Can a hair dx test point out causes for balding in DUPA diffuse unpatterned alopecia patients?
I don’t believe that the HairDX genetic tests can explain the causes for DUPA.
Propecia is Thinning My Arm Hair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman
Dear Dr. Rassman,
Just a quick note. I’ve been an avid reader of your site for some time now, so, firstly, I’d like to congratulate you on your blog, to thank you for taking the subject of male pattern baldness so seriously and for answering the questions readers have posed over the years so professionally.
I’m 30 years old, I’ve been taking Propecia for 16 months now and while my hairline has continued to mature (which can only be expected), I have found that with the help of Propecia my hair loss has stabilised. However, one side effect that I wasn’t expecting is the thinning of my arm hair! Can I take this as proof that Propecia is indeed blocking DHT (and therefore working)!?
Many thanks in advance
Yes, loss of body hair is a known rare side effect with finasteride. Hair on various parts of the body does seem to be dependent upon the presence of DHT (more in some individuals than others). I wish it had that impact on my body hair also.
I’d say that if your hair loss stabilized that the Propecia is indeed working.
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I’ve Been Pulling My Hair for 6 Years — Will It Grow Back? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman
Hello. I’ve had trichotillomania for about 6 years now. I’ve pulled non-stop because it is REALLY hard to quit, but I haven’t pulled any hair out in a week now. I have a large bald spot on the top of my skull and there are several others scattered elsewhere. I am seventeen years-old. I can’t even go to the hair dresser’s to get my hair done because I’m so ashamed and I always worry someone might say something. I’ve adopted the name ‘bald spots’. I was wondering if my hair was going to grow back if I let it and if not, if there were any options available for me. Thank you.
If the hair loss has been there for around 6 years, I doubt that the hair will come back. First, you must get control of the pulling (not just for a week) and you may seek help from your doctor for medications that will help you through this. Once you have gone a year or more with no further hair plucking, then you might consider hair transplantation, assuming that your donor supply is adequate. But if you should start pulling again, then any transplanted hair can be lost by the exact same mechanism.
There’s a great reference site you should visit to read more — Trichotillomania Learning Center.
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Graves’ Disease and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman
Hello, I was wondering if you could help me understand a little bit about what Im going thru. At the current moment, The only thing I know is that I have hyperthyroidism. I dont know whats causing it yet, but soon I will find out. It could very well be Graves Disease. Well, because I have this its making my hair real thin and fall out. I was wondering if propecia could help me keep my hair? Is it safe while having a thyroid problem? Also would I have to go to a dermatologist to find out if my hair is falling out for another reason besides my Thyroid or what kind of Doc should I seek? Do you know of any Docs in the Houston area that you would highly recommend I should go see. Perhaps one that has knowledge of propecia/proscar? Thank you so much for any help/advice you could give me. Oh yea Im 29 years old if that makes any difference. Less than a year ago I swear it seemed like I was in perfect health hair or not. Now…well. Sorry this was so long. Thanks again.
Thyroid problems can cause hair loss and hair texture changes (as well as many other medical problems). You need to see your doctor and ask him/her these questions. Thyroid might be the cause of your hair loss, or it could be something else entirely. I cannot give you medical advice this way… not because I do not want to help, but because I have not examined you and taken a good medical history with you. I do not even know if you are a male or female! If you are female you should not be taking Propecia, but with Graves’ disease, I would not expect Propecia to work regardless if you are male or female.
I don’t have any physician recommendations in the Houston area, but About.com has some tips here. For more on hyperthyroidism, see thyroid-info.com.
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Ear Infection from Minoxidil? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman
Doctor Rassman,
I have used minioxil and got ear infection, so I have stopped using it. Presently, I am only taking finasteride for the last 1 year and my hair loss has stopped. I was thinking of hair growth so could you please suggest any alternative to minioxil. Also, I have contacted a surgeon for hair transplant and he thinks that I do not need it right now as I have sufficient hairs. Please suggest.
