Month: December 2008

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Scar from Hair Transplant Looks Like a Zipper – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I went in for my second HT yesterday. When I asked the Doctor if my first scar was normal he said, “it was very thin” but, the stitches left marks and it looks like a zipper? (You know, the thin line marks you see on top and bottom of the main horizontal scar line). He said that’s very rare. Is it? and if so, is there a way to eliminate that if I had another HT in 6 months or so with your group of Doctors?

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ZipperThe zipper effect means that your doctor placed the suture far from the edge. That will produce the zipper effect. There is no practical solution other than if you have another transplant and remove the “zipper” along with the hair you need for the transplant. There are techniques that avoid the zipper effect, which most doctors use today.

If you’d like to come to us it can probably be eliminated, but I’d have to see you first before promising surgical solutions. If you opt to go elsewhere, you’ll obviously want to be sure that your surgeon does not do the same thing again next time.

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Why Does Minoxidil Packaging Say to Only Apply on the Vertex? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I recently received topical generic minoxidil solution and it says that it is only to be used on the vertex and is not for frontal hair loss. Is this true, will applying it to the front hairline be useless, if so, why?

Also, i would like to use a non-finasteride supplement in addition to the minoxidil, can you recommend one, or which ones are most popular??

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The FDA only approved claims for crown benefits for minoxidil so the manufacturer complies with the FDA ruling. I don’t think it’ll be completely useless in the front, but the success rates are likely higher in the vertex than in the hairline.

There is no good substitute for finasteride in my opinion, but a popular natural supplement is saw palmetto. Popularity and reliability are too different things, however.

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Does Propecia Stop Hair Loss Instantly? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

If my hair is thinning out and i start using Propecia which takes 6-12 months, will my hair keep thinning out like normal and then stop after 6 or so months? or will propecia slow it down as soon as i start taking it?

As for Rogaine i hear you can lose a lot of hair using it(which is apparently part of the process). So do you keep losing hair from rogaine and then hope it does something? or is hair loss a sign that it is working?

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You need to wait 2-3 months for the Propecia to take effect. It may impact some of the hair growth instantly, but there is little you can see initially. Twelve months is the minimal time you need to take it to see what you are going to get from it.

Rogaine shouldn’t cause you to lose hair, but some people do experience a shedding phrase. See this old post — Hair Loss Worse After Rogaine.

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Why Did I Lose Hair After Bumping My Head? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I bumped the back of my head about two months ago. Since then I still have a bump and a bald spot the size of a band aid where the bump is. What could cause this?

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You could have put that hair into its sleep phase and if that is the case, it will come back in 6 months from the time the injury occurred. If you cut the scalp, a scar could form that may not have hair in it. You should see a dermatologist if the bump is persistent, as 2 months seems awfully long for a mild head bump. Usually swelling will go away within days or even as long as a couple weeks… but months?

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Does Early Norwood Class 6 Mean Class 7 is Inevitable? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Norwood 7A question about hairlines.

When i go bald is my hairline pre-determined or does it continually recede my whole life? for example I am 18 and thinning. If i am class 6 by age 25 will i stay that way the rest of my life because that is my determined hairline? or does it just keep receding my whole life until i die.

So if i’m 18 am I going to definatly be class 7? or do i stop where i’m supposed to?

In other words does having an early class 6 mean that 7 is inevitable?

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Only about 7% of men develop Norwood Class 7 patterns and most of the Class 6 patterns that are developed will remain Class 6 patterns throughout life. To see all of the Norwood classes, click here.

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Itch and MPB – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hey! recently ive noticed when i towel dry my hair the top of my head is very very itchy. The itchiness isn not in the donor area, just the top, but recently my hair seems to be thinning out everywhere. Is itchiness associated with mpb or do you think something else is causing this? Do mpb patients often complain of itching? Thanks!

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Some people with MPB do complain of itching, but having an itch does not mean that you are balding as many people have some mild scalp itch, even me, without balding.

