Hair Loss Causes – Page 223

January 10, 2008

Is My Hockey Helmet Causing Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a seventeen year old. I visited my doctor he said I have male pattern baldness. My hairline is starting to recede quite badly. But I did some research and I learned that people with certain hair styles, get hair loss, such as braids because it applies stress to the scalp. I was wondering if my hockey helmet can be the cause of this, because it pulls on my scalp. Also I am wondering if my hair will grow back once I sort the problem out with my helmet.

Hockey helmet It is possible that constant rubbing can cause traction alopecia (hair loss from pulling), but a good examination by a good doctor in the hair field should answer that question for you. If you started with early male pattern baldness (MPB), then you should get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and this will tell you if MPB is a reasonable diagnosis.

Could you just be developing a mature hairline? That is a question I simply can’t answer without seeing what you’re talking about.

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January 9, 2008

Advice for a 16 Year Old with Bald Spot? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Okay, Well I’m not quite sure how this works but I’ll try it out anyway. I’m a 16 year old male living in the state of Washington. I constantly get crude remarks on how I have a bald spot. Self confidence and the inability to function without a hat is very depressing. I the thing that gets me is how young I am. If you could provide any advice it’d be very much appreciated.

Thank You.

Without seeing you, I do not know what you mean by a bald spot. Are you balding? Did you suffer from some trauma on your head, which produced a bald spot? You need to be examined by an expert doctor. If you are balding, then you will show miniaturization of your hair in the balding area. Even at your age, when balding occurs, the drug Propecia usually works very, very well to reverse it.

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January 9, 2008

Hair Loss from Exercise? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello Doctor. I’m a 31 year old male with a receding hairline. I’ve been using Propecia for 2 years now and I believe it has stopped the recession. I would like to start exercising again to get back in shape, but I’m afraid the increased Testosterone levels from exercising will put me at risk for further balding. Now, I don’t want to lose any more hair, but I don’t want to remain out of shape either. Are my fears well founded or is hair loss and exercise not related. If my fears are well founded, what can I do to exercise yet not cause any further baldness. Also, since Propecia effectively cuts the levels of DHT in the body, will that inhibit any gains from exercising? Thank you.

Exercise will not cause you to lose hair, so I think you’re safe to start working out again (unless you have some injury or underlying condition that you haven’t mentioned). What I mean to say is — don’t let fears of hair loss stop you from keeping in shape. To my knowledge, there will be no impact on your muscle mass caused by Propecia (finasteride 1mg).

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January 9, 2008

Testosterone Therapy and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi Doctor:
Since being on Testosterone therapy for about a year now, I am suffering from serious male pattern baldness. I am 49 and realize it is natural to lose some of my hair but I know it is coming from the testosterone. If I discontinue the treatment (against my Doctor’s wishes) will the hair loss stop and perhaps even grow back as the testosterone level drops or is the damage already done?
Thanks

Once the testosterone has precipitated the hair loss, the loss is not reversible. Maybe your final hair loss pattern has not occurred, and if that is the case and you stop the testosterone and go on Propecia, maybe you can still save some of the hair that will eventually fall out. Please discuss this with your doctor more or see another doctor for a second opinion.

January 8, 2008

I Have Diffuse Thinning, But It’s Different From the Genetic Balding Patterns in My Family – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr Rassman,
I am a 24-year old male, I have always had extremely fine hair from the time I was a small child. In the past six months or so, however, I’m not sure if I just noticed it more, or if I am actually going bald. I could always see my scalp when wet, in certain lighting, etc., but now I’m not sure if this is just the way I am, or if it is worse now. I have very little balding in my family. My dad has a full head of hair at 51, as do my uncles on his side (whom are all older). My maternal grandfather is a Norwood 4 or 5, but did not really start losing his hair till around the age of 50 my mom said. One of three uncles on mom’s side is balding however. He is a Norwood 3 or 4 at the age of 40 (The other uncles on mom’s side, full heads of hair.) My hair still has the normal hairline, and no balding at the crown, but instead its thinning throughout the whole top. This is not the same pattern that these two men’s hair has taken (which worries me more). My questions are, what is the likelihood of going bald without it really being in your genes? I have also been a vegetarian for 6 years, and am wondering if this could be a factor? Also if I am going bald, would’nt it most likely take the same pattern (and start at around the same age) as the uncle and grandfather who are experiencing this as well? Very sorry for the long question, and thank you so much for the time and reply.

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You really can not predict with any degree of certainly what the pattern of hair loss would be or even when it might start. If your hair loss is really diffuse, then you might have Diffuse Unpatterned Alopecia (DUPA) and should be evaluated with mapping out your scalp for miniaturization. This will point directly to the diagnosis if it is DUPA or genetic hair loss. DUPA will show miniaturization in the donor area, while genetic hair loss will show a normal donor area without miniaturization.

