May 2011 – Page 7 – Balding Blog

May 6, 2011

Hair Loss InformationEasiest Color for SMP? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hey Dr. Rassman,

Is it easier to treat a scalp with micropigmentation if the hair is black?

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There is no color that is easier to apply than another. Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) does tend to look better on darker (black, brown, olive) skinned men with darker hair (black or brown), as the contrast difference between hair and skin color is lower than if the skin was white.

Men with red hair or blond hair still have grey follicles that you see when they shave their beard and scalp hair.

For more information see our SMP FAQ.

May 6, 2011

Hair Loss Information » I’m 2 Months Into My Fourth Pregnancy and Suddenly Seeing Hair Loss – Balding Blog

I recently found out that i’m pregnant, i’m about two months along now…and I noticed that about two months ago I started having hair loss more than normal. My hair has gotten significantly thinner. I went to the dermatologist and she said it’s most likely from low iron. I’ve been pregnant three times before and have never had this issue. If it is from being anemic, I was wondering what the result would be if I got an abortion, will the hair loss stop or get worse or stay the same?

Hair loss in pregnancy is relatively common and it’s generally a temporary phenomenon, usually changing course a few months after you give birth. Abortion or miscarriage can also cause added stress-induced hair loss. Please follow up with your doctor.

May 6, 2011

Does Any Surgeon Do the Entire Transplant Without Techs? – Balding Blog

I’m looking for a hair transplant surgeon who does both harvesting and transplanting. I don’t want a doctor who harvests only and lets technicians do the transplanting, as happened in my wife’s case.

Surgical staff In the United States, virtually all hair transplant surgery is done with a doctor and his staff of technicians. The doctor harvests the donor hair grafts and makes the recipient sites. The technicians process the donor grafts (under a microscope) and feeds it into the recipient sites that that doctor has premade. Without this teamwork the entire surgery would be too cumbersome for one doctor to accomplish. There is a misconception that the technicians are controlling where the hairs are implanted, but the direction, the angle, and the distribution of hair is predetermined by the doctor.

In short, the planning is more important than the execution and to succeed you need great teamwork. Thus, the consumers (patients) should be aware that when they choose a hair transplant doctor, they should also ask about the staff/technician and the overall reputation of the clinic (not only the doctor).

Here are some past articles that might be of interest to you, related to technicians in hair restoration surgery:

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May 5, 2011

Hair Loss InformationThe Sides of My Head Look Thin When Wet – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doctor,

When my hair is wet, I can see thinning on the sides and back although it is still thicker than the top. I had taken SSRI’s in high school to treat an incredibly difficult case of OCD that left me very emotionally messed up for several years. Since then, I thinned out gradually most of which is over the top of my head and now I’m noticing some on the sides. Could it be that the medications and high stress situations have lead to sort of premature senile alopecia, or maybe took away many life cycles my follicles had because of such a hard time in my life?

I have been on propecia for about 15 months and it’s hard to tell if it’s doing much, maybe it’s slowing down the progression but I have avoided minox because of people claiming it causes skin problems and other serious side effects, luckily I haven’t had that problem with propecia. If the hairloss is due to this and I wasn’t destined for MPB (baldness in family is extremely limited, maternal grandfather was maybe a NW3/4 but had strong sides and back in his 80’s) could it just be that my hair follicles aged prematurely due to the stress and hard times. And if this is the case, is there anything I can do at this point or do I just cross my fingers and hope something like what Histogen is doing works?

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There might be something going on, but given your history of OCD, medication, and stress, without examining you I can not render you a good opinion. If I examined you, I would perform two tests that might just nail the problem. These tests would be:

Bulk measurements of your hair in different parts of your head with a specialized instrument
Miniaturization studies on the different parts of your scalp

In addition, I would be able to take a careful history from you and also use my clinical skills to understand your exact situation. Simply put, you can not get a good assessment without a personal interview and examination.

May 5, 2011

Would an Eyebrow Comb Cause Eyebrow Loss? – Balding Blog

Hello Dr,
I was wondering if stroking your eyebrow with an eyebrow comb can cause hair loss in the brow to the point where it gets incredibly sparse? In an attempt to shape my brows in the morning I comb them say maybe ten times or so to get them just right and then sometimes more so throughout the day. Well certain days I see anywhere from two to four hairs that look weak and then fall out. I used to brush them quite often as a teen and this would never happen but as of late (I am in my twenties) they fall out when I do this and I was wondering if you think this is the cause or could it be something else? I did have thyroid levels checked and they were fine. Thank you for your time.

I wouldn’t think that gently combing your eyebrows in it of itself will cause hair loss. Traction alopecia can possibly occur from the process you are describing if you’re pulling on the eyebrows… and the hairs you see falling out may indicate that what you are doing is too much. I really couldn’t pinpoint the cause for you, unfortunately. As some men and women age, they lose the outer edge of their eyebrows due to unknown reasons.

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May 4, 2011

I’m a Class 2 Right Now, But What If I Have Surgery and The Loss Progresses? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am 31 years old, and have Stage 2 hair loss. It’s not major yet. I am missing maybe one inch on each side.

