May 2009 – Page 9 – Balding Blog

May 11, 2009

Vitamin E Might Reverse MPB? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,

Any comments? any advice? about this article? please!! nutraingredients.com

Kind Regards

Here’s the first couple lines from the article, which basically sum up the points I want to make:
“Daily supplements of a patented tocotrienol (vitamin E) complex may increase hair growth in people with male pattern baldness by 42 per cent, suggests a new study from Carotech. The eight month randomized, placebo-controlled trial involved 28 volunteers with androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness), and was performed at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Science Malaysia.”

The study is limited because it was done with only 28 people participating. So I would think about 14 people got the actual vitamin E and the other 14 got the placebo. You don’t have to be a doctor to make your own assessment on this one, as this is poor science. In fact, one of the volunteers that was taking the placebo even saw hair growth!

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 11, 2009

My Doctor Doesn’t Know Why I’m Losing Hair In the Crown – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Recently I noticed that I have a slightly thinning crown. I went to the dermatologist and he said hes not really sure what is happening but said that it might be male pattern baldness. My father (an internest, who happens to be bald) looked at it, as did my pediatrician and they both said the follicles look healthy, and my pediatrician said hes not sure, could be alopecia areata or male pattern baldness. He didnt know. My pediatrician told me to use 5% monoxidil once a day for about 2 months and to come back to him. However i heard that if you do not know the reason of your hairloss you can cause permanent damage. Im really confused and dont know what to do

I am 18 years old. Is it true that if you use Rogaine on existing hair you can destroy that hair? I put it on my hairline, (norwood class 2. My oldest brother (26 years old) has the same hairline as i do and he doesnt show signs of balding, my other brother (23 years old) has a norwood class 1 hairline, but he has grey hairs – my mother started getting grey hair around that age, which is making me worry i have my fathers genes b/c i dont have grey hairs) and im worried that i might damage the hair. I also notice that when i put it on my head im coming back with alot of hair in my hand.

I went through a very stressful time and i also wasnt eating very well (im studying overseas now for the year…). I limited most of the food they gave us and mainly ate salads, and even then i would work out about an hour later to work it all off. – at first i thought might be telogen effluvium but its just in my crown so im a little worried. Thank you

Rogaine (minoxidil) should not destroy existing hair, but I don’t know that Rogaine would do much good at the hairline anyway. It might work, but I can’t say for sure one way or the other. If you’re experiencing hair loss in the crown, that should be where you’re using the Rogaine. Or even better, talk to your physician about a prescription for Propecia (which works wonders in the crown) if you’ve got genetic hair loss. I don’t want to guess if you’re experiencing hair loss due to genetic causes or stress or what… but if your primary care physician isn’t too sure, I’d try to seek out a dermatologist or even a hair transplant doctor (only because they know hair well, not because you should even consider a surgical procedure at your age). With early thinning in the crown, it certainly doesn’t sound like alopecia areata. If you saw bald spots all over your scalp, that would be a different story.

The hair loss gene can come from either side of the family and can even skip generations, so just because you lack grey hairs doesn’t mean you’re not going to inherit a hair pattern that someone else in your family had. There is no substitute for an expert who can examine your hair and tell you if you have genetic balding. There is even a genetic test for the balding gene that is available today for about $250.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 11, 2009

I Want to Shave My Head After My Recent Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’m just wondering how long after a transplant can I shave my head? My hairline is fairly uneven, and I want to conceal the asymmetry by doing some shaping (the doctor didn’t seem to help this problem). How long after a surgery do I have to wait to do this?

Also, I had some scabs rub off in the middle of the night while sleeping at about 6 days post op. I woke up, and had half the scabs I had before bed. What are the chances that I have damaged the grafts?

You can easily shave your head once the scabs are gone. At 6 days, some people have the scabs normally fall out so I would doubt that you lost hair grafts unless you scratched them at night while you slept.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 8, 2009

Hair Loss InformationIf Miniaturization Occurs at the Hairline, Is It MPB and Not Maturing? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

dr rassman,
i include in this question a quote you made in a recent post which i would appreciate if you could clarify:

“As hair in the maturing hairline undergoes apoptosis (cell death, possibly because the number of hair cycles in the juvenile hairline may be limited and reached), it could just fall out without going through miniaturization.”

Does this mean that if there is minaturization at the hairline change then this is MPB and not the natural development of the mature hairline? or can there be minaturization without MPB at the hairline? I would much appreciate it if you could comment further on this as this relates to the difficulties i have had in getting a professional opinion on my own hairline- as to whether its MPB or just the development of the mature hairline.

regards

Block Quote

If you have a maturing hairline, I would not expect to see miniaturization from the highest wrinkle of the furrowed brow. The leading edge of a maturing hairline, as a rule, does not show miniaturization. From the few cases I can reference (nephew and two of my sons), they lost their juvenile hairlines without miniaturization appearing, so I draw my conclusion based upon those three cases in my family.

May 8, 2009

Hair Loss Information » Why is Hair on the Back and Sides of the Head More Resilient Than the Top? – Balding Blog

Just wondering what is responsible for the pattern of “male patterned baldness” ?

Why does the hair at the back and sides of the head seem to be more resilient than the hair at the top ?

Thanks Doc.

