October 2006 – Page 14

October 6, 2006

Phytotrixil to Prevent Balding? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr. Rassman
I am a 22 years old male and i am loosing hair. I started using this one product called “phytotrixil” more than a year ago. (do you know anything about this drug??) And fortunately my hair got a little bit thiker. It is said in the instruction manual for the product that it can restore up to 19% of the volume of the hair and i think i have maneged more than that…so my question is: if i use this drug for 5 years, will i restore my hair completely?? (oh yeah…and my balding is genetic)
thank you!

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This appears to be about as good as anything else out there that does not work for restoring hair. I can’t comment on whether it volumizes or not, but volume and hair growth/regrowth are two different things. If it works for you, let me know in 5 years how much of your genetically balding hair is left.

October 6, 2006

Hair Loss InformationIf I’ll Have Propecia Side Effects, When Will I See Them? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I’m a 30-year-old male who recently started taking Propecia. My question is, if there are any side effects, how long until the side effects would show up? I haven’t noticed anything, but believe your answer would be a good piece of information to have, regardless.

Thanks!

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If a man on Propeica is going to get a decreased sex drive (one in a hundred) they should see that side effect in the first couple of weeks. If you have had no sexual side effects, welcome to the majority of men who have taken the drug daily for years.

October 6, 2006

Woman Prescribed 5mg of Finasteride Daily – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a woman and have been prescribed a dose of 5mg of finasteride daily for hair loss. It is working, but I am concerned about the high dosage. Since I am not of childbearing age, do I need to be concerned about side effects?

This is a question best asked of the doctor who prescribed it. I am always concerned when something is prescribed outside the normal FDA approved channels, where the drug is approved for safety and effectiveness. Both are up in the air when it comes to women and finasteride at the 5mg dose.

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October 6, 2006

Can Propecia Cause Increased Thinning? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hey,
I am 22 and have thinning hair in the temple regions and on the top side areas of my head, as well as generally not as good hair up front. My hair has always been cyclical (good months/bad months) but this is the first i’ve noticed real thinning. I was going to go to my dermatologist to look into propecia, would a regular derm be able to test my hair fine? And would propecia ever cause increased hair loss/thinning?

Thinning of the hair is not a known side effect from Propecia. It sounds like you are possibly experiencing genetic male pattern hair loss. In the young man, I always suggest that you get your hair mapped out for miniaturization to get a diagnostic base like and a firm diagnosis. A dermatologist can do this, and it may be helpful to print out Miniaturization: Critical to the Master Plan for Hair Loss to show him/her.

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October 5, 2006

Woman Losing Hair, Says Dermatologists Don’t Care to Help – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, and thanks for the informative site. I am a 35 year old female and losing hair rapidly. I have no children and as far as I know I am not in menopause. I have no idea why I am having hair fall out in clumps, I have been for a year. I have been to my doctor twice he tested me for Lupus which I do not have and when I returned and said my hair is still falling out he said he could not help me. So I am here, I want to find out the root (pardon my pun) cause of this problem so i can solve it. I live in LA and I cannot find a doctor. They all want to talk about transplants etc? Dermatologists seem not to care. Do you know of anyone who can help me and who is willing to do tests on my hair etc. i really would like to figure out the true problem and fix it as I feel if my hair is suffering there is something wrong.

Thanks for your time.

In a society preoccupied with appearance, balding is a cruel and almost random fate for 50% of men and women. It does not discriminate race, ethnicity, or social boundaries. Hair loss is genetic, but it is not readily predictable. There is no scientific reason why we lose hair. What we do know is that there are many options such as hair restoration surgery, oral medications, and topical medications to treat hair loss.

Before you consider any of the treatment options available, you must find the cause for your hair loss and establish a diagnosis. Unlike male pattern hair loss, women’s hair loss is very difficult to treat. Your first step is to look for any curable causes for hair loss such as thyroid disease, iron deficiency, etc. In order to do this, you will need to find a good doctor who can do blood tests. I am sorry to hear that you have had bad experiece with some doctors, but any primary care doctor should be able to do these tests. If clinically appropriate, the following disease processes should be considered or ruled out: anemia, thyroid disease, connective tissue disease, gynecological conditions, and emotional stress. It is also important to review the use of medications that can cause hair loss, such as oral contraceptives, beta-blockers, Vitamin A, thyroid drugs, coumadin and prednisone. 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.

