Author: Dr. William Rassman

Minoxidil versus nitroglycerin: a prospective double-blind controlled trial in transcutaneous erection facilitation for organic impotence.

Randomized controlled trial

“I’m seeing a few hundred hairs in the shower drain every day. I really don’t think I am balding, but I came to ses you because I wanted to be sure that if I was balding, you could transplant my hair and keep it looking good.”

This comment reflected the comments, one way or the other, of many men who visit me, but this particular day, this 26 year old actor who just finished his first role in a major movie came to me with the above comment. He looked like a typical hairy 26 year old male and I thought that after I measured his hair bulk, that I would reassure him that he was not balding. Much to my surprise, the numbers from the tests surprised me but shock him. The tests indicated that he already lost 50% of his hair bulk in the front of his head just behind his hairline, and 40% in the top (between his ears) and crown (back) of his head. He came apart emotionally. “This can’t happen to me”, he said. “I am going to hit it big time in Hollywood, I have an interview coming up for my second film, now a leading man, and I just can’t go bald”.

I tried to calm him down. At 26, he could go on the drug finasteride and probably stop most of his hair loss, so that was the ‘good news’ I told him. But despite my reassurance, he had difficulty letting go of the idea that his career was going to be ruined. “They won’t take me on if they knew”, he said. Again, I tried to reassure him that the drug might very well buy him years on keeping his hair, but he would not, could not focus on what I said. Over and over again he said “It over, my life is over”.

Hair loss is devastating for many young men and they don’t have to be heading to the top of the Hollywood scene to feel the way this man did. Although the drug often turns out to be effective in 26 year old men, the reality is that some day he will have to face balding. Although preventive hair transplants are a terrible and improper decision for him now, if and when he starts losing his hair, this may become an option. He left very unhappy and even unwilling to consider taking the drug finasteride. I asked him to return to see me, but he was from out-of-town and not easily accessible, but I called him a week later anyway and he promised to see me in 4 months on his return to Los Angeles. I wonder if he will deny what I told him or if he will think this matter through and make the logical decision to try to slow down the balding process and fill the prescription I gave him.

https://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Longest-Tail-The-Onagadori-Cocks-60852.shtml

In my case, Ambien caused excessive hair loss with scalp irritation. I don’t believe my alarming hair loss and tingly, itchy scalp problems, which began precisely at the same time I started taking Ambien, is just a coincidence. The shedding slowed down dramatically after I stopped taking Ambien as did the scalp discomfort. If this is a generic drug issue versus brand we’ll never know, but I’m willing to bet it is not the latter given it’s unaffordable cost for most of us and the 0% coverage with even the priciest of insurance plans. Try stopping for a week. You have nothing to lose except your hair.

Yes, Ambien is known to cause hair loss. Since you stopped taking Ambien, it seems to prove the cause and effect.

When I was younger, I always had very thick hair. Never a concern at all. Recently, I ran my fingers through my hair and noticed that I could see my scalp quite easily by pulling the hair vertically or to the side. I usually have a very short haircut, not military style but certainly less than an inch in length. I’ve been paying more attention to my hair lately because I’ve been growing it out, and that’s really the only reason I’ve noticed. It seems like the hair on the side is thinning more…I’m not really noticing a maturation pattern where it’s receding, just thinning.

My uncle on my mother’s side is almost entirely bald, my father has a bald spot on the back of his head and thin hair…so genetic predisposition is possible/probable. I’m wondering what I should do at this point. I may be over-reacting but I’d like to find out. I use gel/comb my hair regularly, but I’ve never seen hair fall out. I can run my hand through my hair several times without seeing any hair fall off.

I’ve also started wearing a hat recently, which is reasonably tight…and may only be coincidence. I’m just not sure what to do/who to see.

Thanks for your help/site…it’s much appreciated.

To determine if you are balding, you need to have your head mapped out for miniaturization which will show if your have developed or are developing a pattern of thinning that will eventually lead to frank balding. Any topicals you place for combing your hair may make it look fuller, but it will not change the process that is going on. Propecia is the best medication to slow or stop the hair loss and some times it even reverses it, but first you need a diagnosis. The hat will not make a difference in the hair loss, unless is is very tight and causes pulling of the hair.

Congrats! Oral minoxidil had a fantastic result in your hair loss on the top of the head. Your results speak for this tremendous result.