Why Did You Get Into Hair Restoration? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I, as a first year medical student, am curious as to the reasons you went into hair reconstructive surgery. Too personal??

LionAs a surgical specialty, hair restoration has got to have the greatest patient satisfaction of any (at least in my opinion). It is supreme for helping people solve a problem that bothers them. Some people are quick to say that “it’s just hair” or look at hair transplants as strictly a vanity issue — and while those people are certainly entitled to their opinions, I would disagree with this notion. Hair loss can be a nightmare for many, and the injury to one’s confidence can be substantial. As I’ve said before, hair can be as important to men as the lion’s mane is to the lion. It is what creates his majestic look.

I also recognized that there was a need for a better technology. I entered the business when plugs and scalp reductions were the ’standard of care’ and immediately determined that this was not an acceptable standard of care for my patients. So I analyzed what had to be done and on the very first day, the very first surgery, I created a new standard. My practice’s personal standard of care (large session surgeries of small follicular unit grafts) has now become the industry’s standard of care. So satisfaction came not only from patients I directly treated, but also from thousands of other patients who I know benefited from what was then a revolutionary change in the art of hair transplant surgery. I take great personal satisfaction in knowing that I have made a difference and this industry has been good to me. It was uniquely backward and unrefined when I entered the field and I contributed to its modern day evolution. You can see my professional history on my CV for a full look at what I’ve done. I apologize in advance if this answer seems like a big pat on the back to myself, but hey, you asked. There’s no magic or myth about it — nothing too personal to share.

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Using a Ceramic Ionic Blow Dryer and Flat Iron Daily – Balding Blog

I am a 46yr old african american fenale. I have thining hair and I am letting my hair go natural. The hair salon I attend uses a process where you sit under a steamer with the conditioner to build moisture and blows drys and flat irons your hair with a ceramic ionic blow dryer and flat iron. Since I am an active person I sweat and my hair converts back. The stylist says it is ok to use these items on a daily basis because it seals in moisture unlike the regular blow dryers and flat irons. Does this make sense? I don’t want to do any more damage. If this process is ok, do I need to wash my hair each time since it is sweaty? I’ve searched your site and can’t find anything addresee ceramic ionic tools. Thank you for considering my problem.

Heat treating your hair the way you do will cause damage to it. Is it permanent damage? Well, it could be. I would think that a good stylist learned how to balance the damaging elements for hair straightening. This is where the ‘art’ comes into play in what your stylist does. I can not comment on her explanation, but if what she is doing is working, then continue with her approach with caution.


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Two Doctors Here Have Never Heard of Propecia! – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Doc,
I’ve been to two doctors in Dublin- Both have great reputations, but neither of them had heard of propecia and as a result, were not willing to provide me a presciption. Both charged me for their srevices however!

My hair loss is really affecting me on a personal level and I’d love to at least give Propecia a try. How do you convince a doctor to prescribe you something he has never heard of?

Propecia is a brand name for a generic drug named finasteride, which is available in most countries. Ask your doctor for this drug and if it only comes in 5mg size, then you should cut the pills into quarters when taking it. As for charging you, doctors are service providers and as such are entitled to get paid for their time.

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Propecia and Ejaculation – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

For the first time ever when I ejaculated I noticed it has a strange yellow discoloration. Can this be a side effect of propecia? If so, should I quit taking it or lower my dosage?

Some people report that the quantity of the ejaculate is less when taking Propecia. Maybe the reduced volume is responsible for the change in color. The reports on the quality (potency)of the sperm indicate that is just as effective at lower quantities. Taking a lower dose pf Propecia makes no sense if you want the full benefit of the drug, but unofficial reports indicate that half the dose (1/2 mg) will be 80% as effective. Since you are concerned, I’d suggest paying a visit to the prescribing doctor to find out what he/she recommends.

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I Want to Look Into Hair Restoration In 4 Years – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello
I’m only 16 and i have a terrible baldness. Rogaine and propecia didn’t have any effect on me after a year of use so i think that the only solution is an operation later(after 3 years).so i’d like to know if the method of hair restoration can be used in 2010 and if i can do operate at the age of 20 years old.

Severe balding at age 16 is not common. You should be evaluated by a hair specialist to confirm your diagnosis and rule out other causes that may result in premature hair loss. If you are diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness with no other causes involved, the best thing is to prevent further loss by taking the medication finasteride. Only after examination of your hair loss and the changes in its pattern, can we tell you what is the best timing for a hair transplant procedure. Hair transplants a rarely performed in men under the age of 24 years old. Please get good metrics on your hair situation by getting your hair mapped out for miniaturization so you can follow scientifically what is happening to you.