Aside from ruling out any medical cause of hair loss, you can also have your scalp hair examined with a densitometer (special microscope) for signs of miniaturization. Not all doctors conduct miniaturization studies. At NHI, we conduct miniaturization studies on a regular basis as part of a physical exam. It is our goal to standardize the measurement of hair growth and hair health by subjectively recording the state of hair.

If you are in the Los Angeles area (as I believe you indicated), you can always schedule a free consultation by calling 800-NEW-HAIR.

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October 5, 2006

Low Sperm Count from Propecia? – Balding Blog

I’ve been using Propecia for a year and I have recently experienced mild side effects. As a result, I searched online for information on Propecia side effects and came across a new and very significant side effect of Propecia, which I have not experienced, but that has certainly made me extremely anxious about Propecia. I found it at the following link:
AskDocWeb

It comes from a woman named Lynda who claims that her husband’s sperm count has been significantly lowered since using Propecia and as a result he is not able to get impregnate her. The writer, Lynda, also mentions that she has come across other Propecia users with the same problem. This is a very serious issue that should be addressed and I would like to know your view on this issue and if you have ever heard of this side effect.

Scientific research and a woman named Lynda’s comments are two totally different things. While anecdotal reports may have some utility, they are often sources of misinformation and unfounded concerns.

I do not know if the AskDocWeb site is maintained by a medical doctor (it doesn’t indicate on their site), and I cannot comment on a woman named Lynda’s experience, because frankly, I do not know the full medical history.

One of the side effects of Propecia can be a decrease in semen volume. It should not decrease sperm count. That being said, I will inquire my contact at Merck (the makers of Propecia) about your concerns and will post any new findings here.

October 5, 2006

Losing Pubic Hair After Menopause, An Herbalist’s Opinion – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Dr Rassman:
I just read the article about the fifty eight year old woman who was losing pubic hair. She had gone through menopause at forty six and was wondering why she was losing (pubic) hair suddenly. Your suggestion was a good one…see a physician. God only knows what medical problems she may have.

However, as an herbalist, I find that most women do lose hair after menopause. (pubic hair not the norm) Quite obviously after menopause there is a significant decline in estrogen. Vaginal areas do become somewhat dry and lubrication during intimacy sometimes becomes necessary.

If after a proper medical examination nothing significant shows up I would recommend taking 800 to 1,000 mcg of BIOTIN daily. Biotin (a simple water soluble B vitamin) does promote growth of hair on the scalp. It also stimulates the growth of both finger and toe nails.

My ninety-six year old mother had mild dementia she proved allergic to ARICEPT. (She had spots on her chest and back!) I started her on a regime of 400 mcg FOLIC ACID and 1,000 mcg BIOTIN daily. Her memory has greatly improved and boy does her finger and toe nails grow. The hair on her head looks nice as well.

I hope you look into this approach after menopause. It is a more natural way of bringing the body some of it’s natural B vitamins. (plus promoting mental agility) As with any medications, this should be followed up with blood work. (between 2 and 4 weeks). Best regards

I appreciate your insights. I do not know a great deal about the impact of folic acid and biotin on pubic hair loss, but I can not see a problem with their use. Unfortunately, the formal medical literature does not give us clear scientific information to prove value of these natural vitamins with hair loss.

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October 5, 2006

I Want to Have More Chest Hair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’m a 48 year old man with a very fuzzy belly and sparse chest hair. I’d like to make the set a bit more balanced, especially between my pecs. Will minoxidil make the hair on my chest denser?

You can try minoxidil, but be careful not to overdose yourself, as it is a hypotensive agent and it will get absorbed into the body through the skin. Hair transplants work well for transplanting hair from the head to the chest — and it is medication free. With hair transplants on the chest, the hair should last your lifetime.

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October 5, 2006

I Had a Temple Transplant, But Left Side Hasn’t Grown – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

i did a temple transplant a year ago, the left side hasn’t progressed at all. it is just light red, but no hairs. on the right side it has grew alot but it is still a bit red. how is it that i can’t see any progress at all on the left side?

You should speak with the doctor who did the surgery. At a year out, there should be full growth and no discoloration of the skin.

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October 5, 2006

Hair on My Legs Stopped Growing – Balding Blog

(female) why would the hair on my legs just stop growing at my age of 58?

Our bodies do change with age. In women, after menopause, there are lots of hormone changes and some of these may impact your leg hair, as would the genetics you inherited. Count your blessings, you don’t have to shave your legs anymore if you are an American (culture pushes shaved legs), but in some European countries, hairy legs are better, so there you would be an unfortunate woman. I think if you could find the cause of your problem, I think that I could sell it in North America and we can make millions together.