Dr. William Rassman – Page 1499

March 3, 2008

Proper Medical Evaluation Before a Hair Transplant Saved My Life! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman:

I wanted to let you know that I am coming along nicely after my recent procedure; and how appreciative I am of your and the entire NHI’s staff’s courtesy, kindness and care. I also wanted to take the opportunity of alerting the general public as to the necessity of proper medical evaluation prior to any procedure. As you recall, I presented to you about 9 months ago; with a past medical history significant for cardiac disease. Your recommendation was that I have this more carefully evaluated before we consider hair restoration. Within some weeks, I was on an operating table receiving what was literally a lifesaving procedure. If it hadn’t been for your clinical instinct; I might not be here at all today; let alone in my soon to be more hirsute state!

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Doctors should be responsible for the entire patient while the patient is under his/her care. I always take a personal interest in my patients and I’m happy to have helped!

March 3, 2008

Is Taking Expired Generic Propecia Safe? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My questions are:
Is it normal to experience cyclical hair loss and regrowth while being on minodixil (5%)?

Is it safe to use 1 mg Finasteride pills that expired 10 months ago and will it still be effective? The pills came in strips of ten. I have stored then in their original box inside a drawer in my closet (i.e. a dry, dark, room temperatured environment). I have read the Newsweek article but would like to hear your professional advice regarding expired Finasteride.

Thank you.

A worried young man.

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Yes, cyclical hair loss with minoxidil is reported and re-growth while being on minoxidil has been seen often.

I doubt there will be a safety issue, but you should not use expired medications due to the potential that the potency may be decreased. You might consider contacting the manufacturer about sending the medication back to them in exchange for a new (unexpired) drug.

March 3, 2008

Relationship of Cowlicks and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, I have a cowlick on the top back part of my head. I know there is absolutely no way one can predict male pattern baldness in a person. My maternal grandfather still has his hair at 70, but his son (my uncle is bald). My uncle said he started going bald at the age of 28. My father at 50 has a full head of hair, and my brother at 28 still has a full head of hair. I am 21, and have shown no signs (or at least the typical signs) of male pattern baldness yet. I was just wondering if it is more common in men with cowlicks, or if there have been any studies to determine a relationship?

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Cowlick Cowlicks are genetic. Male pattern hair loss is genetic. The two are not related.

There are no studies that I am aware of that link the two or the relationship of cowlick prevalence in men and women. If you want to find out if you are actually balding (possibly in the early stage when it is starting out), get your hair mapped out for miniaturization every year and when/if it starts to appear, you will be ahead of the game.

March 3, 2008

My Doctor In Mexico Gave Me Aminexil, But I Don’t Have Any Directions – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just wanted to point out that this is our 5000th post! Ok, back to our regularly scheduled blogging…

Hi Doctor
i noticed that one of your messages answer a question that is somewhat similar to mine…I am using Aminexil SP94 i bought it in D.F, Mexico the doctor told me that it thickens the hair follicles but i was in a hurry and left without asking this important question…i read throughout the whole box and theres no instructions on how long your suppose to leave the liquid on your scalp my question is is how long are you suppose to leave it on and if you dont have an answer to that can you please tell me or estimate a time length so my hair doesnt get damage by the liquid?

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To my knowledge, Aminexil is similar to minoxidil, but as I do not prescribe it as a treatment for male pattern hair loss and I am not your doctor, I cannot give you any solid information. Particularly, I can’t give you any information on a medication that you were prescribed by a different doctor in a foreign country.

March 3, 2008

Chemical Relaxer Causing Itching and Scaling of Scalp – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am an African American female, and I used a chemical relaxer on my hair. Within a few days I had excessive itching and excessive scaling. The results are all over my head. Can you tell me what this could be? Chemical burn? Dandruff? Not sure. I applied Sulphur 8 to mu scalp to control some of the itching. It has helped a little, but if I tough my scalp the itching starts up again. The itching seems to get bad about 3-4 days after I wash my hair.

So, my questions are: What could this be, and how should I remedy the situation? Also, does this seem sever and should I get a doctor involved?

Thank You.

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A chemical relaxer is, well, a chemical. Any chemicals can cause local skin irritation or an allergic reaction. I would suggest that you see a primary doctor or a dermatologist if this problem persists. Burns from chemical relaxers are quite common.

February 29, 2008

Hair Loss InformationAbout a Year Ago, I Met with a Doctor That Was Still Doing Minigrafts! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

First of all I want to thank you for this great site.

In Dec. of 2006 I went to a T.P. doctor, mainly to get a prescription for propecia and to hear what he had to say about how good of a candidate I would be for a hair transplant. I found out at that time that he still used the mini & micro minigraft procedure, with magnification and backlighting.(no steroscopic microscope). In Dec. 2007 I was looking at his web site,and to his credit, is now doing follicular unit grafting using stereoscopic microscopes.

