Month: March 2014

Posted on

Could Anxiety and Diet Cause Diffuse Thinning All Over My Scalp? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Doc,
19 male… I recently went to a hair loss specialist to get examined for what I consider DUPA-like symptoms. She looked at me and assumed that my diffuse hair loss of miniaturized hairs all over my head was simply caused by my severe anxiety and poor diet. While it is true that I have had horrible anxiety for a very long time and eat like a pigeon, it seems farfetched to me that anxiety and diet could lead to miniaturized hairs falling out everywhere, even in the permanent zone. Can I trust her, or should I seek out another specialist?

Block Quote

You always have the option of getting a second opinion if you don’t trust your doctor’s opinion. I have not seen a case of diffuse unpatterened alopecia (DUPA) caused by anxiety and diet.

Posted on

My Voice Pitch and Body Hair Make Me Assume I Have Low Testosterone, So Should I Have Less DHT? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I think I am losing my hair, but don’t know why. The only reason that would lead me to believe that I have male pattern baldness caused by genetics is the fact that my dad is indeed bald. I have read that MPB is triggered by DHT production..which the amount of it is determined by your testosterone in your system. I myself do not believe that I have very much testosterone, just based like body hair and the pitch of my voice. Does the amount of testosterone one has determine the amount of DHT they have??? Is this so??

I am also not losing my hair in any one area of my scalp, such as hairline or crown of head…it just seems to have thinned itself out all over. I am hoping I am experiencing just hair loss due to changes, not genetics.

Is there a blood test or hair strand test that can be taken to determine the amount of DHT present in ones system…and the medicine one would take to block this production..is it possible to regain hair with this??

How does one officially positively determine what type of hair loss they suffer from?

Block Quote

Yes, the amount of DHT reflects the amount of testosterone you have, however the impact of the DHT on hair loss is not proportional to its quantity. Testosterone and DHT can be measured in a commercial clinical lab, but the significance of the lab values as it relates to hair loss does not correlate. Thus, we do not recommend having lab tests done for treating hair loss.

If you think that you are thinning, you should see a doctor for a comprehensive exam. Some objective tests would include having a microscopic exam at different areas of your scalp (miniaturization study), and even having your hair bulk measured. These tests then should be repeated in a year to compare the results.

That said, considering your family history of male pattern baldness, chances are good that your hair loss is due to genetics. If you’re in the early stages of hair loss, a pattern may begin to emerge soon. Medication like Propecia (finasteride) might be able to halt the loss and possibly regrow some hair, but you’ll need to talk to your doctor about that.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationDoes Omega-3 Cause Hair Growth or Hair Loss? I’ve Read Different Things… – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

(female)
I have been losing my hair for about 8 years. I been told all kinds of things like telogen effluvium and anemia due to fibroids. I was told that a hysterectomy would reverse the condition. It did not and its been 18 months.

I just started taking Omega 3’s 1000mg for hair growth, now I read that it causes hair loss. I have been so depressed from this. I had such beautiful thick hair. Is is true that Omega 3 will make my hair loss worse? I have about 1/2 of my hair left.

Thank You

Block Quote

Fish oilAll women with hair loss need to be checked out by their doctor for hormone imbalances and other conditions that can cause hair loss. Telogen effluvium is a temporary loss, but it’s possible that a hysterectomy could contribute more loss due to the surgical stress.

As for Omega-3 pills, I’ve written before that I don’t think it has anything to do with hair loss, but I don’t know of any good scientific study that discusses possible Omega-3’s role in hair growth or loss.

Posted on

FUE in the UK? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

i am thinking of having the fue procedure in the uk and would like to know which is the best surgeon to see. Trying to avoid surgeons that have a high rate of fue failure due lack of skill.

many thanks in advance for your help.

Block Quote

You’ll have to do your own research to be sure you’re getting exactly what you want and to be assured that you found a doctor you can trust, but Dr Bessam Farjo is a good place to start (offices in London and Manchester). You can also use our handy guide to selecting a hair transplant surgeon — here.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationIs the Alcohol in Rogaine Causing My Irritation? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Mr. Rassman,

Thank you for all the help you are providing the public. I am 23 years old and suffering from thinning hair. Unfortunately, we have limited options in Dubai. We have only one product of minoxidil 5% which is regaine, however, I develop scalp irritation from using it. A dermatologist asked me to try ordering rogaine foam from the US. He believes that the irritation was caused because regaine 5% is an alcoholic solution.

1) Do you think rogaine foam does not have alcohol? If yes, can you recommend any other product that contains minoxidil 5% but is not an alcoholic solution. Minoxidil is my only option and it is very important for me to find a way to avoid irritation.

2) I used the total daily dosage of regaine 5% at once a day, not twice as recommended. Do you think that is the reason for irritation?

3) I want to study whether regaine is effective with a microscope and taking pictures. How can I be sure that I am comparing the same spot with the same amount of zoom. For example, I zoomed a little and found 10 hairs in area A in the first month. I am worried that I might zoom less and find 12 hair counts after six months. Moreover, I might take a snap of another spot (beside the original one) in area A.

Thank you very much in advance.

