Dear Dr. Rassman:
I’m confused about steroid-based medications and hair loss. My ENT recently prescribed me a steroid cortasone nasal spray for chronic rhinitis. Can this potentially have adverse side
effect on my already progressing MPB?
Thanks
Yes, steroids can produce accelerated MPB. When using the steroids through a nasal spray, body absorption is as good as any other route. Sounds like you need to have a conversation with your otolaryngologist (ENT).
Hi, I was wondering if warts can cause hairloss. I just realized that I have had a wart on my foot for quite some time (I just figured out that it was a wart). If warts aren’t treated can they cause hairloss and will the “trauma” of the treatment cause hair shedding? Thank you!
No… unless you are very stressed over your warts. Stress can cause hair loss. Warts do not.
We’re taking a long weekend to enjoy 4 consecutive days of friends, family, and constant eating and will be back on Monday, November 26. Enjoy your time with friends and family!
Hi Dr.
I’ve been looking at your page for some time now and it is loaded with great information. I also consider myself to be fairly well educated regarding the various options available to balding men such as myself since I’ve spent years keeping up on these developments. I am 39 years old and my hairline began to recede when I was about 20. For the longest time, the rest of my hair was so thick that no one really noticed since I wore my hair long. Over the past few years, the top has thinned substantially and I no longer bother to try to style it. I just wear it very short. I’ve never wanted to be one of those guys that look like he’s trying to hide something. The problem is that I’m also not one of those guys who looks good bald. I wish I were, but I’m not. About 15 years ago I had consultations at two different hair replacement doctors and both, to their credit, told me I was not a candidate at that time and to come back in the future when my hair loss was more advanced. I’m sure that time is now. However, I’m not sure I want to commit to a transplant procedure. The biggest question I have is this. Is there really a chance for someone of moderate means such as myself to achieve a natural and attractive result from a hair transplant when people with unlimited resources like Donald Trump, David Lee Roth or the myriad other balding rich people can’t seem to do it? I would say that I’m probably somewhere around a 3 on the Norwood chart.
I laughed when I read your question, for you see, I’ve been wondering the same thing. A good hair transplant today is the norm, but in the days when Donald Trump did it (allegedly *cough, cough*), it was not a procedure that produced undetectable results. Mr. Trump, I believe, had scalp reductions (the bald spot was cut out) and hair transplants of the older vintage. The issue for people like him should be to repair the process, but he can not wipe the slate clean and go back in time prior to having the surgery. We wrote and published in peer reviewed medical journals, most of the original articles on the art of repair. I have no hesitation discussing the repair process, but first please read some of the articles we wrote on the subject:
For a person having his first hair transplant, you need to find a competent doctor (when you are ready) who is artistic and has a great reputation. I stress the importance of viewing patients (one on one) as a doctor who proudly shows off his/her results by giving you the opportunity to meet many of his/her patients. This will give you a very good idea of what you would look like after a hair transplant. I always say that what you see in the patients you meet will be a reflection of the surgical results you will get. Always ask for “before” pictures when you meet these patients yourself! Not to be alarmist, but I know of one immoral doctor who used a photo in a newspaper ad of a man with no balding to promote his practice — he was legally able to call this man a hair transplant patient because he had a few grafts placed behind his thick, normal hairline.
Hello,
I apologise if this question has been asked and answered previously, but who would you recommend as the more accomplished surgeons performing FUE in the US. Kind regards
There are a handful of hair transplant surgeons who claim expertise in follicular unit extraction (FUE) in the U.S. You should visit the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS) for a listing of qualified surgeons and there is a sub-group from this list that do this procedure. Some good hair transplant doctors do not do this procedure, by choice. At NHI, we created the FUE technique and published it in medical journals. There are a few doctors with publication credentials, but many claim expertise. Unfortunately, I have heard about many failures by some of the doctors who claim expertise so you need to do the research yourself and meet with the surgeons on your list (who claim FUE expertise). Ask to meet some of their patients so that you know what the surgeon is capable of doing. I realize this may not be the answer you are looking for, but there is some work required on your part to assure yourself of a good result. Even for me, sorting out the doctors who can perform successful FUE procedures is very difficult as there are so many who claim such expertise and just can’t cut it.
