Dr. William Rassman – Page 1774

July 18, 2006

Newly Transplanted Hairline is Uneven – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’m a 49 yr old male. My transplant is a month old [editor’s note: not with NHI], and the only thing that bothers me is that the hairline is not even. It looks not receding enough on one side and too receding on the other. I’d rather have two receding sides. But that would mean removing some of the plugs? Is this possible and would the scars be very noticeable?

At a month, the hair transplants can not be removed. I would suggest that you wait out the period that it takes for full growth to occur. It will be easier to accept the lower hairline and move the higher one down to it, rather than the reverse.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 17, 2006

Minoxidil Dependence – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’ve been reading a lot about one’s thinning hair becoming dependent on minoxidil on this blog. How long would one have to use minoxidil to become dependent on it?

Block Quote

Minoxidil dependence only occurs in hair that sees benefits from using the medication. The better the hair gets, the more the dependence upon minoxidil. I would imagine that if there is dependence, stopping it will cause any benefits to disappear and return your hair to its state prior to taking the minoxidil, plus adding whatever hair loss might have occurred from the time minoxidil was started until the time it was stopped. Generally it takes many months for the benefits to be seen, so I would expect that the dependence upon it takes many months as well.

July 17, 2006

5 Months After Procedure, Dry Skin in Transplanted Area – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello Doc,
First of all thanks for starting this section, it really helps many people who have queries about hair transplant. I have got a quick question as well. I have had hair transplant on 31 january 2006 (it’s been 5 months 15 days). The problem I have got is, I have got too much dandruff in the transplanted area only plus, skin on the transplanted area is also peeling, I can scratch the skin by my nails, I have used different shampoos and conditioners, but, it’s not working and peeling of skin is too much, I am worried, it would not affect the transplanted hair, whih are growing slowly.
Many thanks

A minority of patients complain of dry skin on the tranplanted area. The dry skin should not affect the tranplanted hair, though. A moisturizing cream or hair conditioner should take care of the problem. Periodically give yourself a good lanolin application (standard hand cream) and then wash it off with a conditioner for dry skin.

July 17, 2006

Eating Disorder Caused Thin Hair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,

I had an eating disorder as a child and as a result, I have thin hair. I used to have really thick hair, but it has thinned dramatically. Is there anything I can do now? I eat and live normally now, but my hair still hasn’t come back.

You need to have a full medical examination to be sure that you do not have other medical conditions that contribute to hair thinning (and may continue to progressive), which are common in women. Often, changes as you have described are permanent changes in your hair character and there is nothing that can be done for it that I know of.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 17, 2006

Fine Hairs at Hairline – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Doctor,

Firstly, many thanks for your highly informative website which separates myth from fact!

I am a 21 (almost 22) year old male and I am a clear class two on the Norwood Scale.

I have also read several posts on your site, and my current hairline complies with your stated rule that the distance between chin and nose tip; and eye gully to hairline are roughly equal.

However, I wear my hair reasonably long, and have noticed that at the tip of my hairline, a lot of hairs are significantly shorter than those on the rest of my head, although their thickness appears to be similar to the rest. Could this be evidence of miniaturization or is this part of the normal hair growth process?

Furthermore, there seems to be quite a lot of “fluff” just in front of my hairline. Are these the remnants of previously healthy hairs?

Many thanks in advance for your assistance.

The shorter hair and the “fluff” in the front of your scalp just may be new hair changes in the hairline indicating a shift to the mature hairline. Although you did use one of my rules for measuring hairline location, please furrough your wrinkled brow. The childhood hairline touches the highest crease in your wrinkled forehead. The mature hairline usually is about 1/2 inch higher than that line. If these short hairs reflect the maturing hairline, shorter and either slower growing or non-growing hairs could explain everything you are seeing. Check for early signs of miniaturization in these short hairs and I suspect they will be miniaturized.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 17, 2006

FUE – Is There a 0.75mm Dull Punch? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Is there a 0.75 mm dull punch? Or is it possible to use Dr. James Harris’ two step technique with a 0.75 mm tool, so there would be a lot less transected follicles?