I have reported on an association between ear infections and minoxidil in the past — see here. The use of Propecia alone may be enough without minoxidil (I am assuming that you did not use minoxidil very long). With regard to a hair transplant, I would need to see you to determine your candidacy.
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Chemical Burn 5 Years Ago — Will My Hair Grow Back? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman
Hi.. 5 years back a lady left the relaxer too long so I had a bad burn and ever since hair started to get thinner & thinner. I ended up with a bald area on top of my head. its pretty big in size. around 2 inches wide & 1.5 inches deep. Do you think my hair would never grow again in that area? are there any products that you suggest I use to help me fix this mess?
Its very unlikely that you would see hair growing back again at this stage. It sounds like the chemical treatment may have caused scarring to that area of the scalp or burned the hair follicles resulting in permanent hair loss. This could be confirmed with a scalp biopsy.
On the assumption that you have a good supply of donor hair at the back and sides, hair transplant surgery could restore hair to a reasonable result. Another option is a reduction or excision of the hairless scarred area. This excision might be likely to need scalp expansion in your case if the area is very large.
Without further information, I cannot recommend any products that would restore significant hair in your case. However, you can try temporary camouflage type products like Toppik that can disguise the loss when the need arises. The picture on the right shows a badly damaged hair with the fibrils inside the hair shaft broken out like the spindles inside electric wires.
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How Much Donor Hair I Have Left After 2 Hair Transplants? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog
Hello Doctor. I’m 30 years old and have had two HT procedures. Approximately 1200 grafts each, to the frontal 3rd hairline/middle front. I’m taking proscar daily and though still noticing some thinning in the middle of my head, I feel I’ve “bought myself some time” until further work is needed. I can’t really tell if the proscar is working great for me, since I can’t tell what I’d look like if I hadn’t used it for the last 5+ years. Realizing that this is a progressive condition, I’m assuming (unless one of the many possible breakthroughs we hear about becomes a reality) I’ll need another procedure at some point. How many grafts can I expect to have remaining in my donor area? In 5-10 years, maybe cloning or another regeneration technique could be available, but for now, I’m wondering how much I’ll have left to give myself. Thank you.
Without examining your donor hair under a microscope and assessing how elastic your scalp is or what your hair density is, it is difficult to tell. This is a question you should ask your doctor. If your hair is not that dense and you have a tight scalp, you may have depleted your donor hair. Or if your hair is dense and you have a very loose scalp, then you may have thousands more grafts that can be moved. It varies from person to person, so it’s not something I can just guess on without an exam. Get the point?
Can an Infant Have Alopecia? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog
Can a 20 month old child have Alopecia?
This is unlikely. Most children without much hair are just delayed growing their hair. Assuming the the hair is patchy, one would look to your pediatrician for the diagnosis of ringworm, alopecia areata (rare). Complete absence of hair on the head and eyebrows could reflect other types of alopecias, but I do not want to write a book on the subject without knowing more about what your concerns are.
Scraping Off Minoxidil Residue – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog
Hi,
I recently started minoxidil topical (3 months ago) and have considerable dry residue on my scalp. I’ve been using a comb to scrap the residue off before washing with Nizoral. Am I doing any damage to my hair by scraping my scalp with the comb?
I’ve considered trying the foam, but changed my mind because of the bad feedback Ive been reading on the internet.
Thankyou for your help.
A good set of washes should remove all residue from your hair. The foam has alcohol in it and may not leave residue, but I do not have any other suggestions other than trying the foam. I am not sure what bad feedback you are getting over the internet, but if you try it and don’t like it, let it go.
Hair Loss InformationThe Pros and Cons of Hairpieces? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog
Can you tell me some of the pro’s and con’s of hairpieces and weaves?
I’m sorry if this sounds like a cop-out, but I wrote a couple of chapters about this very topic in my new book, Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies, and really can’t rewrite those chapters here. If you come and visit me, I will give you a copy of the book as I do all visitors to my office… or you can order it online.