Month: January 2023

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My Surgeon Said I’ve Exhausted My Donor Area After Multiple Hair Transplants

I am a 60 yo male. I’ve had multiple transplants via the strip method, most recently 2years ago. I’m pretty pleased with the results, but there is an area on the top toward the front where my hair is thinner than surrounding areas. It does not involve the hairline.

My surgeon told me I had exhausted the donor site after the last surgery. My ballpark guess is that 100-200 grafts would make a big difference.

1. Am I a candidate for FUE given my history?
2. If so, are 100-200 grafts a realistic expectation?
3. Do patients on Coumadin have to stop it prior to FUE surgery?

Thank you

You might be a candidate for 200 graft FUE style, but we would have to evaluate you first. Each case is unique.

If you are on Coumadin (warfarin), I would consider still doing a limited FUE procedure, but you will almost certainly have some more bleeding than normal. This has to be discussed one-on-one with either Dr. Pak or myself.

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My Stylist Is Helping Me Treat My Hair Loss

Hi,
I’m 22 and starting to bald. My stylist said it’s from High DHT levels. She gave me NIOXIN System 1 and told me not to worry that my scalp is still alive and NIOXIN will take care of it. It’s been a month and I’m still gradually thinning. There’s evidence of it all over my head. especially my sides receeding and my sideburns thinning. She said NIOXIN would help me keep most of my hair.

What should be my next step. Speak with my dermatologist? I don’t really know any hair experts. I have long hair, and it’s a big part of me. I really want to hold on to it. I’d hate to lose it before I’m 24. Is my baldness inevitable? Or is it really possible to catch it early and take care of it with the NIOXIN S1 treatment? I’d be thankful just to hold on to what I have now. Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks for your time

Well, of course your scalp is alive. Unless you have gangrene all over your head, I think that would be a given. Your hair stylist isn’t necessarily going to be an expert in treating hair loss, but I’m sure she’s an expert in selling products that are available in the salon. The Nioxin won’t solve your hair loss problems, and I’ve found that medication such as Propecia and/or Rogaine are the best bets. You can discuss a Propecia prescription with your dermatologist, and Rogaine is available over the counter.

I don’t know if your balding is inevitable since I haven’t seen you. I’ve found much success in treating patients with Propecia, and even if you don’t see regrowth with that daily pill, it’ll at least hold onto the hair you have. If you want to try to make your own diagnosis, look to Mapping Your Own Scalp for Miniaturization.

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My Son Is Balding at 19

I am the mother of an 19 year old son, who is now experiencing the effects of heritary male pattern baldness. My father was bald, and my son’s biological father is bald. In fact baldness on both sides of the family goes back for several generations. Poor kid; he is really distressed about this. I tried to explain to my son that just because he is loosing some hair on the frontal area does not mean that girls will not be interested in him. Of course he always says, “That is such a MOM answer!” My new husband and I live in Utah and our communication with my son is mostly over the phone to California where he lives attending college. We told him to go see a Pharmacist but I am sure they will just recommend some over-the-counter cream like Rogaine. Also he likes to work out and has been drinking these shakes to help him bulk up. Are those bad adding to premature baldness as well? What do you recommend? Should he contact is primary care physician? Should he see someone in the Santa Clara, CA area? Please help.

Sometimes these ‘shakes’ have steroids in them and they can accelerate balding in people who use them. He needs to be seen by a specialist. I have an office in San Jose so ask him to make an appointment with me personally, and I will try to diagnose him and address the problem. The longer he waits to get to the root of the problem, the more hair he will lose. To set up a free consultation, please call 800-NEW-HAIR or fill out our online info request form and we’ll contact him to setup an appointment.


2005-07-19 14:28:17My Son Is Balding at 19

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My Son Has Hair Loss Around a Cyst

My 12 yr old son had an infected cyst on his scalp which has caused a penny sized bald patch. Our doctor said his hair should grow back if left alone, but I am wondering if the cyst needs to be removed to allow the hair to grow back. The painful swelling of the cyst is gone down and there is just a soft jelly like lump where the cyst was. Can you tell me if his hair is likely to grow back without any surgery. Thank you.

I cannot tell you anything different than what your doctor has already told you. Hair should grow back if left alone. If it does not grow back there is an option for a hair transplant surgery to address the small bald patch. Excision of these cysts may be appropriate if it returns infected again.

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My Son Has Been Losing Hair Since 18 Months Old

Hello Dr. Rassman.

