Dr. William Rassman – Page 1374

December 15, 2008

Sertraline and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 19 year-old male living in Turkey. At age 13 I’ve been diagnosed with depersonalization / derealization disorder and was prescribed half a dose of a sertraline-based anti-anxiety drug (known as Lustral here) daily.

I used it for about two years and since then used it on and off for a few weekly periods, including for about two months when I was 17. I heard about antidepressants causing hair loss and in the periods that I used the drug, I noticed that my hair strands were generally thinner and weaker, but no balding visible. And when I ceased using it, my hair returned to its normal strength and thickness. So my question is that, do these antidepressants really cause irreversible harm to hair (thinning / balding) or is it always “back to normal” when medication ends?

Thanks Doc, I’m really curious about this.

Zoloft The medication you know as Lustral (sertraline) is also commonly known as Zoloft. And as you may know, many antidepressants (including Zoloft) can cause temporary hair loss, possibly even permanent loss in those genetically inclined to lose hair. I can’t say for sure whether the stop/start method you’re using with the medication will always continue the same hair loss/regrowth you’re seeing.

The consumer drug information for sertraline mentions hair loss as a side effect when overdosing, but I suppose it is possible to see loss with normal dosing as well (possibly even half dosing like you were prescribed), depending on how sensitive your body is to it.

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December 15, 2008

What Percentage of Men Lose Hair After 5 Years on Finasteride? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have a question about the post from 12/5 3:35pm. You mention that some people see hair loss continuing again after 5 years on finasteride, while others have been taking finasteride for 10 years without any changes.

Could you quantify these a little, e.g. in your experience, for what % of people who take finasteride and it stops hair loss temporarily does it suddenly pick up again after 5 years, and, in your experience, what % of people who have been taking it for 10+ years did not have hair loss pick up again.

I thought that if Propecia works and successfully stops hair loss, a master plan would consider all the present hair as safe, and allocate potential hair transplants to other areas that have suffered hair loss prior to taking Propecia. In the light of this post, even if Propecia works for a given patient, it seems that despite Propecia, it is possible that hair loss does continue, so one should not deplete all possible donor hair on areas currently affected?

I do not have numeric data for you. Instead of focusing on statistics, try to understand the big picture. If I tell you that 1 percent will have no results, and you happen to be that 1%, it is 100% for you (in your particular case). My main point was that everybody is different and we all try to maximize our chances of keeping our hair. Propecia is one of those things we use to maximize the odds in your favor.

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December 12, 2008

18 Year Old Feeling Depressed Over Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello!
I m 18 years old and i m suffering hair loss since the age of 13. I used to have much hair so when i was younger my family said that it was ok, and it was going to stop. Now i am 18 and there are clearly bald spots on the front. This is getting me very depress i do not know what to do. Yes my father is kinda bald , i dont live with him but i saw him once a year ago ( he was 55 years old). i’ve seen pictures of him, when he was 30-40 and he had normal hair not bald spots or anything. If this is genetic then it comes from him, because no male in my family is bald.

Is there anything i can do? any doctor you can recomend? please help me stop it. I touch my forehead and everytime i feel less hair. Please doctor if you need any other imformation let me know. Help me stop it PLEASE

If you have bald spots appearing on your scalp (as you described), that doesn’t sound like genetic hair loss / male pattern baldness. MPB does not cause bald spots and I would look to other diagnosis such as alopecia areata, ringworm, etc. If you’re saying your hairline is thinning (and not actually forming spots), then that could very well be MPB. I don’t know though, as I haven’t seen you.

Before going on Propecia you need to secure a firm working diagnosis with your doctor (a dermatologist should be fine for that). A good psychiatrist may be beneficial to help you through this stressful period. If you’re feeling depressed, you should seek help. Good luck.

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December 12, 2008

Cutting Back on Rogaine Foam? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,
I had a quick question for you and appreciate your input. Right now I have a moderate to severe case of Seborrheic Dermatitis. I am using extina foam, Tgel and donovex to control this. I wanted to know if I cut back the use of Rogaine 5% foam to every other day will that help prevent me from loosing the hair I have gained by using this product? Also to help control my hair loss I am on proscar. Is there any benefit changing to propecia?

Thank you

The less the dose of Rogaine (minoxidil) and the less frequently you apply it, the less effective it is. In other words, you might not maintain all of the benefits you’ve seen from the Rogaine Foam if you cut back on its use. Cut pills of Proscar (1mg or 1.25mg) and Propecia are essentially no different. They’re both finasteride.

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December 12, 2008

Dandruff from Minoxidil — Should I Switch to the Foam? – Balding Blog

Hey Doc. I, like many other Minoxidil users, experience increased dandruff coupled with a dry, itchy scalp. I have used Minoxidil on and off with successful results but it is difficult to continue prolonged use due to the resulting dandruff. I am looking for a solution and here are my questions. Do you know if using Rogaine Foam will irritate my scalp as much as the traditional Minoxidil liquid? My other idea is to go from the 5% Minoxidil which I use now to the lesser strength?

Everybody is different. I can’t tell you if you will have better results with the foam. I suppose in theory it might, but the best thing to do is TRY it. One of the side effects of minoxidil is skin flaking (dandruff) and you may not be able to tolerate it. Use a good dandruff shampoo if that occurs.

