Dr. William Rassman – Page 988

August 9, 2012

Another Young Man Who Had Almost 3000 Grafts Fail to Grow – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I keep seeing more and more patients that come in to meet with me after the hair transplants they got elsewhere failed to grow. This seems to be the case in large session grafting, usually above 2000 grafts.

Last week I met with another young man who had 3000 grafts transplanted at a clinic with a doctor that I was not familiar with. Shockingly, he had a failure of graft growth to about 95% of what was put in. He is left with a scar behind his head and a significant depression from the failure. He refuses to remove his hat in public and he took much of the blame for the transplant failure. He told me that he thought he did his research, but it sounds like he was sold a bill of goods by the doctor about his reputation.

So many of these men blame themselves for the failure, not the doctor who deceived them. It was not a good meeting for me, and try as much as I could to deal with his depression with an optimistic view of his future, there was nothing I could say to lift his spirits. I am not sure why he came to me, as he did not want to do more transplants. I guess maybe he just wanted to get some sort of explanation of why his grafts didn’t grow.

August 9, 2012

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Hairline? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

How did Arnold Schwarzenegger maintain his hair especially in his younger heavy steroid using days. It seems if DHT was the cause of hairloss he would have lost it all from all the testosterone they were using.

Over the years as Arnold aged his hairline did recede quite a bit but this was when he was much older and I believe he sorted it out with a hair transplant. Similarily Frank Zane in his younger days had a full set of hair presumably on a ton of juice – and he seemed to have lost it in his old age too.

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Arnold probably does not have the genes for balding. It’s simple.

I don’t know that his hairline really moved all that far back. I’ve seen some photos from his younger bodybuilding days with a similar hairline to what he has now. His hairstyle back then seems to be hiding the corners, making it difficult to see. The straight across hairline from the Terminator movies was likely Hollywood movie magic to create the character’s look (why give a robot from the future a mature hairline?). Or maybe he had work done. I don’t know.

August 9, 2012

Did Propecia Cause My Prostatitis? – Balding Blog

Hello there, IM very glad I came across your website its very interesting reading peoples questions. My question is ive been taking propecia now for 4 years started at 21, for the last 6 months I have been experiencing a lot of prostate pains especially after sexual intercourse and sitting down for long periods.

My urologist says its prostitus and as this is not one of the side effects listed believes its not playing a role, have you had any case of this with your patients. Im thinking of taking a lower dosage 0.5 seeing if it helps or even coming off propecia and trying regain. My hairloss is a gradual progress. Im also concerned im only 24 and have been taking a drug for 4 years maybe its time to come off.

I’ve answered a similar question before here.

You should ask your doctor regarding your treatment plan for your hair loss. I do agree with your urologist that prostatitis and Propecia are not related. There are many causes of prostatitis.

August 9, 2012

In the News – Olympic Gold Medalist Joanna Rowsell’s Hair Loss – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

As she completed a lap of honour after winning Olympic gold, cyclist Joanna Rowsell pulled off her helmet to proudly reveal her bald head.

Having lived with the hair loss condition alopecia since childhood, the 23-year-old, from Cheam near Sutton, has not flinched from speaking about her condition.

Indeed she says her hair loss has helped drive her on to greatness.

And her win in the women’s cycling team pursuit at the velodrome on Saturday could not have come at a better time – it fell on International Alopecia Day which seeks to raise awareness of the condition.

Read the rest — Olympic cyclist Joanna Rowsell’s hair loss inspiration hope

Congratulations to Joanna Rowsell on her win and being an inspiration to people with this condition!

August 8, 2012

I Have a Receded Hairline – Could It Be From Scratching Dandruff Years Ago? – Balding Blog

Hi Dr,

Around four years ago (when i was 24) prior to every worrying about hair loss I hasd a bout of dandruff/itchy scalp.

This mainly affected my temple area. Naively, i remember sitting there at my desk scratching away at the area for a couple of weeks (before it cleared up) and seeing how much dandruff would fall as well as how much hair would fall (lots at the time of scratching it).

Not long after I saw pictures of my hair and became worried about going bald. In those four years, my hair hasn’t got a whole lot worse but I do have a receded hairline in those areas that I was scratching away at (and later using minoxidil on).

Could this have caused permanent hair loss in these areas? I do have a family history of baldness anyway.

A visit with a good doctor will probably tell you the answer after a thorough examination of your hair and scalp is done. It would be unusual for a 2 week bout of heavy scratching to produce permanent hair loss, but a doctor will tell you what he sees and make the diagnosis you need. Considering your family history and age, I’d expect genetics are at play… not scratching dandruff 4 years ago.

August 7, 2012

I’m an Actor and My Hairline Is Either Receding or Maturing – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Fan from the UK here! Thanks so much for ‘baldingblog.com’, it’s a fantastic source that I use very regularly.

