Dr. William Rassman – Page 1860

February 15, 2006

Nioxin, Minocycline, and Hair Loss – Balding Blog

I am 17 and noticed that my hairline has started to recede. My hair line has always been some high on my head but now that ive noticed some hair loss it doesnt look very good. I just want to know if something else can cause receding hairlines or is it just MPB. If it is MPB can propecia help me? Im going to see a dermatologist to get a referel for a hair specialist to get a miniaturization done. Also what are your thoughts on nioxin hair products? And last i would like to know if minocycline can cause hair loss?

The rise in your hairline may be the maturing process common in men between 17-29. It rises about 1/2 inch in the front and up to an 1 1/2 inches in the corners and this is not genetic hair loss. Nioxin makes a good set of products that are popular but there is nothing in it that will stop hair loss. Minocycline is an antibiotic which is often used in the treatment of acne. If you are being treated for that, are you taking other medications? Some acne medications cause hair loss. I need a better profile on you, but it sounds like you already have a good doctor so stick with him/her.

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February 15, 2006

Removing the Pluggy Doll’s Hair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

My boyfriend has hair plugs. He got them when he was much younger (he is 35 now and has had them for at least 8-10 years).

I really don’t like them, they have a doll hair look to them that is described on your site. He is starting to bald and thin in the back now. I asked him if he can shave his head and he told me he couldn’t due to the implants.

What are his options? We are both interested in correcting or bettering the situation. It is obviously a sensitive topic for me to bring up. I love him a lot …and want to try and find a way to improve his hair situation. I know he wants to as well.

Can you help?

They say great women are behind great men and great relationships. I admire you taking the helm and trying to help your boyfriend. The pluggy look is never good, and repair procedures reflects much of what built my practice in the past 15 years. The best way to answer this is to link you to Dean’s Story, which is a step-by-step account of one patient’s repair procedure, complete with photos that might be considered too graphic for some. It’s all in there.

Other resources that will help you and your boyfriend make an informed decision:

Article: The Art of Repair in Surgical Hair Restoration Part I – General Aspects of Repair and Basic Repair Strategies
Article: The Art of Repair in Surgical Hair Restoration Part II – The Tactics of Repair
Results: Repair Work Photo Gallery – Before and after patient repair photos

February 15, 2006

Straight Hair Styling Tips? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have very dry hair. I just had all the dead ends cut ( about 2-3 inches but want to grow my hair out long — it’s shoulder length now). I have wavy hair and only like it straight. Is it better to blow dry it straight or use a flat iron when it is dry. Also I have the wet to straight flat iron. What is the healthiest way to get straight hair? I use thermasilk and aveda hair emollient. Do these products help?

This is not a medical question, it is a styling question and you need to have a competent stylist work with you to do what works and what is safe and effective. Sorry, I can’t help you.

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February 15, 2006

Woman with See Through Hair – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 30 year old woman and I have always had very fine hair, even as a teenager. I am almost 100% certain that its genetic (thanks Dad!). I am also a type 1 Diabetic. After a fairly serious diabetes-related illness about three years ago, I’ve noticed my hair coming out when i wash or comb it. I don’t know if its because I’m getting older, because of my health problems or that I am just noticing it. My hair is so fine even when it isnt coming out that its possible even normal hair loss is very noticeable. I have no bald patches as such, but when my hair is wet you can see right through it and when i put it up i have to arrange carefully so that my scalp can’t be seen.

I am confused about the options available to me, especially if I’m not actually losing hair but just have very fine hair. Which treatments are suitable and effective for someone like me? I’ve read about non-surgical replacement, but I don’t actually have anything to replace.

Thanks in advance

Fine haired people have see-through hair. I’ve written about see-through hair in men before. The same applies to girls with fine hair (more-so with very fine hair), but keeping the hair longer and often in pony tails, may have hidden the see through nature of the hair.

You need to have a good mapping of your scalp to determine if you have genetic hair loss, diffuse alopecia, or other general hair loss problems. With your very fine hair, a real expert is needed to make the distinction. A hair system (wig) or hair additions will give you a fuller look, but the cost in terms of accelerating hair loss may be a problem, especially if traction is applied consistently.

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February 14, 2006

Hair Loss InformationHypothetical Hair Characteristics Cloning Question – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Whenever cloning would happen…say 10,20,30 yrs from now, If I will have gray hair…and a veryyyy little black hair…and if the black hair is multiplied, then after those mulitplied black hair are plugged back onto the scalp…will they all grow black or gray?

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The cloned hair would take on the characteristics of its original hair because its growth and color pattern will be determined by its gene. Based upon the way the cloning is carried out, if the hair is your own, there is no present understanding of the ‘expression’ of that hair. Color seems not to be high on the cloning agenda. If the genes dictate that the hair will start out black and turn gray through a preset time, then the hair will follow that pattern. However, environmental factors may affect the gene expression earlier or later than anticipated, but we are too early in the learning curve to answer a question like this. Thus, your hair growth and colors will depend on both genetic and environmental factors.

