Category: Hair Loss Causes

When I was young I had a bad habit of pulling strands of hair in the back on my head. It’s been almost ten years now and I noticed that I have slight baldness and different thickness in that area compared to my hair in the front and sides. This bothers me alot, because it is hard for me to style it. Is it safe to use hair regrowth products like (rogaine) so I could restore thickness and regrow hair? I am only nineteen years old.

For a well-picked scalp with permanent hair loss, no product/drug will regrow the hair. If you are absolutely sure that you no longer pull at that area, then this is easily transplanted — but if you pull the hair out again, it will also bald again.

I read a letter from one of your readers about how her hair refuses to grow right in the middle. Well, I have the same problem, and I do not drive so I cannot claim it is the headrest as she did… I cut my hair twice so that everything would be even. But I ended up with long hair in the front, and right in the middle I have short hair, also about 3 inches, not more. I have always had good even hair, so this is driving me insane to the point I cry in the shower. Do you know what may be causing this patchy growth? And no, it is not neck hair, it is hair right in the middle of my head, like if I were to part my hair in two, that middle part is really short…

You’re referring to the previous posting where a reader asked if the car’s headrest was causing a balding spot.

I’d like to see some photos of the area in question. If/when you send, please point to the notch in the back of your head (at the base of the skull is a bony protuberance), as that will show me where the muscles attach. I will be able to give a better responce after seeing the photos.

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I have recently taken a steroid in pill form (5 pills only in 5 days) and noticed my hair falling out. I have not taken any since. My question: Is this reversible?

I don’t know enough about you to make this judgment. Are you male or female? What is your age? Did you have any hair loss or hair thinning prior to taking the steroids? What other medications are you taking? You can set up a phone consultation with me by calling 800-NEW-HAIR. It would be advisable to send photos prior to speaking with me (please reference this posting).

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dr. rassman,

i found a clinic and the surgeon is listed on ishrs.org…HOWEVER…his technique is called the “[name removed] micro/mini graft” technique. is this a something i should do or should i look elsewhere. how does this differ from the FUE technique?? thanks so much.

The standards of care have been published, and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) is the standard for hair transplantation. That means that the hair is taken exactly as they grow — no clumps of hair are used. The micro/mini graft technique is an old, abandoned approach. The last time it was the standard of care was in the mid-1990s. I read the website of the doctor you referenced and I think that he is about 10 years behind.

I have about 2 1/2 inches of hair, im a 21 male and when i shed, i see short hairs and long hairs, is this normal? and also get about 5 to 10 new pimples every other week or so on my scalp, they are tiny and usually filled with white pus. i wash my hair everyday before i goto work, in the mornings and sometimes at night. could the pimples be causing the different length of hair to be shedding, and do pimples cause damage or hair loss? thanks to whomever read this, would really be appreciated

If you are experiencing folliculitis (pimples filled with pus) then it could be causing your hair shedding. You need to be examined by a good dermatologist and I am certain that once that doctor examines you, he/she will know what is wrong and how to treat it. I can not do this over the internet.

Hello. I am a 17 year old male that maybe hair transplantation is the answer to my problem. So heres what happaned. This was about 6-7 years ago when i was a young boy i used to pull on the front part of my hair. I know thta is one of the hair problems children face (Alopecia Trichotillomania), but i was doing that for a really short period of time. After about 2 weeks of pulling I had completely stopped pulling on my hair. After a long period of time most but not all of my hair grew back. Its been 6 to 7 years now and i have a few bald spots that have been bothering me ever since. I have one a little less than a dime, and my hairline isnt shaped right, and scattered mirco tin bald areas. Also, I would like to know from an estimate, how much it would cost for this procedure, and what is the difference betweeen FUE, FUT, and a hair transplant. I live in the los angeles area. I really want to fix my hair problem. Thank you.

Your first step should be to get a diagnosis. Small bald spots may reflect alopecia areata or ringworm and neither of these should be transplanted. There is no substitute for a diagnosis by a good doctor.

Assuming that you are a candidate for a hair transplant, it is difficult to estimate the cost of something that I have not seen. If you can send me pictures or give me some way to understand the size of the bald areas, maybe I can estimate the job. If it is small, use coins to tell me (e.g 3 dime size areas or one silver dollar size area). On that basis, I can estimate the job. Picking or pulling out the hair (trichotillomania) must be under absolute control or it will happen again. The picking must be solved before you transplant it. I can always tell if there is active picking going on in your head.

As you are in the Los Angeles area, pay me a visit and I will determine what the problem is, its scope, and what to do next.