It is called genetic male pattern baldness. Keyword is “genetic”. Genes are responsible for it, but as to the reason it works out that way, I haven’t a clue. I posted a theory about it before — Why Does the Back and Sides of the Head Not Lose Hair?

May 8, 2009

What Are Dr Rassman’s Guesses About Future Hair Loss Treatments? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello doctor,

I am a 28 yr old male. My hair drastically started reducing its density starting two years ago. It is true that you notice you are losing hair when you lose almost half of it. I now keep it shaved and when hair grows out you can tell very well that my hair is much thinner starting from the crown down to the top/front of my head.

I have gone through a substantial amount of literature regarding baldness (you have a very well informed website btw), and although I am very excited about the new age treatments like hair multiplication and cloning (endless supply of donor hair), I am quite aware that all this is at its inception with much more work to be done.

My question to you is this. Since you are a man of science, and you have witnessed it advance in the area of treating baldness since the last two decades, do you believe, taking all the current advancements into consideration, that there will be a breakthrough in 10-15 years? Of course, I know that you cannot be prophetic in the matter but simply what your thoughts are. Because your guess will certainly be better than mine.

Future I am optimistic of a hair loss breakthrough in 10 to 15 years, but if you asked someone a decade ago, they likely would’ve said the same thing back then. A lot of people are getting tired of hearing the same old “cure in the next 10 years” talk, but I will continue to be optimistic even if that timeframe comes and goes. Baldness isn’t a life threatening illness, but it is a billion dollar business… so as long as people continue to lose hair and there’s a market to end that loss, there will be companies clamoring to come up with the next great treatment. As technology evolves, the concepts that some people came up with that were once considered ludicrous can finally start to become within reality’s reach. Don’t get me wrong — there are still plenty of ridiculous ideas that will never work to treat hair loss. We’ll just have to wait and see and try not to buy into the hype too much, because there’s been far too many letdowns over the years (like that flying car we’ve all been promised).

With respect to the current gold standard in hair restoration technology, hair transplant procedures have come a long way in the last 10-15 years where most doctors are performing the individual hair follicle transplants or follicular unit transplants that give wonderful results with issues that are virtually undetectable.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 8, 2009

Trichodynia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

My question is with regards to Trichodynia. I’m not sure if I have it or not. But I’ve been having some minor pain off and on in the crown region of my head for 3 months. I have not lost any hair in that region (I’m a NW2) and have been on Propecia for 4 1/2 years. But I’m afraid of what might be causing this sensation, I hope it isn’t associated with hair loss in that area. Are there any treatments for this pain sensation??

The pain hasn’t progressively gotten worse or anything, but it did start overnight, it wasn’t gradual at all. Could it be an allergy of some sort?

In all fairness, how do you expect me to diagnose your condition this way? You need to see your doctor (perhaps a dermatologist) and get a good physical exam.

The minor pain you’re describing can be anything from normal male pattern baldness to a neurological disease. See what I mean? It’s such a broad spectrum of possibilities that I don’t want to get into discussions about treatments for a condition you might not even have. You can learn a little more about it at Wikipedia.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 8, 2009

Telogen Effluvium After Illness? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

my hair has been rapidly shedding since March within two months of being sick. I noticed little white bulbs at the end of the hair. The hair on top, sides and back become difussed, now all of my neck hair has receded. The Derm says I have TE. does it sound like TE? Derm explained hair cycle phases. Am I in the Telogen phase.. Hair stops growing and shedds? when does it stop shedding.?

Thank you

Telogen effluvium (TE) can occur after a stressful illness. It does sound like that’s what you’ve got, but without examining you for myself I couldn’t really say one way or the other with certainty. People with RE will often have a positive hair pull test. If you are going through TE, it will usually stop within 6 months after you are fully recovered from your illness. Learn more about TE at eMedicine.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

May 7, 2009

Hair Loss InformationPropecia Causes Weight Gain? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hi doctor Rassman. Is it true that propecia can cause weight gain due to its antiandrogentic properties? I heard that androgens like testosterone and DHT promotes fat loss in the body. Also, would taking propecia affect the heart at all? I read on propecia forums of users reporting heart synptoms after using the drug. Some reported a “dipping” feeling of the heart. I really wanna try the drug but now im highly discouraged by these negative claims.

Block Quote

Pills Not everything you read on the Internet is always true. There may be a great wealth of information available, but I wouldn’t rely on the Internet for your source of medical diagnosis and treatment. A doctor will know better than some anonymous guy on a forum that has no liability or reputation (not to mention experience or even a real name). You need to see a good doctor and ask him/her if you have genetic balding… and if you do, talk to them about taking Propecia. I have not heard of such weight gain side effects from the patients I treat and side effects are rare in general with Propecia.

Keep in mind that all medications can have side effects. Have you ever taken Tylenol or Advil? Do a search for the side effects of those medications and you will likely lose more hair over it (pun intended). For example, Advil side effects include rash, ringing in the ears, headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation and heartburn (see full list).

May 7, 2009

Tight Hat and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Will wearing a hat all day, (approx. 11 hours) every other day create thinning of the hair? Always have been curious. I wear hats…at least 3-4 times a week, all day. Wondering if the tight cap is bad for the head? Hmmmm. Thanks so much!

You do a fabulous job!

We have answered this many times and it is outlined as well as one of the many myths in our Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies book.

The answer is NO. A hat doesn’t cause hair loss.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):