Day: January 1, 2023

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Should I Cut My Hair Shorter to Reduce the Weight?

(female)
I am 53 years old and wear my hair in natural locks. I have thinning hair in the crown an front hair line due to medication. Also the new growth is much softer than my natural texture. I understand that the hair should begin to regrow when treatment ends in a few months. Should I cut my locks shorter (currently shoulder length) to reduce the weight or cut them off and start over after treatment?

The weight of your hair shouldn’t have anything to do with its growth or loss, though if you cut your hair shorter you do reduce the risk of damage to weaker hairs you might have. If you would like to cut your hair to match a certain style or achieve a better look then by all means…

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Should I Be Proactive?

Dr. Rassman,
I have been figting the good fight (against Hair Loss) for years. I first noticed thinning temples, and a “thin-spot” on the front middle section of my head, around the age of 19. I saw this as a warning sign(since my father is very bald)and began using propecia when I turned 20. I know that this led to a thickening of the ‘thin-spot” and a slow down of thinning. I managed to maintain my hair between a norwood II and III throughout my twenties. After many years of peace I am noticing a renewal of the “thin-spot” and new thinning in scattered areas like the temples and sides of my head. Some of these areas were not a an issue before. I find myself stressed out by styling and seeking new hair products. I worry that I could quickly become a Norwood III – IV if I don’t take action as I did when I turned 20. I would like to explore all options and I am very interested in Dutasteride. I like having hair… although I don’t look like I did when I was twenty anymore, I would like to keep/possibly thicken what I still have. Should I visit you at NHI? I would rather visit proactively than for a transplant later.

Thanks

I have an office in San Jose (where noted as your location) and would be happy to map your scalp for miniaturization and make a diagnosis. I would not rush off to non-approved drugs for genetic hair loss if that is what you have. Let’s get a diagnosis first and go from there. Proactive is good. If you would like to setup an appointment, you can call 800-NEW-HAIR or visit my Request Info page.


2006-05-24 08:52:54Should I Be Proactive?

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Should I Be Applying Rogaine with a Rubber Glove?

Dear Doctor:

Two questions about Rogaine application:

  1. In addition to taking 1.mg finasteride daily, I’ve been applying Rogaine foam for a few months now, mainly the frontal third of the head. That area alone takes more than the recommended half a capful. Although it is the frontal third that is my main concern right now, I’m somewhat miniaturized pretty much on the N5 area, albeit, to the naked eye, I have a pretty good head of hear at the moment (I’m 29). I just don’t see how it is possible to treat the entire area with less than three times the recommended dosage (which makes the treatment prohibitively expensive and fraught with side effects).Is there any residual benefit to the vertex area through general scalp circulation at all, if the application is on the front third?
  2. Since Rogaine absorbs into fingers rapidly, does it make sense to apply it with a medical rubber glove, to ensure that more goes into the scalp, not hands? For some reason this issue hasn’t been addressed by Rogaine users.
  1. Overdosing Rogaine for the entire scalp application is a real concern, but the best I can offer is to just watch out for side effects. Any Rogaine you use will be absorbed into the body before it works its way around the scalp where it is not applied, so if you use it on the crown, do not expect benefits in the front of your scalp or visa versa.
  2. The photo below (click to enlarge) shows the result of Rogaine Foam (minoxidil) on the hand that applies the medication to the scalp when compared to the other hand. Although this patient’s hands are quite hairy to begin with, clearly, the right hand has more hair than the left. This patient has been using the Foam for 3 months. It is up to you whether you want to use a glove when applying it.

 

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Should a Norwood Class 3 Person Consider Himself Lucky?

You may have touched upon this question before but I was looking for clarification. In an early post (I’m talking a few months ago) you mentioned how a norwood class 3 would rarely, if ever, progress to a norwood 6/7. By this, can a norwood 3 consider himself quite lucky in the sense that he’s probably not going to experience crown loss? What exactly did you mean by this?

Norwood 3Everybody is different. If you have stabilized your hair loss pattern at a Norwood class 3, then you will probably not progress to further balding.

You are born with certain traits ranging from eye color, skin color, dimples, to hair loss patterns. I would not say having one trait is better or luckier than the other. I believe about 8% of men are born with a Norwood 6/7 trait. Does that mean those men are unlucky? For example, Michael Jordan is likely a Norwood 6. Would you consider him unlucky?

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Shortness of breath on Rogaine

I’ve tried rogaine in the past and it surprisingly worked really well. I stopped due to having shortness of breath. I was able to take in air but it felt like a low amount would go in from what I would breathe in if that makes sense. I never had shortness of breath associated with chest pains or anything like that, which is described by others. It just seemed that everything would be fine until a month of use. Then I would experience the shortness of breath. For example, if I was walking the shortness of breath would start to kick in.

I was wondering if you know anything I can do or take to offset this from happening? I tried every other day and even 2%. But eventually, after about a month I would experience the same issue. Thank you for your time.

Rogaine (minoxidil) when absorbed by the body is both a hypotensive agent and is a known medication to cause heart damage. Sounds like you shouldn’t use it. Check with your doctor


2019-05-01 08:16:36Shortness of breath on Rogaine

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Short Tapered Hairs Falling Out, Is This A Sign Of Balding?

I’ve noticed recently in the shower that short hairs are falling out that are tapered at the end of my hair, not the root. I’ve noticed more of these recently. Some are thinner and some are thick. All my uncles are balding on my mothers side. Are these hairs a sign of future balding? Thanks.

Hair loss in men occurs in a pattern and that is why it is called “Male Pattern Balding”. How a hair looks don’t really mean much unless you are looking at miniaturized hairs will look thinner for people who are balding. We all can lose up to 100 hairs a day normally and if you do the math, 100 hairs per day is 36,500 hairs per year and as the average Caucasian male has 100,000 hairs on his head, that means that his hair cycle is 3 years as he replaces all of the hair on his head every three years.

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Short Hairs That Don’t Grow. Why Is It? (photo)

The first sign of early recession might be miniaturized hairs that usually don’t grow to full length. I would see a doctor who can check your entire head with the HAIRCHECK test to find out if you are losing hair anywhere else. The hairs that don’t grow are most likely miniaturizing hairs that will eventually fall out and not regrow.


2020-02-19 07:51:58Short Hairs That Don’t Grow. Why Is It? (photo)

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Are the short hairs at the edge of my hairline, hairs that are miniaturizing and will eventually fall out? (photo)

The short hairs at the leading edge of your hairline are vellus hairs and these are normally present in everyone and evident when you zoom in on a frontal hairline as you have here. If you want to know if you are receding, I need to see a photo from the front with your eyebrows lifted high so the forehead creases. A normal mature hairline in a male, is one finger breadth above the highest crease.