Month: January 2023

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Could Getting a Perm Trigger Genetic Hair Loss?

Big permI’m a 19 year old guy who has had a moderately high hairline and slight recession at the temples since the age of 15. It seems to progress VERY gradually and I have no hair loss anywhere else. I always dye, style, tease, crimp and straighten my hair and it doesn’t seem to effect it, but I’m after a bigger style and am considering a perm. My hair is fine, but not extremely so.

Is it safe to get a fairly loose perm done at a good salon? Will it speed up my hair loss?

If you’ve got the genetics to lose hair, any number of things (including chemical damage) could trigger an earlier onset of the genetic process. You’ll have to decide if it’s worth the risk. I doubt you’ve got much risk based on what you described, but if you do decide to have the perm done you should try to minimize the risk by having it done by someone professionally trained.

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Could Gabapentin Be Responsible for My Female Hair Loss?

I have been taking gabapentin for years and just started to notice increased hair loss, more than would come out naturally. I’ve had chemo and all my hair came out, but that was about 6 years ago and my hair came back, but not all the way. A lot of women told me that when their hair came back it was their natural color, most women color their hair so didn’t even know what their natural color was, plus their hair came back thicker and glossier. They were all delighted.

Mine didn’t come back like that. I was taking gabapentin then and ever since. My hair came back weak, very fine, some gray in natural ‘mouse brown’, limp, awful looking and very easily broken. It was workable but I didn’t really notice it being really thin. Just in the past year and a half it has really been disappearing. I’m now wearing the wigs I used when my hair all came out with chemo.

I’ve had both knees replaced, one last July,2011 and the other last January, 2012. I thought it might have been caused by the anesthesia or the high doses of demeral? or the oxycodone I was taking for back pain. Also, beside the demerol? in the hospital the first time and then morphine the second time. But I don’t take any of that stuff since about April, 2012, around eight months ago and my hair seems to be coming out worse now. I’ve checked out all of those drugs and none of them seem to have hair loss as a side effect. Then I accidentally came across this blog and I have been enlightened. I never would have thought of gabapentin, but it sure makes sense. Is there a different medication to take the place of gabapentin? Someone help me out here?

I’m female, 64 years old, some baldness in the male side of the family, none on the female side. I take gabapentin, prilosec, atenalol?, effexor, Flexeril, Claratin, metformin, and Lantus, oxycodone/acetaminafen? when my back goes out. I take a multivitamin, vitamin C, magnesium, and iron beside the other prescription meds. What am I doing wrong? Can I be helped?

I really think you should see your doctor for your issues. Based on your medication list, you have a significant number of medical issues. You cannot just point to one drug as the source of hair loss. I wish it was that simple, but it does not work that way. In most cases the medical condition itself may be the cause (not the medication). Your issue is beyond the scope of a simple blog post. Sorry.

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Could FUE Move Hair and Skin to Eliminate Scarring?

Dear Dr Rassman, please excuse my question if it is stupid. I’m not medically trained!

What is normally discussed is the movement of hair follicles *from* the donor site *to* the recipient site. And this inevitably leaves some form of scarring in the donor area. But is it technically possible (in FUE) to also implant skin *from* the recipient area *to* the donor area, in such a manner to “eliminate” scarring? i.e. for every follicle the surgeon would swap tissues A and B, where A would be the tissue originally at the recipient site, and B the tissue originally at the donor site.

I’m sure this would be more costly for the patient, buy I’m wondering: has this ever been tested? And would it eliminate scarring?

A number of years ago, a well-known doctor preached that small punch extractions of scars would produce “mini-scalp reductions”. It never worked. This sounds like what you are asking about, and if one removes scar from a scarred area, you just get scar to replace it. Not such a good idea.

By the way, there are no stupid questions. Your question reflects an inquiring mind.

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Could FUE Make My Linear Non-Transplant Scar Worse?

I have a small, linear non-transplant scar above my ear. It has healed pretty well, and is looking more and more like normal skin each day. I’ve been thinking about transplanting hair into the scar by an east-coast doctor, about 100 grafts is my guess. If this were to be done with FUE, is there a huge risk that the scars produced from such a small FUE procedure will be worse than my linear scar? I want to be able to wear a buzz cut (somewhere around #2) as I believer my hair is thinning and short hair is a better look. Should I be very worried about moving just 100 grafts from the back of my head into this scar to minimize it?

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) is a good way to fill in a scar, but not all FUE is the same. Different doctors use different techniques and instruments. As long as the FUE instrument is less than 1mm (ideally 0.8 of 0.9mm diameter), you should be OK.

