Category: Hair Loss Causes

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Hair Loss InformationIs There ANY Way to Restore Hair Non-Surgically?! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman,

I have been impressed by your credentials and history as a leader in hair loss treatment and restoration. I’m a 22-year old who recently graduated from college. I’m engaged to be married on December 30th and, sadly, already experiencing initial stages of receding and thinning. I’m not currently financially able to have surgery and don’t really ever want to, but I’m just wondering if there is ANY possible way to restore hair non-surgically. I know Propecia and Rogaine can prevent/slow hair loss, but I’m interested in more than that – gaining old hair back.

You probably laugh at my ignorance – I’ve just started researching this and don’t know a lot about such things, but I’m curious and thought I’d try to ask around. Thanks for your help!

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I like to be scientific and establish solid baselines for planning purposes. Throughout this blog I say over and over (and over) again to get you hair mapped out for miniaturization so that you can help predict what may happen to you. You are correct in your assumption that hair transplants (particularly in the front) is the only way to put hair back. In the back, if the hair loss is recent I would hope that someone of your age may see reversal of some or all of the process. You are educated by schooling, now get yourself educated with regard to your health and your looks and take charge of it once you know it all. My website newhair.com and my book (available by download or free by mail) are places to go to get educated.

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Hair Loss InformationHas Low Testosterone Kept My Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I’m a 28 year old male, and I’ve had low testosterone for years, and the associated symptoms (low sex drive, depression, anxiety, erectile problems). My latest levels are 294ng/dL Testosterone, and 6.7pg/mL Free Testosterone.

About two weeks ago I went on 5mg Androgel, and have started to feel a little better (still have a long way to go). However, I’m really worried about triggering hair loss. I’ve heard that transdermal testosterone can cause high DHT levels.

My hairline has moved up gradually in recent years, and I have thinning at the upper temples, which is visible under bathroom lighting. I’m probably a NW2, most people would say I have a full head of hair still. Could this testosterone replacement therapy cause me to lose hair faster? I’m thinking of possibly going on Propecia as a pre-emptive measure. Have I kept my hair just because of the low T level? What are your thoughts?

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Before you jump into a lifetime course of Propecia, have your hair mapped out for miniaturization to find out if you have genetic hair loss in process now. If you do not, the addition of testosterone should not impact normal non-balding hair. But if you do have genetic balding characterized and diagnosed with this mapping process for miniaturization, then Propecia would be a good idea for you. I always like to know what I am treating before I recommend a lifetime worth of drugs. If you are asking me if your low testosterone has helped you keep your hair, well if you have genetic balding it might have helped a little.

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Woman With Thinning Hair After Family Tragedy – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am a 38 year old African American female. My hair started to thin after a tradgedy in the family. Now I am balding quickly. My hair has taken on a totally different texture. I’ve had the blood work down for my thyroids, which was normal. I have now noticed that I have dark spots on my scalp. What else can I do?

Thank you

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Stress can accelerate what your genes are destined to do. If thinning is in your future (genetically) then losing hair mass with stress can be expected. Reversing such changes is difficult, but Minoxidil has been shown to help in these situations. Learning to manage stress is more important that anyone wants to admit. The impact of hormones and general stress can be seen in the way the body handles wound healing, for example. See these articles for more about stress:

No surprise that the toll we pay for stress in other situations such as heart disease, diabetic management, and certainly hair loss is important to understand. The key here is to learn stress management. For those who master stress management, life is better and the individual looks and feels healthier.

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Small-Toothed Comb and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I use a very small toothed comb to comb my hair because it creates a better look then the large toothed combs. Can the pull that the small toothed comb creates damage my hair?

Thanks as always for your time.

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Small toothed combs tend to pull more on the knotted hair than large tooth combs. Pulling on miniaturized hair can cause it to either break or just pull out, possibly damaging the hair if the pull is repetitive.

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Is My Thinning Normal? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr Rassman,
Firstly congratulations, seen your CV and it’s full of degrees. I am currently in the phases of completing my first BSc in Computing. I am noticing hair changes in the following way:

1. Temples & frontal hairline receding. Temples receding more than the frontal hairline.
2. Hair in the parietal part is getting thinner than the temporal and occiptial parts. Also, the frontal part (like a penninsula) is still thick.

Is this male pattern baldness? Or is it normal? I am 23, male, my father started balding at age 50. Mum’s head is full of hair. Her 3 brothers bald; and her father started balding in late 40s.

Thanks

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You can not predict the genes that you will express, so that is why you need to have good measurements made to establish the diagnosis and prognosis. I’d have no way to make an educated guess without examining your scalp for miniaturization. Please see previous blog posts regarding mature hairline for more.

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Hair Loss InformationMuscleMilk and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr. Rassman,
I saw in your response to a question about a GNC Mega Man product that it contained DHEA which can cause or accelerate hairloss. Could you please tell me if the supplement MuscleMilk made by CytoSport contains this chemical or any other chemicals which are known to cause or increase hairloss? Thank you very much!

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MuscleMilkMuscle Milk appears to be a whey based product. Whatever the cow ate, the hormones that the cow produces and the hormones that the diary farmer gave the cow will appear in the milk of the cow and in the whey based products that make up many of the nutritional supplements that ‘fitness’ focused individuals take. The use of growth hormones in some dairy cows will be in the milk and the whey (whey is a byproduct of cheese manufacturing — a concentrated milk byproduct). Even without added steroids, these products may have some steroid-like impact (see: LE Magazine). You may have risk here, but as I am not an expert in the use of these supplements, I am hesitant to make a statement about the things that are either naturally in the supplements from the whey itself, or added by those that manufacture such products as GNC Mega Men or Muscle Milk.

