Month: September 2013

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Hair Loss InformationNot Hair Loss News – Micro-Robots Created to Carry Drugs Into the Bloodstream – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

Small enough for injection without leaving a wound, new microrobots could revolutionize the way modern medicine treats certain hard-to-reach areas of the body. The eyes and brain are extremely tricky places for surgeons, and a non-invasive solution to certain ailments has long been sought. The impediments to this are numerous, however, and range from producing to controlling to excreting any tiny agents that might be up to the job.

Now Chinese University researchers say they’ve created a working microbot for internal use, a cage-like structure just 100 microns long by 40 microns wide. Its inventors coat the cage shape in a thin layer of nickel, giving it the magnetic properties they require to guide it through to body after insertion. The electromagnetic field used to guide the little “robot” can push them through the body with extreme accuracy. In tests, the researchers were able to show that their robot successfully delivered a drug payload to the predetermined target cells.

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Read the rest — Cell-sized micro-robot will carry drugs in your bloodstream

They are testing with rabbits and mice for now, but hope to have human trials soon.

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Am I Balding – And If So, What is My Norwood? (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman.

First of all thank you for taking the time to post here, it has been an invaluable source of information for me regarding hairloss, and is much appreciated.

Secondly, could you please take a look at my included photographs (you may publish these if you wish) and give me an approximation of my hairloss?

My hairline has definitely changed since I was a juvenile as I had a freckle on my original hairline which has moved higher since my childhood. In some photographs the hairline looks ok, but in others when I pull back the hair you can see some corner/temple recession.

I was just wondering if I was still in the bounds of Norwood 2/mature hairline category or if my hair exceeds this? The density is pretty good on top.

I am 32 years of age. Thanks

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Click the photos to enlarge:

 

People sure are sending in some blurry, poor quality photos lately. Regardless, thanks for letting me publish these.

You have early changes consistent with a mature hairline, or a Norwood class 2. If you are concerned, see a doctor who will be able to examine you in person, map your scalp for miniaturization, and provide hair bulk analysis to give you a better sense of your hair loss (or lack thereof).

At 32 years old with a strong hairline and good density on top, you probably don’t have much to be concerned about, though.

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Hair Loss InformationI’ve Taken Propecia for 4 Years Before Any Signs of Hair Loss – Will Stopping It Give Me Catch-Up Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Question regarding catch-up hair loss and propecia. I have been on propecia for 4 years now and have not seen an affect of balding. Im a 27 year old male with no sign of hairloss as of right now. I started taking it because my mothers father was bald as well as her brother. I had no signs of hair loss. Right now Im about to attend a school for work (military) that does not allow prescriptions. My question is how long do most people have before they see severe catch-up hair loss?

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I don’t know why you would take a prescription hair loss treatment if you didn’t have signs of hair loss — or I guess the better question would be, why would a doctor prescribe it to you? Finasteride should not be used as a preventive medication; it should only be taken once hair loss is evident. Since you started taking the medication with no hair loss present, I don’t know if you do have genetic hair loss that Propecia protected you from, or if the hair loss gene skipped you altogether.

If you have genetic male patterned hair loss, and have been slowing or stopping the problem with finasteride/Propecia, you may very well have “catch-up” hair loss and see the impact in 1-4 months.

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Asymmetrical Hairline, Swirl in My Forelock – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

It looks like I have a norwood 2A with a persistent forelock just like my 50 year old Dad and Uncle. you can just make out a strong norwood 2A when a light shines directly on top of their heads.

I started at 15 and my hair has quickly receded then slowly receded and hasn’t moved much anywhere in 2 years with just the thinness that is left on the right side. The right side of my forelock on the leading edge is looking thin but the corners on both side and the leading edge on the left sides plus the rest of my hair is thick and strong as its ever been. so is it possible to have a asymmetrical hairline after recession? My right temple point is higher than the left, my juvenile hairline was higher on the right and also the highest crease is not symmetrical with it being higher on the right.

Another question is I have a swirl in my forelock much like the one you have at the back of our head, I have had this since I was little and wondering if that could contribute to thinning on the right when light is shined on it.

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Asymmetrical balding and/or recession is common. Swirls in the forelock are also very common. Direct lighting will often make hair appear thinner than it actually is.

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I Think My Hairline Receded After 6 Months of Accutane Use – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

I am a 22-year-old male, and last year I took small dosage of isotretinoin for around 6 months. My hairline seems to have receded some, but I am wondering whether I should go out of my way to go see a doctor about taking propecia as of right now. My father began balding in his late twenties, so I am worried I am following in his path.

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I took a look at the few photos you sent, and while they were poor quality photos, I didn’t see any hair loss. A maturing hairline could be what you’re worried about, but that is not considered treatable balding.

Isotretinoin (Accutane) is known to cause hair loss in some, but having your hairline mature is a normal occurrence for many men as they get older.

If you are concerned, see a doctor — but based on the photos, I don’t know that you have anything worth treating. Of course, a doctor will be able to examine you in person, map your scalp for miniaturization, and provide hair bulk analysis to give you a better sense of your hair loss (or lack thereof).