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Will Avodart Become Available as a Hair Loss Treatment? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Under what circumstances would you consider prescribing dutasteride? I am a 23 year old male and a current NW 3. I am thinking about asking my doctor about dutasteride, but I would like to know my risks. I have been on propecia for 5 years and I have had great results, but now I am noticing more thinning. I did not have any sides effects from finasteride. Do the results from the Korean study reveal any substantial risks? Is there any indication that Avodart is seeking FDA approval? If someone were to experience sexual side effects can you discontinue and retain sexual performance?

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AvodartAs far as I’m aware, results from the 6 month clinical trials in Korea have yet to be made public, so I don’t know what risks were revealed. It is a phase 3 study, so I assume that means they want the drug to go to market as a hair loss treatment. The phase 1 and 2 trials were stopped for unknown reasons, though. I don’t have the answers to your other questions, as I was not a part of the study and am not privy to any results.

If it eventually is FDA approved for the treatment of genetic male pattern hair loss, I’d guess that GlaxoSmithKline (the maker) will release the dutasteride under a different brand name from the Avodart name and possibly with a lower dosage, much like Merck did with Proscar/Propecia (both of which are finasteride, but in different dosages). This is all speculation though, and the medication might never be approved as a hair loss treatment. I find it interesting that the phase 1 and 2 trials were stopped and would like to know why the phase 3 trial results are taking so long to be released.

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Losing a Lot of Hair Since Stopping Accutane – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I recently stopped taking accutane (40 days off) and have been shedding massive amounts of hair since (150-250 a day) I stopped. The loss is becoming gradually more noticeable and is accompanied by an irritated scalp. The bang/temple/over ear areas have suffered heavy loss, as well as the upper back of my head. This has been clearly triggered by the accutane.

What advice can you give me and can you suggest any hair specialists for a consulation on my condition and symptoms in my area (NY)? Your help is greatly appreciated.

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Hair loss from drug related causes (while rare) should stop and reverse when the drugs are stopped, but this process can take months (up to a year). In the case of Accuane (isotretinoin), many people report that it caused permanent hair loss, but more likely is that it started the genetic process earlier. Aside from stopping the medication, there is not much you can do. Talk to your prescribing doctor about that.

Most people will try many products with high hopes thinking it’s worth a try, but many will be disappointed. Patience is your best friend in cases like this. If you would like to see a specialist in the New York area, I would recommend my associate Dr. Robert Bernstein.

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My Doctor Says Propecia is Dangerous for Me at 19 Years Old – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Is it safe for a 19 year old with androgenetic alopecia ( diagnosed ) to use propecia? my doctor insists that propecia is too dangerous for a male of my age. instead he prescribed minoxidil 5%. by the way which is better treatment for MPB minoxidil or propecia?

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Propecia is the best drug to prevent and possibly reverse balding/miniaturization in a man of your age. Propecia is a lifetime commitment, so I always want to be sure that there is miniaturization present. The clinical trials on Propecia were conducted with men that were 18-41 years old and proven to be safe and effective, so I’m unsure why your doctor feels it is dangerous at 19 years old. My opinion obviously differs from your doctor’s opinion.

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Type I DHT Is Found in the Human Brain? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dutasteride is three times more potent than finasteride inhibiting the type II enzyme and 100 times more potent than finasteride inhibiting the type I form of the DHT producing enzyme. Dutasteride is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of Male Pattern Hair Loss and is approved at a dose of 0.5 mg a day for the treatment of prostate enlargement. While both the type I and type II enzymes are found in the hair follicle, there is a recent study which shows that type I is present in the human brain. The function of this enzyme in the brain is still unclear.

Would you say that finasteride is clearly the better option as it doesnt block the type 1 enzyme that is present in the human brain. Also Dr.Rassman would you say that the chances are that the messages you have got from people saying they are loosing their wit and stumbling over their words are true. Their is clearly a link between a drug blocking an enzyme thats present in the brain and brain related symptoms such as stumbling over words and loosing their wit.

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I really do not know anything about the brain impact of DHT blocking medications and I certainly can not place cause and effect together. Your questions are good, but most of the work in this area is done in animal models which may not extrapolate to humans. What you think is clear, I think is not. More research needs to be done before I could answer your question with any confidence.