Dr. William Rassman – Page 1532

December 19, 2007

Are Hair Characteristics a Factor in Genetic Balding? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

It is my understanding that hair characteristics (e.g. thickness, color, etc) are resultant from the properties of the hair follicle. Therefore, can hair characteristics be considered a factor in determining the likelihood of someone developing genetic balding? For instance, if one has hair like that of a non-balding relative, would this be considered a factor?

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Nope. Hair characteristics (thickness, color, wave) are result from genes. Male pattern baldness is also a result from genes. However, they do not correlate.

December 18, 2007

Ceramic Hair Straightener and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,

I’m 19 years old and I am wondering whether ceramic hair straighteners (overuse) can cause hair to fall out. I had long hair and i used it almost daily without heat protection and I wasn’t exactly incredibly careful when I was straightening my hair. However I have recently developed a small thinning area on my crown, actually teh hair all over my head has thinned. I have therefore cut my hair short and have started taking specially extra potent vitamins recommended by my dad who is a pharmacist and so somewhat knowledgeable. How long would new growth take?

I am worried actually that I might just be going prematurely bald due to bad genes as well as the fact that from teh age of 15 i noticed a lot of hair fall however it is only now (my hair is/was extremely thick) that it has become noticeable.

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Damage to hair with heat from curling irons, ceramic hair straighteners, etc, can potentially make your hair brittle and cause loss due to heat damage, but it should not cause balding. If your hair grows back it can take as long a one year, as hair goes through cycles of growth.

Vitamins do not grow hair.

If you are female, I highly doubt you will go bald at the age of 15 from using a ceramic hair straightener. There may be a rare instance where you may have other medical conditions that you may not be aware of that is causing your hair loss. In that case you need to see your primary care doctor for further work up.

If you are male, I also highly doubt you will go bald at the age of 15 from using a ceramic hair straightener. If you are balding, it may be due to genetic male pattern hair loss, as it starts at the onset of puberty.

December 18, 2007

Allergic Reactions to Propecia? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

What are the sever allergic reactions some people have to propecia? I have taken propecia for 2 years and then stopped for 3 years. I just started taking again, is it possible for me to have a severe allergic reaction after having no troubles the 1st time? I am not choking or having a reaction or anything, just curious.

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A severe allergic reactive would be, as your describe, choking and throat swelling that could lead to death. Many drugs and foods can cause allergic reactions, but I have never heard of the aforementioned severe reaction with finasteride (Propecia/Proscar). The most common side effects of Propecia are:

increase or decrease in sex drive
decrease in fluid ejaculate at orgasm
breast tenderness

These side effects are reversible if you stop taking the medication, as the finasteride only lasts in your blood stream for about a day.

December 18, 2007

My Doctor Is Giving Me Testosterone Shots, But I’ve Read That Hair Loss Might Happen – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My doctor but me on testosterone shots a couple of months ago ( every 2 weeks ) do to my testosterone levels being low. The shots have helped my sex life not sure yet if it has helped my energy level. I have a full head of hair, I shaved it 10 years ago and my own mother did not like the way it looked ( the shape of my head ) so it is important to me to keep my hair, the doctor said it would not be a problem if it does not run in My family, but have been reading on the internet of people saying they have lost alot of theres on the shots.

If I am going to lose it I am willing to stop the shots. If I continue the shots and start to lose hair and stop will the hair loss stop? What is a good way for me to gage if I am having more than normal hair loss. I am in my late 40’s male.

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Yes, you have a risk of hair loss with testosterone shots if you carry the genes for hair loss. While it may be somewhat reassuring that male pattern baldness does not run in your family, the gene (or genes) for hair loss is not readily predictable and as such, you have a risk for androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) even if your father or grandfather is not bald. It is all depending on whether you carry the gene(s). As with all medications and general things in life, you must consider the risks versus the benefits of what you are doing. And you should have had this discussion with your doctor.

December 18, 2007

Restoring Pubic Hair in a 70 Year Old Woman – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

what can you tell me about restoring pubic hair in a 70-year old female?

