June 2008 – Page 7 – Balding Blog

June 18, 2008

Why Is Hair Loss Not Listed as an Official Accutane Side Effect? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

You said on one response that if accutane had caused the person’s hair loss then drugs would not help to fix it, could you please explain why this is? And why does hair loss not appear on
the side-effects section of the medications packaging?

I do not have the drug insert on accutane, so I don’t know what is listed on the packaging. Many dermatologists tell me that there is no effective treatment for accutane-induced hair loss. I would write to the drug manufacturer or ask your pharmacist about the warnings in the insert.

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June 18, 2008

My Doctor Says There’s No Way My Female Hair Loss Is Thyroid Related! – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am deeply troubled with my recent hair loss. I am a 62 year old female and have been on synthroid for 2 1/2 years at 88mg.I have just had a blood test that came back at a level of .087 and told by my doctor that I am in the normal range. He said theres no way my hair loss is thyroid related and has set me up to see a dermatologist. I cant get in there for 3 more months and I’m experiencing a very high level of anxiety over the amount of hair I’m losing. I’ve started with thioxin and am taking a hair supplement purchased on the internet called hair genisis that I;ve been taking for a month but hasnt improved. I started reading everything I could re: hairloss and am now wondering if its my adrenal glands. I have gotten beyond obbsessive about all this feel like I have no where to go for help. I dont know if I’m taking too high a dose or too low a dose of synthroid or if is the synthroid itself causing the hair loss. How do I know if the t4 is converting into t3 properly. I’m afraid I’ll go completely bald before anyone listens to me. Can you give me some advice???

I would trust your doctor to treat your thyroid issues with the dose of medication that he prescribed, but Synthroid (levothyroxine) does list “mild hair loss” as a possible side effect (see Drugs.com). While hair loss from a thyroid issue is possible, it is unlikely to continue as you are being treated for your thyroid issues. Without the benefit of knowing your medical history or being your doctor, I’m guessing that the Synthroid is not the cause, as you’ve been taking it for over 2 years and your hair loss started just recently. An interesting post with more links can be found at WomensHairLossProject.com.

If you do not believe you are being adequately treated you should express these concerns to your doctor. Also, I don’t know that you should wait 3 months to get medical attention. I either would call your doctor’s office to find out what he can recommend to speed up the evaluation process, or perhaps get a referral to a different dermatologist.

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June 18, 2008

How Long After a Hair Transplant Can I Fully Appreciate the Results? – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,
Well we have emailed one another before and I thank you for the answers.It has now been almost 5 months since my transplant and I am pleased with the development of the hairline-still a little sparse, however I was assured the hair will get thicker and make a bigger impact than I think it will. I have seen other’s and see the same thing happening the hair gets thicker at the 9th month and since i am5 months I still have a ways to go. Some people claim that it takes a full 14 months to fully appreciate the entire effect. Is that true?

My main question is, do the hairs grow in stages or by the time 6 months rolls around, is that all the hairs that will actually grow in? My hairstylist who had it done told me he had hairs growing from a full year-sprouting at different times.

I will tell you this, my confidence with the result so far and the reaction of people I tell who never met me, tell me if I had not told them they never would have known. I will keep you posted via photography privately. Please let me know what to reasonably expect as far as a time frame.Just a reminder, I had 2500 grafts totaling about 3500 hairs- that is 1450 grafts in hair line the balance on the top. Looking forward to your answers to my questions

Yes, it will take somewhere between 7-14 months after your hair transplant to see the end result. Hair does grow in stages, not all equal. The sleep cycle for hair varies between 3-8 months easily and that is why I tell patients to wait at least 7 months to see 80-90% of the growth.

I just saw a man I performed surgery on 4 months ago and all of his hair never went into telogen, presenting to me with a full head of hair in just 3 months! I wish I could command this speed of growth for the rest of my patients, but I do see it in maybe 5% of patients.

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June 17, 2008

Hair Transplant on Jon and Kate Plus 8 – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just want to send you a quick Thank You for the recent overview of the hair transplant procedure on Jon and Kate Plus Eight. It was very very enlightening, and although I won’t be getting hair transplant surgery in the near future, I’ve always been curious for my future in general. The show really explained the procedure in further depth than what I have seen or heard of before on TV or on the internet.

Thanks again for both the blog and taking part in the show for all of us balding folk!

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TLC The show was indeed very educational. Jon is pretty funny and as he goes through the day with a great attitude, Kate (the Chief Operating Officer of the family) makes sure it works out each and every day. They are really nice people. Thank you for watching!

I’m trying to find a video clip online to post here, but I’m not having any luck. If I can find something from the episode, I’ll update this post.

