Dr. William Rassman – Page 1841

March 20, 2006

Retin-A and Propecia – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am on Retin-A from 2 months now, some good results can be seen, anyway I looking to find an answer to another problem: I’ll like to start a hair-loss treatment, propecia or rogaine, but, searching the net, I’ve found some controversial dissections.
Any opinion? I’ll not stop Retin-A. What can be the risks of using both Retin-A and Propecia?

Block Quote

The internet is a wonderful research tool, but information is often limited. It is often dangerous when people try to treat their medical ailments from internet research. Before starting any medication, you need to be examined by a medical doctor. Finally, Propecia is not recommened for women and Retin-A does not help with hair loss, although some people use it with minoxidil under the hope that it will make the minoxidil more effective. People do not appreciate that Retin-A is an acid, which does produce burns to the skin amongst other side effects that need to be understood.

March 20, 2006

I Have Limited Donor Area, Am I an FUE Candidate? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I had 2 transplants from your clinic around 12 yrs ago each session you transplanted around 900 grafts because of limited donors from the back of my head. Do you do fox method from the sides of my head and transplanted it at the top without any danger ? I also want to know the cost of it.

Block Quote

In order to have an FUE / FOX Procedure, you needed to be tested first. Not all patients are candidates for this procedure (see this page for more info). I recommend that you make an appointment to see me for a FOX test. On the day of the test, we will discuss the procedure fees. I have made many breakthroughs in this procedure and am very excited about its applications in the appropriate patients.

March 20, 2006

Am I Causing My Hair Loss By Aggressively Styling? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,
I’ve been always blow drying my hair, and I always straighten my hair with a hair dryer everyday. Sometimes I tug it and pull on it a little hard to get it straight under the heat. I noticed that on the side that I blow dry the most, there is the most significant hair loss, where as the other side is slightly receeded, this side is well recessed. Is this a mere coincidence or does my styling really has an effect on my hair loss??

thank you

Manhandling your hair can cause cause hair loss, particularly if you are in the early stages of genetic balding, which means the miniaturized hairs are not as strong as the more healthy hairs. The pulling with heat may dry and damage the hair shaft, leading to more brittle and easily broken hair. The only way blow drying can cause hair loss is if you actually leave the blow dryer too close to your scalp for a long period of time, causing burning to your scalp, thus possibly leading to hair loss. The constant pulling you are telling me about may be causing traction alopecia (hair loss from pulling on the hair shaft).

March 20, 2006

Any Advice for Woman with Telogen Effluvium? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

i have a form of telogin effluvium,with thinning on top of scalp!i’ve been to 2 medical doctors with no help in sight..my scalp itches and burns alots. for the past 5 mos. i’ve been wearing a hair system that is glued on to the edge of my outer hair..please advise!

If you have been fully evaluated by two medical doctors with blood work and carry a diagnosis of telogen effluvium, there is not much help I can offer other than assurance that it will take time for your hair to regrow, if it does regrow. The use of glued hair systems will definately make the problem worse. Hair transplantation is definitely not an option. Unfortunately there are no medications to treat telogen effluvium. With respect to your scalp itch and burn, the hair system may be impacting you more than you realize.

March 20, 2006

Can Propecia Cause Muscle Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have heard that propecia can cause muscle loss as well as the loss of facial hair . Is there any truth behind this and if so why do they not list this as possible side effects ?

Not sure where you heard these latest bits of quasi-information, but they are amusing and I’ll add them to my pile of “Hair Loss Rumors”. The FDA requires that Merck (makers of Propecia) list all side effects, and just to avoid lawsuits, drug companies usually list any potential side effects the drug can have as well, no matter how embarassing or remote.

Propecia blocks DHT formation, and since DHT is formed from testosterone, it raises testosterone levels slighly and temporarily. Since one’s testosterone goes up briefly, muscle and facial hair GAIN would be the expected consequence. Fortunately, the body’s own feedback mechanisms bring your testosterone back to normal levels pretty quickly, so long-term effects from this slightly increased testosterone are unlikely.

March 20, 2006

Hair Loss Information » Chemo and Hair Growth – Balding Blog

Hi, in regards to this man’s question from your site: Hair Grew Back After Many Years

Did he ever send you pictures? I know names are kept confidential, but if what he says is true, there may be something closely related to my problem, which I consider extremely serious but no one else does.

