Author: Dr. William Rassman

Posted on

My Hair Transplant Scar is 6mm Wide – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I had a hair transplant done 3 1/2 months ago. The hair seems to be growing in good but is blonde and fine whereas the rest of my hair is thick and dark, I am told it will thicken over time. But the main problem I think I have is that the scar along the bottom is about 6 mm wide. Along the sides up to my ears it is only 1 mm or less. The doctor told me I have good scalp laxity and it should not have stretched like it did, but I think it was because he took the hair too low on my head and in that area the skin stretches as I move my head up and down. It is like he took the hair from my neck and not my scalp. Another concern is that the hair is finer and lighter that far down on my neck and I am worried if it is even going to be permanent.

What do you think I can do to repair this scar? The doctor offered to “repair” the scar but wont it just stretch again? Have you heard about hair being harvested too low, or is this not a problem?

Thank you very much for your time.

Block Quote

When donor hair is taken from the high neck (where it sounds like you are describing), it often scars. Some doctors mistakingly think that the neck hair is finer than the scalp hair and therefore intentionally take hair from the high neck. These often are flat scars that widen as you’ve described. From what you are saying about the rest of the scar, it is well healed without widening and this suggests that you do not have a problem with ‘stretch’. Removing these neck scars often leads to failure, so these may have to be transplanted to get the cover you need.

Posted on

Is a Cowlick Just a Cowlick? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

AlfalfaI am an 18 year old male and losing hair, a couple of hairs a night on my pillow and about 25 hairs per shower. My hairline is receding, but I think it is a part of the maturing process. My biggest concern is an unruly cowlick I have. I can’t just ignore it and it gives my head a bald spot. I try to comb it down and sometimes comb it over, but that doesn’t eliminate my concern. So, is my cowlick the beginning of baldness? Or is a cowlick just a cowlick? Thanks for reading and for your answers to all the other questions on this site!

Block Quote

A cowlick is just a cowlick. Many women think that they are sexy. My 29 year old son has one and I think that it is character building in the hair line. Live with it and look at it as a sign of sexy beauty for a man.

Posted on

Can I Be Helped Without Having a Hair Transplant? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

If my balding is due to one of these: (braiding (dreadlocks), hypothyroidism, iron deficiency, malnutrition, stress, hormone imbalance) can I really be helped without having a hair transplant?

Block Quote

In your case, probably not — but you should correct the medical conditions. You seem to have a lot going on. See a doctor, because an in-person, face-to-face meeting would be miles ahead of internet advice.

Posted on

Artificial Hair Implanted with Lasers? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Doctor.

I lost 50% of my hair and I found in Lebanon a place called Advanced Hair Studio Center. They make fiber hair and stick it by using Laser. As I know before this is banned in Europe, did you have any advice for me to do it? If yes please advise me if 3000 pcs is enough to cover 40 square centimeter?

Block Quote

If the fibers are being put into the skin, you will almost certainly run into rejection and infection issues. Artificial hair is dangerous and banned in most countries.

Posted on

I’m 14 and Think I Have Traction Alopecia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi. I’m 14 years old (female) and I think I have Traction Alopecia. My hair is thinning on the top of my head but the rest of my hair is okay. I have been wearing my hair in a ponytail since the 4th grade and now I’m going into 9th. Do you think my hair is going to grow back? what do I do? Also I noticed this about a month ago and stopped wearing it in a ponytail. But will It ever be the same again? Please Help!!!

First, be sure not to continue using a tight pony tail. It is tight pulling, not the pony tail itself, that causes traction alopecia. Second, get a good doctor to look at the hair count and the degree of miniaturization in the area of your concern. With traction alopecia, the count should be down. The good news is that it will probably get better provided you take away the ‘insult’ to your hair. Wait about 6 months for reversal if that is traction alopecia.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationHair Loss from Weight Lifting? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I am a 24 year old male medical student. I have had a very gradually receding hairline for the past 2-3, but just recently (past 6-8 months) I noticed the shedding of hair has increased and my hair is thinning in the front. This realization really is depressing because I didn’ think I would start REALLY balding until I was well in my 30s. At least thats been the pattern in my immediate family. I have an appointment with the dermatologist in a month to pinpoint it to male pattern baldness and not something else just to make sure. Anyways, my question to you is whether or not there is a correlation between weight lifting and hairloss?

