Author: Dr. William Rassman

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Hair Loss InformationNew to Hair Loss – Which Products Work? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

I currently think I’m in the early stages of hereditary baldness. I have recently been researching if there is any products I can use early to prevent it from getting worse. Is there any products you would recommend?

I have recently read a about a product called “Profollica” which seems to have legit reviews but I’m skeptic. What is your opinion? Will this product work? I have also read about a product called “Procerin” & “Provillus”. Do any of the above products work?

I have Also red websites that have Said to get plenty of calcium in your Body as this helps the hair folicle. Your advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

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There are 2 medications that are proven to work — finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine). Minoxidil is available in a generic form and over the counter, so it may be included in various products sold in stores as boutique brands. These brands are sometimes mixed with vitamins that likely won’t help treat your hair loss (particularly if your loss is due to genetic causes). Propecia is still a prescription medication and you’ll need to talk to your doctor about it.

As for the products you mentioned, if they contain finasteride or minoxidil they’ll probably help to some degree. If not, there’s no scientific proof that they’ll do what they claim. I’m sure I’ve written about each of them before if you use the search box in the top right of the site. Also, calcium won’t prevent genetic hair loss.

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I Have a Tumor in a Testicle, Will That Effect My Hair Loss or DHT? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

firstly thanks for spending so much of your time giving us advice we can trust this really is a great resource.

ive been on propecia for 3 years with good results. ive been diagnosed with a tumour in one of my testicles and need to have it removed next week. Could you please tell me if you think this will have any effect on my hairloss and DHT levels. would just like to know what to expect be it good or bad thanks again.

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Lance ArmstrongI would defer this question to your doctor who is treating you. Personally, I would worry more about the tumor on the testicle over hair loss.

Take a person like bicyclist Lance Armstrong who had one testicle removed for cancer. I’m sure the second testicle got larger and compensated for the body’s need for testosterone. One testicle will produce the same amount of hormones that two testicles would produce if one was removed for any reason.

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Hair Loss InformationCould ACell Theoretically Solve the Infinite Donor Supply Problem? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hey Dr Rassman

In a recent post you discussed Unihair a Japanese company working on a different cloning procedure for androgenic alopecia then what experts in North America are hoping to achieve with ACell.

My question is what are you guys planning to do with ACell? the newness of the procedure has caught a lot of people by surprise in my opinion. If ACell does replicate hairs even to a moderate degree wouldn’t that theoretically solve the issue of finite donor supply as well as offer patients an ability to wear shorter hair styles due to its extraordinary healing ability ?

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We really don’t know what to expect just yet. We are trying our best to carry out a study to find out if there is a foundation for a new way of treating hair loss. Ideally, if ACell works with plucked hairs and our clinical research shows this, then the infinite donor supply could be a reality. But let us not get ahead of ourselves.

We promise to keep everyone informed!

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Do Hair Transplants Take Longer to Grow After Multiple Surgeries? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have undergone my 3rd hair transplant surgery in March 2010 and I am at the 8 month mark. I am mostly satisfied with my results, but hoping for some more growth and increased density. I was wondering if the transplanted hair takes longer to emerge and mature when you have had successive hair transplants. I was told by my doctor that the hair transplants take longer to emerge after the third hair transplant and i should expect some more hair growth and increase in density.

I would like to get your thoughts around this. Thank you.

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I’m not sure why your surgeon would’ve told you it takes longer for hair to grow after the multiple procedures, because the growth period is roughly the same for each surgery. The third surgery should grow at about the same time as the first one did. If you are concerned about growth, speak with your doctor again. I occasionally see some growth occur between 8-12 months, but that is usually in addition to what is grown by the 8th month.

You should be alarmed if there is no growth within the one year time frame, but less concerned if it has only been under 6 months. In your case at 8 months, you should see some good growth by now with hopefully a little more in the coming months.

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What If I Need Chemotherapy After I Have a Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

If you get a hair transplant and later get diagnosed with cancer, need chemotherapy and lose your hair, what do you do about the scarring and dots where the transplanted hair previously was?

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I would think that if you have cancer, a hair transplant or its scar would be one of the last things on your mind. If you do end up going through chemotherapy and lose all your hair, you will see the scarring.

But while most of us do not plan on having cancer or chemo in our lifetime, if it happens to you and you are worried about the scar, you can wear a hat or a wig as most chemo patients do.

