Month: January 2023

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Do I Skip Every 5th Day of a Quartered Proscar Tablet?

Hi,

I recently decided to see a doctor for my hair loss. I’m a 29 year old man and my doctor said the best thing was to start on finasteride and suggested that a prescription for generic proscar and splitting the tablets was the better way to go due to cost. I’m comfortable doing this but wanted to know the best way. Should I quarter the pills and then skip every 5th day or take 1.25 mg everyday?

Your prescribing doctor should have given dosage instructions. For my patients that cut the generic 5mg pill, I recommend they quarter the pill and take one piece daily. If you can cut it into 5 even pieces that would be ideal, but not likely done with ease. Skipping a day is not recommended.


2012-07-10 09:06:11Do I Skip Every 5th Day of a Quartered Proscar Tablet?

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Do I Need to Worry or Is It Just My OCD?

Hi Doctor,

I’ve sent a few blog questions through, so I do apologise for the influx of emails you’ve probably received from me.

I’m 21. I suffer from OCD, and I’ve recently been extremely worried about my hair. I’ve posted numerous pictures on various different forums to try and get an analysis of my hair, and I’ve been told my hair is fine. However, I’m still worried, but am unable to afford an appointment to go to a trichologist. So, I was wondering if you could take a look at my album of photo’s. There’s a fair few in here to get a decent look at my hair.

At first I was worried about my crown area/top of my hair, but was told that I’ve got a natural parting coming from my crown. Then I was, and am worried about my hairline, but was told I have a ‘mature’ hairline. Still, I was wondering if you could take a look for me and tell me how you think my hair and hairline is? What Norwood do you think I am. I also have seborrhoeic dermatitis so my scalp is quite inflamed/red.

Basically, do I need to worry, or is it just my OCD?

Oh, and feel free to post the picture album of my hair if this question get’s published. I don’t mind. Thanks.

Click the photos to enlarge:

 

Nothing I can say online is a substitute for a medical exam or seeing your doctor in person. As you state you suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), I think you need to have that under control. Since you’ve posted these pictures on numerous forums and have gotten a reply that your hair is “fine”, I do not know how much more I can add. Your hair looks very good to me, but there’s only so much I can tell based on photos. Base don the pictures, the hairline looks strong and thick, as does the crown.

If you are still worried and your OCD is under control, make an appointment with a doctor you trust, especially one who can perform a HairCheck bulk analysis which gives a metric for the presence of hair loss. I’m not going to be able to assuage your OCD and hair loss paranoia, but I do thank you for letting us use your photos.

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Do I Need to Wash Off Concealers?

Hello Doctor

Is it necessary to wash off concealers ( such as dermatch or toppik ) daily or is it safe to use them daily but keep a 2 – 3 washes per week schedule

Thank you

You don’t need to wash off these camouflaging agents every day. I’ve seen patients who keep these concealers on for 2 to 3 days (since they wash their hair that often), but it’s up to you. Concealers will not damage your hair or cause hair loss, even if you keep them on for a few days.

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Do I Need to Use Saw Palmetto Forever?

Hey Dr. Rassman, I was just wondering if I took saw palmetto and saw some results and then stopped using it, would that have the same effect as taking propecia and then stopping its use. I know after one stops taking propecia all that hair is lost, would that be the same outcome of stopping saw palmetto?

Thanks

If the claimed DHT blocking occurs with saw palmetto, then I suspect that if/when you stop it, the maintained hair would be lost under the exact same mechanism as Propecia (finasteride).

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Do I Need to Dye My Hair Forever if I Get SMP?

Here is a question on the Scalp micro Pigmentation. Once a patient decides to do a cosmetic pigmentation especially on certain parts of the scalp, but not the full scalp, how is he going to look when his real hair will become gray eventually? Do you use a permanent or a temporary pigment?

I think we’ve answered this before, but in general, we do not perform SMP to certain parts of the scalp since as you point out, it would not blend in with the changing of hair color. For example, we sometimes leave the areas around the ears and neck.

Scalp Micropigmentation is permanent. If you want a temporary solution, I’d try Toppik or DermMatch.


2011-10-25 17:17:31Do I Need to Dye My Hair Forever if I Get SMP?

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Do I Need to Apply Minoxidil to Every Single Thinning Spot?

