Drugs – Page 192 – Balding Blog

September 15, 2008

Hair Loss After Using Androgel – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am a 59 year old male. I began taking Androgel due to low testosterone levels and ED. Shortly after taking this drug my hair began falling out.

I decided to try to increase my testosterone levels through diet and excercise and possibly supplements, so I stopped using the Androgel. 2 to 3 weeks later I am still experiencing hair loss. When can I expect the hair loss to stop?

Androgel or testosterone can cause accelerated androgenic alopecia (AGA), even at 59 years old. You should discuss your concerns with your doctor, as you should not stop or start any medication without talking with your prescribing physician. There may be medications (such as Propecia) to slow the hair loss, but again, please talk to your doctor.

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September 15, 2008

Yaz, Drospirenone, and Female Hair Loss – Balding Blog

I am officially confused!!! I have been researching oral contraceptives that are said to help improve conditions such as acne and thinning hair, and thought that Yasmin and YAZ were good candidates for these conditions. Did I misunderstand, or is Drospirenone(the progestin used in these OC’s)said to have nonandrogenic effects thus blocking excess testosterone which may lead to acne and hair loss?

Yaz Testosterone is generally not a cause of hair loss in women, but it may be in special types of medical conditions such as PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Drospirenone/Estradiol can cause hair loss (see Drugs.com). In fact, many drugs (if you read the label carefully) state in their side effect profiles that hair loss is a possibility. I’ve seen that Yaz’s list of rare side effects does say “increased hair growth, or loss of scalp hair” — so I guess it means that you could see more hair growth (not specifically on the scalp) or lose your head hair. You should not be choosing medications (birth control) based on improving your hair condition.

There are few drugs that are associated with hair growth, but unfortunately none of them will help your cause. For example, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine) can cause hair growth all over your body when taken orally, not just on your scalp — but please, do not drink minoxidil. I was referring more to the minoxidil oral pill called Loniten, a blood pressure medication. Also, finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) when taken orally, can help with genetic male pattern hair loss (not female hair loss).

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September 12, 2008

Remeron, Buspirone, HGH Releasers, and Propecia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

First I must say great website. I’ve looked on this thing at least 50 times this past year.

1. My shrink prescribed me Buspirone on top of my Remeron and I looked into the Buspirone and it warns about using it with ketoconazole (Nizoral) and I use the shampoo but I’m also aware that ketoconazole can be taken orally. So what I’m wondering is if the warning is directed towards the pill form of ketoconazole? My shrink says it should be fine but hair loss isn’t really her area of expertise. Also, I’ve been taking Propecia for almost two years and using Rogaine foam for a little over a year and was wondering if the Remeron or Buspirone would prevent Propecia or Rogaine Foam from doing it’s job. The answer I get from my doc is that it should be O.K. as far as she knows. Well, “SHOULD” and “AS FAR AS SHE KNOWS” isn’t the $200 an hour answer i’m looking for.

I ask this because also I’ve been taking HGH releasers for the past two months. One month less than I’ve been on the Remerol and I have experienced quite a bit of hair loss. I’m pretty sure it’s the HGH, but I want to be certain. And if it is the HGH, then people need to read section 2 of this post.

2. I’ve been using HGH releasers for two months. STAY AWAY from them if hair loss is your concern. I’ve had unrealistically awesome results in my frontal area hairline (including the temples) with rogaine foam and a halt in the actual loss process from Propecia (Actually I use Finax and it’s offensivly cheaper). Well, I’ve lost about 70% of the Rogaine dependent hair in the past two months. I just stopped the HGH so I can’t really say if it will grow back or not. I read on here before I made the purchase and saw negative posts about HGH but I wasn’t sure if these people were refering to the releasers or the injections, so I went for it and boy was that a bite on the ass. The brand I used was GenF20 (someone else on here complained about Jintropin, so I went with this one) and like all HGH releasers, they claim that they’ll help with hair loss and also a thicker density. Well it helped with hair loss all right. Helped me schedule an appointment with a Transplant Doctor.

Again, Great site. It’s been really helpful.

