July 2007 – Page 6 – Balding Blog

July 20, 2007

Strip Procedure Out-Yields FUE Procedure Every Time? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello doc,

over at the hairlossadvances.com I read the following lines from one of the most serious posters over there:

“The actual surival and yield percentages of the strip compared to the FUE will vary from patient to patient based on pysiological characteristics but, strip will out-yield fue every time”.

If this is true, how much weaker is the FUE?

Block Quote

It depends on what this poster means by “yield“.

If the question is strictly about the number of grafts (yield), then you’re correct — the strip procedure is far more efficient in the yield when compared to FUE. If you mean long term survival, then I would say that the answer is tied to the organization of the team of technicians and surgeon. If you mean the ability to come close to 100% hair by hair yield, I believe that strip harvesting yields 95%+ hair for hair yield, while FUE is often less than that. In other words, transection rates with strip harvesting are usually very low (under 5%), whereas FUE transection rates can run as high as 90% and as low as 5% (depending on the skill of the doctor and the collagen make-up of the patient).

July 20, 2007

My 3 Year Old Has a Bald Spot from an Accident… – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

My 3 year-old son had a freak accident involving our treadmill about 7 weeks ago, and sustained several severe abrasions — one on his scalp. His head is mostly healed, except for a small spot in the middle; the surrounding area is pink, with no sign of hair regrowth as of yet.

My question is: how deep would the abrasion have to be to affect the hair follicles? How long should we expect to wait to know whether regrowth may occur?

The wounds that are deep enough to cut the hair follicle below the level of the skin may cause permanent hair loss, but in a classic abrasion, the hair should grow back. I would wait it out for a good 6-8 months before worrying about it. Hair loss could also be seen with any surgical scar that cuts or injures hair shafts below the skin level or if the skin edges separate and are not closed with sutures. Superficial abrasions may cause hair loss temporarily. This latter type of hair loss usually re-grows in a matter of a few months. If your son does not grow his hair back in those areas in 6-8 months, he may have lost it permanently. This type of balding spots could be excised or transplanted with hair successfully.

July 20, 2007

Is It Normal to Lose Eyelash Hairs? – Balding Blog

I was curious to know how many eyelashes is it normal for a person to lose in a day?

I answered a similar question about beard hair loss recently (see: How Many Hairs Does a Man Lose From His Beard Each Day?). For eyelashes, I suspect a range from 0 to 4 at most.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 20, 2007

Desperation Affects Reasoning – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Doctor,

You’ve said it before, and I agree with you that people suffering from hair loss, in their hopes of being delivered from their pain, are willing to believe too resolutely in products that
promise them a cure.

This article says it all: Threats To Hope: Desperation Affects Reasoning About Product Information

I hope everyone reads it and thereby removes the poor decision-making skills that sometimes accompanies their desperation.

Excellent. Thank you for sending this!

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 19, 2007

But, You Said Testosterone Can Cause Hair Loss… – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

In one of your responses, you state that testosterone can precipitate the hairloss gene’s expression and that testosterone itself can cause hair loss. Where does this information come from? Is this an opinion or documented information? Everything I can find indicates DHT as the problem source. If it is testosterone, why would balding not occur in teenage years as this is primetime for testosterone production?

Block Quote

I will attempt to correct any confusion that I may have caused:

DHT is a by-product of testosterone which occurs as the liver breaks down testosterone into DHT.

Thus, having more testosterone will produce more DHT. DHT is responsible for genetic male pattern balding (MPB) or androgenic alopecia. In other words, if you do NOT have the gene (or genes) for MPB you can have all the DHT in the world and it will not cause balding. Moreover, teenagers with “primetime” testosterone production may have “primetime” DHT, but if their genes are not programmed for hair loss to start at that age, they would not have hair loss. It is definitely in the genes, but it also has to do with timing!

July 19, 2007

Hair Loss InformationHow Is It Possible For the Forelock to Remain but Bald All Around It? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,

How is this possible? I’ve noticed this celebrity whose entire forhead is bald except for a little stubborn patch in the middle. It doesn’t make any sense. How can the entire forhead go bald while a little patch remains? Does not DHT miniturize all the hairs? Here is the picture of the celebrity below and another picture I found with a gentlemen who has the same pattern.