January 8, 2008

Woman with Tingling Scalp Pain; Doctors Can’t Find Anything (with Photos) – Balding Blog

I am a 22 year old female, active, healthy diet. For a year I have slowly been experiencing some form of hairloss. It seems that with every hair that falls out there is nothing to take its place. I have been to the dermatologist 3 times, and had a skin biopsy that came back perfect. The Derm gave me tetracyclen to try but after 4months I found it wasn’t working. She then sent me to a rheumotologist who see’s no signs of lupus etc. But saw in my blood work that there could be something wrong with antibodies?, she has given me APO-Hydroxyquine 200mg to try for 4 months. With my hairloss I feel a lot of tingly, burning and pain which makes me feel that this would be a skin situation, apparently it isnt though because of my clear scalp biopsy! When i get these tingling sensations in my head I will also sometimes feel the same pain on my nose, back and shoulder. I have sent you a photo to help! I have been reading your blog and trust your word more than anyone else.

Thank you for the compliment and the trust, but I really am not your doctor and I do not have the luxury of examining you in person. I do not take your trust for granted and I do appreciate you sending me photos with permission to publish them here.

Moreover, it seems you have been evaluated by many doctors for your condition. I realize that you are frustrated and confused about your condition and lack of improvement despite various treatments. The best advice I can offer you is this — what doctors do is often referred to the “practice of medicine” and not a complete “science of medicine”. I realize this isn’t what you want to hear (or read, as the case may go), but this points to the fact that sometimes we (physicians) are just as confused as you (patients) and sometimes there are no good treatments to offer. If you want a medical opinion, you must establish a doctor/patient relationship and that is something that just can not be done over the internet.

January 8, 2008

Alopecia of the Eyebrow? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

About a year ago I began to feel very small growths in my eyebrows. I consulted my dermatologist and was told that I had melia in my brows. They eventually worked their way out of the skin, and appeared hard and white. The melia stopped after a few months, but then I began to have itchy and red eyebrows. Bit by bit my brows became thinner and thinner. I took anti inflammatory injections, however they did not stop the thinning. I have had dark and thick lashes all my life and I am baffled as to what course of action I should take. I am 57 years old and a brow transplant seems the only answer, but since my doctor diagnosed alopecia of the eyebrow would a transplant even work? Are there any topical creams that have shown promise, or are there any medications I should try first?

Hair transplant to the eyebrow works but you seem to describe a skin condition and you need to follow-up with your dermatologist. I do not know how to help you without seeing you myself or getting copies of your doctor’s opinion.

January 8, 2008

Can Hair Miniaturize and Then Stay Forever? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

hey there dr rassman. I have a question about miniaturization. Once a hair shows signs of miniaturization is it destined to eventually stop growing all together or can weak miniturized hair sometimes remain in that state and hang on into old age?

If so is this the basis for the head ‘mapping’ you guys do?

Miniaturized hair can reverse back to normal healthy hair or it can fall out. Or, I suspect, it can remain that way indefinitely. The percentage or how long a miniaturized hair will stay miniaturized is not well known and for genetic balding it is determined by your genes and your environment. Drugs such as finasteride (Propecia) or minoxidil (Rogaine) can reverse such miniaturization.

January 7, 2008

My Hairline is Very Asymmetric – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hey there, I have been battling with a receding hairline for a while now. I’m a 23 year old male and have noticed that my hair has been receding on my right side, this has caused my hairline to be very asymmetric. I noticed my hair thinning quite considerably a the back center and top of my head however i’ve recently been taking finpecia and this has thickened right up. In a moment of madness i decided to shave my head and its very noticeable that the one side has receded a ”lot” more than the other side which remains as if it hasn’t receded at all. I’ve haven’t seen anyone else with this problem and i have had a few comments from family and friends on my hairline since shaving it. Is there anything i can do, it looks terrible.

Balding is a dynamic process and it may occur asymmetric. While hair transplants and medications such as Propecia and Rogaine can help, there are limitations and there is no “quick” fix. You can take some comfort in knowing that the other side will likely catch up in receding, but I doubt it is much comfort. If you are concerned about hair loss, you should see a hair transplant doctor. Remember that surgery is not the only option.

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January 4, 2008

Hair Loss InformationCan Scalp Exercises Cause Traction Alopecia? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello doctor

Could exercises that many doctors are recommending to increase the looseness of the scalp, when performed for a long time, cause any problems ( e.g. traction alopecia ) ?

Thank you

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Scalp exercises are used to increase the laxity to the scalp, as shown in this video:

As long as you are pushing down on the scalp and not creating constant pull 24 hours a day, you should not have traction alopecia from this. Traction alopecia occurs when you keep your hair pulled or braided too tight constantly over the course of many months. Traction alopecia and scalp exercises are two different things.