Hair Diseases – Page 13

November 3, 2011

I Lose Spots of Hair That Regrow White Before Changing to My Normal Color – Balding Blog

Hi doc

Im 51 and for many yrs now, i some times lose my hair. its always in a circle, in different spots on my head. Now it always grows back in white at 1st then it changes back to my normal color..why does it do this ????

You may have a condition called alopecia areata, as the stigmata of this type of hair loss is (as you describe) in circular patches that eventually regrow over time. I haven’t heard of the changing of hair color, though. Follow up with a doctor for a diagnosis, as I am taking a wild guess here.

In any case, the diagnosis of this disease is by biopsy of the area around the lesion. If it does happen to be alopecia areata, you can find more info here — National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

October 7, 2011

In the News – Alopecia Areata Treatment in Testing – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

New findings that show T-cell activation plays a critical role in the development of alopecia areata has opened new doors to treatment.

A report last year from a genome-wide association study involving 1,054 patients with alopecia areata (AA) and more than 3,000 controls, identified eight genes strongly linked to the disease (Nature 2010;466:113-7). One of the gene’s codes for a ligand, ULBP3, appears in the dermal sheath of hair follicles in patients with AA. The ULBP3 ligand appears responsible for attracting the cluster of T cells that produce the characteristic histopathology of affected hair follicles, Angela M. Christiano, Ph.D., said at the meeting.

Block Quote

Read the rest — Genetic Basis of Alopecia Areata Leads to Abatacept Trial

Abatacept is a rheumatoid arthritis medication marketed as Orencia. The study will include 56 patients receiving either an abatacept or placebo injection over the course of 6 months.

Dr. Christiano is a top physician that has made treating alopecia areata her mission, and I hope this study shows some promise for those suffering with this disease.

October 4, 2011

Wolff-Parkinson White Syndrome and Hair Transplants – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, thank you for providing your blog as a source of information. I’m a 40 y.o. male and recently had an appointment for a transplant to correct some mild thinning in the frontal and temple area… approximately 800 grafts. I was literally minutes from the procedure when the doctor learned that I was diagnosed with Wolf Parkinson White syndrome as a teen and informed me that he would not continue with the transplant. From a providers perspective, is this the consensus of the industry as a whole or are there still transplant options available to me? Thanks in advance

Block Quote

There is no contraindication to an outpatient surgery (such as a hair transplant procedure) for patients with WPW. Moreover, if you were diagnosed with WPW in your teenage years, I would assume you have had it treated with ablation. If you were not treated with ablation, I would think you should be followed by a cardiologist.

August 29, 2011

Could Hair Cloning or SMP Work for Someone with DUPA? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr. Rassman:

Once again, thank you for contributing to a great blog.

I am a 32 yr old white male with dark hair. Approximately 2 years ago I first noticed thinning hair on the Crown (about the size of a ping pong ball). I went on propecia and have been on it ever since. There has not been any visible progression (at least to the naked eye). In terms of family history, all of my immediate family members have their hair except once uncle in his 50s has a bald spot around his crown. My one deceased grandfather buzzed his hair but according to my Dad, still hair hair (not completely bald).

I went for a consultation with a hair transplant doctor who advised me that I would need around 2000 grafts to cover that space but since I have an unstable permanent zone (i.e. miniaturization) he did not recommend it.

The doctor did not use the acronym “DUPA” but is that what he was essentially saying?

I have had fine hair since I was in my teens. Is DUPA progressive or stable? I have what appears to be a full head of hair – will it stabalize here or continue to progress?

Dr. Bernstein states that those with DUPA can look “fine” if they keep their hair very short. Does he mean short as in the same look achieved through scalp micro pigmentation?

Can scalp micro pigmentation be of use to someone with DUPA?

There has been a lot of discussion about hair cloning/manipulation being available commercially within 10 years (according to Dr. Bernstein). In your professional opinion, do you think such an advancement be of any use to someone with DUPA?

Block Quote

1. Genetic male pattern baldness doesn’t include the permanent zone, so diffuse loss there could be DUPA.

2. DUPA is often progressive, but it can be stable for a number of years. These conditions tend to be unstable if it is associated with genetic balding.

3. No, not that short. I am sure Dr. Bernstein means clipping it to 1/4 or 1/3rd inch.

4. It can be, but I do not like to generalize on this without examining your scalp and hair loss.

5. That 10 year mark has been moving every year. There’s no use speculating on what cloning can or can’t do for treating various issues, as it won’t be commercially available in the near future. If hair cloning becomes closer to reality, I’m sure the answers will come.

August 18, 2011

Can Pseudopelade Scars Be Cut Out? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi, I’m curious to find out if it is possible to cut out small scared areas when doing a transplant. I’m a 21 year old male and have many burnt out scars from the last six years of living with Pseudo-pelade.

It seems to have been inactive for a number of years and I’d like to get transplantation to get the density of my hair back with transplants into the small effected areas (about the size of a pen tip), however, is it also possible to make larger scars (about the size of the tip of the little finger in size and shape) made smaller by excision since I understand it is hard to transplant hair into large scars?

Thanks

Block Quote

Brocq Pseudopelade is a scarring alopecia and is difficult to treat. If the disease has taken its course and not changed much in the past few years, the objectives for a local small surgery are clearly defined, and if the area being addressed is located in a place that tends to heal well, then surgery may have value – provided that your expectations are not great.