My question is this: If I were to start taking Propecia, and then cease usage after, say, 6 months, would my hair regress to how it would’ve been if I hadn’t ever taken the drug, or would it be worse?

I ask as I have noticed a change in my hairline. It’s either mature – or it’s receding. Nowhere in London seems to utilise your hair diagnosis techniques (miniturization study etc.) so I would like to come to you, but I am not visiting LA until January next year.

If I visited a doctor here, as a precautionary measure, and ended up getting on Propecia – only to be told by you 6 months later that it was just a mature hairline, would I have done myself any irreversible harm?

I am an actor so, unfortunately, a receding hairline would not only make me a little sad – but would also make getting parts a little more difficult, so I want to act (excuse the pun) sooner rather than later.

Thanks, and all the best.

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You must understand some basic facts:

Propecia does not work that well for regrowing a frontal hairline and I wouldn’t expect it to do much at all for a maturing hairline. It is mainly used for the top crown area.
Propecia should not be taken for precautionary measures. You take Propecia because you have a diagnosis of androgenic alopecia and you want to treat it.

With these facts, you can make an educated decision. There is no simple answer and there is no simple cure for hair loss.

As an actor, you shouldn’t be too worried about the receding hairline. I am sure there are plenty of parts out there for you. Just look at Jason Statham. I don’t think he has any trouble with his career or even being a sex symbol. I guess it depends on what acting roles you’re up for.

With that said, a few now-famous actors (who will remain nameless) decided that they wanted their juvenile hairline back or wanted to stabilize the maturing hairline at a younger look, so they came to us for hair transplants. These men credit their career to me for the transplant. Having seen them on film, it was evident that they had great talent and the hair probably just gave them the confidence they needed to let their talent loose… and sadly to say for my ego, I had little to do with their success.

August 7, 2012

Hair Transplant for Someone with Diffuse Thinning on Top? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doctor,
I began to notice a bald spot on my upper left crown about 7 years ago (I am in my mid 30s) and have been on Propecia and Rogaine ever since. This regimen has given me good results. However, in the last few years, I have began to notice diffuse thinning on the top of my head (it is worst in summer). Currently, the bald spot is still on my upper left crown but the hair on my crown (and hairline) is thick.

My question is, when is someone with diffuse thinning a candidate for a hair restoration procedure? The diffuse thinning is getting to the point that it is noticeable even when I am not in bright lights. My potential donor hair is extremely thick.

Thank you

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Believe it or not, the definition of “diffuse thinning” is highly variable for patients who are describing their hair status. So I would not know if you would be a candidate for a hair transplant surgery. You need a physical examination for that option.

In general, if you have thinning on the top or crown area, many patients who choose to have a hair transplant will get good results. For thinning in a young man, I generally recommend a trial of finasteride for 8-12 months prior to recommending surgery, as many young men will reverse enough of the thinning to avoid surgery.

August 7, 2012

I’ve Had Severe Hair Loss Ever Since I Had Typhoid Months Ago – Balding Blog

Hi Doc,

I am 34 yrs old and I suffered from typhoid in the months of march-april 2012 and since mid May I am experiencing severe hair loss. I never had issues of Dandruff or any other scalp related diseases. What are the chances of hair regrowth and how long with the hair fall continue? I am currently taking Xtraglo tablet at night and an Iron tablet in the morning.

Hair loss can arise from extreme stress and medical illness. It generally reverses and hairs do grow back provided that the patient did not accelerate the male pattern balding that he may have had from his genetics. It does take up to a full year at the least for the hair to return.

August 6, 2012

Gluten and Baldness? – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor Rassman,

Love your blog. My question is, is there a link between consuming gluten and premature baldness? I’ve read quite a few articles about it, and part of me believes it’s just crazy talk, but I’m wondering. Obviously, there are plenty of people who eat gluten and never bald, but if it’s a person’s destiny to be bald and they consume a lot of gluten at a young age, can that cause the onset?

Thanks for your time!

I think gluten free diets have gained popularity and boasts many health benefits. With respect to hair loss and its link to gluten, I remain fixed on my stance. Male pattern hair loss is a genetic issue (not a diet issue). Perhaps certain diets may accelerate or trigger the balding process, but these things are all speculative.

August 3, 2012

SMP Result (with Photos) – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

This patient did not like his hairline and keeping his hair very, very short was a reasonable option for him. He achieved these results with Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) when he walked out of the office the same day he came in. Many patients play with their hair length until they find the right length for their new look, and once he clips his hair a little shorter the effect will be more complete.

The photos below show the story. The following results are with only ONE (1) SMP session – For better even coverage he will follow up for the second or third sessions. Click to enlarge.

Here’s a close-up shot of the SMP: