Month: March 2012

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Dark Spot Corrector Caused Beard Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I used a dark spot corrector on my face and it caused me to experience hair loss in my beard. There was not even any redness only a slight burning sensation. As soon as I felt the burning I washed off the chemicals and noticed my hair was gone. I am extremely self conscious at the moment can you please offer any advise.

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I don’t know what chemical you used. If the hair loss occurred less than 6 months ago, you might still see it return. If it is beyond 6 months, you might seek a hair transplant into the balding spot.

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Freezing Avodart Pills? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi! Can I freeze Avodart pills without any problem? I wanna take half a pill for alopecia.

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IceAvodart (dutasteride) is used for certain prostate conditions, and although it is prescribed by some doctors off label for treating androgenic alopecia, the correct dosing, its efficacy, and its long term side effects are not well defined.

With respect to how you keep the medication, I would follow the drug label instructions for storage requirements. I would think that freezing the pill may make it inactive. The drug information does say “keep from freezing”, and the full info about proper storage requirements as stated by Drugs.com is as follows —

“Store Avodart at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Avodart out of the reach of children and away from pets.”

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Wouldn’t Switching to Proscar Be Ripping Off Insurance Companies? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

you suggest switching to proscar. doesnt that pose two problems? 1. it would be ripping the insurance companies off. 2. doctors would have to write false perscriptions for prostate problems, when they were really writing it for hair loss.

as well if its off the market, wouldnt it be for good reason? why would yo advocate a ‘work around’?

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When I write prescriptions for Proscar or generic finasteride to treat hair loss, I write in the instructions that the drug be cut into quarters. If the pharmacy contacts the insurance company to authorize the medication for that, it is between the patient and his insurance company. I NEVER put a ICD-9 code that implies prostate disease, as the prescription does not require this on it. I do nothing that is illegal.

As for “if” it is pulled from the market, that’s a completely hypothetical situation and unlikely.

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Why Are You So Anti-LaserComb? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have been reading through the blog and reading your posts on Low Level Laser Therapy (the laser comb). What I am not understanding is why you are so against it? If it has FDA approval, double blinded clinical trials, and is backed by many hair restoration doctors why do you disapprove?

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It does NOT have FDA approval. It has FDA clearance for marketing, and the product was grandfathered in. We haven’t seen lasers work as claimed anywhere and on anyone that could be said to be objective. I’ve written about this topic many times before.

Further reading can be found here.

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Propecia Could Be Banned in France By 2013? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

I don’t know if you are aware about the french situation of propecia, but on the news these days they are talking about the permanent side effects, and a potential permanent erectile dysfunction. The equivalent of the FDA here, AFSSAPS, is talking about a reevaluation. The drug might be forbidden in 2013.

Here is the article, in french

Do you know any others countries where the drug is forbidden ?

Regards.

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I ran that link through Google Translate so I could read it, but I didn’t find anything new there that we haven’t covered before. It says they will reassess the medication next year, which could mean there will be a change to the product label or there will be no changes at all. Any action to ban finasteride would impact men with prostate problems and would be unlikely.

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Using Leg Hair vs Scalp Hair for Eyebrow Transplants – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am considering an eyebrow transplant due to having lost a good portion of my eyebrows as I have aged. (I am in my mid-40s). Can you discuss the relative merits between using leg hair and scalp hair for eyebrow transplant procedures? I have heard some doctors prefer leg hair for this procedure.

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Leg hairs do look similar to eyebrow hairs and can grow to about the same length, so it may be an option. The major problem with leg hair is the length of the telogen portion of the hair growth cycle. The telogen component (the period where the hairs are not growing above the skin and are in a rest period below the skin) is about 60-70% of the total cycle. That means that for every ten hairs that are transplanted, only about 3 will be growing above the skin to see at any one time. With scalp hair, the telogen component of the hair growth cycle runs about 3 months and the growth phase runs about 3 years. Better value!

