Month: November 2013

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Hair Loss InformationDHT Resistance? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Some men go bald some men don’t. Is the reason for this the fact that the non balding man’s hair is resistant to DHT or is it some other reason like the none balding man has less DHT in his system? Thanks for your response.

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The reason why some men go bald is because of the genetic trait they inherited from their parents. This genetic trait causes them to be susceptible to the hormone DHT, which triggers apoptosis (cell death) in male pattern (genetic) balding. If you do not have the genetic trait for balding then DHT does not matter.

Everyone makes their own DHT which comes from the metabolism of testosterone. When we treat a balding person with a DHT blocker like finasteride (Propecia) we block the interaction of DHT at the hair follicle level for those who are genetically susceptible to DHT-related male pattern baldness.

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Hair Loss InformationI Was Diagnosed with Female Pattern Baldness, But Could It Also Be From Tight Rollers? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have noticed dramatic hair loss in the last 6 months bang area. I went from having long thick bangs to short hairs and visible scalp. I went to a hair loss doctor and he said I have female pattern baldness. I believe this is the core problem-but could it also be that I am continuing to brush vigorously with a brush dryer and using tight rollers when hair is wet. Will the hair re-grow now that I have stopped doing this?

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Tight rollers or pulling or brushing your hair vigorously can cause hair loss that may be permanent. The only way to tell if your hair will grow back is to wait it out. It may take about one year for you to see regrowth. If you do not see regrowth after a year then it is likely permanent.

If you were diagnosed with female pattern hair loss, it is possible that you have a combination of genetics and traction alopecia from the pulling… but I have no way to know that for certain.

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Hair Loss InformationAny New Opinions on Creatine and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr. Rassman,

Through the search feature on the site, I have read about previous questions that asked about creatine and hair loss. It seems like you addressed the topic of increasing DHT being a potential issue, however, you seemed to believe that it didn’t have a direct correlation as shown in this question here (link).

My question is, do you have any new knowledge, updates or opinions on creatine and hair loss? Any information would help, as the last time this topic was discussed seemed to be at least 3 years ago.

Thanks!

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I have no new knowledge or opinions on creatine. I personally do no think it affects hair, but I am sure you can find plenty of sites that say different. If it worries you enough, then maybe you should take a conservative approach.

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Hair Loss InformationOver a Year After Hair Transplant Surgery, My Donor Area is Still Numb – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I had hair transplant surgery 15 months ago, and the back of my head is still numb and tingly. It starts from the incision line and goes up to the top of the back of my head. The numbness and tingly has not changed at all. I told my doctor about this numerous times, and he just stated each time that it will go away. Years ago, I had two hair transplant surgeries of 800 grafts and 250 grafts. After those two surgeries, I had no numbness at all. However, with this surgery, which was over 2000 grafts, I had numbness and tingly right after surgery, and it hasn’t changed yet. Is there anything that I can do?

During the surgery, I heard one of the helpers say to the person who was cutting the strip of hair that he cut too deep. Could this be a possible cause of the numbness? Is there anything that I can do? It’s a constant annoyance, day in and day out. I’m also getting head aches. Could this be the cause of that?

Thank you for your time

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Generally speaking, any scalp numbness from a hair transplant surgery should go away after about one year. If the doctor cuts too deep or cuts a large nerve (called the greater occipital nerve) the numbness may be permanent. It is one of the rare unfortunate risks associated with hair transplant surgery.

The concept and theory of hair transplant surgery is easy. The execution and practice is highly variable. There is no formal training in hair transplant surgery and just because a doctor is a Plastic Surgeon does not mean he/she is a capable hair transplant surgeon. There is no American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) for hair transplant surgery (like there is for Plastic Surgery). Just because a doctor belongs to hair transplant societies such as ISHRS and ABHRS, it does not mean they are “board certified” or trained in hair transplant surgery. It just means they paid a membership fee. Thus, choosing a well qualified, well trained hair transplant surgeon is difficult and highly variable.

Having said all this, your doctor may be a well trained and reputable surgeon and this may just be one of those rare unfortunate instance of the risks associated with surgery.

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Hair Loss InformationOne Doctor Told Me I Could Take Avodart Once a Week Instead of Daily – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m currently taking one 0.5 mg capsule of Avodart for hair loss daily. Visiting a hair transplant doctor the other day he said I could take it once a week and have the same results, as avodart stays in ones system for several weeks. What is your advice? I’m a 58 year old male. Thanks

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My advice is speak to your doctor. If you were prescribed the medication, discuss any questions you may have with the doctor that prescribed it to you.

I do not advocate the use or usually recommend Avodart (dutasteride) for treating hair loss. I have prescribed it in select cases, but Avodart does have a long half life and many doctors have many different opinions on how to take the medication. There isn’t any defined dosage for it as a hair loss treatment.

