October 2007 – Page 12

October 9, 2007

Getting Accurate Lab Work After Stopping Propecia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

My question revolves around accurate lab work in regards to one’s hormonal levels. Propecia has a half life around 4 hours. It should not take too long for the medicine to be out of the body. The question I am curious about is how long does it take after one’s last dose of Propecia to get an accurate picture of one’s hormonal levels without the levels being affected by Propecia? I imagine even if the medicine is out of the body, the affects might still be present. Thank you for your time and website!

There is tissue fixation which may take a few weeks to disappear, but I really don’t know the statistics. In a few weeks, it will not matter. If you are a professional athlete or a blood donor, then there is a different standard, but that is not my expertise. Sorry.

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October 9, 2007

Can I Send Samples of My Hair for Analysis? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dr. Rassman,

For the longest time I have wanted to visit your clinic, but I am as far away from California as I can get. I am a 20 year old male experiencing abnormal hair growth throughout my entire scalp. I saw a dermatologist recently who told me that I do indeed have bitemporal recession, but that the kinked and bizarre hair growth is something independent of MPB. Beyond this, he was not helpful in the least. What concerns me most is that hairs all throughout my supposedly permanent region are growing in wiry, almost identical to a mathematical sine curve. As the hair thins, I noticed that the amplitude of the waves also gets smaller.

I have a sample bag of at least 100 such hairs and would like to send them to you or your clinic so they can be analyzed. Is this possible? I have waded though alot of literature, and the closest thing I can find to my condition is progressive acquired kinking or “woolly hair” – except it is not isolated in any one spot. I have looked at the hairs under a microscope (I’ve got access to a lab) and they are clearly abnormal. It looks similar to pili torti, but the hair is waved and not twisted. It also shows a spangled appearance when I view it under bright light.

Please help me, doc! I understand there may be no cure, but at the very least I’d like a diagnosis, or a name by which to call it. If you can supply a mailing address, I’ll send the samples to you.

Unfortunately, sending samples of your hair will not help me to figure out what is going on, as I do not do hair analysis outside the head and scalp. I am afraid that I can not offer you experience or insights with this condition without a proper examination. Sorry.

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October 9, 2007

20 Year Old Healthy Woman Experiencing Hair Loss – Balding Blog

Hello,
I am a 20 year old female and just had a question about my hair. I have been experiencing abnormal hair loss for the last year or so. My hair has always been really thick so it’s been really noticeable for me. I went to the dermatologist last year and he said it was stress. I was and have been under no stress so I ruled out that possibility. Then a doctor told me low levels of iron can contribute to hair loss. I got some blood work and my ferritin level was 4 which, from the information I’ve gathered, is very low. I read that the level needs to be around 40 to stop falling out and up to 70 to start to regrow. My doctor recommended that I take ferrous sulfate 325mg so I have been taking one tablet a day since May 2007. She said it may take 2-3 months to notice any results, but it’s been almost 5 months and I still haven’t noticed any changes. I just wanted some professional advice on the whole situation. I am getting pretty worried that I haven’t seen any results and starting to think that my hair loss may not be due to low iron levels. I have looked up TONS of information on hair loss; I am a very healthy women with no serious health problems. My thyroid levels are fine, I don’t have diabetes or lupus, I’m not under any stess so I don’t know what to do. Could this be just a phase? Please help me!!

Hair loss in women can be the result of a variety of medical conditions. At top of the list of culprits — iron deficiency, thyroid disorders, autoimmune diseases, and hormonal imbalances.

Iron deficiency could be the cause of your hair loss. Treatment of iron deficiency is usually easy, but you need to continue taking iron for a while to overcome your deficient status and then continue for months to fill the iron reserve in your body.

After completion of iron deficiency treatment, it may take a few months before you see any hair growth and even after that the new hair may not be noticeable due to its short length compared to the rest of your hair. It is possible that the hair won’t fully come back to its original strength. I recommend that you complete the treatment of iron deficiency and wait for at least 6 to 8 months. At that point if you are not quite satisfied with the growth of your new hair, you should see a hair specialist for further evaluation.

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October 8, 2007

Can I Flatten a Keloid in Donor Area? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

i had hair transplantation in 2001. I had only two small patches to cover them but during the surgery i shed too many hairs and now i have a large scar at the back of my head and also have kind of wounds in some of the transplanted areas where scab is formed and i keep scratching those areas(what to do to get rid of these wounds). The scar at the back is like a small Keloid, is there a war to get it removed or flatten with some steroid injection? Also tell me if i can have hair transplanted on the area from where strip was taken so that i can keep short hair and that area remains covered. If it is possible hair from which part of the body will be taken as i dont want to donate hair from the back of my scalp. Chest hair, shoulder hair etc will do the job. Thanks

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Wow, this is pretty complicated. I really can’t give a proper response without at least pictures and I may need to even see you directly to see precisely what needs to be worked with.

Keloids may respond to steroids directly placed into the keloid if it is relatively fresh (past few months). Some people are keloid formers. You can always do FUE for hair transplants. Flattening them does not usually work. In your case, using body hair is a possibility.

