Author: Dr. William Rassman

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I’m Shedding Tiny Hairs That Looks Like Dust – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr,

Since I’m on fin for more than 12 months, I’m constantly shedding 1-2mm long really tiny hairs which exacty look like dust but darker. They are really hard to notice and I can only see them on white backgrounds like my mobile phone’s screen, my monitor and on my hands if I look for them carefully.

Can you tell me if they’re miniaturized hairs or sign of something else? Thanks.

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I’m at a loss here. I can imagine dark dust, but not in the context of hair loss. I really couldn’t tell you what is going on and I wouldn’t know if they were miniaturized without seeing you myself. I’d need to examine these dark dust particles you’re talking about.

Is your hair cut really short to begin with?

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Can I Get a Beard Transplant If I Have Alopecia Areata? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, I am a 22 year old male studying in New York. Since August last year, i have been facing hair loss from my facial beard. Doctors claimed it is alopecia areata. I was under meds for about 4 to 5 months and it got better momentarily but i guess it came back since i am loosing my beard around my chin and neck area! I read a couple of your stuff on this website and i was eager to know if i would be able to do a beard transplant on the affected area considering i might be suffering from alopecia areata. Your help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease, potentially affecting all of your hair follicles. It could attack any transplanted hair that is placed into the balding area and those hairs will die. So unfortunately, transplantation isn’t a wise option for you. For more on alopecia areata, see the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

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Hair Loss InformationI Occasionally Get Dizzy While Using Rogaine – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I seem to have many problems with Rogaine including occasional dizziness and erectile dysfunction which appeared when I started Rogaine. What should I do about this?

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DizzyThis type of question is really for your doctor… and that’s not me. Dizziness can be the result of Rogaine (minoxidil) and if it came on with your starting the drug use, then it is highly suggestive that the symptoms and the drug are connected. The easiest thing is to stop the drug and see if the symptoms go away, but you might have some heart problem underlying these symptoms and the Rogaine brought them to light.

Rogaine has many reported side effects, including dizziness, headaches, nausea, selling of the extremities (hands, feet), rash, chest pain, blurred vision, etc, etc. So as you can see, nothing about taking medications is simple. The right thing would be to see a doctor and stop treating yourself.

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Hair Loss InformationSMP for a Severely Thinning Crown – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Can people crop their hair, get this procedure and grow out their hair again? How would a severely thinning crown with hair grown out look if SMP has been performed on it?

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There is a line where the SMP (Scalp MicroPigmentation) process can not substitute for a hair transplant. We have tried it on one severely thinning head of hair and it didn’t work well, even with low contrast between hair and skin color.

There must be enough hair to work with SMP. This can be imagined well if you think about using the camouflaging agent Toppik on a slick bald head. Toppik alone will not accomplish what it can do with real hair present. In the determination of this, you need to get a real expert to assess your goals and what can be achieved with SMP in combination with a hair transplant.

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Taking Finasteride and Multivitamin Together – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr Rassman,

I take a 1 quarter proscar pill in the mornings at around 7:30am, then later on in the day either in mid morning or afternoon i will take a multivitamin tablet and vitamin E capsule, is that ok? And would there be any DDI if i take proscar and the multivitamins at the same time?
Thank you.

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You can take vitamins and finasteride together. Known drug interactions with finasteride can be found here.

Remember, if you have concerns about what you’re taking or questions about taking supplements and medication together, talk to your prescribing doctor or pharmacist.

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Hair Loss InformationCan My FUE Procedure Be Done Over 2 Days? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,
After consulting with a doctor, I need 2500 units for my hair transplant. It can be by FUE, because I have a good donor area. Considering the two-day visit of a clinic in Turkey. I’m worried that so many units is called a megasession. Can it be done in a one-day procedure, or two day procedure, or would you recommend to do the first year approx. 1500 units and the following year 1000 for density?

By this letters you are one of the most experienced, so I appeal to you,because in Europe and my country is not many information about FUE procedure. thanks for the reply, with respect

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FUE can be done over two days. For the larger sessions, some doctors do it this way. I’d follow-up with your surgeon about his/her recommendations.

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Hair Loss InformationI’ve Had DUPA Since My Teen Years – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have been experiencing DUPA-patterned thinning since puberty, if you can believe it. I had my thyroid checked at 15 (20 now) and apparently everything was in order. Classic MPB runs in both sides of my family but I haven’t seen any instances of DUPA, and both my brothers seem to have been spared this condition. I took propecia for a year and it did nothing.

Are there any leads on possible underlying causes of DUPA, since it has become rather apparent that it is not [entirely] related to DHT levels/sensitivity? Could I possibly benefit from a visit to an endocrinologist or other specialist?

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I do not know if you will benefit from an endocrinologist or other specialist unless you have actually been diagnosed with diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA) by a physician. Are you diagnosing yourself with DUPA because you have thinning of your hair? Some people do have thin hair, but that is not DUPA. There’s no underlying cause of DUPA that is known at this time, so nothing you can really be on the lookout for. We simply don’t understand the condition all that well.

I also do not understand why you would be taking Propecia without a diagnosis of androgenic alopecia. Are you self treating? At the least you need a good examination and a diagnosis.

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Multiple Failed Transplant Procedures? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Have you performed multiple Hair Transplants on one person only to discover that the person might somehow not be suitable for further Hair Transplants because the grafts didn’t grow in from either operation.

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No. I have seen men that lost hair following transplants (shock loss), but it was likely their native hair that fell out. This is a real problem in young men, especially if they did not take Propecia before surgery.

I have also seen men with DUPA (diffuse unpatterned alopecia) who have had failed transplants as well. Patients with DUPA are not candidates for hair transplant surgery. Hair transplant failures are most often the result of poor techniques and quality control of the process by the doctor and his staff.

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Is Prince Harry Starting to Bald, Too? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Is Prince Harry balding too? After watching the royal wedding, I couldn’t help to notice that Prince Harry had a balding spot too. Do you think he’s balding too, just like his brother?

If you look closely, you can see it in this video at 1m34. But is also mentioned by some people on Twitter.

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From the very brief view of Prince Harry, it does look like he has crown balding. It’s so quick, it’s hard to really tell in that video. But if he does have some balding up top, then wearing a royal crown would provide him adequate coverage for now. The photos I’ve seen using a Google image search don’t really show any loss, but certainly hair loss runs in his family.

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Safest Hair Dye? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor Rassman,
I am quite bald (confortable with that part) and keep my hair very much cropped. However, the sidelocks have now started turning quite gray (say 50%). I was told my someone to use a dye which is PPD free. Which brand do you think is safer?

thanks in aniticipation.

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I am not a hair stylist and I have no skills or special knowledge in the various brands of dyes. Probably best to ask your stylist.