Dr. William Rassman – Page 1552

November 2, 2007

I Am Balding in Streaks on My Head – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,

I just turned 20 years old and have been losing my hair for about two years. Only recently has it started to bother me. I have been taking Propecia for three months and hair is certainly falling out less. But I wonder what it will continue to do. I have odd, vertical streaks of baldness on the top of my head (my crown is not balding). Because I haven’t really seen this before, I was just wondering if you knew if Propecia can help fill these areas in.

I have not seen balding occur in vertical stripes, so I can’t comment on your observations without examining you. If you are balding from genetic causes, your observations of some hair reduction is what we generally see at the beginning of the process.

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November 2, 2007

Within 3 Days of Starting Propecia, I Feel Sensations in My Testicles – Balding Blog

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I am just beginning to show a receding hairline, and decided to act fast to try to stop my hair loss. As a result, I began taking Propecia three days ago. Within a very short time after taking the drug, I noticed a stirring sensation in my testicles. This progressed until it was a 2 on the 10 pain scale. The next day I woke up to quite a bit of tenderness in my left pectoral area. Frankly, I was stunned that I could experience these effects so quickly. I’ve stopped taking Propecia after only 3 days out of concern, but I wonder if there isn’t a typical adjustment period in which one’s body grows used to the drug and the side effects diminish. Was I right to stop as soon as these strange side effects manifested themselves, or is it worth pushing onward?

Thanks

Your symptoms may be a side effect associated very rarely with Propecia (finasteride 1mg), but it is surprising to see these effects manifest only after 3 days. You should address these issues with the doctor who prescribed you the medication. There may be other factors and issues not related to Propecia that your doctor may want to explore. You can stop taking Propecia and see if the pain goes away, but check with your physician first.

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November 1, 2007

Finasteride and Fertility – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I’m wondering what your experience has been regarding fertility while on finasteride. How many patients have you had who could not conceive while on this agent?
Thanks

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I have never had a report of conception problems from patients that have been on finasteride. The FDA study done by Merck has not shown any problem with Propecia (1mg finasteride). Infertility is a very complex problem.

November 1, 2007

Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I recently have had surgery and have been on pain meds prior to and after. Hydrocodone and oxycodone. Do these meds have any hair loss side effects?

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Hydrocodone (marketed as Vicodin) and oxycodone (known better as OxyContin) do not have hair loss side effects — not for short term use, anyway.

November 1, 2007

I Was Told to Use Minoxidil 2 Weeks After Transplant Surgery, But It Is Irritating My Scalp – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear doctor(s)

I would like to ask a question from my side. I had a hair transplant surgery 4 months ago. I was also advised to use minoxidil 2 weeks after the surgery in order to prevent healthy existing hair from falling off. Everything was pretty good until the end of the 3rd month where the minoxidil has caused me sort of irritation and pealing on my head. I stopped it for 3-4 days but i realized that the problem did not get away. Is minoxidil helpful to help the new transplanted hair grow up rapidly? What is your opinion about and what do you suggest me to do?

Furthermore, how long does it take for the new hair to grow and become strong? I realized that the hair that just popped up on my head first looked strong but now some hair are thicker than before.

Thanks a lot for your help and i would appreciate if i could get an answer to you the earliest convenient.

Regards

Minoxidil has no impact on stimulating the transplanted hair to grow. They will cycle when they are ready, usually 3-5 months from the date of the surgery. Your complications indicate that you should stop using the minoxidil (although my opinion may not be shared by your doctor). I never prescribe minoxidil post-transplant, because of the negative effects of it as you reported.

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November 1, 2007

I’m Looking for an African American Doctor – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

i am a 31 year old black women. i was dianosed with alopecia a year ago (10-1-06). i was getting injection in the top of my head and around the temples with this medicine called (clearmgsin and depomedrol a steroid) but i am still bald in the top of my head. some of the side hair started to grow but not fully. the doctor told me that i should consider a hair transplant. i dont know if i am a candidate for transplant. i’m looking for a african american doctor

Alopecia means hair loss in Latin. Hair transplantation in an African American patient is difficult due to the curly hair that extends beneath the skin down to the roots. It is much more difficult to transplant than someone with straight hair. As such, you need to find a very qualified hair transplant surgeon with extensive experience transplanting African American patients. Having an African American doctor as your surgeon does not necessarily mean he/she would have the aforementioned experience. Moreover, most patients are not aware of the technical expertise required by the hair transplant staff. In other words, hair transplantation is a team effort and being an African American doctor will not be a solution for you without extensive experience with similar patients.

