Hello,
What do you think of Revivogen and this recent study, comparing it to Finasteride and Dutasteride: study (PDF File)
The science looks interesting, but it is not clear from this study that there will be actual hair growth. If you want a known DHT blocker, finasteride is safe and proven to work. Nonetheless, I appreciate the link and thanks for sending.
Read your blog questioning the LaserComb. I have been using it for a year and have had substantial regrowth. I can understand why you want to sow doubt in peoples’ minds. This $575 device is a direct threat to your practice where you charge each patient thousands of dollars. Why don’t you also note that there is a 20 week return privilege?
That’s great for you! I am publishing your comments since you claim the LaserComb had value and I believe that sharing your experience with others is important. I wish I would receive more such positive comments about this type of technology and maybe your “insightful” note will get others to write about their experiences. I don’t think that you should be angry with me for voicing my opinion, as I am not angry or threatened by yours. I find it funny that some anonymous people feel they need to attack me for voicing an opinion on my own website. Unless you’re an employee with the manufacturer or investor in the product, I don’t understand why you’d be so personally connected that you think you need to defend it.
I’m trying to keep an open mind that it may work, and if I see good firsthand scientific proof that it works, my attitude can change. I have two lasers in my Los Angeles office for patient use and I’m unfortunately just not seeing any substantial growth in those patients that use it. I am not so ready to believe in a cure that may not be there and I don’t want to produce hope that is hollow. That is why I allow my surgical patients to use the laser at no charge so I can get their feedback on its value. We take photos of some laser patients periodically to note whether it is effective or not over time. Most people are ‘iffy’ about its value as they report it to me, and the pictures I have viewed are not showing much change over time. Do you know many doctors who have a $50,000 laser in their office and do not charge for its use?
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I have been fighting the effects of MPB for 10 years now and am 36 years old with good results and a lot of dedication. Ten years ago I started using Propecia when it first came out. It worked very well for me. Five years ago I noticed that it did not have the same effeciveness. I started to use Minoxidil along with Proscar split in to two. This worked well for three years but a year and a half ago we started to try for a baby and I did not want to have Proscar broken up around the house. I stopped using Proscar and just used Minoxidil which worked untill about two months ago when I started to see thining at the front. This is the same thinning I saw 5 years ago. Do you think this is a 5 year pattern that my hair goes through and not to worry? Have you seen somebody use Propecia for 8 years get off it and get back on it a year or so later with good results? What would you recommend?
It isn’t too late to restart the drug, although what hair you lost may not come back. It will likely slow down or stop what you are losing now. Some people think that Propecia works only in a 5 year cycle, but that is not true. The official Merck study was limited to 5 years and that is what people seem to remember.
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There’s a new article about transplanting eyebrows, and features quotes from myself and my colleague Dr Bernstein, and contains before and after photos of an eyebrow patient of mine. Here’s a snippet from the story:
Throughout the country, follically-challenged and over-tweezed women (and some men) are discovering a new solution to their eyebrow woes that does not involve tattoos or makeup pencils.
Eyebrow transplants accounted for just 3 percent of all hair transplants in 2006, according to the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery, but they grew by 35 percent over the previous two years and appear to be gaining momentum
Read the rest of the article here — Transplant perks up fading eyebrows
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Today i met a fascinating old man in his 80’s. We got talking and he remarked that being a builder for many years was stressful and then joked it made his hair turn grey. I replied “At least youve got your hair!, i dont think im gonna even gonna get to grey” (im a NW3 and have recently made and informed decision against Propecia after 6 months of intense research talking to 3 doctors.)
He then informed me that he was previously bald with a ring around his head,( sounds like a NW7). He got stomach cancer a few years ago and was forced to take estrogen. It sounded like it was a massive amount of estrogen and they put it straight into his stomach, he also said its about 1300 a pop and that he had it three times. The Doctor warned him that this treatment would either grow hair on his head or give him breasts.