Celebrity – John C. McGinley

PG.com patient

Block Quote

I’ve been asked about this before, and I always point to David Letterman, who has a persistent forelock and hair loss around it. This is a genetic trait (shown well in your photo references) which is common in some families. I see it quite often.

July 19, 2007

Hair Loss Information » Shedding for 6 Months Since Starting Propecia – Balding Blog

hi! I’m 21 years old and 3 years ago i realised i was loosing too much hair, but nobody believed me.Now my hair is really thinner and i have lost a lot…i have been taking propecia for 6 months but it really has became worse…what is it happening? i though i was shedding effect but…6 months loosing hair because of the shedding effect? i was really better before taking propecia! should i keep it and wait or should i stopped? I mean…if it’s shedding efect it’s not so bad…but..i don’t know. could you help me? Doctors in Spain don’t take it serious…
Thank you!

You may be going through a very active phase of hair loss, genetically inspired. You need to consult with your doctor. If I was your doctor, I would have had your scalp mapped out for miniaturization so as you follow the progression of hair loss, there would be insights into the changes that may point to the cause.

July 19, 2007

Hair Loss Information » Intercytex’s Cloned Hair Photos? – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman,

I believe you and your reader base will find this most exciting. Intercytex has released what appear to be the first photos ever documenting the growth of cloned hair on a human scalp. The pictures may be found at this link: Vavelta.com – PDF file.

I believe these pictures are from a Phase I trial which was designed to assess safety and not efficacy. Even so, have a look at them and tell us what you think about the quality and angling of the new hair.

I appreciate your reference here. Our readership should find it interesting. I believe that we will see the answer sooner or later and this company may have the solution, but I think it is probable that if this is shown to be effective, approval may take years.

July 18, 2007

What Questions Should I Ask When I Get My Miniaturization Test? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Doc,

Thanks for this gem of a site! I’m scheduling my first miniaturization with the Hair Club for Men. Two questions:

What questions should I ask the physician when we meet?

Have you heard anything from your colleagues in the hair transplant world re: Hair Club for Men’s experience and success in restoring hair?

Thanks for your time!

First and foremost, you should educate yourself on hair transplant surgery and hair loss. Just as you have found this site, you can find tons of information on the rest of the web. Just double check sources and make sure the information is credible. You can also use NewHair.com for extensive medical information on hair transplantation and hair loss.
With respect to the reputation / success of other medical groups, it would be unprofessional of me to comment (positive or negative) on the matter since it would obviously be a conflict of interest. We have many suggestions in this blog on how to qualify doctors and you should follow that advice.

You need to know what the mapping of your miniaturization shows and you should ask the doctor what he/she might predict will be the eventual loss of hair (distribution/pattern) and the rate at which you might bald. If you are using medications like Propecia, you should be able to compare the progress or reversal of the miniaturization over a time period of months.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 18, 2007

Sensitive Nipples and Propecia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Dr Rassman, I find your site very interesting and helpful. After living in denial for six months I have finally conceded that the balding process has begun and have started taking propecia. I have only been on the drug for a week however I am already noticing sensitive nipples.

I am much too concerned about losing my hair to be bothered by very mild occasional pain, however developing gyno is something that really worries me, especially as i already have a very slight case of it from puperty (despite the fact that I am fit and slim). I plan on speaking to my doctor about this, but I would like to know from your experience, does sensitive nipples always turn into gyno? Would I be premature in halting the medication based on this alone? Is there a chance that it could simply go away as my body adapts to the drug, or even if it continues not necessarily mean I will develop gyno?

Thanks for your time.

Yes, it is possible for sensitive nipples to develop into gynecomastia. I would try stopping it (you are early in the process) and see if the sensitivity goes away. Certainly checking with your doctor is important. Breast enlargement or nodules can occur with Propecia, but it is relatively rare (about 1 in 300-500 cases).