Month: April 2011

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Hair Loss InformationAre All 5% Minoxidil Exactly the Same? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Are all generic 5% minoxidil “exactly the same” as the branded 5% Rogaine and Regaine minoxidl and there is no pharmacological difference between them at all? Or for that matter any generic 5% minoxidil that is sold on pharmacy shelves in the general market place?

What I mean by that is if I were to use the generic 5% minoxidil it should just be as effective as the branded Rogaine/Regaine when applied to my scalp in treating my male pattern hair loss? The branded and trusted Rogaine/Regaine should not be more effective in growing more hairs than the generic.? They should be the same. But are they?

Could you reassure me they are all exactly the same so I can purchase the more cheaper generic versions ones and not worry about their pharmacological effectiveness if they are just as good as the label says they are?

I found these chemist sites selling cheap versions as follows:
– Kirkland minoxidil 5% FOR MEN 3 x 60ml Bottles (3 Month Supply) $33.75 –
– Minoxidil 5% 2 x 60mL for $31.99

Will these suffice? Can I buy these instead of the more expensive Rogaine/Regaine and hope they work just as well as I am on a shoestring budget at the moment? I hope you help me out with my enquiry.

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The FDA monitors this, not me. When I know a company is legit, like Kirkland (the Costco house brand), I want to believe that it is the same minoxidil as found in Rogaine… but I do not know much more than you do. The confidence in a medication over the counter may be worth a premium, but you will have to determine this. I suppose you can also rely on the labels to see ingredients.

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Finasteride and Bone Density? – Balding Blog

First of all thanks for the valuable information on this site.

I am using finasteride from last 3 years. No side effects have been noticed. My question is about the bone density. I heard that using this medicine for long period reduces the calcium levels and makes the bones weak. Is this true?

thanks.

That is false. Bone density is not related to the use of finasteride, even in experimental studies in rats.




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Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Hair Loss InformationMeeting Patients Again for the First Time – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

BagelsBear with me here while I delve into a story…

It is always good to see past patients. I’ve met them in airports, at shopping malls, or just around Los Angeles. For as big as a city it is, sometimes L.A. can feel really small. I’ve had so many patients over the years that I’m not surprised to run into them at various places around town. Most patients are discreet, but just last week I ran into a past surgical patient in a local bagel shop. He immediately told me his name (I am terrible about remembering names, but better with faces) and we talked generally about the economic recession and its impact on both of our businesses. Pleasant morning chit chat, really.

Then, right in the middle of the bagel shop, he bent down to have me look at his head and asked me what I thought about his hair. I didn’t remember where I had transplanted him and from the quick look I had of his scalp right there amongst the cases of baked goods, I honestly couldn’t tell his transplanted hair from his original remaining hair. I wasn’t going to break out a camera to start snapping photos right there, but he told me that so many people mentioned how good he looked and I’d have to agree with that. It was a nice start for my day.

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Hair Loss InformationIn the News – FDA Being Pressured to Speed Up Device Approval – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

It sounds like the FDA is in a no win situation. First they are under fire by the Government Accountability Office for how it handles device recalls.

Snippet from the article:

The FDA is falling short in how it handles recalls of risky medical devices, a new report from the Government Accountability Office concluded, adding to the ever-mounting criticisms of the agency’s fast-track, 510(k) approval process.

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Read the rest — FDA’s Fast-Track Medical Device Approval Process Under Fire

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And then at the same time, the medical device industry is pressuring the FDA to hurry up.

Snippet from the article:

Despite recalls of defective medical devices that have caused devastating injuries and millions of dollars in medical costs, the Food and Drug Administration is under industry pressure to speed up its approval process.

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Read the rest — Despite recalls, medical device industry presses FDA to speed up approval process

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Hair Loss InformationThank You for Meeting Me at the Open House – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I was the 22 year old with the early balding. We met at the open house on April 9.

I just wanted to say thank you for all of the information and the prescription for finasteride that you provided. Although I don’t know how I will respond to the drug, you may have saved my fairly full head of hair in the process.

I also would like to stress to other young men my age: if your hair is important to you and you sense that something isn’t right up there, get yourself examined immediately. It is a lot easier to maintain than to regain. Up until a year ago, I thought I would have nothing to worry about until later in life (general family genes start balding in 40+). I was unlucky enough to start early.

Again, I cannot thank you enough. Although it wasn’t what I wanted to hear, the bad news is more valuable to me now that I know I can at least do something about it in the early stages.