Block Quote

Rogaine Foam1. Rogaine Foam does contain alcohol, but it is the propylene glycol that is generally what causes skin irritation in some people. Rogaine Foam doesn’t contain propylene glycol. If it is the alcohol that’s causing your irritation, unfortunately I’m not aware of any particular minoxidil currently sold with zero alcohol content. I have no way to know exactly what is causing your skin irritation, though.

2. Using it only once a day might just not be as effective as the recommended twice daily application, but I doubt the lesser dosage is what is causing your irritation. The irritation is probably from the propylene glycol in the Rogaine liquid, or perhaps an allergy to one of the other ingredients.

3. I suppose you could have a permanent dot the size of a pen mark tattooed on your scalp to be sure you have the exact spot monitored each time, but I think that’s a little overkill. The better way to go about this is to have a professional check the overall hair bulk using the HairCheck instrument, then recheck it again in a year to see if the numbers changed (increased bulk means you’re having more hair growth).

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationHow Would You Inform People About New Hair Loss Treatments? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr.,

If a new product came to market that was substantially better/more effective than propecia and rogaine for treating hair loss, how would you go about informing people of it through your blog and practice?

Block Quote

I’d just simply tell them and post on the blog. I don’t hide new treatments that are proven safe and effective, but I am not going to promote the iffy ones that make unproven claims. We write about pretty much everything on here.

Posted on

Actor Michael Keaton’s Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doc,

You’ve been a kind internet friend. I’ve sent questions and thoughts, and you have posted them.

Question: Remember Michael Keaton? Love this guy. Huge in the 1980’s….but clearly balding (Mr. Mom, Gung Ho, Clean and Sober, Beetlejuice). When he was cast as Batman (1989) he clearly had some work done. Cosmetic. Surgery. Blah Blah. Blah.

Now in 2014, promoting Robocop (the reboot) he tells tales of the bat suit and has CLEARLY had work done in. Check the video out (here).

Your thoughts? It looks painful……..(the redness above the occipital bone). Come on. He’s rich. WTF hasn’t he had that cleaned up?
Michael Keaton

Block Quote

I am not sure that I see what you are talking about…

Michael Keaton has very visible male pattern baldness from what I can see in the video you sent. I’ve attached a photo from 2013 on the right that shows he’s losing his hair. I don’t clearly see any work done here.

It is entirely possible that Hollywood movie magic (hairpieces or styling tricks) were used in many of his past film roles.

Posted on

Is There a Procedure to Change My Hair Texture Permanently? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello, I am an African American teen and I was wondering if there is anything I could do to change my hair texture. Right now I have really coily hair. Type 4: Kinky. When you comb out the curls my hair is pretty rough and dry. I was wondering if a hair transplant of some kind would be able to change the texture to something more like Type 3A or 3B?

Thank you for your time.

Block Quote

No, a hair transplant should not change the texture of your hair. Sometimes as you get older, the character of your hair may change; it could become thinner, but it is not something I would count on.

You could also use chemical treatment to straighten your hair, but you should be very careful not to damage your hair or scalp this way. If you decide to go this route, find an experienced professional that can straighten the hair.

Posted on

Do All Hairs in a Follicular Unit Miniaturize at the Same Time? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have a question regarding miniaturization in follicular units. I know hair can grow in a single unit (one hair) and also grow in groupings in 2,3, and sometimes even 4 hairs per follicular unit. My question is during the course of the hairs miniaturizing, do all the hairs miniaturize at the same time or will some stay full and vibrant while the other hair(s) become thinner, shorter, and more translucent?

Example: A unit of 3 hairs have two thin miniaturizing hairs and the third hair full, thick, and vibrant. Is hair miniaturization amongst the hairs in one follicular unit synchronous?

Block Quote

Each hair miniaturizes separately within the follicular unit. I see this all of the time as I examine people with thinning or balding.

Posted on

My Eyelids Appear Thicker and Lines Are Forming Under My Eyes After Using Minoxidil – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr,

Im 25 and have recently suffered hair loss on my crown. I have been using Minoxidil 5% to try and control it and it has worked quite well but my scalp gets quite itchy and spotty. Also people are commenting on my eyes, the lids appear thicker and there are lines appearing around my lower eyelid. I have mild acne scaring around my temples but this seems to have flared up and the skin pores enlarged. Do you think this is something that will go away in time or should I stop using this medication? thanks

Block Quote

Some people do develop facial changes with minoxidil. For example, women have reported increased facial hair growth when they use minoxidil somewhat frequently. As for lines under your eyes, some might be quick to point out that we’ve posted messages from readers in the past that suggested they had premature wrinkles caused by using minoxidil. There was a study on rats from years back that showed minoxidil use was inhibiting collagen production, but I don’t know of any study that shows that is the case in humans. For what it’s worth, I’ve never heard complaints about wrinkles being caused by minoxidil from any of my own patients.

It’s possible that what you’re experiencing is simply an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients in the medication, causing your puffy eyes. You could try stopping the minoxidil for a week and see what happens to the changes in your eyes. There is very little risk in stopping it for up to 2 weeks.