Working out, especially with heavy weights, will increase your testosterone levels. So the natural assumption would be that increased testosterone levels = increased DHT production = more hair loss. I personally have been a big fan of whey protein supplements, glutamine, and creatine to boost my gains in the gym. My parents always warned me against taking these saying it was “unnatural” and would have consequences in the long run, and now I’m wondering if they might have been right after all. I’ve had a protein shake(30 grams whey protein) and maybe 5 grams of glutamine maybe 3-5 times a week for the past 4-5 years. This is very coincident with the time that my hairline started to gradually recede.

I’m starting to wonder now whether my dedication to weight training and diet actually hastened the hair loss process. For now, I am discontinuing all forms of supplements including protein drinks and glutamine. Doing this will obviously cut my gains in the gym, but as long as I can save my hair for now I don’t care what it takes. What is your opinion on this???

Block Quote

What you are suggesting is logical, but there is no proof to it. Since you are 24 years old and at the peak of the early balding process when genetics generally tend to kick in, it may be coincidental with your training process. Realistically, if you have genetic hair loss you should have a diagnosis made, then probably treat it with Propecia, which should stop the hair loss impact of DHT reasonably well. As a medical student you should approach this process the correct way.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationContinued Thinning After a Hair Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m thinking about a hair transplant procedure, but had some reservations about what happened if one continued to lose hair. The transplanted hair is supposed to permanent, so what happens to the rest of the hair on the crown if you get hair transplanted to the front hairline area? Does it stay and the rest of it go?

Block Quote

Assuming you are a male, have genetic hair loss, and you are taking Propecia (finasteride), then the hair loss should stabilize so that as you add transplanted hair you are gaining, not losing hair. Hair loss is a progressive process, arrested by finasteride in most men. Hair transplants in the front will frame your face and finasteride for the crown should stabilize or reverse the hair loss. Get you scalp mapped out for miniaturization to be sure of the diagnosis and then you can get a transplant if that is part of your Master Plan.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationArticle – Fighting Insurance Companies to Pay for Wigs – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Insurance companies generally exclude any hair treatment (wigs, transplants, drugs, etc) as a benefit of the insurance plan. For accidents, I have had insurance companies pick up the bills, but that is unusual. Read this interesting article about a woman fighting insurance companies on behalf of those with alopecia…

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationCan a Holistic Approach Stop My Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman,

Thanks so much for your site.

I am a 26 year old male in Toronto, Canada, experiencing what seems to be a Norwood 3V hair loss pattern. When my hair is dry no scalp can be seen but when it is wet the scalp can be seen at the crown. I’ve noticed slow thinning/falling out of the crown hairs over the past 2 years or so. I don’t want the situation to get any worse, but before I get a miniaturization map done or start propecia etc., I wanted to know if a change in diet is likely to either stop the hair loss or even stimulate hair growth. An internet article I found at http://www.holistic-online.com/Remedies/Hair/hair_loss-nutrition.htm says taking high doses of Vitamins B, C, E, Zinc, Magnesium etc. and eliminating animal proteins from the diet has been proven to be effective in many cases in stopping hair loss or even stimulating hair growth. Are these claims true? If not, what are my options?

Also, do you know any good scalp dermatologists who could perform the miniaturization map in Toronto?

Many thanks for your time.

Block Quote

Holistic medicine has not been proven to reverse hair loss. I can not give you a doctor reference, but I would suggest using the physician search at ISHRS.org to find a doctor in your area. Be sure to do your research.

Posted on

Hair Loss InformationTension in Donor Area After Surgery – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

How can you reduce tension in the donor area after a procedure. In other words, what can the patient do to ensure proper healing of the donor area scar?

Block Quote

Good judgments in determining the size of the donor area is the best determinant of the size of a donor scar. When the incision is too tight because the piece of excised scalp is too large, then the enemy is tension. The use of special closure techniques minimize the scars and the tension, but a bad judgment at the time of surgery can not be offset with a repair process.