My question, if I get a hair transplant – and fix those two small spots, what happens if my hair recedes further? Won’t it look horrible to have two spots of hair up front and continual loss behind it? how is this situation remedied without further surgery?

Again, I’m stage 2 – not bad at all, maybe an inch pushed back so far. Thank you!

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This is why a Master Plan is needed before you have your hair transplant surgery, so you can build a plan with your doctor about how to address a worst case scenario of further progression of your hair loss.

I will usually recommend that my male patients stay on finasteride to help prevent the loss from continuing (or at least slowing it down considerably), but ultimately, progression of the hair loss is a risk and probably a reality for balding men sooner or later.

May 4, 2011

How Soon After a Transplant Can I Use Toppik? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just had a 2000+ graft transplant 5 days ago. I trust my doctor implicitly and felt his staff was wonderful and professional.

My question is regarding post-op care. There doesn’t seem to be a consensus among surgeons. I suspect this is because good evidenced based studies are lacking but I was particularly curious for an opinion regarding concealing products like Toppik. I’ve heard ranges regarding safe use from 2 days post op to 1 year. Seemed like quite a range? Do you have an opinion? Thanks.

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Generally you can use hair camouflaging products, such as Toppik, as soon as the scabbing is gone. That depends upon your cleaning technique or just the type of instruments your surgeon used during the procedure. If the granules get under scabs, they will act like a foreign body.

Refer to your transplant surgeon, of course.

May 4, 2011

A Reader’s Happy Finasteride Story – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Good doctors….I’ve written before and have had a couple of posts placed on your website. This is more of a story with comments.

I’m a 41 year old white male, who started to recede in college. I had a ceaser haircut in the early 1990’s that was popular at the time. I tried Rogaine in college when it was an RX and $130.00/three months. I tried snake oils, etc.

Finally, I started buzzing my hair all through my 20’s. I got tired of shaving my head and started growing it out. My hair was still quite thick, but had a more mature frontal hairline and the crown was thinning (by my late 20’s). I still had hair, but used Toppik, to help my confidence. So too with Rogaine 5%.

Eventually, in my late 30’s I discovered this site and started to educate myself. I switched to Rogaine foam and started Propecia in 2008. After about a year, there was/is a noticeable difference. My crown filled in. Areas that were completely skin, have hair. The hair itself is thicker (diameter) and my front hairline/forelock is incredibly strong and I can wear my hair up (think Joel McHale from “Community”….after his alleged transplant). I finally have good hair again. And I love it. I get compliments, and have massive confidence.

I was at Starbucks on Monday, and an older woman turned to me and said, “You have great hair. Most men would KILL for that.” I stopped, told her that she made my day. I jokingly said I spent a lot of money on my hair to look good (Rogaine, etc.). But it’s true. Moreover, with your suggestion, I shifted to the generic Finesteride for 4 bucks a month at Target. 4 bucks!!!!! Thank you!

So, to wind this up, I have better hair than I did in my 20’s. I have an actual style and love to look good. I’m an academic, and I get checked out by coeds all the time. This NEVER happened 10 years ago. Never.

So, to all the crybabies about Propecia, all I can say is quit whining. Quit acting like a woman and worrying. To those that say that male vanity is bad/doesn’t exist, I say, you’re nuts. It’s good to feel good about yourself.

Thanks, men. Keep up the good work.

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Well, there you go. I’m glad to hear you’re successfully treating your hair loss, and wish you continued happiness. Thanks for writing in!

May 3, 2011

Hair Loss InformationJohn Travolta Has a New Wig? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Why would someone that already has his hair loss documented suddenly step out in public with a new head of “hair”? I know all of us that are losing hair show some level of vanity (which is why we want our hair back!!!!) but John Travolta is in the public eye. Who is he kidding?

Check it out : thesuperficial.com

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Everyone is entitled to their opinions, just as everyone is entitled to look any way they want. I don’t think by John Travolta wearing a hairpiece that he’s trying to fool anyone. Perhaps it’s just a personal choice of style and taste. I would bet that he frequently does not wear the hairpiece, as he looks so relaxed without it.

Like so many actors, various movie roles may call for different looks… so maybe he’s wearing this new piece for a role? I haven’t spoken to him about his hair, so I’m not going to speculate on why he went from receding to a straight hairline while out in public.

May 3, 2011

Is Soft Water Making My Mother Lose Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My elderly mother lives in AZ, has a soft water system. She believes that she hasn’t been getting the soap out of her hair becuz she now has a “crust” like condition all over her scalp and when she washes her hair her hair is falling out with/in the “crust”. Is there a way to soften it or a different method to remove it and save her hair?

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Soft water lacks calcium and magnesium, which might actually be better for your hair than hard water. Crusts on one’s scalp has nothing to do with soft water, though.

Your mom should see her doctor for a diagnosis of what she has before considering any options or speculating on reasons for her hair loss. I couldn’t say what might be going on with her scalp or how to correct it without an examination.