In general, we have traditionally transplanted scalp hair to eyebrow, because we have the most experience with scalp hair and know how it behaves (its growth cycle is predictable).

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How Could Someone Be a Norwood 6 But Still Look Like They Have a Full Head of Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr Rassman,

I was reading your blog the other day and was interested to see you comment that a person may have a norwood six balding pattern but still look like they have a full head of hair and also that a person who shows a Norwood 3 balding pattern would almost never advance to a norwood 6.

I am confused because in another post of yours you stated that thinning can begin in different areas at different ages. Can you clarify? I really would like to get an idea of what my final norwood pattern would be if bulk analysis can do that but now I’m not sure it can (?) what do you mean when you say that someone with NW3 thinning will rarely ever progress to a NW6?

If someone had slightly thinning temples and a thinner patch at the crown does this mean they are likely to be a higher NW pattern?

Many Thanks

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Norwood 6Men in the process of losing their hair in a Norwood class 6 pattern may not be thinning uniformly. They may be losing more of the frontal hair faster, yet have the overall pattern of a class 6 that may or may not become complete. Some men who take finasteride will arrest much of the class 6 pattern thinning, especially in the top and crown of the head, but their frontal balding could actually be advanced.

I like to tell patients where they are going with their balding pattern, and where they are now during the evaluation.

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Any Photos of Transplanted Younger Patients with Advanced Balding? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Doc,
Could you be able to post some photos in HT on younger men (30-40) with advanced balding patterns (class 6 or higher) in your blog or at NHI site. I am 32 years old south asian considering HT with NHI, but I havent been able to find how younger patients fare with HT.
Thanks for this great blog.

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Take a look at our patient photo galleries on the NHI site. There’s over 300 patients shown there with thousands of pictures. There are many young men on the site that fit what you’re asking for. I used the search box and found these to get you started: Patient LT, Patient EE, Patient XG, and Patient MU.

If you come to one of our Open House events, you will actually meet some men in their late 20s or early 30s who have been transplanted.

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In the News – Breast Implants Caused Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

A mother has suffered insomnia and hair loss after both of her breast implants ruptured – causing toxins to leak into her body.

Andrea Hayman, 38, has spoken out to highlight the dangers of Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) implants.

The distressed mother-of-two also wants to encourage women who have had similar breast enhancements to act immediately.

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Read the rest — Mother reveals PIP implants have caused hair loss and insomnia

Poly Implant Prothese was a maker of silicone breast implants, which may still be in approximately 400,000 women around the world.

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Should I Decrease My Propecia Dose If We Want to Conceive? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dc William,

I hope this e-mail finds you in good health.

Actually, I have two questions and would appreciate your comments:

1) Im on Propecia and Roagine for almost two years, and Im planning to get married and having kids accorindgly. Do I need to stop Propecia, Is there any side effect on the baby? Shall I decrease the doasge to 3 times per week.

2) Can you pls provide us with some feedback on PRP & Acell treatment?

I thank you in advance for your reply.

Best regards

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Propecia should not be an issue if you are trying to conceive. There is no significant trace of the drug in semen. The drug company (who is at great risk if anything goes wrong) does not have a warning on this for getting pregnant, just for women touching or ingesting the pill. Some doctors suggest that for drug related risks during pregnancy, you stop taking Propecia during the month that you are trying to conceive. This is most probably overkill, as it may have some impact on your hair loss/gain. Keep in mind Propecia’s half life in the blood stream is 4 hours. It may linger on in your tissue for about one week. If you have concerns, talk to your prescribing physician.

As for platelet rich plasma (PRP) — there is no study with respect to it producing any value. It may, theoretically, accelerate recovery after a hair transplant. The best thing I can say about it, is that it is a money maker for the doctor. I guess we are not good business people, because we refuse the join that bandwagon.

And as for ACell — it does not work for hair multiplication, as everyone hoped. It does seem to work for wound healing.