October 8, 2007

What If I Try Rogaine and Propecia, Then Phase Out Rogaine Gradually? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Doctor Rassman:

I’m 28 and have noticed a rather rapid hair loss on top, behind the hairline. I’m scheduled for a miniaturization study next week. I’m afraid of the 6 month gamble on Propecia only-the one you recommend, particularly because hair loss seems so sudden and fast. What if I use Rogaine and Propecia simultaneously and if and when hair loss is reversed-say a year from now-gradually phase out Rogaine? Would my body be able to tell which hairs owe their existence specifically to Monoxidil and I lose the benefit I gained from it and keep only the hair supported by Propecia? Thanks.

The mechanism of action is different for finasteride and minoxidil. If you use both and receive benefits, then stop using Rogaine, you will lose any benefits from the Rogaine. It isn’t possible to tell which drug gave which benefits, which is why I recommend starting with one and then adding the other if necessary. Propecia does not keep hair grown by minoxidil and vice versa.

In other words, what you’re suggesting is not a good idea.

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October 8, 2007

My Transplanted Hair Started Growing Immediately – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I had a hair transplant surgery 3 months ago. Immediately after my hair transplant,and im talking about the 1.5 to 2nd month, i realized my hair to grow up as now im on the 3rd month and my right hairline is covered with hair, something that does not happen on the right. My doctor also had confirmed this with me in front.My question is, is it guaranteed that my hair where the transplanted area is will continue to grow and generate new hair until the 6-8 month as expected?is there any chance to stop growing from now on?

Thanks

Some hair will grow immediately in about 5% of patients and 5% of the hairs. You might still see more over time, but not more than 100% of what was transplanted. Nobody ever gets two for one.

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October 8, 2007

My Hair Turns White Then Back to My Natural Color – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi, I’m 22 yr. old female, and I’ve had a few strands of white hair since I was like 15 yrs. old. The thing is the white hair doesn’t start growing in white immediately. First it grows in my natural hair color, then turns white, the afterwards it turns black again. it’s really weird, And i used to pluck it but now since only the root of its white, i don’t even bother anymore. what does this mean?

First of all, plucking of the hair is not good as it eventually kills the hair. I have heard of dark hair that lightens (sun causes bleaching of the hair), but I have never heard of hair that turns black after first turning white (other than in a person with hormonal altering brain tumors). My first reaction is wondering what are you doing to your hair to cause this phenomenon. Unfortunately, I have no advice for you as this is a new one for me.

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October 8, 2007

It Feels Like Something Is Moving In My Scalp – Balding Blog

Hi doc,

I am a 26 year old black female and I have been experiencing hair loss. For the past year or so, I’ve noticed that my hair has been thinnning (front of scalp), and then lately, I’ve notice
white clumps around my hair shaft. And sometimes, I would feel as though something is moving in my scalp (not lice). And its getting worse. I have set an appt. with a dermotalogist, but I
doubt it they will find out what’s wrong with me. I’ve tried everything and nothing seems to help. I wash my hair every week and I get a relaxer every 4 months. I would greatly appreciate
your advice-thank you.

You need an examination. Parasites like lice are a primary diagnosis, but your visit to your dermatologist is the right first step.

October 8, 2007

Experiencing Shock Loss Months After My Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Ok here’s my situation, about 7 months ago I got about 1400 grafts performed. The standard strip style surgery. I’ve healed up well and I would say less than 2 months after surgery the hairs immediately started to grow. I also started propecia right before the surgery. I experienced shock loss immediately after the surgery and it ceased about 2 months after. I shaved my head completely and my hair grew in like crazy very thick and flowing. About 4 months after the surgery my hair started to fall out again and has since been falling out and progressively getting worse. I apply rogaine and copper peptide solution daily and am not doing anything any different. What can you suggest as a course of action?

Because of the protective effect against shock hair loss, you should’ve been taking Propecia (finasteride 1mg) prior to the hair transplant surgery — so the question now is whether you started it early enough (best a few weeks before the procedure). Accelerated hair loss associated with a hair transplant is most probably caused by shock loss. One must use the history and the association to point to the cause. You might be going through a hair loss cycle unrelated to what you are doing and there may not be anything you can do except to wait for your hair cycle to take its course. If there was a considerable amount of miniaturized hairs, then you would be a ’set-up’ for shock loss. Studying your hair miniaturization and distribution may point to more information in helping to make a diagnosis, but as I am not your doctor, I have no access to your patient records and can’t provide much more help than suggesting you post these questions to your doctor.

October 8, 2007

Can I Accelerate Male Pattern Baldness? – Balding Blog

is there any way to speed up mpb???? if mpb is caused by adrogens, would using any product that may otherwise cause some form of hairloss speed it up??? acelerate it????
also do you recomend any recomended sleep patterns for men loosing their hair?

Good question. Although the mechanism of hair loss in men is known to be hormone related, there are many other factors that can accelerate your hair loss, including:

emotional changes and stress
major medical condition
major surgery
inflammation of skin
nutritional imbalance
steroid or steroid-like drug use
extreme dieting
hair transplant surgery

Having said that, most of those conditions never cause permanent hair loss if you don’t have the genetic susceptibility for it.

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