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When Does Hair Loss Stop? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr.
I am an African American male who is 37 years old and started noticing my hairline receding at the age of 27. My hair loss at this point is not bad (probably class II). At the moment, I have no balding in the crown area but as I said earlier, my hairline is receding. My mom side of the house (brothers have full heads of hair) and my dad still had his hair before he passed at the age of 43. I have a few questions

1. At what point if any does your hair loss (receding)stops?
2. I decided a few years ago to take propecia after I started taking some other DHT blockers (procerin, kevis, follicure etc…). I even visited the hair club for men. Is there anything right now that I can do (laser therapy) that will continue to reduce hair loss.
3. Has avodart been approved for hair loss yet and would you recommended it?
4. Are there any good Dr’s you could recommend from my area (Hampton Roads are of Va)

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  1. Most people start their balding process in their early 20s, some like you in the late 20s and a few after 30. The general rule is that for those who have hair loss in their 20s, most of it will slow down by the mid 30s and by the time the person reaches 40-45, it should slow down even further. There are no real rules other than what you see. You can anticipate it by mapping out your hair for miniaturization to see what the future may hold for you.
  2. There is only one FDA approved, proven DHT blocker, however with that said, many products claim DHT blocking effects without the science behind those claims. You must, of course, make your own decisions. I’ve written about laser treatments quite a bit — see Low Laser Light Theraphy and the general “laser” keyword search.
  3. I do not prescribe Avodart, because it is not FDA approved to treat hair loss. It is doubtful that the drug company which produces it (GlaxoSmithKline) will seek FDA approval for hair loss.
  4. For doctors in your area, I would intervew those who are on the ISHRS.org website, for at least they are interested in education for themselves.

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Hair Loss InformationWhy Am I Experiencing Hair Loss Months After Surgery? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi
I’m 18 year old male. I had surgery about 4 months ago. 2 months after I noticed my long hair has been falling out in clumps of 15-20 hairs in one pull or when I brushed it. It has been going on now for 2 months and my hair got very thin very fast. I have noticed a bunch of new tiny hairs growing in front of my hair line but after reaching 1 cm in lenght they had stopped growing and some of them are falling out as well.

I would be greatful to hear your answer.

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Am I to assume that your surgery 4 months ago was not a hair transplant? Hair transplantation at 18 years old is very unusual and in most situations, not appropriate. Hair transplants can accelerate hair loss in an 18 year old and that is one reason this is rarely done. If you have genetic balding and are not on the drug Propecia, I would suspect that you have an extremely high chance of acceleration of your hair loss. If your miniaturiation is high, then that makes hair loss in an 18 year old almost a sure bet. The amount of hair loss and the distribution of the hair loss will reflect your genetic pattern. This sounds like shock hair loss with the acceleration of your patterned balding and may be permanent.

If you are not on Propecia, it may not be too late to start it and try to hold on to what you still have. I would like to know who did your hair transplant (if that was the surgery you meant)?

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Bulimia and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hi.. about 2 years ago, due to break up of a relationship and some family problems,i began abusing laxatives (bulimia) ( during this time i was on dianette to treat my polycystic ovaries, i stopped takin diannette 10 months after my laxative abuse started).. i abused laxatives for about a year and half where then i got help and stopped. however during this abuse period, i suffered alot of hair loss.. and now my hair is about 50 % of what it was.. i cannot tell you what this has done to me mentally.. firstly because i was well known for my beautiful thick and glossy hair and secondly because by profession i work on tv.. i went to see a dermatologist who insisted i take 600mg of ferrous sulphate a day.. i did this for a bit but it gave me tummy cramps and constipation. he says the injection is big and painful, but i dont really mind. what i want are results.. its been almost 7 months and even though im eating healthily , and not taxing laxatives, i cant see any new hair growth. and i have this awful feeling my hair is still thinning.. i got myself some hair extentions to give myself a bit of confidence.. and it was successful to give me some confidence if only for a while.. i will have the extentions removed within a couple of weeks, which i would find tolerable if i knew my thick luscious hair will grow back.. but as i said i cant even see any new hair growing.. i feel my dermatologist isnt taking full action to combat my problem, im willing to undergo and try anything.. do you know of any top dermatologists in london with specialty in hair loss or its research? do you also mind giving me your opinion on what i should do.. really appreciate it. thank you

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You have many things that precipitated the hair loss and if the hair thinning has not reversed in a year or so, it will probably be your new normal status. Bulimia, diet problems, and general intestinal problems most probably contributed to your situation. The presence of Polycystic Ovaries in itself produces enough endocrine abnormalities to explain the persistence of your situation. You are correct to locate a good dermatologist, but I am not familiar with London’s doctors. Ask other doctors who they would use for their own family.

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Very Thin Hairs on My Comb – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Recently I’ve noticed short hairs that are also extremely and unusually thin appearing on my comb after I comb my hair. I only see them on occasion (small minority of my hairs), but nontheless they are there. Does this indicate that the miniturization process has started to some extent, or do normal hairs sometimes go through thin/short phases only to return to normal eventually?

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I would want to know if you are male or female and if you are having signs of balding present. What is your age?

People with miniaturized hair will find the hair to be more fragile and easier to be pulled out with combing and brushing. Large-toothed brushes are probably worth using as they do not place the full power of the ‘pull’ on each hair. If you are concerned about miniaturization, get your scalp mapped out for it and you will know for sure.