June 17, 2008

Hair Loss InformationIs This a Sign of Alopecia Areata? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have a patch of hair missing on the back my head, size of a quarter. The spot is not shiny or totally missing hair, there is some hair growing but not alot. Is this still a sign of Alopecia Areata. OTC methods?

Thank you

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This is often the way alopecia areata presents, but you could have other causes such a ringworm, as well. Get to see a dermatologist and have it evaluated. There are no over the counter medications to treat what you do not know you really have.

June 17, 2008

Will Skipping Some Minoxidil Applications Still Be Effective? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 22 year old male and use 5% minoxidil either once or twice a day. My new schedule makes it hard for me to use minoxidil everyday and am wondering if using it every other day will
still be effective.

Every other day is not the recommended dose and you probably will not get much, if any benefit from it. Twice a day is the only way to use it. At the age of 22, if this is male pattern baldness (MPB), then Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is the preferred way to go, not minoxidil. I’ve seen much better results in the younger men taking Propecia than those using minoxidil.

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June 17, 2008

Propecia — The Happy Medium for Effectiveness and Minimal Side Effects? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Is Propecia a “happy medium” between the effectiveness of finasteride and the minimisation of side effects? I heard they tested up to 20mg of finasteride during clinical studies. Assuming the side effects were much greater, did those help reduce hair loss more?

Higher doses of finasteride does not seem to treat hair loss any better than the recommended 1mg. This study was done by Merck already after working with real experts in the field who had nothing to prove other than find the safest and most effective dose. The connection between dose, effectiveness, and side effects are not one-to-one.

Side effect possibilities do go up with higher doses and studies on humans have shown that. Stick to what is known and safe. The reports suggesting ideal impact on hair loss at the 1mg level are based upon observations on hair loss, not logic on what a higher or a lower dose should do. People who have the sexual side effect seem to get it on very low doses as well as those who get breast lumps. That suggests to me that we really do not understand the process clearly enough.

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June 17, 2008

My Natural Hairline Is Too Low! – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

hi
i have a very low hairline and that makes impossible for me to have some great hair styles. is there any solution to my problem?? i want a higher hairline..

thanks

There is a surgical procedure called a brow lift (or forehead lift) which will elevate the hairline along with your eyebrows. If you are not too young (ideally you should be over 40) it may work for you, but you should seek out the services and opinions from plastic surgeons for this. Generally for the young man (in their 20s) this is something you will have to live with until you’re a candidate, but do talk to plastic surgeons about this.

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June 17, 2008

Any Hair Multiplication Updates? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I know you’ve been skeptical in the past when discussing hair multiplication, at least its viability in the near future (next 2-3 years). I’m wondering if you’d be willing to update your views on the timeframe for one of these “cure” solutions, and/or what you think the most promising treatments, drug or surgical, are on the horizon and what kind of timeframe we’re looking at. Obviously this requires a good deal of speculation but you are much better informed on the state of the hair loss treatment industry than most of us who just read your blog and don’t have time to get into the hardcore research.

Thanks for your blog!

Hair multiplication is most likely more than 2-3 years away. There was some talk about it at the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) conference years ago, but nothing was said this past year (not the upcoming one in September, obviously), which I take to mean that there was no advancements worthy to take through FDA type of clinical trials. It is still an elusive “cure” far away on the horizon, but hopefully in our lifetime.

To put it in perspective, the cure for HIV/AIDS, diabetes, herpes, and even the common cold with billions of dollars invested in research is still a far distance away and may be easier to cure than balding is. I realize that the 10 year prediction seems to be a rolling number, but there is nothing out there to suggest that any breakthrough is imminent. I’m sure that statement will cause me to receive an email flood from angry fans of press releases, but show me some reproducible proof and I’ll be glad to post an update here.

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June 17, 2008

Age That Hair Stops Growing – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

At what age does your hair stop growing? I am 52 and people say i look 38……..and i would love my hair to grow but it never seems to pass the middle of my back. Just curious. Does Biotin help? I take that often.

As we age, our anagen cycle (the growth cycle of the hair) shortens. Hair grows out at about 1/2 inch per month, but the number of months of growth before it cycles is what I am talking about. If your hair cycle was 6 years, then you could expect a hair length of 3 feet; 3 years would be 18 inches (or shoulder length), 2 years is 12 inches, 1 year is 6 inches, and so on.

Men generally have shorter hair cycles than women (it is rare for a man to be able to grow 3 feet long hair). As we get into our senior years, the hair cycle may only last months, so the hair is shorter. The hair stops growing in balding or thinning areas, or at death.