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Hair Loss InformationDecreased Semen After Taking Propecia for a Few Months – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Doctor, I am 32 years old and have been on 1 mg propecia for 4 months now and have experienced good results. My question and concern is that days after starting propecia I noticed a major decrease in the amount of semen (about 50%) after ejaculation.

Would you recommend using .50 mg of propecia daily instead of 1 mg or would continuing with 1 mg be safe? Also, in your experience, is this a major side effect that could get worse?? I would greatly appreciate your reply. Great Blog by the way!

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Decrease in the volume of ejaculate is a possible side effect of Propecia. It has nothing to do with safety or the potency of your semen. Speak with your doctor about your side effect issues and about whether you should change your dose.

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Hair Loss InformationIs My Recent Hair Loss Due to Wearing a Head Scarf or the Hot Weather? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m 20 years old and female. At the age of 19 I moved from the UK to Egypt and have since been losing a lot of hair. Literally handfuls come out when I wash my hair and a hairbrush full after washing. Really depressing me because I’ve always had long thick hair. I’m not sure if its because i have also recently started wearing a headscarf and regularly wear my hair up now. Could that be a cause for this? or the hot weather??

is there any supplements i could be taking to help stop this? i also have a very healthy diet so I’m almost sure its not the reason… but maybe there are special foods that i could be eating?? any help would be greatly appreciated

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Wearing a non-rubbing scarf will not cause hair loss, nor will hot weather.

You need to be examined by a good doctor to determine why you are losing hair. I can not tell you based upon your question and the information you supplied here. Sorry, but I can’t provide the reassurance you’re looking for. I try to stay factual and always endorse a good physical (face to face) examination with a doctor.

I don’t know what supplements you may need, as I don’t know if you’re deficient in anything. There are many possible causes for female hair loss, some of which I have mentioned here.

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Hair Loss InformationIn the News – Actor Jon Cryer Admits His Hair is Fake – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

The magic of television is so powerful, it can produce hair where there is none!

“Two and a Half Men” star Jon Cryer revealed Monday night that he is nearly bald. The “spectacular mane of unruly wonderfulness” that he sported back in the ’80s in movies like “Pretty in Pink” is gone and his hair on the hit comedy is actually an “elaborate illusion.”

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Read the rest — Jon Cryer’s Hair-Loss Confession: His ‘Two and a Half Men’ Mane Is Fake!

We wrote about him a few years ago, but he confessed on the Conan show that his hair on the show comes from a “long, involved process that starts with stuff like shoe polish”.

The pictures of Jon Cryer with and without hair (see photos in the link above) shows how significant the look can be in determining how old and healthy a hairy look imparts to a person.

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Hair Loss InformationCan Parting Your Hair Lead to Damage? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr. Rassman,
Couple of questions for you.

1. whats the average length of a horizontal hair line above the temples. I know everyone is different, but just an average length for someone in their late 20s to mid 30s.

2. can parting your hair to one side for years with hairspray or gel cause any permanent damage to that specific side.

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The length of the hairline where the hair point forward in the front is about 5 inches. The hair normally parts a certain direction in most people and creating or forcing it to part in a different direction will not damage the hair.

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Hair Loss InformationIs Propecia Causing My Gastritis? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr.Rassman,
Thanks for your wonderful service. I have a question on one of the side effects (not sure). I am 32 and started taking Propecia a month ago. I started to experience abdominal pain especially around the chest. When I searched for similar symptoms in your blog, I found that in one similar case you had advised that it may be because of ‘Gastritis’. I also compared the symptoms provided in the internet with mine and found it to be exactly the same. Any way I am planning to consult a doctor soon.

My question is that does Propecia cause ‘gastritis’? It is mentioned that gastritis may be caused due to ‘nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (also known as NSAIDs)’. Does Propecia belong to this category of drug?

I have seen good results with propecia even less than 1 month of using. Now in case the doctor tells me that Propecia caused the ‘gastritis’ do I have to stop taking that? Because i do not want to stop Propecia. Please advise. Thanks once again for your great work!

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Propecia is not a NSAID drug and it most likely does not cause gastritis. Aspirin and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) are NSAID class drugs. Poor diet, spicy foods, alcohol, and obesity are generally the culprits of gastritis. This site (which polls people on the web, is not scientific, and I do not endorse) indicates that gastritis is seen in 0.1% (one in a thousand) Propecia takers, so I wouldn’t believe the medication is related to gastritis.

Finally, as I have had said numerous times, the Internet is not an ideal place to seek personal medical diagnosis or answers. It will confuse and distort the issue. If you have a medical problem, see a doctor for an examination and receive a diagnosis by a medical professional. You can then look up your diagnosis on the Internet for a better understanding.