Nutrition and Hair Loss

Dear Dr Rassman,

This is a great blog and have really learned a lot about hair loss from this site.

I am a 36 year old male experiencing MPB but I have lots of healthy body hair on chest and back.

My question is regarding nutrition and hair loss. Is the nutrition needs for scalp hair any differnet from nutrition for hair on the sides of the head or the rest of the body? After a hair transplant should one be worried about nutrition?

Would really appreciate your response.

Good nutrition is important for healthy hair, just as it is for a healthy body. Nutrition should not be a cause of hair loss, unless there is malnutrition present. Transplanted hair, like hair from the top, sides or back of your head, will do what your genetics dictate. Hair on the sides and back should grow for your lifetime and even if they are moved into the balding area, they will grow as if they were in the sides or back. After you have a hair transplant and you have reasonably good nutrition, your hair will grow and grow and grow in its new location, pretty much for the rest of your life. There is nothing that a reasonable man can do to stop the growth of the transplants.


2006-10-12 08:28:23Nutrition and Hair Loss

Nutrifolica

Hi,
I am 22 and my hairline is slightly receding and Im really worried I will end up completely bald. As far as I know there is no history of baldness in my family and everyone in my family seems to have healthy heads of hair. I have been using rogaine for about 6 months and I had found tiny hairs growing back but have seen a product advertised called Nutrifolica – the web site says its great but I cannot seem to find many user reviews. Have you any idea if this product will actually work? Should I stop using rogaine? I have heard some bad things about rogaine and don’t want it backfiring on me! If I do use Nutrifolica instead of rogaine do you think these tiny hairs will fall out? I really want my hairline back to the way it used to be and want some help.

The claims for Nutrifolica state: “While DHT is the primary cause of hair loss several other factors contribute to hair loss such as: poor circulation of the scalp, clogged hair follicles, excessive sebaceous oil and nutrient deficient hair follicles. Nutrifolica is designed to counteract these hair loss causes with 100% pure herbal extracts that have no side effects.

These claims have no ounce of credibility to them because poor circulation, clogged hair follicles, and excessive sebaceous oils do not cause hair loss. I sound like a broken record — if you are male and want to know what is wrong with you, get a doctor to diagnose it by mapping out your scalp for miniaturization and if you are female, have a doctor do the proper testing for medical diseases that cause hair loss.

We all want to go back to where our hairline used to be!

Nutricap

I’m a 20 years old male. I started to use Nutricap since I started to notice my hair getting thinner. Just used it for 20 days and I think that my hair loss has increased. I was wondering if Nutricap Anti-Hairloss pills have caused it. Usually, I lose a lot of hair 3 days after I wash my hair (like it was scheduled). I was thinking of stop taking those pills. Please advice me as soon as possible. Thank you.

Nutricap is a dietary supplement. The only pill known to prevent hair loss is Propecia. Strictly speaking, if there is no rigorous scientific evidence for a hair loss treatment (Propecia, Rogaine, and hair transplant surgery are examples of those which have evidence of efficacy), then I do not recommend it. To my knowledge, vitamin supplements do not either cause hair loss (when taken in moderation) or prevent it (unless you are malnourished). Save your money, go see your doctor (or a dermatologist or a hair loss specialist), and take a photo to document your hair loss for your own assessment.

Numbness in Non-Transplanted Area 4 Months Post-Op

Hello,

Im 24 years old and have been taking Propecia 6 months prior to my surgery and have been doing so ever since. In which now I am 4 months post op. I had 1500 grafts done, 500 in each temple and 500 in the crown.

I still have some mild numbness since the surgery directly on the top of my head in the non recipient sites. This area was very dense and now is very thin and I believe it is due to the numbness. Can you tell me generally when the numbness starts to subside. As well will that density come back or is it safe to say my hair will continue to be this thin?

Thank you.

It sounds like you have two different things happening. At 24 years old, if you thinned after surgery, you probably experienced ‘shock loss’. Do you know if the hair you lost was miniaturized? Miniaturized hairs are the ones at risk for shock loss. Propecia has wiped out most of the hair loss caused by the surgery that we experienced prior to Propecia’s availability on the market, but there is (of course) no guarantee that it will wipe out all of the risks of shock loss.

As for the numbing you’re feeling — all numbness should be gone by now. You need to go back to your doctor and ask these questions or get a second opinion if your doctor does not give you satisfactory answers.


2007-05-18 14:33:49Numbness in Non-Transplanted Area 4 Months Post-Op

NSAID and Hair Loss From Hair Transplant.

On the day of my surgery I took an lozenge for my sore throat. Later I realized in horror it contained a NSAID (Flurbiprofen 8.75mg).

There was no excessive bleeding during or after the surgery. However I’m afraid that the NSAID caused just enough bleeding to dislodge many grafts and they popped out without any signs during the first hair wash 18 hours after the procedure.

I do not understand the basis of your “horror”. Please follow up with your doctor.

In general many patients take pain medication on the day or even during surgery. This includes NSAIDS. In general NDAIDS have a slight bleeding risk.

I am now losing hair just 4 months after my hair transplant (photo)

Your before and after pictures show a dramatic change with the new hair growth. The before pictures do show some native hair in the transplanted area and that is probably what you are seeing falling out. This is shock loss for you which is far less significant considering the good early results you have


2017-11-19 13:26:14I am now losing hair just 4 months after my hair transplant (photo)

It Is Now 8 Months and My Left Side Grew Well but My Right Side Did Not

The team of technicians who worked on the side that did not grow may not have been as experienced compared to those who worked on the side where growth was good.

By the 8th month, if one side grew well and the other side did not, speak with your doctor. Your doctor should make it ‘right’.


2018-06-19 10:36:19It Is Now 8 Months and My Left Side Grew Well but My Right Side Did Not

I Am Now 6 Days After Surgery and Have Developed a Lot of Pimples, What Do I Do? (Photo)

At 6 days, it is almost certainly an infection. There are some crusts that are partially removed, and they could create a point for the introduction of bacteria. This is why I am obsessed with washing the hair immediately after the surgery. I want my patients to continue doing so every day. My goal is to keep the crusts off. You should return to see your doctor and ask to be examined. If it is an infection or a folliculitis, he/she will know how to treat it.

 


2018-09-14 11:26:12I Am Now 6 Days After Surgery and Have Developed a Lot of Pimples, What Do I Do? (Photo)