I’m 19 years old and I know that everybody loses about 50 to 100 strands a day. But I’ve been noticing for a while that most of the strands I lose have the white tips at the end.
Is this natural? If not what would be the cause of most of my hair falling out from the roots?
Under 5% of the actual hair in a hair pull will come out. It should be substantially less than that. A white bulb tip in the hair that comes out is normal.
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Dr. Rassman,
I’ve had lots of procedures done; I’ll say at least 9 since 1995. I’m 41 now. I know that’s a lot. I’ve had at least 4-5 done at one center, then about another 4 done at a well know hair transplant center here in DC. I’ve even had gaps of up to 4 years between procedures because of money issues. I’ve spent at least over $20,000.00 so far. I was never given a “Master Plan”. Every person only evaluated me, then asked, “How many are you looking to get right now?.” Me being new to transplant never really realized that once you start the process, you should, in my opinion, every year get as many grafts put in as you can afford. Well, I had really bad scarring in the back going across from one side to the other which was corrected a bit. My head of hair is not nearly as full as I would want it. Actually, right now it’s still very thin in spots here and there. Sometimes I’m just so depressed about it. Don’t make the mistake like I did. If you go for transplant procedure, get another job, work part time, anything to get that head full of hair. Too many procedures, cutting, stitching, etc. spells trouble. I know.
One of the groups did a great job of reducing my scarring in the back of my head. I was also told that in a couple of years ago that lab grown hair follicles will be available. Do you agree? I’m at that point where I feel this would be my last and only alternative.
You have a tragic story. You were not placed on this Earth to give doctors money every year to get hair moved and to manage scars on your head.
The only patients that have had over 4 procedures with me are those that were very, very bald (9,000+ grafts) or very, very obsessive (I fondly call them my ‘hair addicts’). Most people should be completed with 1-2 procedures. Informed consent requires doctors to tell you what is in store for you, what you can reasonably expect a hair transplant will do for you, and when it will be completed. That is the doctor’s moral and legal obligation and the fact that you did not have that happen, means that you must have been victimized from hopping around to different doctors. You should have held your original doctor accountable for finishing what he/she started (in a perfect world of course). I know, unfortunately, that many people who go to doctors that are not responsible or accountable are caught in a difficult position. My suggestion is that you consider going to a doctor who will give you the real scoop as to what, if anything, you can expect going forward. If you need repair work on the scar, that doctor should be able to let you know what is in store for you. As you are on the east coast, may I suggest seeing Dr. Robert Bernstein in New York. He and I literally wrote the book on repairs.
I want to also comment on your hope that soon, hair will be grown in a lab to solve the hair supply problem. I am sorry to burst your bubble, but I don’t believe that will happen in any reasonable timeframe to get you the extra hair you may need. Many doctors are promising lab grown hair in a few years, but the ignorance by these doctors seems pervasive on this subject. My opinion is that we will not see lab grown hair for more than a decade from now. So for the readers who are postponing decisions on hair transplants to wait for lab grown hair, you need to ask yourselves if you really want to wait until you are 70 years old to get the more youthful look.
Can styling products like LA spikes or Got 2 B glued cause temporary hair loss in younger people? I ask this because i’ve always had a high hairline, and I used the 99c store stuff to spike it, being that its cheap it doesn’t last that long and isnt as heavy in the things that kinda poison your hair slowly. I recently switched to a product by the name of Got2b Glued, this is literally hair cement. For awhile this product worked wonders, but the more I used it the more I noticed hair in the spiky areas falling out.
My hair is more a thin dirty blonde type, like most of my family and we have absolutely no history of balding.
Thank you for reading, please reply soon.
Gels and glues used for styling purposes do not cause hair loss. Before looking to blame a hair product or medication as a cause for hair loss, you must know that the most common form of hair loss in men is genetic androgenic alopecia (AGA), otherwise known as male pattern baldness (MPB).
While certain hair products may not work as well on some individuals, there is really no way for me to tell you that your hair product is causing your hair loss. You need a miniaturization study and a good examination to confirm what is really going on. What you’re seeing is likely just coincidence.
I need urgent help! I am a 15 year old female. These past months, i noticed my hair has been falling out dramtically. Every morning when i wake up i see hair on my pillow,about 10 or so. As the day goes by i see hair of mine on my clothing and so on. Every where i walk a hair comes out. When i brush it, it’s even worse,a large amount of hair is on the brush. It’s never been this bad before,and i don’t know what to do! Not to long ago i had gotten on a diet. (Atkins) It was good for about a month or so and i started going back to my old habits and not eating right. I’m not sure if that would be the case? Crash diet? Maybe it would be genetic. My mother also suffers from hair loss,and so does my grandmother. But they started loosing hair at an older age. Is it a genetic thing? I need help & answers please!