Those medications (buspirone and Remeron) can cause hair loss and HGH is also known to do it. Finasteride may help you and I do not see reasons for you not to take it, but you need to check this out with your doctor. Thanks for sharing all of the above information. I am sure that our readers will find it interesting.

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September 12, 2008

Women Using Rogaine Foam for Men? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I recently bought Rogaine Foam for men, because I wanted foam. When I got it home and thouroughly read it, it said not for women. I can’t find foam for women. My question is, is there any health side effects from the active ingred.and can women use the foam for men. My beautician told me she heard about good results with the foam.

Thank you.

If you are a woman losing hair, you can use Rogaine Foam (even though it says “for men”). In fact, I generally inform my female patients that they can use the “for men” brand. The only difference I have found is the “blue” vs “pink” color in the packaging and the concentration of the minoxidil. The “for men” stuff is usually 5% and the “for women” is 2%, though women can use the 5%.

The higher the concentration, the more of a potential for unwanted facial hair growth in some women. That being said, if you are a women that wants to use Rogaine Foam, that doesn’t mean the foam will guarantee you wake up with a moustache and beard. Just something you should watch for.

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September 11, 2008

Low Testosterone, Low DHT Levels — and Still Have Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Stats: Male, 26, 156lbs., 6′1″

Dr. Rassman,

I’ve been diagnosed with low testosterone, and I have had low testosterone since I was a teenager. As of a year or two ago, I started taking dutasteride. My DHT tests at 6 on a scale of (20-60.) To me, this sounds like the ideal envrionment for an absence of hairloss, or at least /very/ slow hairloss. However, my hairline has been receeding ever since I hit 19. I find this alarming, as testosterone and more specifically the metabolite DHT have been widely generalized to be “90%” of the cause of MPB.

Have you ever heard of a case of low testosterone and very low DHT levels STILL causing progressive hairloss? Have you any idea why this might occur?

You can have a very HIGH level of DHT and still have NO hair loss, so while DHT is a cause of male pattern hair loss, you must have the gene (or genes) for hair loss. Unfortunately for you, it seems you do have the genes for hair loss and these genes could be very active. If you have the hair loss genes, than even low levels of DHT will cause hair loss.

Did your doctor prescribe dutasteride to you? Considering your age, I would not be taking dutasteride as it is not yet approved by the FDA to treat hair loss and the long term effects are not known. Amongst the side effects are sterility in a small number of men on that drug. The drug is FDA approved to treat prostate issues, and the ages that were part of the drug studies were of an older set (double your age) that had a need for prostate medication.

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September 10, 2008

I Went from Incredibly High Libido with Propecia to Now Having Zero Libido – Balding Blog

Hello,

I began taking propecia when I was 20. Within 1 week, I was experiencing loss of libido and erection difficulties. I continued the drug, and within a month these sexual side effects disappeared. I continued using the drug for the next 3 years with an incredibly high libido. I just could not curb my sexual hunger.

However, suddenly in June 2007 I lost my ability to achieve erections for no apparent reason (i.e. it was a very happy time in my life). I lost all my morning erections. I have had morning erections everyday of my life since puberty. So I stopped propecia and temporarily regained my libido and erections for about 1 week, but there has been a slow decline in it since I’ve stopped propecia.

Its now been 14 months since I stopped propecia and my morning erections and libido have completely disappeared. My penis feels “detached” from my brain. I can now go weeks without ejaculating. Its just unreal. I’ve seen numerous doctors with no success.

I understand that thousands of people use propecia with no problems, (as I did for 3 years) but there seems to be a minority of us who are experiencing prolonged sexual side effects. These side effects have not subsided months to years after stopping propecia. I assure you that this is not psychological issue! I’ve been very open to that, but the reality is I am suffering from zero libido.

There are others like me at www.propeciahelp.com

Please help us.

While sexual side effects (both positive and negative) are reportedly associated with Propecia (finasteride), most men do not realize that erectile dysfunction is an independent problem in itself. In other words, you cannot always blame the drug. A reason Propecia is a prescription medication is so doctors can help deal with problems like yours, answering questions that you may need to have addressed. With a good doctor you must also explore or accept other possibilities as well. Discuss these issues with your prescribing physician. For more on erectile dysfunction, see the past post, Propecia Gave Me Side Effects — How Can I Get My Sex Drive Back?