My son began to lose patches of hair since he was 18 months old. Doctors say that can be due to stress or Alopecia Areata. His father was diagnosed with that a few years ago and he was also told that his own father had it too when he was stressed. My son’s grandfather and father recovered their hair, but they didn’t begin so young. I am extremely concerned about this. My son has also dark lines under his eyes and is a very picky eater. The only thing he loves is milk. My son began losing hair in his top right side, it spread down then it happened in the left side, after that he lost a couple of patches on the back of his head, and now, he lost a big patch in the middle of the frontal part and the last is on the top of his head… Please give me your advice. Thank you very much.

Alopecia Areata is found in family lines, like yours. The treatment of this disease must be done by experts who specialize in this. Check with a good Dermatologist for the appropriate referral. I have little to offer you via the internet for this problem.

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My Son Has Alopecia Totalis

My son has had alopecia areta past 5 years, we tried all kinds of medications ( from ayurveda, homeopathy, allopathic mecinines) but all in vain.. he is now diagnosed for opheosis…(alopecia totalis). We all are going through stress and depression.. and even our social life is getting affected becaause of all this.. is there any solution.. in laser therapy….
Please help…

Alopecia totalis is one of more advanced types of alopecia, in which hair loss spreads to involve the entire head. The mechanism of this disorder is similar to other more limited types of alopecia, like alopecia areata. Autoimmune reaction against hair follicles is suggested to be the cause of this condition. Although recovery could be spontaneous in a few cases, it may take months to years to appear.

Medications, such as minoxidil, have very limited success and topical immunotherapy is considered the most effective current treatment, but the response is not universal among all patients. You should have your son see a dermatologist who has special experience in treatment of this condition. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I can refer you to someone local.

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My Shock Loss Was So Bad, My Hair Looks Thinner 8 Months After the Transplant!

Hi Doc

i had previously done a minor HT of 500 grafts onto the thinning mid scalp. Shock loss was bad and now at 8 months post HT, my hair looked thinner than before.

my question is is it advisable to plant the hair grafts onto the thinning mid scalp or is it more advisable to plant only onto the bald area and leave my thinning mid scalp until more serious before i start to tackle them.

I would have hoped that you were on finasteride prior to getting a hair transplant, as this drug minimizes the shock loss some young men experience. Were you warned ahead of time about the possibility of shock loss?

Everyone is different and you certainly have a unique problem, though I don’t know much about your case (age, hair loss pattern, hair character, etc). I would have to see you, or at least you should email some good photos that show your scalp, and we might be able to setup a phone consultation.


2011-03-08 10:47:16My Shock Loss Was So Bad, My Hair Looks Thinner 8 Months After the Transplant!

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My Senile Alopecia Has Continued Despite Taking Finasteride for 2 Years

My diffuse unpatterned hair loss (or senile alopecia, I’m 59) has continued to get worse despite 2 years straight of finasteride. In your experience, have you seen a reason for people to continue finasteride after 2 years, if their hair loss simply continues to progress?

Finasteride 1mg (Propecia) is for the treatment of androgenic alopecia, not senile alopecia or diffuse unpatterned alopecia. I realize they may co-exist, and some doctors and patients may make the decision the try taking the medication to see if it would help. If you are not seeing any results, speak with your doctor and decide on the course of action.

In my experience, I do not prescribe finasteride for treating diffuse unpatterned hair loss or senile alopecia.


2012-09-19 09:55:15My Senile Alopecia Has Continued Despite Taking Finasteride for 2 Years

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My Scalp Itches So Bad, I Sleep with an Ice Pack

(female) My scalp itches and stings all day but seems to get worse at night while I sleep. Ocassionally it will wake me. I will sleep with an ice pack on my neck just to relieve some of the burning. Most of the hair falls out while I am doing my hair in the morning.All of the hair that comes out has roots attached.Could this be a fungal infection?

Without examining you, it would be hard to determine what is causing your hair loss. It could be a fungal infection, however, often these type of infections lead to patchy hair loss and are not diffuse as it seems to be in your case. Irritants such as chemical dyes and relaxers (along with anything else that can be applied to the hair/scalp) can cause a skin reaction called contact dermatitis. Hair loss can often accompany severe cases of contact dermatitis usually caused from scratching it. You will need to see your regular doctor to determine if there are any systemic causes of the symptoms you are having such as autoimmune diseases (i.e. lupus).