Month: April 2007

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Hair Loss Over and Over Again in Cycles – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

dear doctor,
i am 22 years old. for these 4 years, my hair has lost several times. in fact the first time happened when i was 9. i got some treatment and it grew back. when i was 19, i noticed that my hair fell out some parts. there were just small parts, round size. then i went to the west china hospital which is the best one in the west of china.the treatment went though half a year and i went to see the doctor once a month.they gave me some chinese medicine and something that i can wipe on the non-hair parts. besides that, every month i was taken an injection on non-hair parts. the name of the medicine for the injection is Diprospan Compound Betamethasone Injection after several months, i was recovered.

but, just after half a year. the problem happened again. and i got the same treatment. then after several months it happened again. so, june, 2006 i went back to hospital again. this time, i didnt take those chinese medicines but only got the injection (i made this decision), but the difference is that the doctor didnt inject on my head but my muscle. then after two injections my hair grew back. but i still got injection once a month and it lasted 3 more month. but last month the trouble came back again.that means i only had half a year happy time. this month i got one injection. i wonder what kind of problem it is? why it happens again and again?

thank you very much, sir!

From your description, it sounds like you have a condition called alopecia areata. Your doctors seem to put it into remission with steroid use. Of course, this is only a guess. For more information on alopecia area, please see the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

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Do DHT Blockers Reduce DHT Only in the Scalp? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Do DHT Blockers, in general, reduce the level of DHT in the body as measured by a blood test, or is the intent to reduce/block DHT in the scalp? Could you have high levels in blood test results and still benefit by Avodart/Finasteride?

DHT blockers reduce the level of DHT in the blood stream/body and anywhere it has appropriate receptors. The prostate is a good example and sometimes people who are having a hard time urinating (usually over 50 years old) will find that Propecia makes the urinary symptoms better.

Hairs that are sensitive to DHT will fall out according to their genetic fate. You can have very high levels of DHT, but as long as your hair is not sensitive to DHT, Propecia will have little effect on the normal hairs.

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Been Taking Finasteride Since 1993 – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dr.

I have been using Proscar 2.5 mg since around 1993. I am 45 and do not have any balding at the vertex, just a little thinning when out of the shower and some recession at the temples. Could dutasteride perhaps be a better alternative and possible thicken hair at the vertex and maybe get back some of the recession?

There is no magic cure for hair loss. You can’t just rub a magic lamp and make a wish. I don’t mean to make light of your situation, but really what I’m just trying to say is that even dutasteride has its limits. I realize some patients may want to maximize their treatment and increase hair growth, and extensive scientific research show that finasteride 1mg is just as effective as finasteride 2.5mg or finasteride 5mg for the treatment of hair loss. Dutasteride is not yet FDA approved for the treatment of hair loss, but it is presently being tested in an FDA approved study. The side effects of dutasteride (sexual) are more than on finasteride. As this medication must be prescribed by a doctor, I would suggest you take this question to the doctor you choose.

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Hair Loss InformationHair Transplant Results Just Days After Surgery (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I wanted to show some very early after from two patients that came in today. Both patients have given me permission to post their photos, and I appreciate them allowing me to do so. From time to time I post photos of patients just days or weeks after surgery, and I hope these types of posts help to answer one of the more popular questions I receive almost daily — “What will my head look like right after surgery?! I need to get back to work and I don’t want anyone to know!”

Patient 1 — 1 day after surgery:
This young man had around 1500 grafts placed in the crown and around 600 grafts in the front just 1 day ago. His skin is white and hair is blonde. There is almost no swelling and no sign of the surgery other than a faint pink hue which should go away for him in a day or two.

Here are two photos of his hairline. Click the photos to enlarge.

 

Patient 2 — 10 days after surgery:

This patient had frontal work to drop the corners of his hairline. Just 10 days out after 1040 grafts and you can barely see anything. Note that I had to hold his hair back on the left corner just to show the transplanted area. His hair naturally falls over that area, and as such, it provided him a perfect cover during the first day or two when his skin was pink in the transplanted area.

