Month: June 2010

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationMy Lack of Facial Hair Makes Me a Social Outcast! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Sir,
I am aged 24 and I dont have facial hair except a few hair on my chin. I have a mustache but even that is not thick. I dont have even a single hair on my chest. Hair have grown normally in head, hands, legs, arm pits and pubic hair also are normally grown. My father has thick and complete facial hair. I have a brother and he too has good facial hair. I dont find anyone among my relatives also who lack facial hair. I am the only one. Apart from this problem I am a healthy person.

Please suggest me some remedy. Due to this problem I am unable to involve in social gatherings. My height is 5 feet 9 inches but I look like a child among my other same aged friends. Thank you.

Block Quote

BeardYou know, some people would be very happy to not have facial or chest hair. I would guess that when you are 50 years old, you would enjoy your youthful appearance. This must be a cultural or religious thing that I’m not all that familiar with, and I don’t mean to make light of your situation.

Unfortunately, there’s really no simple solution to what you’re asking. If we could easily get hair to grow in areas that we wanted, the population of bald men would likely be much smaller.

If you want to look older with facial hair, you can possibly have a hair transplant to your face, but I don’t know that I’d recommend trying to transplant a full beard for someone. You’d also need to find a skilled surgeon with experience transplanting facial hair.

Posted on

In the News – Naomi Campbell’s Bald Patch – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

Naomi CampbellHer wild behaviour is often shocking, but Naomi Campbell caused jaws to drop for entirely different reasons today.

The supermodel left onlookers stunned as she revealed a huge bald patch beneath her long luscious wig while on a fashion shoot for designer Dennis Basso in New York.

The 40-year-old has revealed signs of a vanishing hairline before, but the true extent of the problem was put on show as she held her hair back as a stylist adjusted her clothing.

Block Quote

Read the rest at DailyMail UK — Just WHERE has Naomi Campbell’s hair gone?

This appears to be a bad case of traction alopecia, but perhaps she has alopecia areata? I couldn’t say without an exam. Traction alopecia is likely based on the wigs/weaves she has worn over the years in her modeling photo shoots, which produces a tight pulling on her hair and leading to the loss you see.

The above photo is from the article, where you can also find plenty of others. If this story sounds familiar, we previously wrote about Naomi Campbell’s hair loss when an article was published a couple years ago.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationMajor Shedding 7 Months After My Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

I had a transplant of over 3,000 follicles about 9 months ago. I have seen growth but it is still thin and not what I have expected. I have noticed major shedding about 7 months in with the hairs having white bulbs attached to the end. I am concerned that some may be transplanted hairs. What could be the cause of this? Should I be worried?

Block Quote

I do not know what is going on in your case, so I could just guess. Maybe you have increasing native (non-transplanted) hair loss. Maybe you have other medical problems. Maybe your hair transplant was not a success. Maybe you have diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA), which would produce failures to hair transplant surgery. Maybe you are not on Propecia. Maybe you stopped Propecia. ANYTHING is possible. And I would be worried too.

You should be asking your surgeon about the problem and he should be really worried for you. Please, contact your surgeon and discuss these issues with him!

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationNew Genetic Hair Loss Test in India – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just read this press release about a company in India that developed a baldness prediction test that sounds similar to Hair DX.

Do you know anything about it? It sounds like it is just limited to India right now, but I was curious if its like a generic Hair DX (I dont know if that’s even possible) or if they are testing in an entirely different way. Thanks

Link: Metropolis develops screening test to predict genetic predisposition to baldness

Block Quote

MetropolisThe press release you sent is the first I’ve heard of it (thanks for bringing it to my attention), but I’d assume this newly announced test identifies the same genes as HairDX. It doesn’t appear that the HairDX test is available in India, so Metropolis appears to have the market cornered there.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationNurse Told Me to Stop Propecia for 8 Days After Chest Discomfort – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, I have been taking Propecia 1mg for a little over 4 months now. About 3 months in, I thought I noticed some slight discomfort in my chest (although it may have just been in my head). Now, a month later, it seems much more evident that I am experiencing breast discomfort/tenderness. It is not constant, although I do feel it many different times throughout the day. I am worried that this will lead to breast enlargement. Are breast tenderness and breast enlargement related? Or are the completely independent of each other?

I am 22 years old and have had puffy nipples (I don’t think it is actual gyno) since I was about 16. I don’t want this to get any worse. I spoke to the nurse at my dermatologist’s office and she told me that even though the discomfort could be something completely unrelated to the Propecia, that I should stop taking it for 8 days (until I go in for my appointment). Will these 8 days off Propecia undo the progress that I’ve made or is it safe to go without it for a week? Thanks a lot for all the help!

Block Quote

Chest discomfortYou’ve had puffy nipples long before taking Propecia, but if you are experiencing discomfort and tenderness in your chest after taking Propecia, I would highly advise you to discuss these symptoms with your doctor. In our experience, Propecia rarely impacts men’s breasts, but the appearance of new symptoms while on the drug such as gynecomastia or painful breasts/nipples should be addressed in a thorough examination.

