Month: July 2009

Posted on

I’m a Norwood 2 with Family History of Hair Loss, But I Want My Hairline Thicker – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

In the norwood scale, I beleive that I am a 2. Frontal hair line receding. I’ve done some research about hair loss, and It’s said that there’s nothing I can do to bring back my hair. Now, I can still see some thin short hairs on my hairline where its receding I was told that If I take an “ext therapy” (ext is based on shampoo,conditioners with midoxil and midoxidil pills)I will see some results. since the hairs are thin and not dead, they say that I will get results.If I can just make these little hairs thicker, I will be ok.I just dont know who to believe. And I would hate to spend $3k. Can anything make my hairline thicker? I am currently taking propecia for 3 months. I am 27yrs with history of hairloss in family. I am also considering an fue transplant, since I keep my hair really short, it’s said that that is my best option, since I am in a scale of 2, I dont really want surgery.

Block Quote

Without seeing you right up close and mapping out your hair for miniaturization, I really can not render an opinion. I have seem many men who are afraid of their family balding pattern, fearful that it may hit them. Some, obsess over it and want to jump into the hair transplant process way too early for me. Why are you so motivated to fill the doctor’s wallet? I make my living doing hair transplants, so I don’t make money when I turn down a patient for surgery, and yet I turn down people for surgery all of the time because it is moral to do so. Any hair transplant surgery in a typical Norwood Class 2 patient is not only unethical from the doctors perspective, but also bad for the patient both short and long term. Starting a hair transplant guarantees a long term plan with more transplants if and when the balding occurs.

What is your total hair donor supply? That is a critical question for anyone undergoing a hair transplant so that a reasonable Master Plan can be created to keep the patient looking normal for their entire life. Having some degree of balding is normal, but becoming a freak because you may have jumped the gun and used up your donor hair (especially if the donor supply is low) is the wrong thing for young men.

I would suggest that you find an ethical, competent doctor who will treat you like you were one of his sons. I am glad that you ended the post with “I don’t really want surgery,” but many doctors who chase your money will try to talk you out of that position and scare the hell out of you with visions of balding that may not even be in your future. Just be careful.

Posted on

Dandruff Shampoo, Ethnicity, and Other Hair Loss Questions – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, I’m a 21 year old male of white American (european?) and Bangladeshi (father’s side) descent. I feel that I’ve been shedding hair at a fast rate, but I honestly can’t tell. Hair loss does run in my family. My father is bald and some distant relatives on my mother’s side are as well. I’m a fairly hairy person overall, and I’ve been wonder if that’s also correlated with scalp hair loss.

I tend to have a lot of dry scalp problems for reasons that I’ve never understood. Often, showering using new water makes my head so dry that the area of dry skin creeps to more apparent parts of my forehead. On the whole though, it usually doesn’t — staying on upper scalp area overall (as opposed to sides and back).

There was a time that I suffered a few anxiety attacks and I lost an IMMENSE amount of hair that time and was sure I was experiencing hairloss. I hope that’s enough background. Here are my questions:

  1. Is there a particular pattern of male-patterned-baldness that I should be looking at? From looking at me, at least not to my eye or anything else’s, I have a full head of hair. However, I’ve been losing a lot of hair lately, and I definitely do feel that it’s noticeable in the front crown area.
  2. Do you think I am a decent candidate for propecia?
  3. Do you have any idea why anti-dandruff shampoo works sometimes and not others? Does that impact my hairloss?
  4. Generally speaking, is the hair on the back and sides of a head always thicker than that on top? I don’t know how to view my ethnicity in this regard, because of the mix.
  5. Does length of hair affect hair loss?

Thanks.

Block Quote

  1. You may inherit the genes from one side of your family, so what you can expect will reflect the inheritance pattern, which varies widely in different family lines.
  2. Young men with hair loss (and miniaturization) will find that Propecia (finasteride) will slow down the genetic component of hair loss. I can’t specifically say whether you’re a good candidate without seeing you first, at least in photographs.
  3. There are different types of dandruff shampoos. If one doesn’t work, try another one. Some are just more effective than others (see Wikipedia for treatments). Dandruff does not cause hair loss.
  4. The hair in the back and sides of your head will not miniaturize and therefore, if you have genetic balding of any degree, will be thicker than on the front and top.
  5. Hair length does not dictate how much hair you will lose unless you abuse it.

Posted on

In the News – Man with HIV Denied Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

A South Florida man claims he was refused a hair transplant because he is HIV positive, and now he’s suing the doctor who denied him the new do for discrimination.

Diego Del Rio went to the Age Defying Surgical Center in Fort Lauderdale to approve his appearance, but Dr. Brett Bolton turned him down once he learned of Del Rio’s condition.

“Their medical staff told me ‘We will not do the procedure because you are HIV positive.’ I told them, ‘This is discrimination,’ and they stated ‘No it’s not,’” Del Rio said.