Click the photos to enlarge.

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Prostatitis and Propecia – Balding Blog

My clinic in the UK has recommended the duel treatment of Propecia and Minoxidil for my MPB. I’m 40 with a receding hairline and a small bald spot on the crown. The slight complication appears to be that I had an acute prostatitis 2 years ago and the symptoms has not gone away completely. My question therefore: is it appropriate for me to take Propecia with symptoms of prostatitis?

You should be asking this question to your doctor who prescribed you the Propecia. Prostatitis is a general term that describes an inflammation of your prostate gland. You need to see a doctor for this problem and you should not be having symptoms for 2 years. Propecia, which is a brand name for finasteride in a 1mg tablet, may have an effect on your prostate, as the medication finasteride is also used to treat prostate conditions. This does NOT necessarily mean it will be good or bad for your prostate. You need to get your prostate checked. At such a young age you should not be having prostatitis unless you are doing something to irritate it or have an underlying prostate condition. There are many causes of prostatitis.




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Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Lowering African Female Hairline – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I’m a 24 year old female with African origin. I would like to lower my hairline through transplant. Would there be a problem for someone like myself with afro hair to get a hair transplant done? How much would it cost?

Women with African hair should not be a problem for hairline lowering procedures, providing there is no tendency to scarring. Costs of hair transplants will be about $6,000 (rough estimate) with possibly two procedures to accomplish the goals provided that the hair supply is adequate. The hairline lowering procedure costs can be found here and if any scar should show up, then transplants may be needed to address any widened scar.

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22 Years Old and Balding – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, I have looked all over the web for credible physicians, and New Hair is definitely the best I’ve found! I have heard horror stories and I want to make sure if I’m making an investment that the job is done right!

Now here’s my question. I am quite interested in what you might have to offer. I’m a bit younger, 22 and thinning rapidly all over my scalp (front and back). I’m on Propecia but the thinning still has not stopped. I expect that by next year, a large chunk of my hair will be gone. Unfortunately, I live in the mid-west. I’m a student and only have so much financial stability. I was wondering if there is anyway to estimate how much hair you could transplant, how much donor hair I may have, etc.. without seeing me in person. Unfortunately, I can’t afford constant flights to LA in addition to the cost of a transplant, so this would be quite helpful. I don’t have much of a desire to just cover part of my scalp (I figure I might as well just shave my head at that point) and want to know if it’s worth a shot. Also, I’m curious about your availability. How far in advance would I need to book an appointment for a transplant?

Thank you for your time and help. I hope to hear from you soon!

First, I want to thank you for your kind words about NHI.

Generally, I do not do hair restoration surgery on 22 year old men, because the final hair loss pattern is not usually evident. I always want to set up a Master Plan to determine where you are going and to ascertain your donor supply. Propecia (finasteride) works well to slow the process, which may be inevitable to whatever your final pattern will be. I do miniaturization studies to try to determine what that pattern may be and knowing about your family history will also help. Before you get into making an appointment for a hair transplant, let’s start off with photos. I would need to see (at the least) pictures of your head from various angles — enough of them to see the full extent of your thinning. Please reference this blog post when sending the pictures.

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Weightlifting After Hair Transplant Surgery – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Dr. Rassman, I had a strip procedure done 3 months ago. How long should I wait before I start lifting weights? I’ve been hearing so many different things. Any info would be greatly appreciated…thanks

You can start lifting weights now. By 3 months, the healing is fairly secure in the strip area.

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Very Thin Hair on Sides and Back — Is Body Hair Transplantation a Possibility? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

my body is very hairy (face, chest, back, etc). will taking any of these medications increase body hair? Since I hardly have any donor hair on my head, is body hair transplant a possibility? Where can I get good information on this subject?

Thanks for your assistance.

Best regards

I have written about body hair transplants extensively in this blog (search for body hair transplants). Be very careful with body hair transplants; the failure rate is very high.

I would be concerned that if your hair is see-through on the sides and back of your head (I assume that is what you mean by having little donor hair), that you may have Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA).

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