I have an extensive discussion of this subject in my new book, Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies, which you can buy at your local book store, major chain book store, or from HairOutletStore.com (powered by Amazon).

December 12, 2008

Especially on TV, Your Appearance is Everything – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Doctor. My hairline has been the same for about 20yrs and about a year ago noticed a slight change on one side. I haven’t seen much of a change in a year and a half. To me, it looks like my hairline never finished maturing. I’m now 37 years old and recently made my debut on national television. My hair is black and curly with good density. I did see a doctor who said that at this point, if I got a HT, it would look like I had hair on my forehead. She said the measurments were normal etc. I am also starting to get gray hair and will probably start dying it soon. Is it possible when you go gray your hairline might change slightly? If I wanted, would you lower my hairline if it continues to recede? People tell me that at age 37 if you aren’t showing signs of baldness, or have mild recession you probably wont lose your hair; is this true. Just concerned about my new career on tv, where your appearance is everything. Thanks.

Firstly, grey hair and balding are not related. Look at the beautiful head of hair on George Clooney for an example.

At one time I had transplanted a number of men who were in their early 20s and had soap opera stardom, with hair loss starting as you described. The entertainment field demands that many of its male soap opera actors look almost like boy toys, apparently that being the look most women like. So getting hair transplants to maintain a career look is not an unusual request and I would be happy to render you my opinion upon examining you. I’d argue that for many people, appearance is everything — so that isn’t limited to just entertainment-based careers.

If you are receding slightly and want to do something proactive (due to TV careers, personal preference, etc), a choice to have a hair transplant surgery is an option, but it is one that you must fully be educated on with respect to its limitations and expectations. At your age (37), if you don’t have significant balding, your chances of further balding may be slim. You may continue to recede in the front corners, but I really cannot tell. You should have your hair examined under a microscope for miniaturization. If appearance in front of a camera is important to you and you are conscious of your frontal hairline, you can also consider using makeup products (like DermMatch or Toppik) that make your hair look fuller.

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December 12, 2008

I Got Scalp Acne After Shaving My Head – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I shaved my head bald about two months ago, just so all my hair could grow back evenly. About a week later, I noticed acne starting to appear all around the back of my head. Even when my hair reached its usual length about a month later, acne was still appearing. And i know it wasn’t wise, but I would pop the pimples, then when they grew scabs, i’d pick them off. Now I cut my hair down again about two weeks ago and i noticed about twenty or so small bald spots on the back and top of my head. Is this permanant? Is there something I can do??? My hair is my life!!!

Razor Sometimes shavers are not so sanitary and cause pimples or folliculitis. Your skin and scalp naturally contain (normal) bacteria and even the worrisome Staph, which can be a major infection problem that spreads easily. Irritating the skin/scalp with blades or shavers can also introduce the normal bacteria to the skin/scalp, causing local infection and irritation (pimples). So ask yourself is this acne or folliculitis (infection)? You’ll need to see a good dermatologist for the answer to that.

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December 12, 2008

I Want a Larger Forehead – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have a fairly small forehead line and i really want to make my forehead line larger naturally soon. Please suggest me what I can do to have a larger forehead line. Thank you.

The answer to this question reflects missing data which I would need to take this to a next step:

Are you male or female?
What is your age?
Can you send me some good photos with your eyebrows lifted high as well as a normal facial set of photos?
Do you have genetic hair loss?

I would pick up this once I have the missing pieces I have just asked for.

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December 12, 2008

Pricing for Hairline Lowering with Balloon Expansion? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

(female)Hello Dr. Rassman;

Your website indicated that the cost of a one-time hairline lowering surgery ranged between $9,000-$11,000. I am curious as to the price if a balloon expansion is necessary.

Thanks in advance

We don’t list a price for that type of procedure on the NHI site, so I assume you’re talking about a past posting on this site. The cost of the hairline lowering surgery is around $15,000 plus the cost of the balloon expander (usually about $1000). This includes multiple visits per week for balloon inflation with saline until the balloon reaches its final point of inflation. Balloon expanders are rarely needed for lowering the hairline, though.

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December 11, 2008

Let’s Rub Our Heads with Eggs and Brandy! – Balding Blog

I found this page that says mixing an egg with brandy, then rubbing it on your head to grow hair. Or using almond oil…. or mixing eggs, honey, and olive oil. They also say that copper prevents hair loss and zinc prevents grey hair. WHAAAAAT?

Point is, I wonder where these crazy ideas come from. Is there anything in eggs that would lead someone to believe that they’ll regrow your hair? Why use brandy? I know you probably can’t answer that, but I’m thinking out loud. These things are so ridiculous to me and I am sure I’m not the only one that shares that thought process. I believe there’s a place for homeopathic medicine in the world, but these hair loss “cures” are so obviously dumb it surprises me that people can’t just see they’re wasting time before they even start.

I agree and share your thought process as well. Much of the homeopathic remedies I’ve been asked about through this site have been truly ridiculous and won’t do a thing for your regrowing your hair or preventing it from falling out. I have no idea where such ideas come from, but I can’t help but just shake my head whenever I hear about a new one. Maybe someone’s drunk uncle had a full head of hair, so the idea of using brandy came into play?

Eggs and brandy… isn’t that eggnog? What better way to celebrate the holidays than trying to get your scalp drunk? Garnish with nutmeg and serve.

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