May 2007 – Page 11 – Balding Blog

May 10, 2007

Body Size of Patients Used in FDA Trials on Finasteride? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi there,
Can I just say that you have a great site! I’m a regular reader, and think that I have a question for you that may be interesting. I’ve searched through your archives and haven’t found a similar question, but if I have missed it, please accept my apologies.

Recently I have had a look through the FDA trial reports on finasteride, but cannot find any information on the body sizes and characteristics of the patients used in the study. Are such data available? (Histograms, Mean/median, SD, etc).

Whilst I am assuming that the effective dose of finasteride for treating MPB is related to body size, and that the occurrence of side effects increases with relative dose, could there be a case for smaller dosages being suitable for people smaller than the people used in the FDA study – Asians and orientals for example? As this blog is international, I feel that we “vertically challenged” of the rest of the world need to know!

I passed your question to Merck and I just got an answer. Essentially, the only thing that was studied was the average dose that is effective and it was not related to a person’s weight. Body size was not studied.

May 10, 2007

A Note From a US Soldier with a Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

This is a note I received from a GI going back to Iraq for another tour that I wanted to share. It was really nice to hear from him, and I was particularly pleased to hear about his result, of course.

Soon it will be a year from the time of my transplant and normally I would schedule my follow up shortly there after but I will be on deployment here starting next week but be back in September so will schedule then. Presently I am pretty happy with the result.

I am hoping for some additional filling in on the crown area but it is greatly improved. Especially the ones that went into my pre-existing scars. They have made it so I can wear my hair extremely short without being uptight about it anymore. The coverage on them was superb. And I have continued to see improvement throughout and I am hoping that I get a little bit more fullness on the crown area but so far like I said I am very pleased with the result.

Thanks again hope to see ya end of summer.

May 9, 2007

Propecia and the G-Spot – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman, I have a question about Propecia’s impact on the prostate. I’ve read other posts but have not been able to find anything regarding my particular question.

Like women, men also have a g-spot and it’s located on their prostate. My question is, if Propecia shrinks the prostate does it impact the g-spot too? For better or for worse? Will it make the g-spot disappear? Thanks.

Your question is an interesting one. I do not believe that men have the same type of G-spot that women have, but the nerves that surround the prostate in men are in the same vicinity as where one would find the G-spot in women (just above and behind the pubic bone). Propecia will not shrink a normal prostate, only one that has benign swelling from age. I do not know if there is a perceptible difference in the feeling of a swollen prostate and one that is less swollen (I might venture a guess, but not here). Gay men who have anal intercourse or digital stimulation may be better able to answer this question if they are in the upper age group. Having done many rectal examinations and having had them myself during my annual physical examination, I know what it feels like to have pressure put on the prostate (I do not particularly like it, nor do most heterosexual men).

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 9, 2007

Pimples Along the Hairline – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have these pimple like bumps on my head but they are only around the frame of my face where the hair line starts. They started with just one st the top of my forehead and I thought it was just a pimple so I tried to pop it and now they are spredding along my hair line: behind my ears, bottom of my neck at the hair line, and at the temples. Also they only itch when they first show up and after I itch them the first time it stops itching, but doesnt go away. They stay there and scabb up. I want to know what they are and what to do to make them go away! Please help me!

I am assuming that you have not had a hair transplant. If you have pimples that had white heads on them, you may have developed folliculitis. You are best served seeing a dermatologist to make the diagnosis, but any good family doctor should be able to address the problem. Scratching it will make the folliculitis spread from one area to another.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 9, 2007

Is There a Rogaine Pill? – Balding Blog

What are the effects of taking rogaine and propecia together? Are any positive effects negligible? Does rogaine only come in topical form (no pill)?

Minoxidil was originally an antihypertensive pill that did not have a consistent response for the treatment of high blood pressure. It grew hair on some of those who used it. It is not recommended today for oral use in the treatment of hair loss. It was more effective growing hair when it is applied to the skin directly and is certainly safer.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 9, 2007

Is More than 1ml of Minoxidil More Effective? – Balding Blog

minodoxil/rogain in liquid alcohol based form is to be used twice a day 1ML each time. What are the effects in terms of B.P or any other side effect if the drug was used in slightly more capacity (say 1.5 ml or even 2ml each time) to cover a larger area over a long term period. Will it have any adverse effects in the long term? or patients are strictly advised to use 1ML twice a day? in short is more than 1ml minox more effective?

Some people just can’t tolerate higher doses of minoxidil. You could try a higher dose and see if it makes you light-headed. If it does, then the dose could be too much. There is a suggestion that a higher dose of minoxidil is more effective and some doctors make up their own formulations in the 15% range. I do not offer this, because I have no experience making up medications in my office.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 9, 2007

Finasteride at 1mg and 5mg Dosages – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Is propecia at 1mg as effective as finasteride at 5mg ? thankyou

What was published in the original work on Propecia was that the 1mg dose was just as effective as the 5gm dose for treating hair loss. One might suspect that there is a dose response relationship and that a higher does might have more of a benefit than the 1mg dose, but that is strictly guess work. I only know for sure what I read about the subject and that data is well documented in the literature and through the FDA approved trials.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 9, 2007

1 Year Post-Op Photo of FUE Donor Area? – Balding Blog

doctor, can you please post a 1 year post op picture of the donor site of a patient whose undergone FOX/FUE ? how much density is left in the area i have seen the pictures of immediately after the surgery but it would be nice to see how much of hair actually fills up the donor site after such a procedure is performed! thanks and keep up the good work!

Below, please see the close-up photo of a patient who had 1108 FUE grafts done slightly over a year ago. There is a variability of scarring in any patient, some people just heal better than others. This particular patient had a good density to start with, so the missing follicular units are less evident than one might see in a person with a lower density. Also, the hypopigmentation (white spots from punctate scar formation) which is seen in some patients is not present in this patient. I hope that this helps.

Update: I added some red arrows to just a few of the spots where grafts were extracted. Can you find the other spots? There are easily another 100 places where the follicular units were removed in this field of view.

For more info, please see:

May 8, 2007

Hair Loss InformationAminexil vs Minoxidil – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,
can you please explain the difference between “Minoxidil” (Regaine) and “Aminexil” (Dercos SP94)? I am having troubles choosing between these two products.
Many thanks.

Block Quote

Aminexil is made by the large cosmetics company L’Oreal and is reported to act in a similar manner as minoxidil. As L’Oreal is behind it, there is an aura of credibility to it. Aminexil is not tested according to the FDA, so there is no way for me to judge from reading the material if there is value similar to minoxidil, as stated in the various publications I read.

May 8, 2007

Someone Told Me About a Home Remedy for Treating Head Fungus – Balding Blog

My sister-in-law has a one year old daughter. She was born with a head full of hair and she combed her hair everyday like she was supposed to and greased it. She used rubber bands to put braids on her hair and now all of a sudden at the top of the child’s head her hair has come out in big hunks, but just in that one section. So we took her to the doctor and he said it was a head fungus. It looks like big puss bumps and then they bust open by themselves and the puss and blood come out of them. The doctor gave her two types of medication for the fungus and a hair shampoo and he told us to grease her hair with vaseline everyday. But I was told by someone that I could mix Monostat Seven and vitamin E oil together to help it and it would make her hair grow back healthy and even thicker this time. Is this true or do you all have any other suggestions that you could tell me. She now has to wear hats everyday with her hair all down and vaseline on her scalp daily. Please help us if you can.

Treatment of scalp fungus could take a long time and even after treating it, you need to wait a few months for the hair follicles to generate new hair. My recommendation to you is to stick to the recommendation and treatment plan of your dermatologist.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):