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Hair Loss InformationMy Hair Continues to Thin, So Should I Try Microneedling? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor
Thank You for your time and effort spent on Balding Blog, it is very informative, I check it daily. I am a 51 yr old male that has had several transplants over the years. I currently use Finasteride and Rogaine daily. I have continued to thin in spite of making every effort, which is extremely stressful. I was interested in Microneedling. Is this something that one may do at home or does this require a visit to the doctors office. I live on the east coast just out side of Boson Ma. I would like to learn more about the treatment.

Thanks very much!

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No doubt that my posting about the small microneedling trial piqued your interest. Unfortunately, I have little experience with the technique you asked about.

You can contact doctors in the Boston area and see if someone has experience with it. To find a doctor in your area, check out the physician search at ISHRS.org.

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Hair Loss InformationNot Hair Loss News – Cinnamon Might Help Diabetes Meds – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

In a new meta-analysis of 10 studies in patients with type 2 diabetes, taking cinnamon supplements improved fasting blood glucose and cholesterol levels, but not glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.

HbA1c likely was not affected because the studies were too short, and they were also very small and diverse, making it difficult to draw any clinical implications, caution Robert W. Allen (then a PharmD student at Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California) and coauthors in their paper published September 9 in the Annals of Family Medicine.

Based on this meta-analysis, “I wouldn’t recommend cinnamon instead of [diabetes] medication,” and long-term effects are unknown, senior author Olivia Phung, PharmD, from Western University of Health Sciences, told Medscape Medical News. However, small doses of a cinnamon supplement could be used along with traditional diabetes medication, she conceded.

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Read the rest — Will a Spoonful of Cinnamon Help the Diabetes Meds Go Down?

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Hair Loss InformationOne Side of My Hair Transplant Is Growing Faster Than The Other – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello doctor,

Just over 4 months into my HT I’ve noticed 1 side is growing faster than the other side! Should I be worried?

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I wouldn’t be worried at this stage. The other side should catch up in the next couple of months. We frequently see different rates of growth in different areas for reasons that I can not explain. For example, when we transplant the front and the crown, often one area grows significantly ahead of the other area.

You’re only 4 months post-surgery, so give it at least 2-4 more months to give it a chance to grow in. The full results will be seen within the next 8 months (a year after your surgery).

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Hair Loss InformationI Have Increased Body Hair, Skin Aging, Belly Fat, and More After Stopping Finateride – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello and thank you for all these answers and clarifying a lot of myths on balding!

My father, his brother and their dad are bald and I started balding in my early 20s. A quick visit to a dermatologist made me start 1/4 Proscar which I did for 6 years. By then end of that period I become increasingly worried that some depression symptoms, lack of motivation, memory and concentration were being caused by it. No major sexual problems… I stopped it over 1.5years ago.

Some people think stopping finasteride may not have any consequences… that’s very naive i think, specially if you took it for a long time. The major changes I’ve noticed were: increased body hair (beard, arms, back and legs mainly), more easy to gain muscle, but my belly suddenly also started accumulating fat way more easily, body smells are all of a sudden way more intense, my constant 4-5 colds/ throat “virus” per year reduced a lot (not been sick at all this past year…), erections are more potent (horny way more often), skin aging seems to have accelerated, hair is falling and receding fast! Many of these are consequences of a male hormone back into a high level i think. Depression, memory improvements? … very hard to tell!

Question: Have you heard of any of these depression/ mental problems? Some people claim nasty sexual sides, is it likely that i will develop those if i restart 1/4 proscar for some more years? I mean, given i had no major sides (apart from the elusive mental problems which doctors never believed) can i assume proscar is safe for me?

Also, may i ask what are the current guidelines for having a HT at an early balding stage? Could i just assume that balding is occurring and do half transplant now which lasts some years and do the rest in say… 10years time or so?

Many thanks in advance for your advice and for this blog!

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I appreciate your problems, but you need to see a doctor to surround them. I’ve never heard of anyone having their body smells change or getting sick more often, nor have I heard that finasteride could cause skin aging. I am not surprised that your hair is receding fast, since you stopped the medication that was protecting your hair.

As for hair transplant guidelines, hair loss is a progressive process. You’ll need to talk with a surgeon to develop a Master Plan for treating your loss.

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Hair Loss InformationIn the News – Actress Kristen Stewart Displays Noticeable Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

She’s had a difficult few months following her split from Robert Pattinson. And it seems Kristen Stewart’s traumatic personal life has taken a toll on the 23-year-old actress, who has been seen with what seems to be a large bald patch on her head.

Kristen, who usually conceals her locks beneath hats and caps, was pictured in Berlin, Germany, last month displaying the dramatic hair loss on the right side of her scalp – thought to be down to stress.

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Read the rest — Kristen Stewart displays noticeable hair loss due to ‘stress following split from Robert Pattinson’

See the photos over at the above link.