last couple of years my hair has stopped growing not along the hairline inside the bun. Is it responsible for what is happening and what can I do about it?

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Yes, dreadlocks do cause hair loss. When it stops growing, this may be the first sign for the hair loss that will follow. Change your styling and hope that it is reversible.

June 19, 2006

Hair Loss InformationGNC Men’s Mega Men and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello, Dr.Rassman.
I want to ask does GNC Men’s Mega Men cause shedding or hairloss?

Drugstore.com – GNC Mega Men

Many forums say it contains too much B complex and some Saw Palmetto. By the way, is it benefit to take lots of B complex per day?

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The GNC product contains DHEA, a hormone that is known to produce or accelerate hair loss. I do not have direct knowledge about shedding with Saw Palmetto or high doses of B complex vitamins.

June 19, 2006

Stopped Propecia For a Month — Now I Want To Go Back On – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, I have been on propecia for about a year, I stopped taking it for literally 1 month because I didnt have the money for it. I have noticed a decent amount of hair loss since coming off the drug. I am back on propecia now, but my question is can I grow back the hair that I lost within that month? and do I have to wait the intial 3 to 4 months again for propecia to start blocking DHT?

Thank you so much for your time

There is no way to tell other than to wait it out. Most men can regrow what they lose after stopping Propecia for a month. What I want the readers of this blog to note is that the hair on this man is being held on his head because of the Propecia. Had he not started the drug a year earlier, most likely he would be substantially balder than he is now. For those of you on the drug, stay on it or the loss that occurs from stopping it may not be reversible. Why gample?

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June 19, 2006

Removed Plaque with Hairs Caused by Severe Dandruff – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have severe dandruff and/or psoriasis that results in unsightly plaques on my scalp. Recently, I had a temporary lapse in judgement and gently removed one of the plaques forming on the hairline. To my surprise, the plaque came off with six or seven hairs, causing me great anxiety and grief. I do not habitually scratch my head or remove plaques, but the sight and itchiness of this one was driving me crazy. Do you think the loss of these hairs is permanent, even though I don’t normally pick at my scalp? Or does traction alopecia occur only with frequent picking?

You will not get traction alopecia from one or two hair pulls. It takes many hair pulls to get it to become permanent. Sounds like you have it all together.

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June 19, 2006

I Take Aspirin Therapy and Plavix — Can I Get a Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a previous patient of yours. Since my procedure several years ago I suffered a heart attack. As a result, I am on aspirin therapy (325 mg/day) and Plavix (75 mg/day), indefinitely. Does this preclude me from ever having another transplant?

I would like to have a conversation with your doctor prior to going forward and then meeting with you as well. Please send me your doctor’s name and phone number.

I have transplanted people on both of these medications. The bleeding time will be longer, but the bleeding that is prolongs will not be life threatening and the clotting mechanism that is made to stop you from bleeding will stop the bleeding (it just might take longer). Fortunately, all of the bleeding areas from a strip harvesting technique of hair transplantation will be seen at the time of the surgery and the surgeon can use basic techniques to address these bleeding areas safely.

For your general information, aspirin and Plavix medications prolong bleeding times, making it more difficult for a clot to occur in the short term. Heart attacks and strokes often come about when a clot forms inside a blood vessel that has considerable plaque build-up. The point of taking these medication is to slow down the clotting mechanism for heart attacks and strokes in these areas of plaque so that the heart attack and stroke does not develop. But the clotting process is a necessary part of daily life and is not disabled. We constantly have small bleeding episodes when we ‘grunt’ or stress during a bowel movement (for example). Many people will note that they develop small clots on the legs or if they bump themselves, they depend upon the clotting mechanism to prevent any excessive bleeding. So, in effect, the clotting mechanism still works and in a safely controlled surgery like a hair transplant in the hands of a skilled surgeon, bleeding should not be a problem.

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June 19, 2006

I Don’t Have Hair Loss, But I Want A Lower Hairline – Balding Blog

Hi – I am 36 years old, male. Good hair genes on my mother’s side, father is balding but not completely bald.

I have always had very thick wavy hair. Over the course of time I have noticed a gradual “shrinking” of my hair – hair is thinner and noticeably less dense when I run my fingers through it. This shrinking density has occurred everywhere on my head – not just the front or top but even on the sides and back. No balding areas, thinning is probably only noticeable to me. While my hairline receded slightly due to maturity, I really don’t seem to losing that much hair. It’s just that the “poofyness” is disappearing along with some of the waves.

If I would like to have a transplant just to lower the hairline by a centimeter with maximum density, would I be a good candidate? I don’t think there would be any shockloss since the hairline would be lowered. Thank you.

Shock loss producing permanent hair loss in a person without genetic balding is very rare. If it occurs in a person without genetic balding it usually returns in 3-6 months. You are defining a series of things including:

Suggestion that the hairline has risen. If it has without genetic balding, you may just have developed a mature hairline and if there is no genetic balding, then you can lower the hairline with a surgical procedure where the upper part of the forehead is removed and the hairline is then lowered. This is what we call a ‘hairline lowering procedure‘. Alternatively, hair transplants also work.
The thinning of the hair where you say the “poofyness” is disappearing along with the wavy nature of your hair may just be the changes occurring with age. To be sure that this is not miniaturization, you need to have your hair mapped out to be absolutely sure that it is a uniform process impacting all of the hair on your head, not just selected areas in the front.

You need to be properly examined before you embark upon the types of decisions that could be dangerous if you really have genetic balding and then lower your hairline. Also, I’d recomment that you read through some of the previous posts I’ve made regarding hairline lowering for more info.

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June 19, 2006

Chlorine, Swimming, and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have noticed rapid hairloss over the past 8 months. After trying Propecia for two months, I have seen no improvement. I am an avid swimmer and wanted to know if swimming and exposing my hair to chlorine has any effect on the hairloss?

Swimming and chlorine in the pools will not produce hair loss.

Two months on Propecia is not enough. To get benefits that you might be able to see, it takes a good 8 months. Of course, that implies that hair will regrow, but this drug works well to arrest hair loss which will not show anything that the eye can see except the hair loss will slow or stop. Try to understand the difference as it is all in the expectations. I always tell people that if they are under 40, they can almost always assume that the Propecia is working to slow or stop the hair loss. Stay the course for your own good.

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