Photo of Zoomed in FUE Sites

Here, an area was left untouched, and the FUE was done above and below the untouched area. From looking at these photos, you can see that the FUE was distributed in the normal donor area nicely, but more FUE than this will cause significant depletion. The FUE was done above and below an area which has SMP done.



2020-01-14 06:36:37Photo of Zoomed in FUE Sites

Phones Do Not Cause Brain Cancer

Finally, after much research, scientists have concluded that cell phones do not cause brain cancer.

New Scientist 18 July page 25


2018-08-15 09:12:03Phones Do Not Cause Brain Cancer

PFS, how common is it?

Post finasteride syndrome is reported between 0.1 – 1% and some reports are higher. In my practice and in the practice of a dozen other doctor who, combined, easily have written prescriptions for over 200,000 young men, have not seen PFS because when sexual side effects happen, we stop the medications. Look at this link: https://baldingblog.com/finasteride-what-are-the-real-sexual-side-effects/


2021-08-12 06:47:43PFS, how common is it?

PFS from Saw Palmetto

I want to inform you that after 7 months, I am still experiencing genital numbness, shrinkage and rely on cialis to achieve erection. Libido is almost completely gone. All after quitting Saw Palmetto, which I tool for a year. I’ve done excessive testing (urological, neurological, endocrinologist…) and everything turned out fine. Yet, I am suffering from these extreme side effects. I seem to be one of the unlucky ones who got hit with PFS because of Saw Palmetto, which I didn’t think was possible at all. I’d ask for help but I don’t think anyone can. I only hope this information might be helpful to you about the dangers of 5AR-i.

This is the second time I have heard about Saw Palmetto as a cause of PFS type symptoms. I never personally met these patients but connected over internet forums. See a urologist as there are many causes of your symptoms that may not be tied to the Saw Palmetto

Peyronies disease is a rare complication of Propecia (finasteride)

Merck’s controversial hair loss drug Propecia (generic: finasteride) has been linked to penile fibrosis, a serious sexual disorder which is also known as Peyronie’s disease. This condition can cause severe genital malformation, as well as persistent urological problems. Signs and symptoms of Propecia-induced penile fibrosis may include excessive curvature of the penis, pain during intercourse, erectile dysfunction, indentations in the penis, and genital shrinkage.

In the tens of thousands of prescriptions I have written, no one has ever presented with this condition to me, which to me means that this is a very rare side effect. The incidence of this problem in the general population is reported to be as common as 13%. I do not examine men with an erection so unless they reported this problem to me, I would not know if they had developed it on the drug. I mention this because it is my responsibility to post any such possibility that links the drugs I prescribe to conditions that it may produce.

Peyronies disease, the penis and finasteride

Several months ago, my doctor said I might have Peyronies disease because I bent my penis somehow. I finally have an appointment with a urologist next week. After reading your post about penile fibrosis and arguing with my mom that there is no proof Finastride caused my problem, I wanted to ask you how I can tell if Finastride caused my Peyornies or if due to injury? In my story below, I have evidence that it’s due to injury because I was injured. But what role did Finastride play?

My regimen before Peyronies was 1.25 mg Finastride (2x per week) + 5% Minoxidil. As you may remember me, I emailed you about my increased sex drive from low-dose Finastride and you said it has been reported by some of your patients. The week before my penis injury, I ejaculated 4-5x per day for around 1 week. I also felt extreme exhaustion during the second half of that week. The day of my injury, I ejaculated only twice and felt a pinching pain on my penis which signaled me to stop doing what I was doing. I also noticed my penis would not stand up straight when I laid down nor could I maintain a full erection standing up or walking. For the last 5 months, my penis lays on the right side and doesn’t point straight up like it used to.

Later on I noticed that I have a 20-40% degree bend on the bottom shaft of my penis. I’ve lost .5 – 1 inch in length and my girth is smaller. I lose my erection when I stand up very quickly and I can’t maintain it. My penis is also very sensitive to touch.

In the early weeks after my accident, I stopped masturbating for 1 or 1.5 weeks at a time, 2-3x. As the weeks went by, I began to masturbate regularly once every few days then 1-3x per day but with using very little force, almost like a feather. I wasn’t able to have a full erection, not only because of the bend in my penis but also due to fear and discomfort. My erections are a bit painful sometimes.

Around September of this year, I stopped taking Minoxidil and increased my dosage of Finastride to 1.25 mg – M-W-F, then to every other day. I noticed my penis erections because stronger, the strongest they have ever been. This might be coincidence becuse it was 4-5 months after my injury or it could be that I experienced increased libido from a higher dose of Finastride. When I initially started taking Finasteride a few years ago, I had an increased sex drive for several months so that’s why I think Finasteride helped strengthen my erections. However, my penis bend did not go away and my erection was still .5 – 1 inch shorter and smaller in girth.