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You’re very welcome. Thank you for stopping by!

Our events are open to anyone that would like to meet patients and see what we have to offer. Our list of upcoming free monthly open house events in Los Angeles and San Jose, California can be found here.

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Hair Loss InformationHow Long Would Vitamin Deficiency Take to Correct? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr.
I can’t seem to find a definitive answer to this question on the internet for some reason. I was wondering how long you think it takes to correct a vitamin deficiency? I am trying to see if my seb derm and subsequent hair loss are as a result of this, yet I want to know how much time I should give it before I determine whether or not vit def is the culprit? Thank you for your time.

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Your analysis is guess work. How do you know you have a vitamin deficiency? Did you get test to confirm this?

I can not endorse your approach to your problem. See a good dermatologist who knows about hair and the various conditions you seem to report. I wouldn’t advise treating yourself.

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Hair Loss InformationHair Regrowth vs Thickening – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hello, I’m a little confused about what hair regrowth is and what hair thickening is. is regrowth when hair grows where it isn’t or is it when a small hair thickens?

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Regrowth is when hair grows where it once was. It’s all a matter of semantics. One can thicken the appearance of a head of hair by increasing the number of hairs in the head (regrowing new hair), moving the hair around (transplant), using camouflage (pigments), or increasing the thickness of existing hair (products). This is done by:

  1. Reducing the degree of miniaturization with drugs like Propecia (finasteride) so that each miniaturized hair will become less fine and more coarse (closer to your normal hair in the donor area).
  2. Increasing the thickness of the individual hair shafts with thickening agents that are applied to the hair which cause them to take on more water, or coat the hairs with some product that makes them appear thicker (this is done by applying a product to the hair that will usually wash off when shampooed).
  3. Increasing the thickness of an area can be done through hair transplantation. This is a relatively permanent solution until you lose more hair (it’s progressive).
  4. By playing with color, someone can bring their hair color closer to their scalp color with chemical dyes or the use of scalp micropigmentation (a medical tattoo). The use of agents such as Toppik (adds fibers to the hair and scalp) or DermMatch (a crayon type application to bring color to the scalp.

So you see, there are many ways to get a fuller look that may not be the results of a full head of hair, but if it fools the eye, then many people will be satisfied using these approaches.

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Hair Loss InformationWhen Should I Give Up Hope for Regrowth? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Is there still a chance I’ll have some regrowth, or should I give up hope?

I started medical school in 2009, and by the winter of 2010, I had already lost a significant amount of hair both at my crown and at the temples. I’ve been taking 1mg finasteride (I use Finpecia from Cipla cause I can’t afford Propecia) and using rogaine everyday for a year now (I’m currently 23), but haven’t noticed any regrowth. My hair stopped falling out only a few months after starting treatment, but there hasn’t been any improvement in terms of thickness or amount. Is there still a chance that I’ll have some regrowth?

I was under the impression that I should expect regrowth since I am young.

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Drugs like finasteride do a good job to halt hair loss in men of your age. Significant regrowth is uncommon, but I have seen it occur in a minority of men. The key would be to keep the loss at bay. With your loss arrested, you might make a good candidate for hair transplantation. As finasteride is a prescription medication, you should follow up with your prescribing doctor.

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Is the Top of My Scalp Maturing? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m a 17 year old white male and i’ve been experiencing shedding for the past 5-6 months. My hairline has matured over this time which i know is normal, the thing is i’m still losing hair from all over my head, not THAT much, but a few strands every couple times i run my hand through my hair. My hair MIGHT be a little more thin on the top but i’m not sure. so my question is, is my hair still just maturing, or is this the start of going bald? also i’m getting an appointment with a dermatologist soon

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The hairline matures, but the top of the scalp won’t go through that process unless you’ve got some degree of genetic hair loss (or allergy or disease).

Keep in mind that it’s normal to lose 100 or so hairs a day anyway, and usually we don’t notice most of them as the wind might blow them out, or they fall out in the shower, etc. Sometimes if you have styling product in your hair, that might keep those normally falling hairs locked in until you run your hand through. Or maybe you’re starting to thin. Think positive though. Without seeing you, there’s no way for me to know for sure… so I’d see that dermatologist for an exam first.

What I do is perform a bulk analysis of your hair in different parts of your scalp. If you are balding, the numbers on the analysis tool will show loss of bulk. And then you’ll need a Master Plan in which a decision will be made based upon good clinical evidence of balding.