Category: Hair Loss Causes

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Does Hair Loss Take a Vacation? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hey doc, ive asked you questions before and your answers are very helpful for me. i was wondering if hair loss ever took ‘breaks’. For example have it progress to a certain stage and stabilize for a few years then continue where it left off. how big a role does stress play in mpb as well, i feel like i’m losing so much more hair during my school semesters than during the summer months.

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CalendarNot exactly. Unfortunately, hair loss doesn’t take a vacation for veterans on Veterans Day, for fathers on Father’s Day, nor for fools on April Fool’s Day…

In my practice, I find that hair loss sometimes occurs in spurts and is not necessarily a constant phenomenon. Stress can precipitate genetic balding, so it would not be a hard to reach a conclusion that the stressful times at school are causing you to lose hair. See a hair specialist or a dermatologist to discuss this phenomenon more in person.

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My Grandfather Rapidly Lost His Hair in His 60s – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am 22 and I have noticed over the past two years my hairline changing into a widows peak, but the rest of my hair remains as thick as ever. I am genetically susceptible to balding as I have two uncles either side of the family (one totally bald and the other started thinning around the age of 40)

But when I look through family photos I notice that my hairline most resembles that of my late grandfather (who ironically I am named after) in his mid twenties and he had the exact same hairline. but the thing which confuses me is that the temple recession is much deeper than with what you describe as a mature hairline (as is mine) and he kept his hair until his mid sixties which he rapidly lost due to cancer.

So I suppose what I am asking is whether MPB can occur to an extent during early life then pick later on in life. Or whether there are varying degrees of a ‘mature hairline’

Thanks

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Generally male pattern balding (MPB), otherwise known as androgenic alopecia (AGA), has varying degrees of hair loss. It can start as early as your puberty years and progress into your later years. Your grandfather’s rapid hair loss as you described is likely not related to MPB or AGA, as it was more likely related to his cancer. If you are concerned about hair loss, you should consider a miniaturization study, which is a microscopic examination of the state of the health of your hair. We do not always match the hair loss of a relative (hairline for hairline), but the trend can be anticipated.

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In the News – Smoking May Accelerate Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

We have known for some time that smoking reduces skin circulation, particularly in the scalp. These articles do connect the dots between smoking and acceleration of hair loss in those individuals who are genetically prone to it. Of interest, there is a clear suggestion in these reference articles to the original research, which show that Asian men have a lesser incidence of balding.

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Steroid Nasal Spray and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman:
I’m confused about steroid-based medications and hair loss. My ENT recently prescribed me a steroid cortasone nasal spray for chronic rhinitis. Can this potentially have adverse side
effect on my already progressing MPB?
Thanks

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Yes, steroids can produce accelerated MPB. When using the steroids through a nasal spray, body absorption is as good as any other route. Sounds like you need to have a conversation with your otolaryngologist (ENT).

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Warts and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, I was wondering if warts can cause hairloss. I just realized that I have had a wart on my foot for quite some time (I just figured out that it was a wart). If warts aren’t treated can they cause hairloss and will the “trauma” of the treatment cause hair shedding? Thank you!

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No… unless you are very stressed over your warts. Stress can cause hair loss. Warts do not.

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Husband’s Hair Is Very Fragile – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My husband has had long hair all his adult life, usually well past shoulder length. In the last couple years, it is getting noticeably shorter and shorter. Nothing seems to make it grow. But not only will it not grow, It is now barely comes down to his neck. He is 42 years old and doesn’t have any other problems such as bald spots or noticeable amount of hair coming out when brushing or washing. His hair is very fine but otherwise does not look dry or unhealthy. Split ends are not obvious. He has put his hair back in a pony tail for many years and has colored his hair a handful of times through the last 20 years, but not multiple times in a row. We have tried different shampoos to no avail. Recently he has started a vitamin B complex to stimulate growth, but it hasn’t helped yet. Any idea what might be the issue(s) and what we might do to remedy it?

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I really couldn’t give any advice without examining your husband’s hair and scalp. What you are describing could be damage from the use of coloring agents. The short hair may reflect a shortening of the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle, something that occurs as people get older. The anagen period is the actual time that the hair is growing and as it generally grows out at about 1/2 inch per month, a shorter growth period will limit the length of the hair. There may be components of genetic balding, so an examination of the scalp, looking for patterned thinning, is critical to understanding what is going on.

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Scalp Had No Sensitivity After Brain Surgery – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor,

Im male 30yrs. I had a brain surgery 3 yrs ago. After surgery, I had no sensitivity in mid or top of head. The hairs on that part started shading/ thinning slowly and then turned like baldness. Now Im getting sensitivity in that parts of head. Can I expect the hairs i lost or thinning be converted into thickness or hair growth? Can you pls advice me on how can I grow the hairs back/thickness on my crown/central head part?