I’ve seen the PropeciaHelp site and have commented on it in the past — here, here, and here.

September 9, 2008

Body Detox and Propecia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I was wondering if a body cleansing detox program would interfere with Propecia? If so, what kind of side-effects would occur?

I don’t think so, but I am not familiar with detox / body cleansing programs enough to tell you much about them. Are you talking about something like an enema on a regular basis? Or starvation? It sounds like you need to speak with your primary doctor and have a physical examination before starting such a program.

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September 9, 2008

Future Issues for Young Woman Taking Finasteride? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,

Thanks in advance for your time. I am a woman with PCOS who has experienced a great deal of hairloss in the past year and a half (my only symptom of PCOS is hairloss — I am on the pill to regulate my cycle). My doctor recently prescribed finasteride (5mg I believe?) but I am afraid to take it because of the harmful effects it is supposed to have on children. Could taking it now be harmful down the road? Is it a bad idea for a woman of my age to start on a drug she can never get off of, like this?

Desperate for answers.

Thank you.

If you are pregnant while you are on finasteride, the chances are high that your baby will develop a sexual differentiation problem. That includes accidental pregnancies, which is something that you must consider. That bit is strictly for women that take finasteride while pregnant — for men reading this, simply taking Propecia while trying to conceive a child should not be a concern. The word from Merck (pharmaceutical company) is:

“Available data indicate that the level of PROPECIA in the semen of a man taking PROPECIA does not pose a risk to an unborn child. Accordingly, a man can take PROPECIA while conceiving a child with his partner, or have sexual intercourse with his partner if she is already pregnant.”

Just a reminder, finasteride is not FDA approved for treating women, and your doctor prescribed it to you off-label. On its own, the drug is not harmful to women, that is, unless they harbor the breast or ovarian cancer genes. The good news is that once you are off of the drug, it is out of your blood stream in 1-2 days and out of your system in 1-2 weeks. Still, it is not recommended for use in women that could become pregnant. I assume you’ve asked these questions to your prescribing physician, as well?

This page has some good information on finasteride use in women — Finasteride for the treatment of female pattern hair loss.

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September 8, 2008

Clarify the Best Time to Take Propecia – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I didn’t really understand your answer to the best time to take propecia. You said the best time is in the morning because you get the half life of the drug being 4 hours thus reducing
concentration. Wouldn’t you want full concentration for better effects?

Like I’ve said in past blog posts, the best time to take Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is in the morning when your testosterone levels are at the highest. In reality and practicality, the best time to take Propecia is anytime you can remember to take it on a consistent (daily) basis.

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September 8, 2008

My Doctor Says to Take One Proscar Every 5 Days for Treating Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hey Dr. Rassman I have some question

My doctor says that to take one pill of 5mg finasteride (proscar) every 5 days amounts to take 1mg finasteride each days, i’m not sure he’s right, what do you think about it?

I have less than 20% of miniaturized hair all over my scalp (about 6% all over), but miniaturized hairs have not an equal diameters. Do you considered this as a MPB?

When consider you that the MPB is stabilized? No more miniaturization on the scalp?

Is the finasteride bad for the body-building (whithout steroids or anything else of course)?

thanks!

I hate overruling other physicians, but your doctor may be wrong. To treat hair loss, you need to take 1/4 pill of Proscar a day (ideally it would be 1/5 pill, but that is not practical to split into 5 equal pieces). If you take one full pill of Proscar (finasteride 5mg) once every 5 days, it would be be out of your system in 24 hours. There is some tissue (hair) fixation that may last 5 days, but that is not well documented and what it means is less documented.
If you have less then 20% of miniaturization over your scalp then you should not be on finasteride (Propecia / Proscar), because you don’t have male pattern baldness (MPB).
It is normal to have 10 to 20% miniaturization on your scalp as these may represent vellus hairs, not miniaturized hairs.
Finasteride has nothing to do with body building or exercise.

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