Dr. William Rassman – Page 1391

November 4, 2008

Hair Loss InformationI Want to Remove All Transplanted Hairs by Laser – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,

I had transplants which were placed in an erratic fashion and running counter to one another. Now that my normal hair is disappearing this leaves a noticeable effect. These people were in my opinion very unprofessional.

I am resigned to baldness but I would like it to be normal and something I dont need to think about every day I see my hair in the mirror. I would be so eternally grateful to you if you could guide me to someone who can remove the transplanted hairs via laser while not disturbing the normal hair. I imagine this would require the use of some magnifying glass to distinguish exactly the transplants (easily noticeable once washed and blow dried) and a single hair laser remover.

This may take some time but I am willing to pay the appropriate charge and to travel. I would also like to have the scar from the back of my neck reduced to a fine line by excision and treatment.

I am going into baldness but I would like to do so with my dignity intact and not the way I am now. Whatever you can do to help me, I will forever be in your gratitude.

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I have had a number of patients that just want to be bald. I couldn’t say what your personal options are, as every case is different. Electrolysis, for example, has a 50% failure rate per hair and the use of pinpoint lasers are generally not effective here either. Surgery works, but I would have to examine you to see just what has to be done. Extracting one follicle at a time may work, provided that you are not badly scarred in the transplanted area, but even then, fixing the scarring at the back of your head is something we do often.

November 4, 2008

Did the Growth Hormones I Took Cause Permanent Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am 21 and used Growth Hormone for a little over 2 months i am starting to notice hair loss. Is this temporary or will it grow back once i stop? Or has the GH prematurely started my hair loss and will these lost hairs never grow back? I need to know if it is strictly short term and they will grow back i am very nervous. Thank you Dr

I have to apologize in advance for the strong opinions I have on the subject you introduced in your question. I always want to know why people your age would take growth hormones, and whether they were under the care of a physician or were just experimenting with them. You didn’t state why you were taking them, but growth hormones can be dangerous and I strongly recommend that you follow up with your doctor to make sure there were no other damages to your body.

With respect to hair loss, growth hormones can certainly precipitate genetic male pattern baldness. I cannot say if the hairs would grow back, but if it was hormone/genetic related, the hair that was lost will probably not grow back.

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November 4, 2008

Does Eating Chicken Grow Body Hair? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,

I have been eating a lot of chicken lately in order to intake more protein to supplement by weight training. I have some body hair, and would eating too much chicken cause my body hair grow even more?

I am 25 years of age and always eat chicken properly cooked with spices.

Where did you get the idea that eating chicken can cause hair growth on your body? At your age, good nutrition will ensure that your genetics will be properly expressed. Just maybe, you have arrived at that age which will grow that body hair you have been incubating. So to answer your question — no, eating a lot of chicken doesn’t cause body hair growth. Not even with the spices.

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November 4, 2008

Genetic Tests and Gene Therapy as Hair Loss Treatments? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Dr. Rassman,

Recently there has been a lot of hype in the media regarding new genetic screening tests for androgenetic alopecia. Is the research behind this reliable and if so what are your thoughts on how gene therapy will affect how we treat hair loss in the future?

There indeed has been much hype of genetic screening for androgenic alopecia. First off, you do not need a screening test to be diagnosed with androgenic alopecia. If you have the gene, it does not mean that you will bald… and if you are already balding then you do not need the test. Genetic balding is relatively easy to assess, especially with a miniaturization study.

One might argue that the utility of the genetic screening test for androgenic alopecia may be for someone who does NOT show any signs of balding, but would like to start some form of medical treatment (such as Propecia), but I am personally against starting any medication (no matter how safe it may be) if you do not have signs of balding. Answering thousands of questions over the years on this site has taught me that the general public is scared and preoccupied with the 1 to 2 percent of the potential side effects of Propecia. They are so scared that lots of men don’t even start Propecia despite the fact that they are balding. Now imagine telling a non-balding man to start a medication that may give them sexual side effects. I realize in the end it is all about the education process. However, as a general rule doctors do not like to put patients on medications if they do not need it.

With respect to gene therapy, that is entirely another ball game. We are barely understanding genetics of hair loss and are still years away from gene therapy to cure hair loss.

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November 4, 2008

My Chest Hair Pattern is Similar to Males in My Family — Will I Have Their Hairlines? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, im a 25 year old male, about 5 years ago I became concerned about losing my hair. My father, in his mid 50’s still has good hair for his age, the males on my mothers side have not had so much luck, though none of them are, or went, in the case of my late grandfather, completely bald. However, what I first became concerned about was that my right side was slightly higher than my left. 5 years on and with only my memory as a reference, I would say that the left side of my hairline remains as it did 5 years ago, though the its the right side that im still concerned about, the hair there seems slightly thinner than the the left, and when I hold my hair back with one hand, then brush gently forward with the other I can definatley see a difference with more thinner shorter hair on the right side coming forward. Its hard to say if its changed significantly since I was 20, because when I look now its in a different mirror with a stronger light. My question is, if this is a sign of genetic male hairloss, would I have, after 5 years, noticed the left side receding, trying to catch up as ive read in other posts, or does it sound like im just neurotic!