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Gadget Bloggers Trying the LaserComb – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’m still getting emails requesting more information and insights about the HairMax LaserComb, but unfortunately, I really have nothing more to add to what I’ve already said about it in the past (see various posts here). I scoured the depths of the interweb for more to give you, and came up with 2 new links:

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Why Does Donald Trump’s Hairline Start So Low? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Re: Donald Trump’s hair
I always believed that his deep forehead hairline may have been due to the fact that he got a hair transplant in the early days of same; they seem to know better nowadays that transplanting hair should be done along more natural hair lines. Is this a possible explanation as to why his hair line starts so far down his forehead?

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I have never seen his hairline, because he always combs his hair forward and over to cover his hairline. I do believe that he had the old type of transplant and scalp reduction procedure, leaving him with enough of a deformity that he needs to cover his hair with his unique style of combover. I would love to see him and give him an opinion as to what I could do to fix it. I would, of course, respect his privacy and keep his medical care completely confidential, just as I would with the truck drivers who came to see me.

Image: Wikipedia

Burned on Both Sides of Head As an Infant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello, I’m 33 years old and I was born five months premature, I was placed into the incubator (not sure if it’s the right word) and they forgot me too long and I was burned on both sides of my head. Now, on the left side the hair grown but on the right side never and I have a hole that I have to hide with my hair. That of course means, I can’t have it too short… Is there a natural way in order to make that hair comeback ? Something that would make the dead roots to comeback to life and let the hair grow… Thank you very much.

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There is hope for people like you, but it is not in bringing back the hair. There is reconstructive surgery that works well. The use of scalp expanders in the hands of experts have created miracles in people with burns, avulsing injuries, electrical burns that cause loss of large sections of scalp, tumors and birth defects of all types, etc..

Young Teen Girl With Hair Loss Questions – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello. Lately I have been experiencing excess hair loss. I am only 13 years old (female), and nobody in my family has had any hair loss problems. Everyone has a full head of hair. I still have tons of hair, but more hair is coming out than it used to. I lose probably about 150 hairs a day. Is this normal? Should I do something?

QUESTIONS:

  1. Can a dry scalp cause hair loss?
  2. Am I losing the right amount of hair?
  3. Is there anything I can do to stop it?
  4. Can going through puberty cause hair loss?
  5. I am stressed because of my hair loss, and hair loss is caused by stress. WHAT DO I DO?!

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE help.
Thank you

To answer your questions in the order in which they were asked –

  1. Dry scalp does not cause hair loss.
  2. It is normal to lose the 100 hairs a day. Sometimes more. There are other hairs growing at the same time.
  3. There is nothing you can do about it. (sorry)
  4. Puberty may be a factor in your hair loss situation.
  5. Stress can cause hair loss and stress of losing hair can be a vicious cycle (to a certain degree).

If you are a regular, healthy teenage girl, it may only be just a phase, but if this bothers you that much, you should see your primary care doctor. Get your parents involved. Let them know what’s going on and have an appointment setup with your physician. This might not be anything to be concerned about, but if you are worried, best to get it checked out with an in-person exam.

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Psoriasis, Picking, and Maybe Even Traction Alopecia? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

First, I have to say what an amazingly informative site this is! I am a female in my mid-twenties. On and off for the past 10 years I have suffered psoriasis on my scalp. It gets scaly and itchy. Usually I am able to avoid picking it; however over the past 8 months I went through a very difficult period and was under tremendous stress. Unconsciously, I began to pick at my scalp and it has now turned into a persistent bad habit. I have noticed that as a result my hair is thinning. I have always had thinner hair at this point the hair loss is not blaringly obvious but it is getting to the point that I have to avoid certain hair styles all together and harder and harder to hide. I had assumed that this was a result simply from pulling at the scalp and playing with my hair. Now after reading more on your site I am concerned that I am suffering traction alopecia in addition to the psoriasis. I know that controlling the picking is the first step and I am assuming this is a psychological issure but I have not found anyone to help with this. I saw a Dr. who prescribed me Fluocinonide, which helps moderately with the irritation. Is there another course of action you recomend? A way to help the scalp heal and perhaps prevent traction alopecia?
Thanks!!!!

You are right. You must first treat your obsessive disorder and stop picking at your hair (trichotillomania). Without that, nothing is going to work, because even if you help your hair grow by other treatments, you will most likely continue to pull the hair out. If you could stop picking at your hair, your hair will grow in 4 to 6 months provided that you did not do so much picking that you have developed true traction alopecia.

Also see: I Am Pulling My Hair Out and Need Advice

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