February 14, 2006

Hair Loss InformationChemical Damage Caused Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My question is that I lost a lot of hair from checmical damage such as excessive dying. Will my hair ever grow back? It has been four and half years and it has yet to grow. I am still very young and this has affected my psychological well being. Is rogaine safe to use, considering my hair loss is not genetically related?

Thanks

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If your hair has not grown back after 4 1/2 years, then I do not believe that it will grow. Yes, chemical damage can injure your hair roots or the scalp itself, leading to possible permanent hair loss. You may try Rogaine. If you are a male, then I recommend Propecia also. Keep in mind that there is no substitute for a good doctor giving you a real diagnosis in person so that you KNOW what you have and what the prospects are for you.

February 14, 2006

Thin Hair in African American Female – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

african american 40 yr old female. I have thin hair with approx 1 inch of traction alopecia around my hairline. Tiny visible thin hairs are present on the hairline, had little growth over five year period but they don’t seem to grow long or thicker. please help. I can’t afford a transplant. will it ever grow back since hair is present? a dermatologist told me it may grow.

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Other than hair transplants or possibly a hairline lowering procedure, there is not much that can be offered to you. These types of surgeries will cost possibly around $10,000. I can’t be more specific on pricing averages without seeing you first. Wigs of varying types are often the solution used for many women in your situation.

February 14, 2006

Magnetic Helmet for Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello doc!
Firstly, thank you for a good blog, and what can I say about the NHI site except, outstanding. As a webdesigner myself I really know what Im talking about.

Now, over to my question. I’ve seen a new product online, it’s a “helmet” that attacks the hair roots with some kind of magnetic fields? Anyway, this product feel smells “scam” from far..

Do you know about this product?

Could Saw-palmetto (or what the heck it’s called) be used in treating of hairloss?

What about the “new study” about coffein and hairloss, know anything about it?

I guess I’m a northwood 2, what is the best product for me to start with?

When I was visiting Asia recently I saw a rogaine-copy with 5% Minoxidil for around $3 per bottle. This product was sold in a pharmacy. I can say that $3 is “much money” in this country and the production of this rogaine-clone is, as far as I understand, produced within this “Don’t-give-a-damn-about-us-law” – country.

Thank you! I wish you many healthy years.

Thanks for your kind words about the NHI site.

See BX3 for the magnetic helmet. My nose works like yours. I was thinking that maybe I could make a better living with a telepathic hat, one that takes the good hair from people close to you and ‘tele-transports’ them to the area where hair is in poor supply in the person wearing the hat. I might make a designer version so that it would support a good price for the fashion conscious; perhaps I would call it the TeleHat™. What do you think? Ha!
I do not believe that Saw Palmetto is predictable for hair loss as a DHT blocker. If it is a DHT blocker, it really may either underdose you (no benefits to hair), or overdose you (killing your sex drive).
Coffein is just another product out there that does not have any proof of value. Buyer beware.
As a NW2, you are best getting a diagnosis before you start treating your hair loss. Propecia is appropriate if your are a male and have miniaturization present.
Some of these products are ridiculous, and I can see no scientific way that these could be of any predictable benefit for hair regrowth. Cloned products for Rogaine, Minoxidil, or Propecia are available outside the United States and they may be what they are claiming to be, but there’s always the chance that they are not. I would not be able to tell you for sure. Again, the mandate is Buyer Beware!

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February 14, 2006

Splitting Proscar Prior to Use – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Does Proscar/Finasteride degrade if split and left in a jar for a number of weeks? Is it ok to split several pills at once and take them over a number of weeks or will they lose effectiveness?

When you split a pill, the inside is then explosed to environmental factors like humidity. I would not split the pill prior to use.

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February 14, 2006

Stopping Rogaine for Women Use – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

You mentioned that:
“If you were to stop the Rogaine (minoxidil) and there was a benefit of it, you will go back to your ‘before’ status, plus losing whatever hair you would have lost prior to starting the medication. This may very well leave you worse off.”

What do you mean by worse off? Wouldn’t you just be where you would be if you had never started the minoxidil? Do you just mean psychologically, because you’d have to deal with all of the hairloss all at once upon discontinuing the minoxidil, rather than seeing it’s slow natural/drug-free progression?

I’m having a hard time deciding whether to start applying 5% minoxidil 1x/day, as my derm prescribed. (I’m 26, female, triggered AGA/TE from birth control pills).
Thank you!

Would you just be where you would be had you never started the minoxidil? — YES.
Would you have to deal with all of the hair loss at once upon discontinuing the minoxidil? — YES.

You sound like an intelligent person. The old saying, “Try it, you might like it”, may apply for you. If you start it and then do not see a benefit of it in up to 6 months, then you can probably stop it without too much risk.

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