His hair, now white was probably a Norwood 2. Just wondering if you could share some light on this fascinating story.
We know that estrogen protects women against hair loss and when they go through menopause, they lose their estrogen and many times their hair. I have been aware that estrogen may help in hair loss, but at what cost for the men (breast, libido, and feminization issues)?
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I have a scar from a brow lift on both sides of my head. I wear my hair short(military style), so you can see the scar. The scars have healed (6 yrs ago since browlift), and both sides of the scar have feeling in them. I can feel something touching, scratching them. The scars are pretty flat. I want to know about the procedure to transplant hair into the scar (including associated costs, timeframe, etc.) I have very thick hair that grows quickly. I am 34 years old.
Hair transplants work very well in the scars of brow lifts by transplanting them directly into the healed wound. We do these with some frequency, as well as neurosurgical scars, which are often larger. The costs are generally between $3000-4000 for such repairs as it takes 400+ grafts depending upon length and width of the scars. Most of these surgeries take about 3-4 hours and the hair will grow within 6-8 months.
What happens EXACTLY to your hair when you are stressed?
Although hair loss can be stress induced, simply having stress will not (in most people) impact your hair unless there is a balding process going on at the time of a prolonged stress. We do not know the mechanism for it in those that are impacted. Men rarely see it, women frequently will see it if they have a hair loss problem.
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Dr. Rassman, thank you and your team for always having a very informative blog and website.
My question is about transplant to the temples… is it a good idea to reshape the triangle part of the temples? Or is it better to use the grafts for the hairline, etc? Do you have pictures of patients you’ve done temples to that you can share with us?
Thank you very much for your help.
Yes, we can reshape the temples! In fact, my surgery case today was reshaping a patient’s temples and sideburns. Here is an example of a patient with temple transplants. He had about 1100 grafts placed into his front hairline and 150-200 grafts placed into each temple.
The before photo is on the left, after on the right. Click the photos to enlarge.
To see more of this patient (including other angles), check out his profile in the NHI Patient Photo Gallery. Even more temple hair transplant patients can be seen here.
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I am a twenty-three year old woman taking 37.5 mg of Paxil CR and have experienced substantial hair loss. Could this have something to do with this medication which I’ve been taking for the past 5 year? Also, my hair doesn’t seem to be growing. I eat well- get plenty of protein and take calcium supplements with magnesium and vitamin d. What might I do to trigger hair growth?
I do not know the mechanisms for this side effect, but Paxil (paroxetine) is on WebMD’s list of medications that can potentially cause hair loss. You should discuss this with your prescribing doctor.
Hi Doctor,
thanks for great blog full of questions and answers gave me lot of information.
I have few questions. I am today 22. I Started loosing my hairs i guess around when i was 18, it was very bad, i was on minoxidil for few months but then i stopped it. since till few years back i was loosing hairs falling out etc. but since 5-6 months now i am not loosing hairs. nothing much is falling and even though my hair fall started at 18 my hairline is not recessed that much but hairs front of my crown have thinned but hairs on and below my crown are too thick.
so is it the case that my MPB is slowed down now and here is around i will find my stabilization or (Worse fear) as my thinning etc started too early and it will continue rest of my life till i get my IV or IIV NW like my dad ? and this period is just a bit slow resting phase.
also i want to know if start taking 5% Minioxdil from now on , is minoxidil something i can continue all my life without any problem, few people think it worsens the hair root after few years and the scalp really gets more and more worse longer you keep applying it.
Hair loss occurs in spurts and it is in the 20s (pretty much from age 20-29) that men are most likely to see most of their hair loss. The drug Propecia (finasteride 1mg) works to slow or stop it and in your case it might continue the stabilization. You need to get your hair mapped out for miniaturization, which will tell you what may happen to you over the next few years, and then speak to your doctor about Propecia.
I have seen no negative reports related to what you mentioned after long term use of minoxidil, and I have seen many patients who have used it in excess of 10 years.
