Category: Hair Loss Causes

I am going through memopause. Can I reverse my thinning hair by taking HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy).

This is not a black and white answer that I am about to give you. We do know that Menopause does induce hair loss in up to 50% of women, but the use of HRT does not always address the hair loss, although it may bring some benefit. As the estrogen level drops with menopause, the androgen (like testosterone) levels rise and that induces androgenetic alopecia just like it does in men but mostly without a patterned balding look. The androgen sensitivity in women who carry the genes for balding is sometimes treated with finasteride (Propecia) and sometimes this treatment works. The success of finasteride is not a certainty as many women do not respond to it at all. With HRT, the treatment tries to replace the low estrogen that is associated with menopause and we know that estrogen supports good hair growth, so many doctor prescribe HRT when women show thinning or some balding. There is a great deal of controversy in treating menopause with HRT. There is an association between breast and ovarian cancer risks that may rise with HRT as well as other risks which include heart disease and stroke. Not every woman started on HRT for thinning hair will reverse the thinning hair. One has to weigh in on the risks associated with the treatment concerning cancer, heart risks and stroke against the benefit for possibly reversing the thinning hair. This is best worked out with your family doctor, rather than a hair transplant surgeon.

This is a female in her late 20s with general thinning hair on the top and crown area. She is not a candidate for a hair transplant surgery. Her hair was not as full looking as she wanted. With SMP, it looked much thicker. SMP was the right solution in her case and she was thrilled.

NHI_ Female_Scalp Micropigmentation SMP With Long Hair

Many patients ask how their hair will look like after surgery. In general you can get redness and scabs for about one to two weeks depending on how well you wash your hair.

This particular patient healed well and there is no significant redness of scabbing after 10 days!

More interesting is the fact he had long hair in the back and we needed to shave the back of his head for the FUE. But we only shaved a square section of the back of his head so that his hair on top covered the shaved area. The photo you see was taken 10 days after FUE. Unless you move the hair up or to the sides (as we did for this photo) you really cannot tell the back of his head was shaved.

NHI FUE _No Scabs 10 DAYS POST OP

NHI_ 1200 FUE_Hidden with Long Hair – 10 DAYS POST OP

Dr. Rassman, you once expressed an opinion, that hair transplant candidates should go ahead and get their hair now while they are young enough to enjoy it. Will I however be able to restore all the hair, which is harvested from the donor in a FUE, IF cloned hair one day becomes available? Do you believe that the cloned hairs can be implanted into the donor with the density as high as it was before the FUE?

My opinion remains the same. Let’s start with the basics: Hair transplant procedure is a cosmetic procedure to make you look better. If you don’t like your balding or your receding hair line and you have hair transplant procedure, you can enjoy your hair now. You don’t have to wait for cloning which still may take another 15 years and unlike a baby which we know arrives 9 months after conception, the arrival of hair cloning has been predicted as just around the corner since 1989! I always stress the Master Plan and the importance of being informed with a competent and ethical doctor who should give you a realistic expectation for your hair loss possibilities. Then you and your doctor, knowing where you are in the balding process, can set the goals you want to achieve. Hair transplant does not restore all your hair since it is basically moving hair from one location to another location. If or when cloning of hair becomes available, you will still need the same type of hair transplant to add more hair. Theoretically you will have an endless supply of hair and your hair density can be as high or higher than what you started with, but what good will it do for you if you are 80 years old when hair cloning is available.

FDA says there is little evidence testosterone treatment works.

The NBC Nightly News (9/3, story 6, 0:30, Williams) reported in its broadcast that the FDA “says there’s little evidence that testosterone boosting drugs taken by millions of American men are actually effective.” NBC notes that the agency also pointed out that it’s not convinced they carry serious risk either. “The condition has been marketed as low ‘T’ and the medications are offered to help with low sex drive and fatigue among some men,” notes NBC.

The FDA’s comments come ahead of a public meeting “to discuss the benefits and risks of treatments that raise levels of the male hormone” on Sept. 17, according to the AP (9/4, Perrone). The meeting comes after two federally funded studies “found links between testosterone therapy and heart problems in men.” The AP also testosterone boosting treatments have come under the spotlight “amid an industry marketing blitz for new pills, patches and formulations that has transformed testosterone a multibillion-dollar market.”