My question is this,how difficult is it for his staff to learn to use microscopes and to be cutting in follicular units instead of minigrafts? I guess what I really want to know is how much time should I give them, to learn the “new” procedure before I go back for another consultation?

Do you have any photos that show the difference between minigrafting and folicular unit graphing on the scalp?

Thanks again.

P.S. How much does a stereoscopic microscope cost? This doctor has been doing hair transplants for 14 years and is now just getting some.They must cost alot!

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Cost for hair transplant at New Hair Institute… as low as $5 per graft.
Cost of microscope at a local scientific store… around $500.
Cost of a well done follicular unit hair transplant… priceless.

The difference between minigraft and follicular unit transplantation is small, but can be significant when you look closely at the growing hair. Minigrafts and micrografts transplant skin between the hair follicles and this skin can produce changes in the scalp at the point the hair exits the skin. There may be cobblestoning from the transplanted skin. Follicular unit transplantation only transplants the natural occurring units of hair as they exit the scalp and most of the skin edge is removed so that the point of exit of the hair is normal.

More importantly, the difference when using a microscope for dissection is that you do not waste good follicular units since you can see minute details (under the microscope).

For more details, read our published articles on the subject:

February 29, 2008

Hair Loss InformationHow to Get Miniaturization Mapping Done When There is No Doctor Doing It – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman,

My main concern is being able to start using Propecia as soon as possible in order to slow down any further miniaturization and slow the progression of any further receding. The other concern I have is regarding the miniaturization study. I live in Minnesota and since your only offices are in California, the distance factor will create cost issues for me.

What options would I have with such a long distance and cost factors?

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You can use a video microscope and look at your own hair. These run about $200-400 or so and are often sold online (price varies per vendor and tool used). I like the ProScope (the USB version for computers is more costly than the version that connects directly to the TV) and have them in my offices along with specialized software we developed for keeping records of the patient’s mapped scalp. You need to estimate the number of small hair shafts as compared with the larger, normal size hair shafts. It is often difficult to tell the difference between vellus hair and miniaturized hair, so I use an estimate of 20% as the normal level of miniaturized/vellus hairs. Any number in excess of this in different parts of the scalp is thinning/balding.

Alternatively, of course, try to find a doctor who will manage your entire hair loss process by developing a Master Plan, which should be the bible for your hair loss management.

February 29, 2008

Hair Loss InformationJust How Bald is Bruce Willis? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have a dispute with my friend that Bruce Willis in the movie Perfect Stranger is using “movie hair”.

Is that his real hair or not?

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Honestly, your guess is as good as mine.

I don’t have access to the make-up artists and stylists that were on the set during filming of that movie (see photo above), and I haven’t had the opportunity to examine Bruce Willis’ scalp. It appears like he has a Norwood Class 4 pattern of hair loss from the above picture (no crown is showing), but I can’t tell for sure since he usually shaves his head completely in most of the pictures and movies I have seen him in. I would guess that the frontal hair shown in the above photo may be real. My reason for such thinking is this — why would Hollywood put hair on Willis’ head with a frontal balding pattern, when they could just as easily put it back to a pattern reflecting a period earlier in his life? I haven’t seen the movie, so I couldn’t really tell you if it was a purposeful choice.

February 29, 2008

Hair Loss InformationMesalamine and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have ulcerative colitis and have experienced Telogen effluvium a couple of times. I recently had a very small flare up and my Dr. put me on mesamaline enemas. I have been on them for about a month and noticed that my hair is falling out….this can’t be because of extreme blood loss or anything because I haven’t had that with the UC. Does mesamaline enemas cause hair loss. Secondly, with TE, the hair loss happens for about 5 months, when a med causes hair loss will the hair loss stop immediately when i quit the drug? Thank you

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There is a remote connection between mesalamine and hair loss. “Slight hair loss” is listed as a rare side effect from this medication. See the full list of possible side effects here. Looking at the potency of this medication in impacting rapidly growing cells, I am not surprised to expect such a relationship. Your ulcerative colitis in itself will cause hair loss when it is active in the form of telogen effluvium.

February 29, 2008

Hair Loss InformationVitamins for Healthy Hair Growth? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr Rassman,
I have been reading your blog and I generally know your feeling about ‘natural cures’ for hairloss, and the claims the sellers make. I have been on Minox/Fin for a few months and I have seen very good results, so I intend to continue. My question is, do you have any recommendations for nutritional supplements or multi-vitamins that help promote healthy hair growth? I’m not looking for a natural ‘cure’; just some information on vitamins that would promote healthy hair growth.

Thanks

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I do not have specific recommendations for diet or nutritional pills. It may be a different story if I was selling any of these products myself, which for me, would be a conflict of interest. Point being, a lot of the recommendations various sites make about vitamins or other pills will also include a link to buy those same products direct from their online store. Just be cautious that you don’t get duped.