Thanx in advance

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I am not sure that I can help you evaluate your problem without examining you. The brain surgery may have cut critical sensory nerves in the scalp to cause your numbness. If the temporal vessels and nerve was cut on just one side, then you might have a sensory defect to cover the top and the side of your scalp. If both were cut, then you would have complete numbness, some of which could reduce over time as other nerves from the back of your head may take over. Any vascular damage could produce hair loss as well. Either your brain surgeon could/should tell you why you have this problem or any good doctor examining you will know what to look for. I would be happy to evaluate you if you are in or near California and would like to pay me a visit.

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Can Hair Transplantation Damage Surrounding Follicles? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

Great informative blog. I have a question about future density after transplanted hair. Does your thinning hair follicles around where transplanted hairs gets inserted die from having that area worked on? In other words, say you still have some hair left on you hairline or mid section and you use transplants to help fill that area. When you use Propecia or Rogaine to help thicken your original hair follicles does that hair get “damaged” from having transplanted hair around them?

Thank you for your time and keep up the great site you have.

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You raise a very important question. Yes, you can potentially damage the existing surrounding hairs with a hair transplant procedure. Thus, you must consider the risks versus the benefits of the surgery. Most of the time, hair transplantation near normal hair should not damage the normal hair, but if the surrounding hairs are weak (miniaturized) you may precipitate a “shock loss” phenomenon where you will experience loss due to the trauma of the surgery. Although drugs like Propecia work to minimize the shock loss risk, your doctor must not talk in generalities with you and should specifically address your risks. You must discuss this risk with your physician before a hair transplant surgery.

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Vitamin-D Deficiency and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Does having a vitamin D deficency cause hair loss? I’m a 26 yr. old female and I’ve been going through what the Doctors are calling TE. After all the blood work, my iron levels were just below normal, but the more alarming results were my vitamin D levels. I was wondering if you thought a vitamin D deficency could result in hair loss?

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Some researchers believe that vitamin-D regulates the expression of genes. When scientists knocked out those genes in mice, the mice displayed vitamin D deficient symptoms of rickets and hair loss. Correcting vitamin-D makes sense if you believe you are deficient in vitamin-D. Check with your doctor about how to manage the process.

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Does Sebum Build-Up Produce More DHT on Follicles? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman,

When I met with you earlier in the year, we decided the best course of action for me right now is not hair transplants but rather to take Propecia as you thought that I would get good benefit from the drug alone. I have been taking it every day since. So far, I am pleased with the results and the fact that my hair loss isn’t progressing. I have read that a major cause of hair loss is sebum buildup and that sebum contains high concentrations of DHT that accelerate hair loss and that is why we need to get a shampoo that will get rid of the sebum. Is this true?

I’ve read your book and understand that a good shampoo will clean your hair but no shampoo will stop the balding process. In my efforts to take every precaution possible, I did some additional research and found four commonly used shampoos to aid in slowing hair loss.

Here are the four I found and a little information from various websites on each:

  1. Nioxin: Can improve the hair’s health by cleansing the scalp’s skin, strengthening the hair follicle and energizing the cellular activity. Nioxin has not been found to have any effect on DHT. However, by keeping the follicles healthy, these products may help delay hair loss. Because there are no side effects, the products can be used everyday.
  2. Nizoral: The Propecia FDA trial participants all used a shampoo like Nizoral for the duration of the trial. This was required, as the increased sebum production, inflammation, and irritation caused by the balding process can limit the effectiveness of any treatment. This is why it is strongly recommended that a regimen including Propecia also include Nizoral shampoo used once every 3 days in rotation with your normal shampoo. You will not see optimum results without Nizoral, or a shampoo like it, in your regimen.
  3. Neutrogena T/Gels: Another study said that all men, whether receiving Propecia or placebo, were given the medicated shampoo, Neutrogena T/Gel Shampoo.
  4. Tricomin: Formulated to efficiently deliver vital micronutrients to the hair follicle environment. Tricomin works by strengthening and revitalizing your hair. While Tricomin’s cosmetic benefits will be realized in the short term, the added benefits of younger; fuller healthier hair may require longer use. Tricomin can be used effectively with other hair treatments including Rogaine and Propecia.

I realize this may only be for the comfort of doing something else proactively, but if it could provide any benefit I’d like to take advantage of that. Could you recommend the best and most likely to make any difference of the above four or any other one that I might have missed in my research? Thank you for your time.

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ShampooMy opinion on cleaning out sebum is that there is no value in doing this, because claims that sebum contains high concentrations of DHT that kills hair is just not supported by today’s science. I have heard these claims particularly by various clinics that sell shampoos for women with hair loss or thinning. If sebum build-up caused hair loss in women, then certainly more women would be bald like us men.

I have no real preference on shampoos, as they will not grow back hair or even slow down the loss. If it is a good shampoo, you should not worry about things in there that can harm your hair. My opinion on this matter is not always shared by other doctors, many of whom, as I mentioned above, sell shampoos in their office with their own label on it. You must experiment yourself, for what works for one person (likes and dislikes) does not always work for another. If you believe that one of these shampoos are reversing your hair loss, let me know.