Category: Hair Diseases

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Hair Loss InformationSeborrheic Dermatitis and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr.I wanted to follow up with you. I wanted to let you know what I’ve found out after three trips to my primary care doctor. I gave blood twice and had it checked for thyroid, full panel scan, cancer and HIV to name a few. Plus chest x-rays.I have all normal levels and no HIV. I’ve been diagnosed with seborrheic dermatitis on my face and scalp. When I started using the brow conditioner is about the time my eyebrow hair started falling out. The areas it was applied, started flaking bad. I am still having hair loss in my eyebrow and some on my temple areas with itching. I hear hair loss is normal with seborrheic dermatitis? I notice the eyebrow hairs falling often have a piece of dry skin attached to the base. How long can I expect to have hair loss now that I’m being treated with desonide cream? Will the hair grow back once the seborrheic dermatitis clears? If not when can I consider scalp and eyebrow transplants. Will they be successful? Thanks.

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The role of seborrheic dermatitis in hair loss is debated. Patients with seborrheic dermatitis may lose hair indirectly due to the inflammation of the skin that can accelerate telogen effluvium, which is reversible in most cases. The other mechanism of hair loss in these patients is through traction alopecia by scratching and rubbing hair. Traction alopecia is reversible in many cases. A small group of patients with baldness due to chronic traction alopecia may never grow hair back and a hair transplant may become necessary and could be done successfully after the skin inflammation is over. Before embarking on a transplant for the eyebrows, be sure that you have controlled the seborrheic dermatitis. This should be easy for a good dermatologist.

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Hair Loss InformationPsoriasis in Donor Area – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have psoriasis (as know, non-curable) in a part of my potential donor area. Does this rule me out as a candidate for a transplant from that location? Is it possible to use other parts of the donor area since I have good overall density?

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Psoriasis does not move, so it stays where ever it originally was (in the donor area in your example) and will not be transplanted to the recipient area. The psoriasis needs to be under good control if one is to use the skin from impacted areas for the donor site. One could be selective where the donor is taken from, but this will reflect supply and demand relationships for the donor supply and the size of the bald area.

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Hair Loss InformationDermatologists Specializing in Alopecia? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

In one of your comments you noted that there are certain dermatologists that specialize in the treatment of alopecia areata. Could you please provide the names of any that you are aware of (particularly those on the east coast as I live in the DC Metro area). Thanks.

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You need to go to your family doctor and ask that question. Each doctor in each city has worked out the referral patterns for their patient’s best interests. I have a good doctor referral that has built a reputation — Dr. Richard Strick at UCLA in Los Angeles. You might check with the National Alopecia Areata Foundation for other sources.

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Hair Loss InformationUlerythema Ophryogenes and Hair Transplants – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

1.I have a condition called Ulerythema Ophryogenes, i was thinking of getting hair transplants but i was wondering would they just fall out.

2.Also how often do eyebrow hairs usually fall out and regrow

Thank you for your help

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According to eMedicine: “Ulerythema ophryogenes, a rare cutaneous disorder, is characterized by inflammatory keratotic facial papules that may result in scars, atrophy, and alopecia. This disorder has been described in association with other congenital anomalies such as Noonan syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome, or Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome.”

Unfortunately, this is a rare condition that not many doctors (especially hair transplant doctors) have significant experience with. That being said, if you have this condition and also have genetic androgenic alopecia (or male pattern balding) your donor hair (in the back of scalp) should be considered permanent hair. There is no reason for me to believe that a hair transplant may not be successful. There may be a slight increased risk of scarring or discoloration on the recipient area.

With respect to the eyebrows that may be lost with this condition, a hair transplant may also work, but with the same caveat as outlined above. The growth rate (or the cycle rate) of eyebrow hair is different than that of scalp hair and it follows a one to two month cycle.

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Meds for Temple Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

hi i’m 24 years old male and have noticed a slight loss of hair about an inch long in a triangular shape at both sides of my temple, is there any medication which helps this area, ive been taking procerin for nearly a year but am not sure if its working or not, thanks in advance

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I would need to see what you are talking about. There is a genetic disorder called triangular alopecia that you may be describing. If you have this condition, medications probably will not help.

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My Teenage Son Has Alopecia and Wants Laser Hair Removal – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

My son, has had alopecia since age 13, when he turned 19 this year he started having laser treatments on his scalp to permantly remove the rest of his hair in order to look more uniformed and without patchiness. After 6 treatments already, the patchiness still exist, but permant damage was done in some areas. Is he now scarred for life @ age 20. Please help!!! He would like all of his hair removed nice and smooth skin, I wish he never would have had laser to begin with and had hoped for hair to regrow. Is regrowth ever possible now?

Regrowth of hair in the presence of active alopecia areata is likely not possible. I would need to evaluate him to understand the complex process and findings you are telling us about. Am I correct to assume that the lasers produced skin damage? Was it skin discoloration or is it real scarring? Is your son also balding from genetic causes? What was the last time he had a diagnosis for determing if the alopecia areata is active now? There are a number of doctors who specialize in the treatment of alopecia areata — has he seen any? It seems your son wants to be bald. There is nothing wrong with being bald (or shaving the head), but being scarred is a problem. Please send me photographs and if they are good quality, I can review the problem with you.

