Month: April 2012

Posted on

Hair Transplants from the Dead? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello dr Rassman, what do you think about this article? It’s about removing scalp from dead people in order to cure baldness.

USA Today – Hair-raising ideas to cure baldness

Block Quote

ZombiesThis article is from 2007, but I don’t remember writing about it before. It discusses a treatment tested in lab animals that “reduces the length of time any recipient must be on immunosuppressant drugs to just a week”… instead of a lifetime. I can’t seem to find more recent info on it though, and the toxic immunosuppressant drugs still in use today have to be taken forever, which is just one of the reasons that transplanting hair from a dead person just isn’t worth the risk.

The question the article’s author poses is, “But what if it were possible to move an entire, full and durable scalp from another person, albeit a dead one, all at once?”

Yes, what if it were possible? Who would do want this done? I know zombie movies and TV shows are popular right now, so maybe there would be some volunteers…

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationShould I Still Be Concerned About Propecia Side Effects In My 40s? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am almost 45yrs old and thinking about starting Propecia. Am I to old? What could I expect at my age. Basically, I have thinning in the frontal areas only. Also, should I be concerned about the side affects at my age?

Block Quote

You may not get the full benefit of the drug as you would have when you were losing hair in your 20s and early 30s. That being said, you’re not too old. The sexual side effects that most men worry about are either:

  1. you get them (2% risk), or
  2. your don’t get them (98%)

If you see a good, competent doctor, he/she will be able to estimate the value of this drug in your unique situation with good miniaturization and bulk analysis of your hair in the areas of greatest concern.

Posted on

I Hate My Widow’s Peak! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have a widow peak much similar to actor Colin Farrell (as can be seen here). Since my hairline has receded a lot already the widow peak makes my receding hairline a lot more noticeable. And personally, I have never liked it either.

How can I get this removed for good? I was considering electrolysis but I am not 100% sure whether it is really safe?! I was also thinking if FUE could be used to move this hair over to cover some of my receding hairline?! However, I reckon there would be some scars left?!

Block Quote

You can easily remove the widows peak with electrolysis or laser hair removal. It is safe, but be careful what you wish for.

I had a patient who had successfully removed his widow’s peak, only to regret his decision several years later. He became my patient when he came in to have a hair transplant to re-add the peak.

Posted on

In the News – Bald Barbie is Coming Soon – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

In response to an inspirational online campaign urging Mattel to make a Barbie for kids with cancer, the toy maker announced on its Facebook page today that it will introduce a bald Barbie.

The doll, who will be a friend of Barbie, will be donated to hospitals treating children affected by hair loss throughout the U.S. and Canada. The company will also give dolls and monetary donations to CureSearch for Children’s Cancer and the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

Mattel posted on its wall:
We are pleased to share with our community that next year we will be producing a fashion doll, that will be a friend of Barbie, which will include wigs, hats, scarves and other fashion accessories to provide girls with a traditional fashion play experience. For those girls who choose, the wigs and head coverings can be interchanged or completely removed.

Block Quote

Read the rest — Barbie will go bald for kids with cancer

We wrote about the campaign earlier this year, so it’s good to see Mattel was paying attention and willing to step up to support these kids.

Posted on

Do Bald Guys Have a Full Head of Hair That Just Won’t Grow? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hello dr

i just want to know if the hormone just kills the follicles or just makes the hairs very small. so does that mean the the bald guy has a full head of hair but they are extremely small that we cant see it?
thanks

Block Quote

I believe that after many years of being bald, the follicles on the scalp essentially die. I could be wrong.

The “infrastructure” that supports hair growth is atrophic (very thin) in the very bald man and has less active blood vessels, less fat, and less glandular tissue. When we transplant into this atrophic area, a miracle occurs and the thin scalp becomes thicker and more normal like (more blood vessels to nourish the new hair that we put back).

Some people believe (I am one of them) that hair growth and cycling depend upon chemical pathways controlled by genetics. If something is missing in one of the pathways (possibly more than one), the hair “seed”‘ disappears, but if the chemical pathway defect is fixed, I believe that the hair will regrow and a bald man will become hairy again. This is not a common conception, but research is being done to define the pathway.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationMy Donor Scar is Still Partially Pink 18 Months After My Surgery – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi. I have had 2 transplants including one with NHI. Both went well with great results however in both cases my scar was wider than most results I have seen (my scalp is not tight) and my scar is still very pink (at the back of the head but not on the sides) 18 months out from my last procedure. I will be getting further procedures at some stage & am wondering if it is likely that my scar will eventually fade (do you have patients that have scars that stay pink?) & if you have any recommendations for reducing pinkness after future procedures (any particular creams or potions?)

Thanks!

Block Quote

If you are one of our patients, you should come in for a visit when you are in the US, or send me a photograph and then we can speak over the phone.

Yes, there are treatments for very red scars that persist for long periods of time such as topical steroids. Their chronic use, however, could produce problems if it gets absorbed into the body with prolonged use, but for a short term use (a week), it should not be a problem. Most of the redness will continue to fade over time.

Posted on

My Crown Pattern Isn’t a Typical Swirl – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

If I don’t have the typical “swirl” pattern on the crown of my head, does that mean I am bald or going to become bald?
Thankyou

Block Quote

The swirl pattern in your crown does not predict hair loss. The swirl is just a swirl (or whorl). Most people have just one swirl, but others have two or three swirls which create havoc on their hair style. The multiple swirls can also be troublesome for hair transplant surgeons if they have to address more than one.