Block Quote

Read the full article — Man With HIV Denied Hair Transplant

Yes, it’s discrimination and in violation of a state law. I’m not familiar with the doctor or the clinic, but based on what I’ve read about this in various articles, it doesn’t sound good for them. I’ve said it before, but a healthy person who is HIV positive may be as good a hair transplant candidate as an HIV negative person. Here are some past related posts I’ve written:

  1. HIV and Hair Transplants
  2. HIV Positive and Hair Transplants

Posted on

Female Reader Likes Men with a NW3 Hairline – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doc,
Odd question,
I’ve noticed that some men tend to actually look good when their hairline recede to a NW3. Hollywood has a few examples with Christian Slater, Thomas Jane, Josh Lucas, and Patrick Wilson. I’m just curious is there any way of telling who will be good looking with a balding pattern prior to the baldness? BTW, I’m a woman, so I do think those men are good looking!

Block Quote

Your opinion has been noted. If you have a fella and want to find out what he would look like with a NW3, then you can ask him to shave his hair to conform to that look. Or use Photoshop.

Posted on

I’m Growing Hair in the Temples After Taking Propecia for a Week – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just started taking propecia about a week and a half ago and have been taking rogaine for about three months…I still have relatively thick hair and have only experienced hair loss mainly in the temporal area with very slight thining in the crown…still full coverage however. I have noticed that in the temporal area hair follicals are starting to appear and i’m growing a few very fine hairs in the temporal area…I think i am responding very well to the medication as i am only 21 years old.

I was wondering how rare is it to regrow a descent about of hair in the temporal area? As well as the hairline on the side of my head? If i were to take propecia for one year and experience good results and no further hair loss would it be wise or would you recommend a 700-800 hair transplant in the temporal area? I hair a very low hairline in the back of my head…i.e. the donor area. How many hairs in the donor area can be transplanted?

I know i have a lot of questions…I thank you very much for your time and consideration. I look towards your blog for guidence and i am also very optimistic of saving my hair as i took control of it early. Only noticed hair loss over the last 8 months.

Block Quote

A week (or even three months) is too short a time to draw any significant conclusions, but what you are reporting is good. When you talk about temple hair, I think you are talking about the hair in the hairline (corners). I have seen it regrow in a very small number of people but almost all have been under 23 years old. At 21 with good results from Propecia and Rogaine, you probably should not be transplanted at all, but whatever you do, see a doctor with integrity and a high ethical standard. Many doctors chase the almighty dollar and you never know what you really needed when you see one of them.

I know of some doctors who put 3000+ graft in the first 1/2 inch of hairline where the juvenile hairline was, and those doctors are not doing a service to their patients. Rather than focus on hair transplants and how many grafts you might need, I would rather like to see (at least) your pictures in a year. Maybe I can help you avoid the pitfalls in this industry and offer advice for you that would be helpful.

Posted on

A Doctor on YouTube Says Finasteride Will Leave You Impotent – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,

I was watching this video on youtube

This gentleman, John Crisler, D.O. says finasteride can smash an endocrine system ans leave you impotent, even in cases where a person has been taking it for as little as week. Can you speak to this? Is this doctor, just pushing his own concoctions. This is quite scary, no?

Thanks in advance

Block Quote

In my opinion, he is just promoting his own product. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and just because someone has two letters behind their name, it does not make them an authority. Yes, that includes me.

For what its worth, in the video he says he has NEVER prescribed finasteride. So how can he be such an authority just by reading unverified posts on a “Yahoo discussion forum”? I have been prescribing Propecia for over 10 years now and I have not seen a patient with such “terrible” and “irreversible” side effects. I do see some patients (1-2%) that have side effects, but when they stop or lower the dosage of the medication, the side effects reversed. Maybe I am just lucky.

Posted on

Wet Hair Weakness – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Is hair really weaker when wet?

Also, I’ve read you shouldn’t brush your hair when wet, but use a comb. But either way, it would seem to stress the hair if there are tangles.

Block Quote

In Chapter 3 of my book, Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies, it discusses the status of wet hair, combing the hair and tangles. You are correct in that you should not do much with wet hair, as it is fragile. Using a wide-tooth comb is in your best interest. Drying is best naturally, and using a blowdryer can damage the hair. But I will not steal the thunder of Chapter 3, so buy the book or if you visit my office, I will give you a copy just for making the trip.

Posted on

I Got Testicle Pain After 3 Days of Finasteride – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

i recently took 1/4 of proscar for 3 days i experienced testicle pain and side effects, how long till the side effects get reversed after quitting, and is 3 days enough to make me lose more hair after quitting?

Block Quote

You should see your doctor about the testicular pain. There are many causes for testicular pain (see list). Propecia can potentially cause it, but that is very rare. Three days on or off the drug is not the issue here — the fact that you have pain is troublesome and should be checked out at once.

Posted on

My Libido is Much Higher Now on Propecia! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am a current propecia user who is currently 23 years old. For the longest time I was scared to death of taking this medication because of the horror stories I read all over the internet. About a month ago I finally decided I’d go for it after researching it more and listening to your take on it. Well so far it has been working great and I have not experience any of the potential sides except a large increase in my sex drive. It is so much so that I have to masturbate at least once a day just to relieve myself. With your patients is this fairly common? It seems like most people experience the opposite.

Block Quote

I have found that this is not an uncommon finding with Propecia, but most people who experience it report that it returns to normal levels after a few months. I hope, for your sake, it is something you want along with the hair you save. Thanks for writing and sharing this with our readers.