Dr. William Rassman – Page 1548

November 12, 2007

Hair Loss InformationUsing Permanent Cosmetics to Disguise the Tiny FUE Scars? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Many are concerned about the aspect of small dot scarring after an FUE procedure. Would micropigmentation (permanent cosmetics) be helpful to disguise these tiny scars? If so, what would the methodology be to be most cosmetically effective. I think if this were an option to disguise any scarring, hair transplants would not be as scary to proceed with.

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Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) scars do occur, but they should be minimally detectable with any length of hair (1/4 inch). I do not have experience with permanent cosmetics other than tattoos, which have problems associated with them, including changing color. Actually, a change in hair color over time will impact visibility of permanent cosmetics.

November 12, 2007

Flu Season is Coming Up — Will Antibiotics Effect Propecia? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Doctor, I hope you find the time to answer this question. Today is my first day on propecia. I shave my head so my balding won’t be so noticable-for which I hope to stop after a few months(case being if propecia works). Does shaving the head limit the effectivness and growth of new hairs on propecia?

Next, you know it’s flu season. Right now i’m taking anti-biotics: Amoxicillin 500mg and PSE-GFN 120mg; does this affect propecia and the effectivness of it?

Thanks

Shaving your scalp will not impact the value of Propecia, but you will not see its effectiveness on the miniaturization issues to know if and to what degree it is working.

Antibiotics can be used with Propecia and there should be no reaction. The flu is a virus and antibiotics will not kill the virus, contrary to common belief.

November 12, 2007

Merck’s Propecia Patent Only Applies to the Process? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi from England.

It was mentioned on this blog that no reputable company would infringe on the patent Merck has for 1mg finasteride. However, this is irrelevant because if the drug is made abroad (e.g. by Cipla in India)the patent only applies to the process used to make the drug.

1mg Finasteride is 1mg Finasteride. Truth be told, Merck are ripping people off, and all for a brand name. I’m currently taking a reputable “generic” and my hair is improving after 5 months. Ah the wonders of the free global market.

Like I said, 1mg Finasteride is 1mg Finasteride.

I allowed the comments about Merck, because they reflect a view that may or may not be correct. Patents generally extend to the markets where the patented products are sold. I can not comment on the finasteride patent, for I don’t have an answer for you. As representatives from Merck do read this blog regularly, maybe someone from within the company would send me an email and I would either post it or reflect upon the content in it without posting the full communication.

I am not a lawyer and would have to review all of their documents in detail to render a layman’s opinion, something that will not add value to you or your question.

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November 12, 2007

No Growth After 3rd Hair Transplant Done 7 Months Ago – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

i had a transplant on april 9 from a very reputable clinic. i have absolutely no growth plus i have lost much more hair. i have been on propecia for 5 years. this is my 3rd transplant. is it possible there is a delay because it is my 3rd transplant. or is it possible i will get no growth at all since it has been 7 months already without any growth whatsoever. around the donor site there has been regrowth. just none in the transplanted areas.

You need to discuss this with your doctor and view the photographs carefully from 7 months earlier. I have had patients not see the hair grow out and when comparing to the before photos, their after photos showed remarkable growth! I suggest waiting for a full 9-10 months before drawing any conclusions on a failed hair transplant. With regard to hair loss, again, look at your before and after pictures and speak with your doctor. If you are still having a problem after meeting with your doctor and passing the 10 month mark, then seek a second opinion if your doctor has not given you a satisfactory answer to your concerns.

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November 12, 2007

Working Out Your Legs Shoots Testosterone Throughout Your Body? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Dr,

I lift weights and I was told by a personal trainer that when you work out your legs, it shoots the testosterone throughout your body. My question is this: can that accelerate hair loss? I asked the pt if it increases testosterone & he said no it just sends what you have throughout your system. Can you tell me if this is something that can accelerate hair loss? Thank you.

Exercises should not increase hair loss, though I do not know if the testosterone shooting through your body occurs from leg exercises. If you’re suggesting that your personal trainer is saying that leg exercises accelerate testosterone and therefore hair loss, I’d believe he’d be incorrect, but there are sources of evidence that suggest he may have a point. In other words, I really don’t have a clear cut answer for you.

The use of steroids or exogenous testosterone will cause hair loss in those who are genetically prone to it (has the genes for balding), but it is not clear that diet or exercise will produce enough testosterone to cause balding.

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November 12, 2007

Worse for Hair — Steroid Treatment or Psoriasis? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,
I have a psoriasis on the scalp, i use cortison, called elocon which contains mometasone a steroid.

Today i read in your blog that cortison causes hair loss. I am loosing hair in the frontal area, i am 29 now. What is worse more for hair loss, the steroids on scalp or the psoriasis?? What causes more hair loss? I use spiro topical for the temples now. Thank you for the answer!!