Its worth mentioning that my grandfather at around age 30 from photos ive seen, looked to have a high, somewhat receded hairline. My mother says my hair type is definately different to her family’s, as ive always had very thick hair, and my grandfather supposedly had very fine, thin hair. I do have a similar chest hair pattern to males on my mothers side though, is this linked to losing hair?

The patterns of chest hair and head hair have different genes, so one may follow the pattern of chest hair from their father’s or mother’s side of the family, and yet not the head hair. Having more thinning on one side of the head than the other is a sign of male pattern baldness (MPB) and you should get your hair mapped out for miniaturization to find out if you are expressing genetic balding.

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November 4, 2008

My Daughter and I Diet Together and Lose Hair Together! – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

January 2008 my daughter and I went on a diet. By June 2008, I lost 40 lbs and she lost 30 Lbs. We went off our diets for the summer. Enjoyed the sun and baseball games, but both got minor sun burns on our heads. By July we noticed too much hair coming out in our brushes. Our heads are itchy and dry and it is now October and our hair continues to come out too fast. In the shower and on our combs and brushes we get balls of hair. We had blood work done, we are fine. We are going to see a dermatologist but they are booked up untill the spring. By that time, we could be bald. We were using pantene shampoe, and recently we are trying Infusium shampoe. I am 42 and she is 15. My husband and 12 year old son are fine. They also aren’t itchy and dry. We tried extra virgin olive oil more in our diet. We are taking salmon oil pills. We rubbed aloe vera on our heads and wash our hair every two days. I dont know what else to do. What could this be and what can we do, why are our heads dry and itchy and what can we use. We dont have dandruff or any other problems. Anything you can tell me would be really appreciated. Thank You.

Diet can cause hair loss and if you lost too much weight too fast, then that could be a problem. Caloric restriction in conjunction with a balanced diet is the way to losing weight and not losing your hair (assuming that you have this connection). Without examining you in detail, I can not offer you other advice here.

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November 3, 2008

2008 US Presidential Election Prediction – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’ve ignored all polls up until now and will rely on the statistics from the past US Presidential elections to call this one for Barack Obama (and a day before the election, no less). Some may say, “But Dr Rassman, clearly the polls are showing Obama has a gigantic lead anyway!” … and to those people, I can only point out that it’s entirely because of his beautiful hairline. Ignore tax policy, ignore social programs, ignore foreign policy — this election is 100% hair related. People always vote for the hairiest, right?

November 3, 2008

Transplanting Leg Hair to the Chest? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,

I’m 42 y/o male.I have heard about harvesting body hair for the scalp, but what about harvesting body hair for the body? It seems to make sense as it is the same type of hair (I.e,. leg or back hair for the chest) but many websites say that bodyhair transplants come from the scalp and that the hair must be trimmed a few times a months. Is there a reason that they do not use body hair. I looked and could not find anything about this on your bog. Thanks

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You can move your own hair from one place to another on your body. Yes, from your leg to your chest should work as well as from your leg to the scalp or the scalp to your leg. The leg hair is shorter and there is a 50% telogen phase for all hair follicles, which in the leg ranges from 3-6 months. If the anagen phase is comparable, it would mean that you get to show only about 50% of what you got at any one time, but I am skeptical of any numbers I see, so just remember that hairs on the leg are short and short lived (growth, that is).

November 3, 2008

Hair Loss InformationRepairing a Bald Area After Scalp Burn – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

When I was young the hair on the right side of my side was burnt off, all you can see now is a abnormally white white scalp with no hair growth. I try to cover it up by making the hair on the top grow longer and cover up the bald spot.

I was wondering if their is a solution to my kind of problem. Thanks you.

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These areas can be treated very well today with a variety of surgical procedures which vary based upon the size of the defect you have. I have seen children who have lost 1/4 of their entire scalp receive a balloon expansion with wonderful results, and the same goes for adults. The smaller the defect, the easier it is to repair. You can see a hair transplant surgeon or a good plastic surgeon to find an appropriate referral. This is a very specialized area where most plastic surgeons have not developed the expertise.

November 3, 2008

Hair Loss InformationCan Propecia Side Effects Start After Just 2 Days? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hey doctor Rassman,
I’m 21 years old and I’m losing hair rapidly. I started taking propecia and rogaine six days ago,I haven’t experienced any shedding at all, I have two questions that I hope you would answer:

how long does it take for the side effects of propecia to show? from the second day I took propecia I started feeling that my sexual drive is getting very low, and for the last two days I can’t get full erection and I’m really worried, can the propecia do that in just one weak?

when I use rogaine liquid it stays on my head as a very thin layer that peels when I scratch it or when I shower, sometimes I take rogaine in the morning after I shower and then again at night without showering untill the morning, my question is, is the rogaine getting through to my scalp or does it stay above that oily layer?

thank you

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It is possible that reduced libido could occur in a week or so of daily Propecia use, but I wonder if you have anticipated it such that the psychological effects of expectations may make it happen.
Rogaine is best used after a shampoo. The use of something like the Rogaine Foam will disappear quickly as the alcohol evaporates, while the oily minoxidil will not. If you decide to shower after applying the minoxidil, wait an hour or so to let it absorb. The oily layer should not be there.