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Applying Rogaine Twice Daily – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Rogaine recommends applying twice daily but it does not say it needs to be every 12hrs. Does that mean I can apply it at 8pm then again at midnight and that would be just as effective as morning and night? Thanks in advance

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Equally spread applications twice a day (every 12 hours) is better than an 8 and 16 hour schedule, but it is not practical for most people. I would try to space it out a little more than the 4 hour window you described. Usually it is applied when you get up and then again before you go to bed (just allow it to dry first).

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Hair Loss InformationDid Applying Nair On My Scalp Cause Permanent Damage? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doctors. Thank you for your time.

I am a male aged 37. Perhaps 15 years ago my girlfriend shaved my head. She lost interest. To finish the job, and do it “correctly” I lathered my head in Nair (a product used mostly by women to remove unwanted hair ). The “balding” pattern I experience is not shared by the men in my family……father, grandfather etc.

I have the same weak point on the spot for roughly ten years now. The quality and quantity degenerate, but not at the same pace as those who seem to bald genetically. I have new growth, baby hairs, but nothing aggressive like on the rest of my head. Would the hair remover have damaged the growth indefinitely or am I able to find a silver bullet?

I too consider HGH as a lifestyle / quality supplement. Would this assist in refocusing the follicles energies if the reason for the hair loss is the result of the hair removal cream.

Kind Regards

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NairI doubt your hair loss is related to what you did with Nair 15 years ago. Nair doesn’t cause permanent loss, especially after one application. There might’ve been some kind of chemical burn in the area, but I can’t imagine it would last for this long (and you didn’t mention experiencing any prolonged skin irritation either).

My bet is on genetic male pattern balding, as it in 99% of men who are losing hair. I doubt HGH will help this, but it sounds like you’re already using it anyway.

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Hair Loss InformationIn the News – A Cure for the Common Cold? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article (unrelated to hair loss):

In a dramatic breakthrough that could affect millions of lives, scientists have been able to show for the first time that the body’s immune defences can destroy the common cold virus after it has actually invaded the inner sanctum of a human cell, a feat that was believed until now to be impossible.

The discovery opens the door to the development of a new class of antiviral drugs that work by enhancing this natural virus-killing machinery of the cell. Scientists believe the first clinical trials of new drugs based on the findings could begin within two to five years.

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Tissue boxRead the full story — A cure for the common cold may finally be achieved as a result of a remarkable discovery in a Cambridge laboratory

We’ve all gotten sick from time to time, but could the common cold be a thing of the past within the next decade? We’ll have to wait and see. Lots of speculation considering the clinical trials won’t start for years from now.

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Hair Loss InformationDid Propecia Increase My Body Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have been on propecia for about 18 months and I it seems to have done good things for my hair. However, I noticed that I have more body hair than before. My arms are more hairy, and so is my nose and ears. Is this a known side effect?

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I think I’ve gotten only a few emails over the years about seeing increased body hair after taking Propecia, but that is not a known side effect. I do hear anecdotal stories of decreased body hair from Propecia probably a little more often.

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More Info About NHI’s ACell Study – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

ACellI want to respond to some questions and comments I’ve received about our previous post about the ACell study we’re starting. The presentation at the ISHRS meeting was clear that the use of the ACell matrix with plucked hairs can stimulate growth. The process of doing this may not be as simple as it appears to be for many physicians.

First of all, the plucked hairs are usually a single hair with minimal tissue to protect it from harm when they are handled and/or exposed to the air during the transfer process. The surgeons who offer this have to be skilled to manage one-hair grafts without killing them. The application of the ACell Matrix has may nuances associated with it, so the doctors who “experiment” with this technique must build a process that works over and over again. It is also important to understand that the newly formed follicles will contain tissue from the donor area (the plucked hair) and tissue from the recipient area (the part of the follicle induced by the hair/ACell/tissue interaction). Since some of the follicle is derived the recipient area, we can’t be sure that it will cycle as a normal hair or even be totally permanent.

Over the years we have developed many processes that have led to many of today’s standards in hair transplantation, such as FUE, FUT, megasessions, and dense packing. We have consistently published our work in peer reviewed medical journals and have brought science to the world of clinical hair transplantation, advancing the standard of care over and over again. Our team (Dr. Jae Pak and myself in LA, Dr. Robert Bernstein and Dr. Eric Schweiger in NY) have put our heads together to build a process that, we believe, will afford our patients the best opportunity to benefit from the hair multiplication process and help the industry command the process better and with more certainty.

We are not of the belief that what we are doing with regard to hair multiplication is for everyone, or that everyone should rush into the process before the results of our work (and that of others) are completed. For select patients who are interested in participating in clinical trials or being treated outside the studies at this time, we would be happy to evaluate you to discuss this during a consultation. Remember, this process may not be for everyone at this time.