When I was 22 had testicular cancer, right testicle removed, then 2 years later it spread to my lungs. I had 4 cycles of first line chemo, the most you can get, and afterward my hair grew back completely normally – no hair thinning, loss, recession – it was like it was always, a complete head of hair. But a few months later, the cancer showed up again, so I went on HIGH DOSE chemotherapy for 4 months. It’s been about 1 year since then, and since, my hair looks like I’ve been balding for decades. 4 months and I go from a complete head of hair to visible balding at the back of my head. The strange thing is, the follicles are completely miniaturized, but all over my head, and even my underarm hair and pubic hair are thinned out. The fact that it won’t grow on top is killing me however. I have very little family history of this, my dad is 50 and his hair isn’t budging.

Anyway, I’m not expecting you to give me solutions, just answers, or at least an intelligent hypothesis. I cross-referenced a list of the American academy of dermatologists and the New Yorker’s list of top 50 doctors to find a specialist, and here’s what he told me: “sometimes after chemo the texture of the hair can change. What’s happening with you is, male-pattern-baldness is probably affecting it somewhat but it’s at a right angle to your problem, it’s most likely a mixture of different things.” This was supposed to be the cream of the crop. He refused to do tests, scalp biopsies, anything, saying they would show nothing so why do them.

I know a decent amount about this after obsessing about it for a year over internet research. I know chemotherapy has nothing to do with dht, and right now my oncologists want me to go on testosterone supplements because my levels are low, so I know that this is not a straightforward problem.

Please, give a poor guy at the end of his ropes a break, don’t cast me out as one of the millions of hopeless cases. I’ve done this a hundred times, and have been disappointed with responses like “sorry, can’t help.” Can you at least take a hypothetical stab at an explanation, or put me in contact with that guy who’s hair grew back with chemotherapy?

In regards to the patient you mentioned whose hair grew back — unfortunately, there were no pictures supplied in his email.

Your hair loss is likely a result of your chemotherapy (you knew that). Your hair texture and growth cycle does change after chemotherapy (you knew that). A biopsy will not help, because we already know the cause of your hair loss (you knew that too, but it wasn’t explained to you in the right way). It takes time and everybody is different (again, you knew that). A year is a long time, but there is nothing except time on your side before you can see if your hair will grow back (you should know this too).

It seems you have done your homework and want a solution, but sometimes there is nothing more than what you already know. In the mean time, you should follow your oncologist’s advice.

March 20, 2006

Does Sleeping Late Cause Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi doc, I was wondering if sleeping late and waking up late had something to do with hairloss.

And I would also like to point out that according to hairlosstalk.com, nizoral should be used with propecia to get optimal results.

“It is a little known fact that the FDA trial participants all used a shampoo like Nizoral for the duration of the trial. This was required, as the increased sebum production, inflammation, and irritation caused by the balding process can limit the effectiveness of any treatment. This is why it is STRONGLY recommended that a regimen including Propecia also include Nizoral shampoo used once every 3 days in rotation with your normal shampoo. You will not see optimum results without Nizoral, or a shampoo like it, in your regimen.” (from HairLossTalk.com)

Sleeping late and the build-up of sebum should not impact hair loss. Many times I use the example of the homeless people that live on the streets that rarely wash their hair (both men and women). You probably do not see all of them balding, despite the probable massive build-up of sebum. There is too much focus on sebum (waxy substance secreted by the hair follicles) when in actuality, male hair loss is genetic and not related to sleeping late.

As for the Propecia / Nizoral regimen, I did review the link you supplied. There is a single reference to Neutrogena Corp. products used in the study group. I do grant you that this added piece of information does put more than one variable into the scientific study, which might raise questions on the contribution of the shampoo. Thanks for the link and the information you supplied. I am sure that the readers of this blog will be interested in it.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

March 20, 2006

Excercising Head Muscles Stops Hair from Falling Out? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi doc, Im 23 I have always had a naturally high forehead with thin blond hair but over the last year or so Ive noticed that my windows peak is more prominent than usual and the sides of it are ‘coming in’ a bit so I have a small strip at the front of my head and very high temples. I have been paranoid about my hairline since about 16 and recently it just seems it that its actually beggining to recede. Baldness does not run in my family btw! Im not sure if its my imagination but the hair on top my head does no longer feel as thick as the sides. My question is:

Are there any renowned H/T doctors in the UK i could look into? And also is the hair transplanted permanent or will that eventually fall out? Ive read somewhere that excersizing the muscles in your forehead and scalp can help reverse balding (something to do with circulation – ie: why do bald men have hair at the side and back – is it because eating everyday works these muscles?) Proffessionaly speaking – is there any evidence in that?