The symptoms you report are a valid and known side effect that occur in less than 1% of men, but they are reversible after stopping the medication. It just might be that you are not be a candidate for Propecia with these side effects.

Breast enlargement and tenderness could be related. Stopping Propecia for 8 days should have no major impact on your treatment course, and is probably the safest way to go about this until you can meet with your doctor for the exam.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationUsing Minoxidil Once Every Other Day – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I am a 24 year old male and have begun the early stages of MPB. My doctor has prescribed Minoxidil 5% and I know your suppose to apply it twice a day but that doesn’t really fit into my schedule, so I have only been applying it about once every other day. My question is, is there any harm that can be done applying 5% Minoxidil once every other day or is it simpy not as effective as using it twice everyday? Thanks.

Block Quote

RogaineYou shouldn’t need a prescription for minoxidil 5% topical for use in treating hair loss, as it is available over the counter (at least in the U.S., though I can’t say for sure in other countries).

The recommended dose as you know is applying it twice a day. There is no harm is using it once every other day, but you will not be using it the way it is recommended and you may not get any benefit from infrequent use. I suspect poor compliance and/or not following the recommended directions are the main reasons why patients give up using minoxidil, because they don’t see a benefit.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationIn the News – Miss Delaware 2010 is Bald – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

Kayla MartellLike many beauty queens, Kayla Martell is beautiful, blue-eyed and out to support a good cause.

Martell, the newly crowned Miss Delaware 2010, also is completely bald. The 21-year-old pageant winner suffers from alopecia areata, a condition that causes hair loss and afflicts 4.7 million Americans, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

Sporting a blond wig, Martell beat out 15 other women — all with full heads of hair — to take home the Miss Delaware crown this month.

Block Quote

Read the full story at AOL News — New Miss Delaware Says Bald Is Beautiful

This is quite the inspirational story and should help bring awareness to alopecia areata patients. She competed four previous times in the pageant before taking home the crown on June 12. Congratulations to Ms. Martell!

There’s also a video available within the article from the CBS Early Show that is worth a view, and you can learn more about the new Miss Delaware at her blog.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationI Had Trichotillomania as a Teen, Now My Hair Is Thinning More – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doc,

I am 24 years old and rapidly thinning out. I noticed this a little over two years ago as I was graduating college and it really hit me hard. I have had a tough time accepting it and it has crippled my confidence and social life.

In addition I had a severe case of Trichotillomania when I was in my teens years (13-15 or so). I would repeatedly rip my hair out with a brush in front of my bathroom mirror. I outgrew my bad habit eventually, but there is no doubt that this disease is the main reason for my permanent hair loss.

Is someone with my case treatable? And what steps should I take to start. I sincerely appreciate any feedback or comments.

Block Quote

Wow, this is a difficult if not impossible request without a good examination of your hair and scalp. Many people with trichotillomania just continue the pulling and compounding the problem, so you need to be completely sure you’re not still doing this (perhaps without realizing it). With an examination, I’d be able to tell if you stopped pulling out your hair, a critical first step to solving your problem.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationCosts to Remove Hairline Cowlick? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello. I have read in many places about how expensive it it to fix a cowlick (in the front hairline, in my case) by surgery. However, I have not yet found an estimated price range. Could you ball park what it would be to align the folicles into a more regular hairline pattern? I am a 25 year old male, and the pivot is quite pronounced about half way between the middle and the side.

Block Quote

I am not sure where you have tried to find the information, but here at New Hair Institute (NHI) the minimum cost of a hair transplant surgery is $3000. Otherwise, the cost of each graft ranges anywhere from $5 to $6 a graft (see fees). I don’t know that any clinic would have a flat “cowlick removal” fee.

You are more than welcome to send in some photos to me of your problem area and schedule a phone / photo consult. From those photos, I may or may not be able to quote you without seeing you.

Or…. electrolysis might be a reasonable way to accomplish what you want without surgery.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationWould Getting a Hair Transplant Give Me Cloning Priority at NHI? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman I have an odd question for you. I plan to have a hair transplant with you in the near future. Playing devils advocate here, let’s say that hair cloning is a viable option in five years and the demand would be great.

Would having a prior surgery with you give me an advantage of getting this procedure done sooner? (i.e. cutting in line)

Thank you for your time.

Block Quote

First and foremost, having posted over 8000 questions on this site and answering some real doozies, I don’t think yours is all that odd.

Hair cloning just means there will be more hairs available for transplantation and you will not be limited to the donor hair. With respect to priority, our surgeries are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis… but when it comes to procedures done with hair cloning, it’s all hypothetical at this point. I’d like to hope that in 5 years from now we’ll be transplanting with cloned hair, but that remains to be seen.

We look forward to seeing you!