I am flattered you would ask me, but I would ask this question to your doctor since you need to trust the surgeon that will be performing the procedure on you!

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Could Flixotide for My Asthma Accelerate Hair Loss?

Hello,

I’m using flixotide 100mcg 2 times a day. Flixotide contains corticosteroid that works against inflammation for my asthma. Because it is a steroid, could it accelerate androgenetica alopecia? I can’t find good answers about this subject.

Hopefully you can help me. Cheers.

Chronic use of steroids can negatively impact hair loss, but I don’t see anything in the literature that shows hair loss as a side effect of Flixotide (fluticasone). There is little I can offer here.

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Could Finasteride Be Affecting My Sperm?

Dear Doctor,
I have been taking Propecia for years. My wife and I are trying to have our first baby. She has gotten pregnant twice, however both have resulted in her getting a D & C. There have been problems with cell growth after conception in that an empty sac forms with nothing inside. Could finasteride be affecting the genetics of my sperm?

There are many potential reasons why your wife may have trouble conceiving. There are two issues that are known with regard to sperm while taking Propecia —

  • Reduced semen volume is very common, but usually the presence of sperm is good.
  • A recent report in the medical literature suggests that Propecia may cause reduced sperm counts, so I would have your sperm tested for this.

I would think that Propecia is low on the list of many more common possibilities.


2008-07-03 14:41:39Could Finasteride Be Affecting My Sperm?

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Could Fasting 2 Days a Week Slow Down the Pace of Hair Loss?

Dear Dr

There has been a lot of interest in the UK about intermittent fasting where an individual eats normally for 5 days a week and then fasts for two (not on consecutive days). There was a BBC horizon programme where it was shown to reduce IGH-1 (growth hormone) and improve insulin sensitivity. It is claimed that when a body goes into fasting mode the body starts to repair itself better by repairing cells rather than producing more cells. It was suggested that this may be beneficial to age related diseases, cancer etc.

Do you think this would slow down the pace of hairloss if insulin sensitivity improved and/or IGH-1 was reduced? Has research been done on this approach? Your thoughts would be appreciated

Genetic hair loss is not a disease. Balding is a genetic trait, like your height, body build, hair color, the way you look, etc. Even if this ‘fasting’ has value (which I would doubt), it will not change your genetics. Significant fasting can actually accelerate hair loss. You are what you are and although your patterned balding can be modified with drugs or transplants, your balding pattern is fixed in your genetics.

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Could brushing hair when wet damage my hair?

I know you’re not supposed to brush wet hair after the shower, but I didn’t know that until today… After I’ve been doing it for years… Thankfully, currently, I have a pretty full head of pretty thick hair and I’m obviously prepared to stop brushing my wet hair indefinitely. However, I’m worried that I’ve done damage that can’t be undone that could eventually lead to severe hair loss in the future. Should I be concerned?

When people brush hair roughly, then they can pull out miniaturized hairs easily causing evident balding in those men or women with genetic hair loss and significant miniaturization. I tell people to use gentle brushing or a wide tooth brush or comb to minimize the pulling effect on these miniaturized hairs.

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Could an Increase in Sex Drive from Propecia Be Confidence Based?

I am a healthy 22 year old male. I have a head full of hair but I have noticed along with my dermatologist that I have started to experience hair loss.

I want to thank you with your diligence in your answering of questions. I started Propecia and psychologically induced side effects on myself, after thorough research I was able to curb those thoughts and part of that I owe to you.

I have a general wondering that perhaps the increase in sex drive from Propecia could be confidence based? and the same being a lack of confidence in the drug as the basis for the adverse effects. I also read from a doctor that in clinical assessments the effects are even rarer then the clinical trials, his experience stating 3 in 1000 being affected.

I have seen some men report an increased sex drive on Propecia although this is not common. Yes, once a man is freed from the burden of balding, they may be better on their sex side of life. Self confidence is necessary in good sexual performance.

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Could Alopecia Areata Evolve to Totalis or DUPA?

I have been recently diagnosed with alopecia areata (one spot) and have had several HT session in the past. Recently been under a lot of work related stress. and my hair has been thinning all over event in the safe zone (I am 48 Years old). And the back of my scalp has a see thru appearance. So I am wondering if this is diffuse alopecia areata that could evolve to alopecia totalis or DUPA since my donor area is very thin?

Anything is possible, but not probable. Alopecia areata without any treatment often will resolve over time (which can take up to one year).