Recently I have noticed a loss of sensitivity in part of my penis foreskin. This could be due to regular masturbating and how I masturbate. I’m afraid to touch the shaft of my penis so I only massage the foreskin and a small part of the top-shaft. I also recently woke up with a penis bent. Although, it is improving. I sleep very unusual position so that I don’t injur my penis. I sleep almost crossed legged so that I don’t attempt to squeeze my penis with my thighs when I sleep at night. This has worked well for me because I sleep on my backside.

As you can see doctor, I don’t know how to look for any evidence that Finastride caused my Peyronies, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t play role. Am I wrong?

What study can prove Finastride caused Peyronies? Do you think Finastride helped increase the strength of my erections when I took a higher dose? Is a low dose of Finastride (0.25mg) enough to cause Peyronies? I am in my early thirties.

There is no evidence connecting the penis abnormalities you spoke about with finasteride or minoxidil. You spoke about an injury to your penis which can cause the bend that is associated with Peyronies disease but no where else did you discuss the timing of your problems with this injury in a time-line fashion. Your visit with the urologist is critical and he should go over this careful history you put together. Finasteride is not a tratment for Peyronies disease but there are treatments for this that the urologist can recommend.

Peyronie’s Disease and Propecia

Dr.,

I have been on propecia for a around 2 years now. Recently I have developed Peyronie’s disease, which is utterly demoralizing and far worse than any hair issue I could imagine. Immediately I began searching for possible links between DHT deficiency and structural abnormalities that can dispose a person to penile fibrosis. I didn’t have to search long or hard:

Effect of androgen deprivation on penile ultrastructure

Recent insights into androgen action on the anatomical and physiological substrate of penile erection (human study)
^^^ more proof that androgens are necessary for proper sexual function in men

The Effects of Transdermal Dihydrotestosterone in the Aging Male: A Prospective, Randomized, Double Blind Study (human study)
^^^ take away DHT, you lose sexual function/libido — restore it, you recover function

Dihydrotestosterone is the active androgen in the maintenance of nitric oxide-mediated penile erection in the rat
^^^ DHT is necessary for NOS production so you can get an erection

My penis is hardly functional and I am quite upset that nobody showed me these studies before I took the drug. I acknowledge that it is not definite propecia is the cause. But does this research not certainly point in that direction? I feel betrayed by the FDA. This is not on any warning label, and I must live with this for the rest of my life.

Thank you

p.s. I am 20 years old

I am sorry for the problem that you are going through. As a physician all I can do is to follow the evidence based medication before convincing myself to prescribe a medication and that is pretty much true about every medication. As of yet, there is no evidence to show any ‘stastical’ association between finasteride use and Peyronie’s disease. The data that you found during your search points out different aspects of the effects of male hormone on sex function. Based on all available literature, there is really no evidence that can associate Peyronie’s disease to the use of DHT blockers.

The sexual side effect of finasteride is well documented and the question for us is whether we should include this type of disclaimer for all patients considering the use of finasteride. I personally spend a long time explaining the potential side effects of the medication to my patients, as well as discussing the commonly known and published potential complications. I make sure that patients can make an informed decision before starting the medication. I also offer methods for my patients to minimize or treat side effects should they occur. I appreciate your symptoms and belief that there is a connection in your case. I will send this blog posting to Merck, maker of Propecia, for any comments that they may have and will post a follow-up if/when I receive a response.

For more on Peyronie’s disease, see University of Virgina – Urology.

Peyronie’s Disease, a Deformity of the Penis

I found out that I have Peyronie’s disease and have been taking Propecia for some time. Is there any connection (cause and effect)?

I looked it up. One site said that Peyronie’s was reported in 6 of 4,700 patients on finasteride, which would be an incidence of 0.13% of this population. In the general population (even in those that do not take Propecia), the incidence is between 0.5 – 13%, and varies with age. That would suggest that Propecia is not a cause of this disease and perhaps (long shot) with its lower incidence with people on finasteride it even has some protective properties.

We’ve written about this before, but the connection is still unknown.

Petroleum Jelly Clogs Pores, Causing Hair Loss?

Two questions. I was at CVS and looking at the back of an olive oil hair conditioner product. It said that product, unlike petroleum jelly, does not clog hair follicles. So does petroleum jelly actually clog hair follicles and would this cause hair loss?

Also, this is not a new occurrence, but I often feel little bumps on my head that seem to be caused by dry scalp, but these feel like tiny pimples that cannot be popped. Does this have anything to do with MPB? Perhaps they’re inflamed hair follicles?

Vaseline petroleum jellyAlthough the popular theory seems to be that clogged follicles have their growth inhibited (hair being unable to grow because it is blocked), it is blatantly untrue. I do not believe petroleum jelly causes hair loss. The product you saw probably just had clever marketing and semantics so consumers will buy one hair conditioner product over another.

With respect to the bumps on your scalp, maybe it is pimples, and maybe you should have it checked out by your primary care doctor or dermatologist. I doubt it has much to do with balding, but I can’t tell something like that without an exam.