Dr. William Rassman – Page 1027

February 28, 2012

Hair Loss InformationSt John’s Wort and Propecia – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr Rassman.

Want to start by thanking you and all the others who helped and contributed to this awesome forum!

I have been depressed for a while now. But then I’m very critical of antidepressants. So i have decided to test ST. John’s wort, who according to studies can be just as effective as antidepressants while it has much less side effects than conventional antidepressants.

But St. John’s wort has a tendency to affect the metabolism of other drugs.

My question is, do you know if St. JohnÂ´s wort will affect propecia

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I am not much of a herbal expert, but I do know that some herbs can interact with medications. In particular, St. John’s Wort is listed as having interactions with Propecia (finasteride 1mg), though I do not know if this will have a clinically significant affect on the efficacy of Propecia. You may run the risk of increase side effects, however.

I would consult with your doctor.

February 28, 2012

Actor Joe Rogan’s Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was listening to the Joe Rogan podcast and was really surprised when he mentioned that he won’t shave his head because he had a transplant a few years ago and has a scar. I always wondered why he DIDN’T have a transplant when I would see him on TV but was kind of surprised that he says he had one. Do you think he was misinformed as to what his eventual loss would be?

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Your guess is as good as mine. I do not know the circumstance of actor/comedian/host Joe Rogan’s hair loss or the treatment he had. It’s possible that he had the surgery many years ago and had continued hair loss, but I really don’t know.

Someone might mention to him that we can treat his scar with either a scar revision or Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP).

February 27, 2012

Hair Loss InformationWith Shock Loss a Possibility, Is the Best Transplant Candidate Mostly Bald? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

IDOC.. let me see if I have this correct. Having a transplant in an area where there is still a fair amount of hair increases the odds of shock loss? if i want to get a head start and restore my hairline as its thinning but still have hair, the trauma from the surgery will most likely cause shock loss to the existing hair in that area. Is that right? So the best candidate is one who has little hair in the area to be transplanted?

Is anyone still testing A Cell therapy for hair restoration?

Thanks

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Broken record Those who are at the highest risk for shock loss include:

Patients with noticeable hair loss that is active at the time of surgery
Patients that are younger than 30 years old
Patients that have significant miniaturization of hairs in the balding pattern.

When such patients are on finasteride, the risk for shock loss is reduced.

I know I sound like a broken record at times, but everyone is different and every individual case is unique. There is no universal answer to this question. Some wait until they are bald before they have hair transplant surgery. Some have surgery as they are balding (to maintain their existing look). Shock hair loss is always an issue, but not an overriding one after all the factors are considered… as long as you and your doctor are realistic about shock hair loss. Some overreact or misinterpret what shock hair loss really is, and make it out to be an overbearing issue. But this is a generalization. Please read this recent post on shock hair loss. We do take it seriously, but we also take it on a one-on-one basis. That is why we have a real doctor- patient examination and consultation before any surgery.

With respect to ACell, we have conducted the one year study for hair restoration, but it was a failure. As far as I know, no doctor has been able to reproduce the results claimed by Dr. Hitzig or Cooley on hair multiplication. That is probably why you are not reading about it in scientific journals or in the mainstream media as the next great breakthrough. I don’t know which doctors are still experimenting with it, though.

February 27, 2012

Hair Loss InformationElectrolysis of Hair Transplant Results – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Can I use hair removal if I decide my transplants just aren’t looking right? I am just trying to figure out what my options are to undo the surgery.

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I met with a patient a couple years ago who had frontal hair transplants at a clinic with results that did not meet his expectations. He responded by going through electrolysis and removing the grafts. He came to my office to figure out what to do with the linear scar.

The results of the tedious electrolysis was very good, but in our experience, electrolysis is very dependent upon the skill of the person doing it. The means the results from this process can vary considerably. The use of hair removal lasers also can be a problem particularly if the grafts are large since they leave an abnormal “foot print” in the skin once the hair is gone.

February 24, 2012

The Dangers of Medical Tourism: What It Is and How It Can Impact You – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

The following post is by UK-based physician Dr. Bessam Farjo:

Written by:

Dr Bessam Farjo
United Kingdom

I recently came across a poll on newbeauty.com, which reveals that one in four Americans would consider having surgery if it wasn’t so costly. With this in mind, it’s not surprising that people seek a lower cost option and consequently consider having surgery in a country where it’s cheaper. While the discounted price tag may be very appealing, there are some important things to bear in mind when it comes to having surgery abroad.

The same website outlines some of the dangers associated with medical tourism. It describes how it can be difficult to check if a foreign physician’s credentials are genuine, suggesting that the International Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery is a good place to start. It also flags up that you may not be covered by your travel insurance if something goes wrong in another country. Another issue concerns recovery, which can sometimes take longer than expected after surgery and there can also be a danger of clotting if travelling by plane.

Similar considerations apply to our own field of hair transplant surgery. The website of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery provides a list of members as a reference not necessarily recommending anyone in particular. It is down to the individual patient to do their due diligence whether online or in person.

There are clinics that try to take advantage of potential patients who consider surgery at home too. We’ve seen a growing number of men come to us after opting for surgery via an offer on a discount website such as Groupon or KGB deals. These ‘deals’ are usually limited to 1,000 grafts which is only around 2,000 – 2,500 hairs. To anyone with a significant amount of hair loss this would be nowhere near enough to provide a suitable result.

The small print in these offers often dictates that only one discount is available per person, meaning that anyone requiring further treatment would have to pay the full cost or more likely, above the odds.