For more, please see:
hello Dr Rassman,
i had a hair transplant surgery from a well recognized doctor before 7 months, without noticing very significant results.Maybe a very small change.i have been using that Crescina products for a few months for better penetration of the scalp.(the old skin fell over my scalp 2-3 months ago, after the surgery), and nowadays the skin of my scalp is clean. How long will it take for me to see good results, or shall i worry?please let me know, because i am a bit stressed.
Best Regards
It generally takes 7-8 months after a hair transplant to see enough hair length to show about 80% of the value. At about 12 months, 95% of the value of the hair transplants should be evident.
Regarding Crescina, while I am impressed by the slick product packaging and fancy animations on their site, none of the ingredients listed (including lysine, cysteine, silicon, zinc) blow me away. If its making your scalp feel cleaner and you’re not experiencing any irritation, you should continue doing as you please, but I wouldn’t look to this for hair regrowth.
hey doc!
I love your blogs, they are very helpfull!
This might be a stupid question.. but i’ve heard smoking something is the best way to get it directly into ur blood so what would happen if I smoked finasteride, could this possibly increase results?
Inhaling an aerosol medication is often the best way to get it into your system from a speed point of view, but what would be the rush with smoking finasteride?
As I believe I’ve already commented, the dose response data is well documented and the oral route for the 1mg recommended hair loss treatment dose taken orally will not be improved… even if you could smoke it.
I keep hearing of “hair mildew”. I can’t find it anywhere on the net.
I was wondering what HAIR MILDEW is,exactly, how do you get it and what would be the symptoms? And, is there any cure for it or would you have to cut out all of your hair?
Thanks alot
I’m sure each of us has been near someone who doesn’t dry their hair, which can sometimes develop an odor to it. Perhaps that is what one is talking about with the term “hair mildew”. If this mildew is a problem for someone, using a hair dryer after a wash should eliminate the problem. I’ve never heard this term used before, though, so I’m just assuming this is what you mean.
I am 24 years old female. I had my hair permed in August and I started losing my hair after a month. before the perming I had very healthy virgin hair.(nothing done to them ever no coloring nothing).I am very worried about my hair I am loosing every day and they just fall without my touching them. I am getting split ends as well. Another thing they had to perm my hair twice because it did not work first time at all. please tell me what do you think is going on
You may have damaged your hair with the perms, or maybe it is just a coincidence and you have some cause of hair loss that requires a doctor’s examination. Unfortunately, there’s not much I can do for you without an exam. Female hair loss can be quite difficult to find a cause for. I suggest you make an appointment to see a dermatologist in your area.
My husband has had long hair all his adult life, usually well past shoulder length. In the last couple years, it is getting noticeably shorter and shorter. Nothing seems to make it grow. But not only will it not grow, It is now barely comes down to his neck. He is 42 years old and doesn’t have any other problems such as bald spots or noticeable amount of hair coming out when brushing or washing. His hair is very fine but otherwise does not look dry or unhealthy. Split ends are not obvious. He has put his hair back in a pony tail for many years and has colored his hair a handful of times through the last 20 years, but not multiple times in a row. We have tried different shampoos to no avail. Recently he has started a vitamin B complex to stimulate growth, but it hasn’t helped yet. Any idea what might be the issue(s) and what we might do to remedy it?
I really couldn’t give any advice without examining your husband’s hair and scalp. What you are describing could be damage from the use of coloring agents. The short hair may reflect a shortening of the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle, something that occurs as people get older. The anagen period is the actual time that the hair is growing and as it generally grows out at about 1/2 inch per month, a shorter growth period will limit the length of the hair. There may be components of genetic balding, so an examination of the scalp, looking for patterned thinning, is critical to understanding what is going on.