Follicular extraction is a very delicate and technically challenging process with its transection risks. As you can imagine, smaller diameter instruments will have more transection rates. It is a balance between technology and technique that will ultimately determine the acceptable transection rate. I have personally developed and used a 0.75mm and even a 0.70mm dull and sharp punch utilizing many techniques (including the two step technique). It is my opinion that the technology has not been perfected to my satisfaction for the entire Follicular Extraction process and damage with the an instrument of this size is generally unacceptable. With the current state of technology, acceptable FUE procedures can be done with a 0.9mm diameter punch.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 17, 2006

No Hair Anywhere on Body – Balding Blog

My brother has lost his entire body hair at the age of 6, due to medication. He had been suffering from typhoid and small pox at the same time then. Since then we had tried lot of medications, both homeopathic and allopathic. He had a patchy growth of hair during these medications at the age of 18+. Right now he is totally bald, no body hairs and no eyelashes and eyebrows. He is of 26 years of age now.
Can you please help me out.

It seems your brother may be suffering from a condition known as alopecia universalis or alopecia totalis. There is really nothing much you can do in terms of regrowing or transplanting hair.

You may find more information on this topic at the following websites:

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

July 14, 2006

Stem Cells in Hair Identified – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Reprinted from UPI:

Scalp tissue might become stem cell source

PHILADELPHIA, July 12 (UPI) — U.S. researchers have isolated a new source of adult stem cells in scalp tissue that might be able to differentiate into several cell types.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine scientists say if their research proves to be safe and effective in animal and human studies, it might eventually provide the tissue needed for treating such disorders and peripheral nerve disease, Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injury.

“We are very excited about this new source of adult stem cells that has the potential for a variety of applications,” said senior author Dr. Xiaowei Xu, an assistant professor of pathology. “A number of reports have pointed to the fact that adult stem cells may be more flexible in what they become than previously thought, so we decided to look in the hair follicle bulge, a niche for these cells.”

Xu and colleagues report their findings in the American Journal of Pathology.

Block Quote

Many people who are doing work with hair regeneration or cloning are working on the areas that contain these stem cells. In fact, many of the experiments that are successful in producing some hair, also produce other organ tissues like bone and muscle. But the real value of the hair for a health focus is the easy access to stem cells, that is, if we can really harvest them and get them to just replicate themselves. If hair stem cells can grow a heart or liver, or fix an injured spinal cord, or repair a brain in a stroke patient, that value will be far greater for society that just growing hair on a bald man. The value of this article shows that stem cells from hair has great promise for medicine and human health. It will be far easier for legislators to approve organ regeneration as an application for hair stem cells than for vanity purposes in cloning hair.

July 14, 2006

Hair Loss InformationAppropriate Propecia Dosage – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was prosribed propecia two months ago to have every other day. My hairloss already seems to be beginning to stabilize over this short time. Hopefully I might get some regrowth in the coming months! I was told the 5 alpha reductase reduction with propecia is still just as effective as if I was taking it every day. However I have read elsewhere that you need to take it every day. While I don’t doubt the advice of my medical professional, I have read here, and elsewhere that I need to take it every day to get maximum benefit. Are there two schools of thought as to the appropriate dosage? Or is it that, as the onset of my MBP is very recent my medical advisor is of the view that I would get an effective response on a less frequent dosage. He claims to have many patients who get a good response taking propecial every other day. Thanks for your help

Block Quote

The recommended Propecia dosage is one tablet once a day.

Some doctors may prescribe half a tablet once a day or one tablet every other day, however these are not the official recommended dosages. One reason is that official clinical research has found that the once a day dosing gave the maximum benefit from male pattern hair loss. Another more important reason is that the half life (the time it takes for half of the drug to be eliminated by the body) is only 5 to 6 hours. So theoretically on the days you do not take Propecia, your thinning hair will have no benefit from the drug. You should always follow the advice of your primary doctor and discuss these concerns with him or her, especially before stopping or changing any drug regimen.

July 14, 2006

Contact Dermatitis and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Can you please help me? I have a contact dermatitis and have been picking it- is the hair loss permanent or temporary?

Can you also recommend a good dermatolgist and endorcolgist in London? We have bupa but my gp is not good with hair problems.

Thank you . I am very impressed with the time you give others with this awful, life destroying conditon

Block Quote

Contact dermatitis usually is not related to hair loss. However, you seem to describe a condition of compulsive hair-pulling (called trichotillomania) and it may be secondary to your contact dermatitis. Hair loss from pulling is often permanent if it goes on for any length of time. Fortunately if you stop pulling at it, your hair may still grow back. People who pull at their hair often have some obsessive/compulsive elements in their personalities and may require medications to stop the process.