Dieting can cause hair loss, particularly crash dieting. You should see your doctor and go over your overall health issues, though. I couldn’t say that the Atkins diet is the cause for your hair loss, as the dieting may be completely unrelated. It is common and normal to lose 100-150 hairs per day.
Hi Dr.,
I had a mole removed on my head, it was up near the front hairline where I had some miniaturization, the doctor did something called a shave biopsy to remove the mole. Can this type of procedure cause shock loss? He numbed the area, then shaved, then burnt what was left.
It may cause shock loss, as any surgical procedure is a potential “shock” to the miniaturized hairs. Just the local anesthesia can induce the shock loss. Hopefully though, you will not lose hair.
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is it ok to mix minoxidil with carrier oil, for example olive oil for easy application in scalp?? I hate the spray form, it gets into my ears and grows fur.
I don’t know what oils will do to the absorption of minoxidil. Sounds like you are inventing a new approach, but don’t expect me to endorse it or justify its safety. If you’re really disliking the liquid, you could try the Rogaine Foam.
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My question is concerning Gynecomastia due to Propecia 1mg daily. I’m a 27 yo male with a full head of hair that noticed over all thinning within the last year. As a preventative measure, I requested Propecia from my doctor. After taking it for 1 and a half months I am already noticing improvement to my hair. Unfortunately, I have also noticed a “puffiness” around my nipples, like fatty tissue taking form. My question is, will decreasing my daily dosage to 0.5 mg’s possibly remedy this situation? I plan on seeing my doctor as well, but what is your personal opinion? Also, are there any exercises or vitamins that I can take to counter the effects of developing “man-boobs”? I really don’t want to discontinue Propecia based on the success with my hair. I and many others would greatly appreciate a response, as I have read many accounts online similar to mine. Thank you.
Fat around the nipple (glandular tissue) may be caused by Propecia, but I gather that the actual breast itself has not enlarged to produce “man-boobs”. You can try cutting down the dose to 0.5 mg or just continuing with the present dose for a while longer and see what happens. You are correct to speak with the doctor who prescribed it to you and then follow his/her advice.
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Hey Guys,
I’m 32 years old and starting to show signs of thinning hair at the very front of my scalp and some spots behing that. The only relative I have who has experienced hair loss was a maternal great-uncle.
The onset seemed very sudden- I would find around 20 hairs in the sink every time I groomed. I have in the past been diagnosed with a case of mild OCD (Doc used the adjective “mild”), and so I promptly became, you guessed it- obsessed. Every time I groomed I would shake my hair to see if any hair was coming out. For about three weeks my hair responded by giving me 20+ hairs at the bottom of the sink every time I would shake it. Also, I noticed increased dandruff-type stuff and skin irritation on my scalp.
Now that I see some thinning, my hair has stopped shedding as easily as it did, although the dandruff has remained at higher than usual levels. I’m not finding the same amount of hair in the sink. Maybe two or three hairs when I shake it.
I’ve been under alot of stress and dealing with anxiety issues for a couple of years now. My wife says that I habitually run my fingers through my hair, though we both agree I stop short of pulling it. My questions are: could my hair loss be anxiety related? Could running your fingers through your hair as a nervous habit cause hair loss? Finally, has the fact that it has stopped shedding at the same rate indicate that I’m no longer interuppting my hairs natural cycle?
I’m keeping my hands away from my hair and hoping that some stress management will help it regrow. Thanks for your time.
Stress can cause hair loss in some people who have genetically sensitive hair that goes into telogen in response to stress or anxiety. I find this more common in women, who usually regrow the hair that they lost from stress. Stress management will likely help. Running your fingers through your hair, provided that you are not pulling on the hair, will not cause you to lose hair.
Was sold a tunnel graft system (San Francisco) in the 80’s but switched to a bonded system. Do you know how much it costs to remove the tunnels? Who would you recommend in CA?
Thanks
I would have to see you to determine what has to be done. I have removed tunnels in the past. Fortunately, there are not many people who have them anymore. I have an office in the Bay Area (San Jose), so you can come see me. Please call my office at 800-NEW-HAIR if you’d like to setup a free consultation.
For the readers, a tunnel is a bridge of skin created in the scalp so that a wig can be secured to the bridge, holding it in place. The wig has ‘string’ attached to it and these strings are passed under the tunnel and then tied in place, like tieing your shoe lace. Some people have more than one tunnel to hold the wig in position.
hi doctor
i have recently been thinning out badly on top. i have very minimal recession of the hairline and i have a normal crown area. my thinning is through the centre of the scalp almost like female pattern baldness. it really bad at the front area. i have really greasy scalp conditions, and my scalp starts to hurt where the hair meets the scalp when it gets greasy.
what would you suggest for me to do next? thanks
Unfortunately, I can not tell much from what you are describing. You should be examined by a good doctor. I wish I could offer more help.
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