Author: Dr. William Rassman

I had a beard transplant in Turkey, and I can’t go back to my doctor as I am in England. What is wrong with me and what can I do?

You should find a local doctor who will diagnose and treat you. You most likely have an infection (folliculitis) which needs to be drained by a doctor, cultured and then treated with appropriate antibiotics.

The problem with traveling to Turkey is that when complications arise, where do you go? Who is responsible for you? I guess the answer is that you are responsible for yourself and you must take charge of your complications by finding a doctor who is willing to step up and treat you as a human being who requires medical attention.

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Thanks. I did have a checkup with my dermatologist but I was too embarrassed to mention the mild testicular ache. Should I be more open in the future? I thought it wasn’t much to worry about and its gone now. If it was persist I would have mentioned it.

Never be shy about talking about anything to your doctor. Always speak from the heart, even if you feel that the doctor might not understand you well enough. We hear it all and we don’t make judgments, just diagnosis and treatment recommendations, when indicated. I thought I would share a story about an HIV patient who didn’t know until I tested him and everything that surrounded this particular patient and what I did, what happened to me and a follow-up as well: https://baldingblog.com/hiv-and-hair-transplants/

I see questions about if a beard will grow with finasteride on here, and for me it doesn’t seem to affect my beard! I’ve seen improvements and have used minox for my beard, even before my hairline started going. I was aware of the results from minox research I’d done for my beard, so thank god I knew of treatment when my hair started to go, because it went quickly..

I use a simple routine of fin oral 1mg and minox foam on my beard and hairline once per day before bed and that’s it. Tried oral minox for a bit and actually lost ground, so swapped back to topical foam and got the hairs back. For me, topical is more superior than oral even at once per day.

Your beard response is dramatic. I would not rush stopping the minoxidil on the beard, as these hairs may be dependent on minoxidil until your genetic kick in. The big question for you is that at some point, your beard should grow independent of minoxidil, so ask yourself, when do you stop the beard minoxidil? Possibly when you are in your later 20s, to be sure that your genetics are controlling the beard.

I’ve been thinning since the age of 16. Now I am 23 years old. At first it wasn’t anything I thought was serious. After a few years it got super aggressive and I didn’t do anything about it like an idiot. Now I stand a Norwood Class 5. I will be going for multiple transplants and getting on Fin very soon. I’m going to buzz my remaining hair for easier application of Min. Any positive suggestions?

See a doctor and develop a Personalized Master Plan for your future fight against hair loss. Don’t rush to start the hair transplant process until there is no real better alternative. Men with genetic balding continue to bald no matter what we do to try to stop it. If we are lucky, we can slow the time line down enough never to face the end stage balding we are genetically programmed for, even with the use of finasteride (best drug to slowing and possibly reversing hair loss). But to be safe, you must assume that you will not be the lucky one and figure out a worst case scenario with your doctor. Think about this and its meaning. Best to find a great doctor and then develop a long term relationship with that doctor working according to a Master Plan that this doctor will put into writing for you, something I do on every patient at your stage of genetic hair loss.

The skin after a beard transplant takes a few months to become normal as some swelling often remains in the skin and soft tissue of the face. Consider returning to see your doctor if you are concerned.