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November 1, 2007

Smoking and Hair Loss – Balding Blog

Hello, i attend Technical High School and i am a senior. As a senior i have to do a research paper and i need an interview source so i was wondering if you could help me out Please.My paper is on the effects of smoking on the hair and skin.

I have some questions to ask you for my reasearch paper if that is alright..:

Does smoking really cause hair loss?
How long on average does it take for smoking to have an effect on hair loss?
Why does smoking cause hair loss?
What is the best way to deal with hair loss in a salon?

Well thank you for all your help, i hope you get back to me soon with my answers.

Smoking While smoking does not directly cause hair loss, it has been shown to reduce the circulation of the blood flow through the scalp. For past posts related to this, see:

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November 1, 2007

Using Minoxidil for Those 65+ Years Old – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

The research for minoxidil is only up to age 65. Can people over the age of 65 use it for any benefit ? It seems Propecia is useful for older people. Please let me know. Thanks

I believe that Propecia (finasteride 1mg) doesn’t work as well in men over 65 years old, because the hair loss from DHT with its associated miniaturization is usually less. Minoxidil, on the other hand, may work well in people over 65 years old, depending upon where you are applying it.

I have seen men over 70 that were put on the 5mg finasteride for prostate problems — and they regrew hair. I expect that this is unusual and I am certain that if they had a response to the 5mg dose, the same response for hair would have occurred at the 1mg dose. Finasteride is not unsafe for men over 65, but finasteride works well on men with a changing hair loss pattern, and men over 65 usually have a stable pattern.

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November 1, 2007

What a Week — Hair Loss Abuse in the Media! – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

It seems like balding men are being abused in the media this week. From articles about balding U.S. Presidential candidates to newspaper cartoons to TV shows (comedy and drama), this has been quite a week for the 50% of the male population that is losing hair.

The other day, I opened the newspaper and flipped to the Comics section for some relief from the craziness of the world and found a clever Beetle Bailey strip –

Then I watched Larry David’s hilarious show on HBO, Curb Your Enthusiasm, which had a bunch of hair loss related jokes (thanks to Youtube, I found them online). WARNING — this clip includes profanity –

Plus, the Orange County Register reports on a perfect example of BUYER BEWARE — a southern California man flew across the country for a “revolutionary” hair treatment that wasn’t revolutionary at all, and it ended up costing him $82,000 — Tangled tale of Costa Mesa man’s $82,000 toupee.

And then there was the season premiere of the plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck on FX Networks and their feature on hair transplantation… which I was a part of and which I will be talking about tomorrow. Stay tuned!

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October 31, 2007

Hair Loss InformationWhy Can’t I Have a Hair Transplant at 17 Years Old? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m a 16 and half year old guy. i started losing my hair since i was 13. (i was overweight and i used not to eat much) which affected me badly afterwards. i lost much hair, but i can say it has stopped. i went to several doctors and dermatologists they say that it’s hereditary (we have many bald men in our family. especially mom’s family).

it’s something that is bothering me all the time and makes me cry alot. i have nothing else to do but to undergo a hair transplant. i searched alot on the internet about that and i read a question on BaldingBlog.Com from another 16 year old guy facing the same problem of mine who wants a hair transplant too. but the doctor told him that he’s too young for a hair transplant.

My only question is … is it too risky for me to have a hair transplant ? or Why can’t i have a hair transplant at this age or at 17 ? … I think it’s the only way to get my hair back. because i’m tired of using Minoxidil and someproducts that won’t help me to get at least 90% of my hair back or something.

I’m really sorry for distrubance … but i feel hopeless about my hair.and Thanks in-advance.

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Here are some basic questions you should answer before considering a hair transplant:

What do you expect to get from a hair transplant?
Do you really know what a hair transplant can and can not do?
If you are receding or thinning, did you get your hair mapped out for miniaturization to determine if you are really balding?
If so, are you being managed by a competent, caring doctor?
Are you on medications?
What is the Master Plan you (or even better, your doctor) has in mind for you?

At 17 years old, you can not know much about the subject if you think that a hair transplant will solve your problem. Hair loss at 17 is at the beginning of a lifelong process and you simply can not know what type of pattern you will develop until it shows with miniaturization and/or recession/balding. You really need to develop a Master Plan before you consider doing anything. Get a good local doctor to evaluate you and start to get smarter and more educated about this.