Does eating red meat, chicken, pork, and milk accelerate hair loss? The reason I ask this, so many hormones are added into these products now-a-days and I wanted to know if it would increase testosterone levels and cause hair loss.
Thanks
There is no evidence that hormones from meat and milk will impact your hair loss.
What is the evidence for PRP and hair loss prevention and/or hair regrowth? Is there any evidence that it works along the frontal hairline? What are the biggest risks associated with this procedure? For those that couldn’t tolerate Propecia, is this a viable option? Thank you in advance for your assistance.
PRP means platelet rich plasma, and this is obtained by putting some of your blood in a tube, then spinning it down so that the plasma segment from the mix allows the red blood cells to fall to the bottom of the blood tube. The plasma is on the top of the tube and it is drawn off and then used by doctors to re-inject into your body. Some doctors use this plasma injection during the transplant process. Some doctors use it without transplants, as you suggested here, which is then injected into the balding area.
Some doctors claim that the injection of plasma into the bald skin will reverse balding or slow it down, but there is absolutely no proof that there is any benefit of the process. There is one benefit to the surgeon, though — the professional fee he pockets from performing this technique.
My advice to you is to stick to treatments that work and do not volunteer your body to unproven experimentation. If you can’t tolerate finasteride (Propecia), work this out with your doctor.
Have you heard of a shampoo, condtioner, cream and spray system called “Living Proof?”. There was an article in the NY Times which mentioned a scientist at MIT who was involved in its development.
It claims to work very well in increasing hair volume.
I did find an article in the Wall Street Journal about the company signing on actress Jennifer Aniston as their spokesperson (and as an investor), but I’m not otherwise familiar with their product line.
The MIT credentials sound nice, and perhaps their products may work for conditioning or volumizing hair. The hair styling products market is huge, so I can understand the need for a celebrity endorsement to stand out from the rest. I wouldn’t suggest this is the answer to thinning hair, though (nor does it seem that they’re claiming these products are hair loss treatments).
Can you take propecia before, during, and after a hair transplant?
Thanks
Short answer — yes.
Many men take Propecia (finasteride 1mg) before a hair transplant to limit the shock loss potential that can otherwise be seen following the procedure, then continue the medication afterwards to maintain their non-transplanted hair.
Hello,
I’m using flixotide 100mcg 2 times a day. Flixotide contains corticosteroid that works against inflammation for my asthma. Because it is a steroid, could it accelerate androgenetica alopecia? I can’t find good answers about this subject.
Hopefully you can help me. Cheers.
Chronic use of steroids can negatively impact hair loss, but I don’t see anything in the literature that shows hair loss as a side effect of Flixotide (fluticasone). There is little I can offer here.
I have a real fine dirty blonde straight hair texture. I am also Caucasian with pretty fair skin and I am 26 years old. The question I’d like to know is it normal I guess when lifting my hairline under bathroom fixture lightning to be able to see scalp in the corners? I’ve read a lot of blog questions and even have come across a few that are similar to the question that I have prepossessed but would like to get some clarification.
My corners of my hairline look to have matured to a norwood 2 possibly a norwood 1.5. In the corners I see normal sized hair but they seem to be slightly finer. The zone of finer hairs is like .5 cm of the leading edge and seems only to be in the corners. Is this considered a transition zone or would this be miniaturization or is it even common to even see finer hairs located in the corners of the hairline?
Also one more question if I may can you also just explain a little what a transition zone is and is this for hair transplant patients or is there also a transition in none balding men and women hairline as well?
Good questions.
A transition zone is present in everyone… that is, unless there is recession associated with balding. Generally, the transition zone has from 0.5-1cm one-hair follicular units and behind this zone the appearance of two-haired follicular units start showing up. In the very front of the transition zone is a layer of vellus hairs. This layer of vellus hairs can be identified as they are short, often colorless, and they do not have the obvious scalp “hole” where the hair exits the skin. These vellus hairs are the first hairs to go when frontal balding occurs and it is these hairs that you are seeing in your hairline.
Everyone is different and those with finer hair have a different appearance than those with coarse hair. Seeing through the hairline is normal, up to a point. The normal hairline should not have many miniaturized hairs (can be seen under a microscopic vision of the scalp in the doctor’s office).
Hello, I’m a 26 year old female who recently experienced dramatic hairloss. I would say over the last 7 or 8 months I’ve lost nearly half my hair. All my blood tests came back normal including a hormonal panel. My DHEA sulfate was slightly elevated but not much. The loss is all over, diffuse. But more severe in areas like the hairline.
I went to two dermatologists who were fairly insensitive told me it would grow back and that was it. I was on two birth control pills this year which gave me bad side effects so I stopped taking them. My derm told me this is likely the cause.
If this is the case, will it really grow back? I see small sprouts, but not enough to fill in what I lost. Does growth happen gradually ?
Thank you for your help.
The questions you asked are reasonable, but I am not in a position to give you an answer to them. Massive hair loss, as you described, is not common. Telogen effluviums can occur that present this way, but these usually reverse in a year or so.
I don’t know which birth control pills you were taking, but I would go back to your dermatologist and ask if he/she thinks that a biopsy will give more information and is appropriate to get a specific diagnosis.
Hi Doctor,
Some people started to use topical cetirizine to block PGD-2, they all say that they have re-growth from it and thickening up the vellus hairs and make them vellus in 3 months or so? it might be true?
I really do not know the answer. There is an association between cetirizine and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), which is related to hair loss. There is no clear evidence that cetirizine, an antihistamine, can restore hair at this time. Just applying it to the skin makes no sense to me.
Our office is closed today and tomorrow to celebrate Thanksgiving with our families. We’ll be back on Monday!
Hi, I am 29 and recently noticed (about 2 months ago) some oval bald spots on the back of my head and in my beard. After doing a little bit of research, I am pretty sure that I have alopecia areata. As the spots are getting bigger I’m starring to worry that I might not lose not only my hair but my beard too.
This got me thinking that my brother had his facial hair greatly increased following an anabolic steroids cycle (for bodybuilding purpose). It got me wondering if taking anabolic steroids would help me regrow my beard even if I suffered from AA.
Thanks
So you diagnosed yourself with alopecia areata and then decided to ask me if anabolic steroids would help regrow your facial hair? First of all, you should get a physician’s diagnosis to see if perhaps it isn’t alopecia areata. Maybe you have an allergy or stress (both of which can also cause spots like that).
Secondly, while some people have reported faster facial hair growth while using anabolic steroids, the steroids are more likely to cause further hair loss if you have the genetics for male pattern baldness. You don’t want to end up doing harm to your scalp hair while chasing down a facial hair loss solution.
And most importantly, there is no cure for alopecia areata (if that is indeed what you have) but there are treatments that can reverse it… and I’m not going to suggest anabolic steroids is something you should try. See the National Alopecia Areata Foundation for more.