The use of topical steroids on a limited basis will not cause hair loss, but chronic use of topical steroids may impact your adrenal gland. I have psoriasis and when I use topical steroids, I confine their use to three applications of a very light amount, applied three times each week. When the psoriasis is under control, I do not use steroid creams or ointments.

The treatment of psoriasis and hair loss do not conflict. If there is genetic hair loss, it should be treated with finasteride (Propecia) and that will not impact psoriasis at all.

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November 9, 2007

Are Minoxidil and Propecia Worth Using? (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Whats up Doc!

I am considering getting on rogaine but am wondering whether or not the benefits of it would be worth the annoyance of its daily use. Is Propecia better? Have you seen any substantial results on Rogain along from any of your patients? I am currently just looking to reverse some thinning in miniaturizing hairs on my crown. Also, is the shed that it mentions is a possibility of any significance, i.e. can you visibly notice a shed from the minoxidil?

Thanks in advance!

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When there is a shedding from minoxidil or Propecia, the effects on fullness are rarely visible.

Here are photos forwarded to me (with permission to publish here) by Dr. William Parsley of a 40 year old male patient who had a great response to a combination of minoxidil and Propecia (finasteride 1mg). He had no hair transplants. These medications do work together and on some patients they can have a remarkable result. From his before pictures, there appears to be considerable miniaturization and I can not tell which medication was responsible for this outstanding response. When there are miniaturized hairs, they can often be stimulated so that the hair shafts will thicken and many studies show that when these medications work, the greatest response comes from these miniaturized hairs which become thicker. If you click on the photographs and compare the before and after pictures carefully, you can almost see the miniaturized hairs (without magnification in these pictures) showing the thickening in the ‘after’ picture. I have seen significant benefits from minoxidil by itself, though not as spectacular as these photos show. Please note that neither medication has proof that they work in the frontal area, yet seeing is believing here. Click the photos to enlarge.

Before

After (minoxidil and Propecia combination use for 7 months)

November 9, 2007

How Many Men Go Bald? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was wondering if balding is common, or am I just singled out to be bald while most men are not?

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The incidence of balding varies with age, according to an article published by Dr. O’Tar Norwood in his 1975 male pattern baldness article in the Southern Medical Journal. This is reflected in the below diagram (and quoted text), borrowed from the textbook titled Hair Transplantation, by Dr. Walter Unger.

“(A) Incidence of different degrees of male pattern baldness compared by age. (B) Differences in incidence of male pattern baldness between Hamilton’s and Norwood’s studies, with Hamilton’s findings being consistently 20% to 30% higher.”

The frequency of balding is dependent upon age. Dr. Norwood reported it at about 35% in the 50 year old male, Dr. James Hamilton reported it at about 55% in the 50 year old male. As age goes up, the frequency of balding is higher, peaking in both authors studies at about 65 years old (55% and 85% incidence of balding in Norwood and Hamilton, respectively). It should be noted that Dr. Hamilton introduced his hair loss classification scale in the early 1950s, and Dr. Norwood revised this some 20 years later.

November 9, 2007

Is David Beckham Balding? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My daughter is a huge fan of Beckham especially now that he’s playing soccer in Los Angeles. She was looking at some Beckham photos and found this posting somewhere and forwarded it to me since she knows I’m all over the hair loss forums. Is this just bad lighting? It looks like he’s combing his hair forward a little but it could just be that his hair falls forward when its short. I know this is superficial, but I am just curious if you can tell between possible thinning or bad lighting (or a combination of the two perhaps). Thanks

David Beckham chatboard

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Beckham The photographs in that link suggest that he is thinning, although I have seen many photos of him where his hair looks pretty darn good (see photo at right).

I would think that he would benefit from a miniaturization study and if he does have miniaturized hair, he could probably get a some kind of deal with Merck to become a Propecia advocate, particularly if that soccer thing doesn’t work out for him. Or as the rest of the world calls it, football.

November 9, 2007

Does a Hairline Visibly Mature? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have an interesting question about the mature hairline:

When a hairline is “maturing” (receding of the hairline, like in your other article) , does it happen just like that (over a period of time of course) or can the person also SEE the miniaturization of the hair happening? (ex; under a bright light)

Thanks in advance

Sure, you can see and even feel the thinning miniaturized hair some of the time. Most men and women who are losing hair will comment that they notice their hair “feels” thinner in diameter and it often slows down its growth; maybe even stops growing before it falls out. The maturing hairline usually occurs prior to the age of 29 and may take as long as 10 years to appear.

For more on the maturing hairline, please see Maturation of a Hairline — Moving From Juvenile to Mature.