Hey doctor,

I have been using propecia and minoxidil for nearly 10 months now and seen almost excellent results on the hairline but not on the crown (I know it is supposed to be vice-versa). I have two questions for you:

1. Because my hair is somewhat long, I use a dropper to apply minoxidil. Do I need to apply minoxidil on every single thinning spot (massage my scalp to distribute the medicine) or does it get absorbed on a wider area? For example, if I miss the thinning spot by half an inch, will I still benefit from the drug?

2. I have used this treatment called the Nanogen Serum VEGF. However after around 9-10 months of using it I thought it didn’t have any effect at all and quit. I have seen light shedding after quitting the medicine but so far it is acceptable. My question is, they published some sort of trial results regarding their product. I couldn’t make a lot of sense and therefore wanted to ask you before being skeptical about it. Here is the link to the study.

Thanks in advance!

1. First and foremost, you should read any instructions that came with the product. Many minoxidil packages come with some “how to” info. What you usually would do is apply topical minoxidil (Rogaine) to the areas you want to grow hair. If you put it on point A, you probably will not see growth on point B.

2. As with all products that claim to grow hair, my mantra has always been “Buyer Beware!” If you tried a product and it didn’t work, what makes you think a fancy study or a website will make a difference? It just means they used the money that they’ve made for better a marketing presentation.

As for that Nanogen study you linked to, it’s not published in a peer-reviewed medical journal and looks to be just a small test of hairs in petri dishes that sat in different solutions. There’s nothing in the study that shows the product is safe or effective.


2014-03-17 18:26:01Do I Need to Apply Minoxidil to Every Single Thinning Spot?

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Do I need some type of serum for microneedling?

Probably no, is the answer. Some people use topical minoxidil, which might increase the value or value in producing hair, but that is just an educated guess on my part.

[If you have any questions, you can reach me at williamrassman33@gmail.com]

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Do I Need a HairDX Test to Truly Know if Finasteride is Working?

Hello Doctor. I took minoxidil and finasteride for about a year then switched to minoxidil and avodart. i have no side effects but i can’t understand tell if finasteride or dutasteride is working on me, because i still am shedding. Some hair is growing, some hair is minimizing, and i think the medications haven’t stopped miniaturising progress. Is the only way to understand that finasteride or dutasteride works on me is to do the Hair DX test?

Thank you

The HairDX Test for Finasteride Response should be able to tell you if you are a good responder to the medication, but the best test to find out if finasteride or dutasteride is working is to get a bulk measurement of the scalp hair in 4 different locations. It should’ve be done before the drug is taken and then at about a year after. This test (HairCheck) is the most sensitive test available today. Good documentation should include progressive photographs with the hair length the same.

With all the medication switching, what has your prescribing doctor had to say?

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Do I need a doctor for taking oral minoxidil?

I’m going to start the Big 3 to at least TRY for some regrowth. As a 33 year old NW6 I don’t have much to lose. I do have a ton of minituarized hairs on my crown, so it’s worth a shot I suppose. My results over time would be connected with a hair transplant. Unfortunately, topical minoxidil doesn’t work for my lifestyle, so I want to try Oral Minoxidil, and switch to topical down the line. I’ve heard of some potentially dangerous cardiovascular risks associated with oral Minoxidil. I consider myself relatively healthy, with normal BP levels, although I haven’t had a physical in several years. Should I consult with a doctor prior to ordering oral minox? Or would a low dose (0.25-0.50 per day) be OK to start?

Get a good doctor and don’t be your own doctor here.

 


2020-11-04 08:18:39Do I need a doctor for taking oral minoxidil?

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Do I have to stop losing hair to get a hair transplant?

I have been experiencing hair loss for 6-7 years now and my density has kept on decreasing. I have never been on Fin, however, I did try out min for 2-3 months and then stopped using it. I see a lot of posts that suggest an HT only after your hair loss has stabilized. but how do you guys determine that? I lose hairs every day. Should I get on fin and see it I stop losing hair, and then process for an HT ?

You don’t have to wait until you get bald to get a hair transplant. Stabilization is not always possible, even with finasteride. The key is to be able to predict with reasonable certainty, what your long term hair loss pattern will be. Most men must be 26 to be able to make this prediction and that allows the surgeon to build a proper long-term Master Plan for your future hair loss. I have had men keep up with their balding without running out of donor hair in the 29 years I have been doing this type of surgery.


2020-10-10 08:13:16Do I have to stop losing hair to get a hair transplant?