For the general audience, take a look at this condition to appreciate the area needing treatment (photo link).

I just performed Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) on a very extensive case of this and although he would not grant me permission to post his before and after photos for this post, I have to say that the results were spectacular. Of course, this man had been shaving his head and was used to making everything seen uniform.

August 2, 2011

Cubs Manager Mike Quade’s Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m watching the Cubs game on ESPN tonight and I noticed their manager Mike Quade appears to have no hair on his head at all, including a lack of eyebrows and maybe even eyelashes. Thats gotta be alopecia right? I didn’t realize it could cause complete hair loss like that. I thought it was more spotty.

Block Quote

After looking at some photos, I immediately assumed that this was some form of alopecia areata (probably totalis or universalis), so I looked into it a little to see if he’s spoken about it in the press. Sure enough, an article about Mike Quade in the NY Times from last year says, “Quade was 3 when he was found to have alopecia areata, a condition that caused him to lose his hair. Playing sports, he said, was a path to acceptance, a means of softening the taunts from other children.”

So there you go. Different forms of alopecia areata can cause different types of loss, and you can learn more about them at the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) site. It appears that Mike Quade has alopecia universalis.

Another professional sports figure with alopecia areata that comes to mind is NBA player Charlie Villanueva, and he is as a spokesperson for the NAAF.

July 28, 2011

Hair Loss InformationUlcerative Colitis and Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have been on finisteride since 2004 which is working great. I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2009. Been UC free for two years but got it back in 2010. I still have it a year later, although only in MILD form. My hair did change in texture while a tad thinner. Now, although my vitamin levels have been fine, could the hair thinning be from the UC alone or the medication?

I took Asacol the first time I had it with no side effects. This time, I took it as well as the masalamine enemas. Since it has lasted a year this time around, could it be the meds or the UC alone? Also, any chance of my hair re-thickening? I was wondering how long I should wait until I visit Dr. Bernstein again. It will be greatly appreciated if all questions are answered!!

Block Quote

Asacol does list hair loss as an uncommon, but known, side effect. Maybe it’s the medication or a combination with MPB… or even the UC itself. I do not treat many patients with ulcerative colitis in my practice so perhaps your GI doctor can address your concerns as well.

Hair loss or hair thinning can certainly happen from major stress or illness on your body. This type of hair loss generally should reverse itself in about a year’s time. But often, I find that patients never quite regain their hair. Maybe you should call Dr. Bernstein for another consultation (I’m not sure when your last visit was).

July 27, 2011

Garlic Gel for Treating Alopecia Areata? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

For those of us with Alopecia Areata, – this study may be beneficial to you guys. The study is quite positive. Please read the link below:

Link: Local Study on Garlic for Alopecia Areata

Block Quote

Garlic Nice find and thanks for sending. I don’t recall seeing too much about using garlic as an alopecia areata treatment.

This was a small study of 34 people presented last year at a conference in Australia. It does sound interesting, and I found another small alopecia areata study discussing the use of topical garlic gel in combination with betamethasone valerate, but I don’t know that the study mentioned in the link you sent was ever published in a peer reviewed journal. While the article is from the Philippine Dermatological Society site, it just mentions that the presentation was by one of their members…not that it was published in a medical journal.

I am glad there are new alopecia areata treatments being explored, regardless of how stinky they may be. And it’s worth noting that a few years ago the NY Times wrote about unlocking the secrets of garlic for use in medicine.

July 15, 2011

What Happened to Steve Jobs’ Hair? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Dr. Rassman,

This question is a little bit different, but I’m curious what your opinion is.

What happened to Steve Jobs’ hair? If you look here, he had a good head of hair until he was about 40, and then it all disappeared. Now I know Steve Jobs is a sick man, and has probably had several chemo treatments, but I always thought hair grew back after chemo. I also thought that if you didn’t have some hair loss in your younger years (20-30), that you would probably never progress to the level of balding Mr. Jobs has. Do you think his hair loss is genetic, or cancer-related?

Thanks!

Block Quote

While it is possible to lose hair later in life due to genetics, we can’t discount what Steve Jobs has gone through with all of his medical issues over the past decade or so. It looks like he was losing hair in his late 30s and 40s, and then he got ill, possibly exacerbating the hair loss issue and leading to weight loss.

Simply put — When chronic illness hits, you lose hair. His multiple medical problems (liver transplant, pancreatic cancer) clearly impacted his hair.

July 15, 2011

Scarring Alopecia Related to a Tumor? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I just had a tumor removed during what was anticipated to be a basic appendectomy. Fortunately, my doctor has assured me that the prognosis is excellent and that I don’t have any reason to anticipate any further complications. About 5 yrs ago I was diagnosed with a form of scarring alopecia. What are the chances that I unknowingly have been suffering from a “secondary” form of the alopecia that is directly related to this tumor?

Block Quote

You’re probably referring to this quote from the Cicatricial Alopecia Research Foundation: “In secondary cicatricial alopecias, destruction of the hair follicle is incidental to a non-follicle-directed process or external injury, such as severe infections, burns, radiation, or tumors.”

That being said, I do not believe your scalp hair loss has any relationship to the tumor you had in your abdomen.