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At NHI, we’ve transplant hair to the pubic area in many women for whatever reasons they have. In a society where most young women are trying to shave or wax or laser off their pubic hair, we see older women requesting pubic hair transplants, as hair in the public area may tend to disappear with age in some women. As such, we do about 3 to 5 cases a year.

The last patient we performed pubic hair transplants on was a 60+ year old lady. She just called me a few weeks ago saying that the hairs have grown in and she is very happy with the results.

December 18, 2007

Bald Spots Appearing on Face and Scalp Over the Past Month – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

About a month ago I noticed two spots of hair not growning on my face and then a week later another on my cheek. Now I have a small spot on the bad of my head missing hair also. My girlfriend thinks it’s because of stress. What do you think it is?

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You need to see a good dermatologist. Amongst the things that the doctor will evaluate is the possibility of alopecia areata or ringworm (the two most common causes of what you are talking about). It is not reasonable to expect me to make a diagnosis over the internet from a few lines of description.

December 18, 2007

From Anorexic to Bulimic to Losing Hair – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I used to have extremely thick and curly hair when I was younger. When I was 15 I was anorexic and my hair thinned, but when I got over it, it all grew back. Then I became bulimic when I was 16, and abused laxatives until I was 17. It was only when I cut down on the laxatives and then stopped taking them completely when I started losing hair again. It’s more obvious this time too. The back of my hair is extremely thin with bald spots, and also near my ears. I started eating well, lots of protein, and I’m taking a multivitamin in case of missing vitamins or minerals. It’s only been about 3 weeks that I’ve been eating well again, but it’s still thinning, just a bit less. Do you know what could have caused the hair loss, or if it’s too early for me to know if it’s going to stop or not. What can I do? I’ve had a blood test for anemia, thyroid disorder and diabetes, but I’m only going to find out the results in about a week.

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Yes, weight loss can cause hair loss and sometimes it comes back, while other times it does not. I can’t say for sure what the cause of your hair loss is, however. It sounds like you need to be managed by a good doctor, in person. I can’t tell you much more without an exam and medical history. I’m glad that you’re taking better care of yourself now. Please see a doctor about this.

December 18, 2007

Topical Minoxidil and Blood Pressure – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr.,

Do you believe that applying minoxidil topically can appreciably lower blood pressure, even by just a few mmHg?

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Yes, it can. Minoxidil is a blood pressure lowering medication if you take it orally. Topical application, when used correctly, should not have systemic side effects of lowered blood pressure, but it can happen if you use it frequently and apply higher amounts than are recommended.

December 17, 2007

If Foods Treat Prostate, Can’t Foods Treat Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have read in medical magazines that certain foods and supplements help stop prostate enlargement and cancer. If propecia and dutasteride are used to treat prostate enlargement which in turn helps stop hair loss, would anything from foods to supplements which help stop prostate enlargement in a sense help stop hair loss.

The association between certain food and disease is being made more frequently as medical science probes the connections. Unfortunately, we are ignorant of the one-to-one connection between health, disease, and foods. Much of what we do know is highly subjective and tied to undocumented opinions. The good news is that medical science is probing the adage that we are (probably) what we eat and until we know which foods support which organ systems or what foods suppress what disease, I really can not focus upon the reciprocity you are asking about.

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December 17, 2007

Relaxing African Hair After Hairline Lowering Procedure – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello, I am a 30 year old African American female, I have a very high forehead. I am interested in bringing my hairline down surgically, but I perm/relax my hair. What I want to know is, with that type of surgery would I still be able to relax my hair. If so how long after I relax should I wait before I have the procedure done and how long should I wait after the procedure to relax again? Thank You for your time!

Hair can be relaxed prior to a hair transplant procedure. A hair transplant is your own naturally growing hair, just moved from one place to another. You can perm, color, or relax transplanted hair just as you would your normal hair. You should wait about two to four weeks to relax your existing hair after a transplant procedure, but transplanted hairs will most likely not grow in for 6 to 8 months. Hairline lowering procedures for women gives an immediate result; a hair transplant also has a waiting period for the hair to go through its normal cycle before it starts to grow.

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