As an aside, bald has been coming into style in recent years and has been more accepted by the “hip” young men of today. It should be clear to most people that the option to shave the head may be lost if you have a hair transplant procedure performed. Anyone with a good hair transplant that uses strip harvesting would have a noticable scar if the head was shaved, even if the scar was only 1mm width in size. This is also true even with the minimally invasive follicular unit extraction (FUE) technique where punctate scars (1mm in size) may be present. The presence of a Master Plan is critical in whatever you do.

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Treatment for Dermatitis in Eyebrows? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,
Not only I have dermatitis on my eyebrows but my eyebrows are getting thinner. A dermatologist gave me a treatment for my dermatitis (carefully rubbing the treatment on my eyebrows) but I am too afraid to touch my eyebrows now. I rather to have an oral treatment for my dermatitis, and an oral treatment to regrow my eyebrow hairs (if there is any). Also I am planning on getting my eyebrows transplanted, though would that help against my dermatitis, and a hair transplant cost A LOT OF MONEY!!!

Topical medications work best for dermatitis. Regrowing eyebrows that are lost from manipulation can be difficult or impossible (if the hair has been lost from traction). Transplants will be exposed to the same dermatitis condition as the original eyebrow. Sounds like you need to get the primary problem under control first. Transplant only after the dermatitis is controlled.

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Hair Loss InformationAlopecia Areata Gene? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr you responded to one of my questions suggesting that I get tested for the alopecia areata gene…i contacted the naaf & the person i spoke with said she is not aware if testing for the gene is possible, can you tell me if you know otherwise and where i can get this testing done?

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Angela Christiano, a researcher at Columbia University, studied alopecia areata and alopecia totalis in populations of families. She found genetic evidence that made people prone to this disease. I found this article in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology, Alopecia areata: current state of knowledge, which could be another starting point for your research. Here is an abstract of the article:

Blaumeiser B РJ Am Acad Dermatol Р01-APR-2006; 54(4): 627-32, From NIH/NLM MEDLINE, NLM Citation ID: 16546583 (PubMed) Full Source Title: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium. bettina.blaumeiser@ua.ac.be Authors: Blaumeiser B; van der Goot I; Fimmers R; Hanneken S; Ritzmann S; Seymons K; Betz RC; Ruzicka T; Wienker TF; De Weert J; Lambert J; Kruse R; N̦then MM

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Familial aggregation of alopecia areata (AA) has been previously described, but systematic studies with information obtained directly from family members have yet to be undertaken. OBJECTIVE: We sought to study the pattern of familial aggregation of AA by assessing the affection status of patients’ relatives. The study included 206 index patients with a total of 1029 first-degree and 2625 second-degree relatives. METHODS: First-degree relatives were directly interviewed, whereas information on second-degree relatives was obtained by interviewing the index patients and their first-degree relatives. RESULTS: Estimated lifetime risks were 7.1% in siblings, 7.8% in parents, and 5.7% in offspring. The risk in second-degree relatives was slightly higher than the reported population risk. Age at onset in index patients and first-degree relatives was significantly correlated. LIMITATIONS: Using patients drawn from specialized hair clinics may have produced results showing a higher proportion of early onset and severe cases. CONCLUSION: The familial aggregation of AA supports the role of genetic factors in the development of the disease. In addition, our data indicate genetic factors might contribute to the age at onset of AA.

For a Complete Review, you might locate the following article: Alopecia areata: current state of knowledge. Norris D – J Am Acad Dermatol – 01-JUL-2004; 51(1 Suppl): S16-7 From NIH/NLM MEDLINE Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, CO 80262, USA.

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Hair Loss InformationIron Deficiency, Birth Control, Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Is it true that iron deficiency in women can cause hair loss that may appear to be AGA? If so, does supplementation actually help?

Also, do you know if oral birth control pills (Ortho-tricycline lo) can cause progressive hair loss while on them. I am not refering to hair loss after discontinuing but progressive loss over time.

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Iron deficiency with or without anemia has been reported as a cause of hair loss. Hair loss seen in iron deficient patients is typically more diffuse. In patients who are prone to male pattern baldness, iron deficiency can speed up the hair loss process.

Birth control pills or medications that manipulate the estrogen balance can cause hair loss as well. Although any medication containing estrogen may cause hair loss, the opposite also occurs and in some situations estrogen may be protective. Excessive hair loss (telogen effluvium) could be often seen in withdrawal from estrogen, or in postpartum phase and can last about a year after the baby is born.

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Hair Loss InformationSeborrheic Dermatitis and Minoxidil – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have had patches of sebhorrheic dermatitis on my scalp since I was little but since I started using Monoxidil for my hair loss it has spread over my entire scalp. My doctor perscribed the strongest medication that she could prescribe (clobetasol propionate) and it isn’t working at all. I just started using the monoxidil 3 months ago and was wondering if my scalp will eventually adjust and stop itching and flaking as bad?

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It sounds like you are reacting to the minoxidil, which can increase the flaking of the scalp. You are probably not a candidate for minoxidil, so try stopping it for a week or two and see if the problem goes away. When people react to this medication, it usually does not get better and may actually get worse. Long term use of topical steroids are risky, so be careful.