There certainly are some serious dangers involved with having surgery both abroad and at home and I would strongly recommend considering these should patients be tempted by low-cost surgery options. As always, I must stress the importance of thorough planning and research when contemplating any type of surgery, make your decisions based on what’s right for you, not on the price it costs.

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Learn more about the author of this article, Dr. Bessam Farjo, on his BaldingBlog profile or at his website.

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Dr. William Rassman’s Comments:

I know the laws in California are made to protect the patient at all times, and California lawyers are waiting enthusiastically to represent those who are harmed. The legal recourse in many foreign countries may not be there, which means that if you become a victim of the surgeon, there is little you can do about it. This, to me, is a good reason to have the surgeries in the United States, Canada or European countries that have strict laws that control doctors’ licenses and the way they use their licenses.

February 24, 2012

Hair Loss InformationNorwood Class and Head Shape – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello!

Your blog is wonderful, an excellent information source. You are also one of the few who mentions the mature hairline in a significant amount of detail. So many people get mislead by the classical Norwood 1 image, which is actually a juvenile hairline, as you said. (Many sources claim that only NW 1 means a full head of hair, and everything else is a sign of balding..)

That said, there is something you haven’t mentioned, but seems to be relevant: the size and shape of the head, especially the forehead.

NW 2 hair tends to look more dramatic on people with round faces and large foreheads than on oval heads, for example. In addition, I have noticed that some foreheads tend to have a more rounded shape, while others look more like a V (when viewed from above).

Do you agree on this?

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Conehead The Norwood hair loss classification describes the variations in male hair loss patterns. It is not the progression or stages one goes through. You can look like you have a full head of hair, but still be a Norwood 6 if you show the thinning pattern. Some may be a Norwood 3 and be that way for the rest of their life. In other words, Norwood 3 rarely, if ever, progresses to a Norwood 6.

With respect to the shape of one’s forehead or even the shape of their head, I agree it may exaggerate the look of a Norwood pattern, but forehead shape and hair loss are not directly related. Perhaps there should be a forehead classification.

February 24, 2012

Hair Loss InformationI Got a Year of Finasteride for 16 Bucks at Costco! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman and Dr. Pak
I recently had an FUE procedure done at your Los Angeles office and I want to thank Dr. Pak and his stuff which are very knowledgeable and really smart! And most of all very carring and are willing to go the extra mile to make the surgery the most pleasant one, I even had I conversation with Dr. Rassman while waiting for the elevator to arrive, he’s so down to earth and very polite.

I just wanted to let you guys know that at Costco warehouse store I recently got my finasteride medication for the whole year for only $16 dollars, before I used to pay $63 dollars per month for propecia, big savings, Once again thanks to Dr. Pak, Dr. Rassman and all of your staff (nicest people that i’ve been around so caring!) and sorry that on the day of the procedure I didn’t shave my head off and for being a little late to the appointment.

Thanks for everything you guys do for us and keep up the great work.

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Thanks for your kind words!

And thank you for sharing your Costco information. It seems they lowered their pricing. That’s great news! For anyone looking to save some money, I should note that you do NOT need to be a member at Costco to use their pharmacy (or buy liquor, for that matter)… but you do need a prescription for the 5mg finasteride (and cut the pills for treating hair loss).

February 24, 2012

Hair Loss InformationCan a Dermaroller Damage Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am interested in using a dermaroller to enhance topical absorption. How long can the needles be before there is a risk of damaging the follicle and the surrounding vasculature?

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We do not use or have experience with a dermaroller. I had one on my desk to play around with, but it never got use on the scalp, so I am the wrong person to ask about this one. I wrote about that years ago. It still looks painful.

In general, anything with a sharp point or a needle that you use on yourself (or others) should be sterile and used with caution. If there are readers out there that use this product, I’d be curious to know what you think about it.

February 23, 2012

After Taking 5mg Finasteride For Years, Has Cutting the Dosage Caused Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have been taking finasteride 5mg for 6 years and it has done a good job. I started cutting the pill in half and over the course of 5 months since I did so, I lost an incredible amount of hair. Do you think this is because I cut the dosage?

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I think if you were taking finasteride at 5mg strength daily for genetic hair loss, you were likely wasting your money and over medicating yourself. Did your doctor prescribe this to you for treating hair loss or do you have prostate issues? The recommended dose is 1mg daily for treating hair loss. Taking more just gives a higher chance of side effects. As far as I’m aware, more finasteride doesn’t mean more hair… so cutting the drug dose from 5mg to 2.5mg daily shouldn’t mean less hair.

I do not know why you are losing more hair. It may be that your genetic predisposition is taking its normal progressive course. You should follow up with your doctor for their assessment and recommendation.

Just understand the big picture here: There is no drug (no matter how high of a dose) that will stop hair loss completely and forever. Finasteride slows it down or even temporarily reverses hair loss to some degree, but over the course of years (and your lifetime) your genetic fate will win. If you are destined to lose your hair, it will happen. It is not related to the drug dosage. It is more related to time.

February 23, 2012

Hair Loss InformationMuscle Gains and Finasteride? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

How will finasteride impact muscle gains? I have heard so many things. some say it will improve because of the increase in testorone, i have also heard it can decrease because of higher estrogen levels. And have also read because of the higher estrogen you can store fat in the glutens and thigh areas, is this all true?

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Propecia was once banned by in the Olympics and some professional sports by the World Anti-Doping Agency, because it supposedly masked the use of steroids and due to similar theories that you point out, but I would doubt that finasteride will produce significant performance or muscle mass gains. Nowadays, Propecia is not banned in the Olympics or any professional sports to my knowledge.

The various info you’ve read online are prime examples of how there is so much disinformation on the Internet.