September 2007 – Page 3

September 25, 2007

Using Hair Dye After Chemotherapy – Balding Blog

In April, 2007 my wife completed chemotherapy for Non-Hodgkins Lymphpoma (R-CHOP Protocal) Her hair began to grow back after her 4th of 6 treatments and was coming in well. Once she had enough hair to color she went to a hair salon to have it colored. Realizing it was ridiculous to pay for the coloring for such little hair, she decided to use a store bought permanent color. She has done it twice since and after the last coloring her hair began falling out. She has spoken to the medical staff at her oncologist’s office and was told NOT to use “permanent” coloring but “temporary”. They acted as though she was nuts but no one ever told her not to. Anyway,she was also told it would come back.

Have you ever come across this situation before? Will it come back at a normal pace?

Thanks

We have answered similar questions in the past regarding hair dye causing hair loss, although not specifically about dying hair regrown after chemotherapy. The reality is that dye can cause hair loss by itself, as it can make the hair fragile. These substances can burn the skin and they can work their way through the follicle from the skin pore and burn each and every follicle causing damage. That is why professional hair dyes in the hands of professionals are the best way to have the process done. As your wife’s hair is in ‘recovery mode’ you must be extra careful. Your wife needs to wait a few months and should grow her hair back if there is no other condition causing her hair loss.

September 25, 2007

How Much Do You Think Hair Loss Effects People Socially? – Balding Blog

Being a daily reader i enjoy ur blog very much. it has helped me understand the problem better and most of all given suffering people like us ANSWERS! Rarely in this part of the world we find doctors who are willing to explain in detail what the problem is, the science behind it, what are the chances,what should one expect from a drug or procedure in such a clear, honest & explanatory way. instead of wondering “why is this happening to me out of all the people”. just wanna thank you doctor your doing a great job! may god bless you all at new hair.

Doctor from the emails u get on a daily basis how much do think hair loss’s effecting people’s lives? socially & psychologically? i mean do u get a lotta distressed emails? i had freaked out when i first started losing hair after numerous visits to various doctors & surfing the internet i came across to ur site..which has helped me understand the problem so so so much better. thank you once again!

Parliament wig Hair loss has been a problem throughout all of recorded history. Wigs have been around for centuries. Samson got his strength from his hair and this is clearly metaphorical, symbolic of virility and fertility in a man. There is good grounds for hair loss being negative in the selection of a husband in the olden days when tuberculosis (TB) ran rampant. Men with TB who were sickly, lost their hair. Unfortunately, men with genetic balding in those days could not be separated from the sick and dying, so women would evade those men as suitable husband choices. Think of the billions of dollars ($19 billion, specifically) spent on hair in the United States alone. Hair is important to many people. For the young man, it is the ‘lion’s mane’ that makes him feel manly. This is not a 100% rule, but look at politicians and you will see that something like 90% have hair (while 50% show balding in the male population). This points to society’s view of balding and studies have polled people who believe that hairy men are more trustworthy than balding men. So, to answer your question, yes, hair loss does impact self-esteem in some men. If you are one of them, the solution may be a good hair transplant (no one should be able to tell that you had it when the procedure is done by a real expert).

Here is an interesting blog post from a couple of years ago that I just found: Jew Eat Yet? – Hair-Brained.

September 25, 2007

Hair Loss from Basal Cell Carcinoma on Scalp – Balding Blog

I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my scalp, directly in my part line, back in January. The incision was closed with staples, but when the staples were removed, it opened back up, then healed as scar tissue. I had a scar revision done 6 weeks ago, where they removed the scar tissue and then pulled the scalp together again and stitched it this time. It looked great this time, but as I was told, the surrounding hairs would eventually go into shock and fall out. They fell out about 3 weeks ago and there is absolutely no sign of hair regrowth yet. What are the chances that my hair will not regrow? I have a fairly large bald patch on the top of my scalp now.

Any skin manipulation can put hair into telogen (resting) phase. The telogen phase takes a few weeks and spontaneously reverses. It takes a few months for new hair to become long and thick to create adequate coverage for your bald spot. In some cases if surgical manipulation and undermining scalp skin damage hair follicles, patients may experience permanent hair loss in the area. Give it a few months and your hair should grow back. If you don’t see any growth after 6 months you may have lost your hair permanently, and in that case a hair transplant procedure can help to fill the bald area if it is cosmetically bothering you.

September 25, 2007

Gaps and Splits in Follicles – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,
I am an African American with natural hair. I have splits ends, but have also noticed that my hair follicle is also split in the middle of the shaft. There are areas on the shaft where the hair has not completely separated, however gaps are apparent. What is wrong with my hair?

