Category: Hair Loss Causes

Hello, Dr. Rassman

I have a question about washing your hair daily. For us minoxidil users it’s obviously recommended to use the products twice a day on a clean scalp. My question is: Does washing your hair twice a day damage your hair? Of course, the more you mess around with your scalp the more hairs will tend to fall. So, does the constant washing “damage” the follicles and weaken them?

Thank you for all the information in your site and all your help.

If you wash properly and do not rub your fingers vigorously into your scalp, twice a day hair washing will not cause a problem.

After reading some of the questions and answers on your board. I am hoping my hairline is just maturing, both my grandparents(both sides) have a full set of hair still. I deployed about a year ago and noticed my hair was receding on the hairline. I thought it was because I was smoking, gained 20 pounds before I deployed which raised my blood pressure and was taking in too much caffeine. Well I just quit smoking, stopped taking in as much caffeine and lost about 15 pounds. I am also using a shampoo called nioxin to help out. My hair however is continually receding on the hairline. I noticed you said it was natural to start in the late teens to early twenties but I am 30 years old. What should I do, wait or go see a doc when I get back? I can handle the insurgents but this hairline thing is driving me crazy!!!

Thanks

A mature hairline can appear at 30 years old. If you are not balding behind the hairline, then wait it out until you can be examined. Gains and loss of weight, plus the stress you are under are not helping, but you did not need me to tell you that. As a former Vietnam vet, I understand what you may be going through. Certainly the stress alone could induce hair loss if you have the genetics. If, however, these factors do not induce hair loss (and you are just moving to a mature hairline), then i doubt that you will ever lose your hair.

First of all, thank you very much for your work in putting this site together.

I have a question(s) regarding dreadlocks.

About two years ago my hair started thinning and so I began treatment with propecia and minoxidil. It seemed to work; there was new hair growth and my hair gradually became quite a bit thicker. In addition to this treatment I’m thinking about having transplant surgery eventually.

My question is, would it be possible/adviseable to grow dreads? I’m concerned about the dreads either making my hair look thinner and/or actually causing it to thin.

With the regimen I mentioned and a transplant (assuming the transplant is necessary) would it be possible to have dreads that don’t produce an appearance of thinning hair and also don’t actually cause the hair to thin.

Thank you so much for your time.

Dreadlocks cause traction alopecia. The constant pull on the hair root will cause the loss of that hair in the long term.

There was a study done by a Cornell University professor named T. Collin Campbell in conjunction with Oxford University entitled “The China Study”. It’s an entire book, but basically he says genes are expressed by nutrition, and many of his arguments revolve around animal based protein v. plant based protein and cholesterol, cancer, heart disease — not necessarily balding. But this peaked my curiosity. Can male pattern baldness not be genetic at all but instead the balding aspect is expressed by some type of diet balding men eat whether that diet is heavy in red meat or whatever?

I have been aware of this thesis for some time and one has to give it credibility. There is no doubt that diet does play an important role in one’s health. It is classic “nature versus nurture” type of argument, but things are not so simple. I did not read The China Study book, so I really cannot comment on that, but with respect to balding, although it is genetic, diet may very well influence the ‘expression’ of the process. Some people ascribe diet as a cause of the racial differences in balding when comparing Asians (in Asia) with Caucasians in America, but the science for this is clearly not available.

I’ve read on this blog mixed answers as to whether working out with weights (which increases testosterone leves apparently) can accelerate MPB. I thought in one blog answer you said working out does not contrbute to MPB but in another you said the presence of increased testosterone may be a risk factor for faster MPB development. What’s the story here?

Exercise (working out) does not accelerate male pattern baldness. Genetics cause male pattern baldness. I am sorry for any confusion.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

Dear Sir,
I am suffering from a very severe hair loss. I have heard that snake oil could be of help. This is commercially available here in Turkey- Yilan Yagi. However, before starting such a treatment I wanted to receive also your expert advice.

Why do I want to believe that this is a parody? The fact that they call the product “Snake Oil” just makes me smile.

Unfortunately, I don’t read Turkish and I do not know what is in your ‘snake oil’… so I can not give you advice accordingly. The suggestion on the website (based solely on the photos) is that a bald man can get a full head of hair with this substance. That would make me not believe it, but I can not read the reports. I can’t find Turkish to English translators online that are of any help with this, either. To any Turkish readers out there — I could use a hand.

Just saw this and thought I’d pass it on to you. Uncombable Hair Syndrome… it sounds weird! Ever see anyone with this?

ScienceBlogs.com

Yes, this is a known syndrome (actually called Pili trianguli et canaliculi) first discovered in the 1970’s that is caused by hair that has an abnormal protein in the hair shaft. It is genetic and relatively rare. The site you mentioned is a good reference, and you can find a little more at Wikipedia. I haven’t seen this in any of my patients, and I’ve read that spontaneous improvement can occur in later childhood.

The photo is for humor purposes only. This condition is not associated with cats.

You used to be a dairy farmer, correct? Is there a difference between dairy cattle and beef cattle? I always assumed they got milk from the females and meat from both males and females.

Can you clarify this? I’m asking b/c if they only use steroid hormones in beef cattle, then drinking milk would presumably be clear from any steroid hormones.

If you are worried about hormones in your milk, you can start with organic food stores and inquire about where they get their milk. I believe you are the same reader that sent me the earlier posted email about how steroids in milk (when used) get broken down by the acid in the stomach so it does not get absorbed into the body (see Growth Hormones in Milk).

From the Wikipedia entry for “cattle” —
Cattle raised for human consumption are called “beef cattle”. Within the beef cattle industry in parts of the United States, the term “beef” (plural “beeves”) is still used in its archaic sense to refer to an animal of either gender. Cows of certain breeds that are kept for the milk they give are called “dairy cows” or “milking cows” (formerly “milch cows” – “milch” was pronounced as “milk”) and their genetics are such that they produce high milk outputs whereas beef cattle are genetically created for their muscle mass.

Male bovine are called bulls (or steers if they are castrated) — and they do not have udders, nor do they produce dairy milk.

I am 51 years old, i do not have anyone on my parents side that have male pattern baldness. I have always had a lot of hair, about 2 or 3 years ago i started to have this redness, inflame irritation at my vertex on top of my scalp. it has thinned out so much that you can see my scalp and my hair has thinned all over. I have been to several derm doctors but all of them are bald their self and they don’t take the time to help me. one doctor did a patch test on my back but everything was normal. i have oily and hair that has to be washed everyday because it is so fine. I have used head and shoulder shampoo which seems to work, but when i use it i feel a kind of a tingling burning feeling at the vertex, where the inflame, redness is at, but it will go away and feels better. does head and shoulder shampoo suppose to do this? It will return unless i keep using it. Should i continue to use this shampoo? I dont know what to use, Please help.

I have given up on derm doctors because it takes so long for a appointment, and they seem that they don’t care. I even dread to wash my hair everyday, but i have to because it is so fine an sweaty and oily. I have tried rogaine, but it irritated my vertex area so bad that i can’t use it. i am losing a lot of hair in the shower, I don’t know what to use. Right now my vertex is irritated and red. Please help. Thanks

I would like to help, but there is no way to diagnose your problems or even guess at what you may be experiencing without an exam. Daily hair washes with shampoo for oily hair is important for you to use. If your hair is fine, get a gentle shampoo.

I realize a good doctor may be hard to come by, but start with your primary care doctor and ask for a recommendation. I wouldn’t think that any doctor would want to be seen as a non-caring physician so you should try hard to appeal to their caring side. Speak frankly if you feel that they are not paying you the attention you want and need. Being direct is critically important to the doctor/patient relationship.