This is another great rumor about hair loss, ranking right up there with hats and naughty thoughts causing hair loss. Hair loss is caused by a combination of hormones (DHT mostly) and genetics (in combination with hormones even if it does not run in your family). Transplanted hair is permanent because it comes from an area of the scalp that is genetically pre-programmed to be resistant to the main hormone that causes hair loss, namely, DHT (DiHydroTestosterone). Therefore, with the possible exception of some rare disorders, it will not fall out.

Incidentally, there are muscles at the back of your neck and on the sides, but none to speak of on the actual scalp. Exercising the muscles in your forehead will give you wrinkles and a really strong eyebrow raise when you want it, but unfortunately will do nothing for your hair. There are surgical procedures that can lower the hairline. For doctors in this field all over the world, go to ISHRS.org, but keep in mind that each and every doctor needs to be evaluated by you very carefully. It is very important to do your own research.

March 20, 2006

I’m Taking Proscar On My Own At Age 18 – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi, I started taking proscar on my own, I have noticed significant thinning in my temples, and I decided I had to take it, it was obvious that my hair was receding. I’ve only been on it for about 3 weeks now. I am only 18, and my beard is far from being grown in, and I have little body hair. Will being on proscar stop my body and facial hair??

I know you probably suggest not to be on proscar/internals when at my age, but I’m willing to risk some side affects if I can help my chances of not being bald at 20. I’ve heard all about its in effectiveness on the temples as well, but I figure since i’m so young it might help. I just really want to know about what will happen to my body/facial hair, as well as perhaps stunted growth if I am still growing/broadening (which is possible)

Thanks a lot.

You seem to think that you know the answer, but you should not be taking Proscar without the supervision of a doctor. Proscar is 5 times the dose needed to address hair loss. In addition, especially without a diagnosis of male pattern baldness or a map of the hair on your scalp for miniaturization, you will have no clue what you are treating, where you are going, or if there is anything really wrong. I often discuss the benefits of finasteride (Propecia), but taking medications without a doctor’s supervision is wrong, risky, and may be unnecessary.

March 17, 2006

Hair, Politics, and Career – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Lincoln with and without hair In the days of Abraham Lincoln, few people actually met or saw the people they voted for. Stock photos in newspapers of the 1700s and 1800s were used, often supplied by the men themselves to reflect the image that they wanted to portray. But today, image is thought to make the man and the images can not be so easily controlled by those being portrayed. In politics, 90% or more of successful politicians have hair (though balding is present in 50% of all men). When focus groups are put together, it is clear that prejudice against balding men is commonplace. We have images of the balding, fat, beer guzzler with a pot belly. What does balding have to do with beer guzzling or obesity? Some people feel that balding men are not trustworthy or dynamic. Why? On my radio show, The Inner Man, we asked Los Angeles listeners to call in and tell us what they thought of the balding man. Between this radio program and other forums I have seen, heard, or participated in, I find these comments humorous, yet sad. Here are a few comments:

Balding men are older, right?
I would never date a bald man because I don’t date older men!
Balding men look shifty; they have beady eyes.
Bald men are smarter because they have to be just to survive.
Bald men are not good in bed.
I don’t find bald men sexy.
I find bald men very sexy.

The most interesting comment I heard was from a bald man who called into my radio show responding to prejudice. He said when given the choice in hiring, he would rather hire a man with hair than one without. When we confronted him on this very issue, he said that even though he was bald, it was unfortunately true. We was open about his overt discrimination against balding job applicants, and he was the Senior Vice President of a company.

So in the days of Lincoln (1800’s), men wore top hats to cover their balding, and a bald politician could keep this secret. Today it might be a baseball cap, but there are few secrets to the camera as the paparazzi find their way even into the bedroom. But the real secret is the balding man’s secret. Their views of their balding situation cover a wide range of self esteem issues, inner secrets that are never discussed with anyone. Balding and aging do go together. With 50% of men having some degree of clinical balding by mid-life (45 years old) and balding progressing with age, a look at the man in the mirror constantly reminds him of his aging process, his mortality and his changing body. For some bding bald is a good alternative to the death option. For other more courageous men, they visit me and get their hair back.