Month: December 2010

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I Switched to 5% Minoxidil and Saw Massive Shedding – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr.Rassman

First I want to thank you for your awesome blog, I am a regular here for almost a year and the information you have provided prevented me from taking many wrong decisions in my battle with MPB. And now for my question:

I am a nw3 and used 3% minoxidil for 6 months along with Finpecia and saw very good results on temples, it almost filled entirely although not very thick but all my temple area was filled with newly grown hairs. it made a real different visually.

Then for past 2 months or so I switched to 5% Minox to see even better results but to no avail! during this time i saw massive shed and almost lost all my previously grown hair on my temples and lost even more ground in my hairline. now my hairline is very thin in front and I am starting to freak out since its getting worse everyday. now what should I do? switch back to 3% or continue 5% Min?

Your opinion on what should I do next is highly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance. Best Regards

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I do not know what to tell you. If you follow this site, I’ve said many times that there is no cure for genetic hair loss. So all I can offer are hypotheses. Maybe it is just coincidence you are losing more hair on 5% minoxidil. Maybe switching to 3% may (or may not) help. Maybe you are noticing the shedding that many people report from starting on minoxidil.

My best advise is to not freak out and make harsh decisions based on emotions. Weigh out your options and choose your course. There is no wrong answer. Have you thought about seeing a physician and finding out what a professional thinks your course should be?

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My Propecia Order Will Be Delayed for Over a Week – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’ve been using Propecia for 10 years with good results. The company I order Propecia from forgot to send my order. As a result, I’ve gone three days without Propecia and will probably have to go another week or so without it (i.e., 10 days without it). Am I going to experience noticeable hair loss before I get my shipment of Propecia? I am so ticked off!

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I wouldn’t expect any noticeable problems. Missing a few days (up to a week or so) should not have any detrimental effect with respect to your hair, because there is some tissue fixation of the drug that will help keep the benefits flowing for up to 10 days. It generally takes a few months of not taking Propecia to notice “catch-up” hair loss.

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Would Plucking a Single Hair Multiply the Entire Follicular Unit with ACell? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr Rassman,

As I can see from the board you are currently getting hammered with unknown questions regarding ACell possibilities prematurely before your own trials are done. That being said, here is another from a former patient to add to the lists of unknowns but to try and get a gage on your thoughts and opinions. If you pluck a hair from the back of the head with Acell the hope is that it will grow another hair and thus multiplying the donor area indefinitely. However, as you currently transplant hairs via strip or FUE it is done by dissecting the hair in their natural “clusters”…1-4 hairs.

With Acell is it your opinion that if you pluck a hair that it will only grow back one or that the genetic makeup will replicate where it was pulled from i.e. if you pluck from a 4 hair follicular unit it will replicate 4 hairs or are we to believe that this Acell procedure will be limited due to the fact that you will only be able to transfer hair as single 1 hair follicular units?

Thanks for your time

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In theory, you get one for one. We pluck one hair at a time, not a full follicular unit. So when that single hair is re-implanted with just enough biological tissue on it, the ACell extracellular matrix should theoretically give it new life elsewhere on the scalp.