It seems you have brittle hair. Maybe not split ends, but split middles? This can be due to many causes such as over styling or over drying with blow driers, chemical treatments, genetics, etc. Speak with your hair stylist about the use of conditioners that hydrate your hair shafts.

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September 25, 2007

Can Shock Loss Be Permanent? – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor

I have a question for shock loss after an HT procedure. You always say that healthy hair (not miniaturized hair that MPB did not so far affect and neither will in the future ) lost due to shock loss should come back after a few months ( even without the use of propecia ? ) Why do you use the word ’should’ and not the word ‘will’? Is there a chance that shock loss could make healthy hair permanently die , and if so what is that chance ? Let’s of course exclude the case that the transplant doctor makes mistakes and accidently scars the healthy follicles.

The use of the word “should” rather than “will” is a way of predicting the future. Let’s not play language games here. Shock loss, when it occurs in men with genetic hair loss, can (not “will”) accelerate the hair loss process by a few years and this can (again, not “will”) be prevented with the use of Propecia (finasteride 1mg). Each person is different, and as such, each person reacts differently to various drugs, procedures, stresses, etc.

September 25, 2007

All These Medical Miracles, Yet Nobody Can Clone a Damn Follicle?! – Balding Blog

They can clone a sheep, replace your heart, separate joined at the head babies, Sew back on a penis…Why haven’t any of you doctors figured out how to cure baldness or at least clone a damn hair follicle yet!

Thanks

Attempts are being made, but keep in mind an undetectable natural looking hair transplant is a medical miracle in itself also. Today’s transplants work now, so waiting for the cloning miracle which may or may not come in your lifetime, will only guarantee balding for many of those that want to wait.

September 24, 2007

Half My Moustache Stopped Growing – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

One side of my mustache does not grow. I shave it everyday and still nothing. I was able to grow a mustache before, but all of a sudden my left side stopped growing. What can i do or use to make it grow back. Thanks.

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It is very strange that only one side of your moustache grows. There is nothing that will make the other side grow. Please send me a picture (reference this blog post) and it will be kept confidential. If indeed one side of your moustache is not growing, hair transplantation may be an option. If your moustache hair is not of the same character as your head hair, then mixing head hair along with using the right side of your moustache (the side with the hair) as a donor, is a real option if transplants are done.

September 24, 2007

Pimple in Recipient Area After Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman:

I had a pimple in my recipient area (I am 5.5 weeks post op) that I accidentally popped while washing and it drew a little blood. Am I in danger at this stage of losing a graft and will this affect the growth in that area?

Thanks as always

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Pimples (follicular cysts) do occur after a hair transplant. They most often reflect remnants of hair that is left behind at that site. The body tries to expel those remnants and these are what people call ‘pimples’. Warm soaks are generally the best treatment. Be careful that you do not have a ‘folliculitis’ (an infection of many hair follicles) that may require medical attention.

September 24, 2007

I Spike My Hair, But Now Some Hairs Don’t Stay Up – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doc,
Thanks for this site, it’s nice to see I’m not the only one worrying about these things. I’m a 20 year old male whose father has a full head of hair, but there is some balding in members of
my mother’s side. I wear a spiked hairstyle and I’ve noticed that up close many front hairs fall forward and do not spike up with the rest of my hair. This didn’t used to happen in my teens.
You cannot tell unless looking up close. I’ve also noticed some thinning, also when seen up close. The rest of my head is fine. Are these “fallen hairs” something to worry about?

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Perhaps you need a stronger hair spray (or whatever product you may use). Maybe apply more product to those “fallen hairs” and see if you can get them to stand upright like the rest of the soldiers. Some hairs not standing up with the rest is not cause for concern, though. Just having balding in your family line isn’t reason to get worked up about possibly losing your hair — genetic hair loss can skip generations. If you see loss though, that is another story entirely…

So if you are concerned about hair loss or balding, you should start by having your scalp hair examined for signs of miniaturization and/or patterns of thinning. This would give you a better idea what is going on with your hair.

September 24, 2007

Hair Loss from Testosterone Replacement Therapy? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I have been under the care of an anti-aging doctor for two years. I have been taking testosterone (TRT). I have had hair transplants 10 years ago. I have been recently experiencing
more hair in my comb. Can Testosterone replacement cause transplanted hair to be lost?

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Testosterone replacement may cause androgenic alopecia, but it should not cause hair loss in the permanent hair that was transplanted from the back and sides of your head (these hairs are not affected by DHT). You may be experiencing hair loss from your native non-transplanted hair.