Category: Drugs

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Creatine and Hair Loss in 18 Year Old – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My son is 18 and was taking creatine on and off for 2 years. He is heavy into football and was weightlifting in preseason. LAst spring we noticed he was losing his hair. HE stopped the creatine in May.

We have been to his pediatrician in July and she thinks it will grow back. However itis now late Sept. and he is still losing some hair. I brought him to a dermatologist and he said use Rogaine and propecia. They are too expensive, plus the rogaine is not a routine I think he will use ona regular basis.

My question is this…Have you heard much about creatine and weight lifting in regards to hair loss? We are a pretty hairy family, but his Dad has a receding hairline.

Thanks

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Hair loss has been reported with use of creatine as one of the rare side effects. There is not enough sophisticated research on its rate of occurrence, but every now and then I see patients on creatine with an increased rate of hair loss (see Creatine and Hair Loss).

I recommend starting any patient with proven male pattern hair loss on just one medication and follow it for at least 6 months before adding another one. We usually perform microscopic evaluation of the scalp to check for miniaturization of hair before starting any of these medications. After 6 to 8 months, patients need to be evaluated with another miniaturization study to determine if another medication should be added if the first one has not been helping to decrease the level of miniaturized hair.

Most of the patients don’t need to be on two medications (minoxidil and Propecia), especially if they are not willing to take multiple medications for the rest of their lives. While using both can sometimes be quite helpful, stopping either medication will result in the loss of any benefits you received from that stopped medication. It is a big commitment to stick to both, particularly if you get results from just the one.

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Any Long Term Finasteride Studies? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi D0c.

Lets say I’ve been using finasteride for 6 months and then quit do to sides.

  1. I have a tricky one for you, right here! Is it possible that the androgen receptor located inside the follicle might increase it’s binding activity if the synthetic enzyme inhibitation
    suddenly stops?
  2. Any long-term studies on finasteride soon to come?

Thanks Doc, always a pleasure.

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Although I love hearing new theories, I don’t believe you are correct.

The drug finasteride at the 1mg dose has been on the market for nearly 10 years and there have not been problems reported other than the ones that I have discussed extensively on this blog and Merck has discussed in its publications on the drug. Whether new studies are currently being performed, I don’t have the answer to that.

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Each Week, I Take Avodart for 2 Days and Propecia for 5 Days – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello doctors.

First let me thank you for the great consultations you’re providing. My question is regarding the use of Avodart and Propecia together. Do you think they would interact negatively if I use propecia 5 days and Avodart 2 days every week? (or any such arrangement)

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That is not the recommended dose of Propecia (finasteride 1mg) or Avodart (dutasteride 0.5mg). You are really experimenting with this regimen and I do not know what positive or negative effects that would have. I think that you are overtreating your hair loss and with the Avodart you run the risk of a decreased sperm count.

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Minoxidil Is Regrowing My Juvenile Hairline – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’m a 23 year old male I have been using 5% minoxidil for 2 months. I’m noticing an increase of hair in my face as well as my juvenile hairline. I’ve read in previous posts that minoxidil isn’t supposed to work on this type of hair. My questions are that if I’m seeing increased hair in my face does this most likely mean it is also working in my scalp? Will I eventually loose the hair that is regrowing in my juvenile hair line and do you think this hair will grow long enough?

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I do not know! It may, but since I do not have the luxury to examine you in person, I couldn’t begin to guess. That being said, I don’t believe minoxidil will completely regrow your juvenile hairline… particularly in only 2 months.

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Hair Loss InformationI’ve Taken Finasteride Since I Was 17 Years Old, But I Don’t Know If It’s Working – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello!
I’ve been losing my hair since I was 14. I’m now 20. I was told I had MPB and the doctor said to take finasteride 1mg everyday. I’ve been taking finasteride for 3 years, and I don’t know if it’s really helping. No person have hair loss in my family. My dad started to develop temples at his 50’s. All my family have thin straight hair, but no sign of balding.

I have right now big temples and diffuse hair loss all over the top. I also can see small (1 cm) thick hairs all over my head that never grow. I have some problems like anxiety, stress, and I guess bad diet. Also I have very little appetite and I’m under my weight. But I’m working on solving it. I did a blood test and I got high bilirrubine levels. I’m trying to trigger my problem and see if it’s really MPB. So, I was thinking I could get another opinion from you. What do you think?

Thanks for your attention

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The key is establishing a measurement (metric) on the degree of miniaturization you have. No miniaturization present would mean that you are not balding from genetic male hair loss; progressive miniaturization extending from just the corners of your hairline to the top and back would indicate progression of the balding process.

Men who take Propecia (finasteride) can see if they slowed, stopped, or reversed the hair loss process when the scalp miniaturization map is compared over time. You need to get an expert to help you manage this process.

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Hair Loss InformationWhat If Minoxidil Came In Contact with My Recently Laser Treated Face? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello doctor, I’m a 31 year old male that is about to have have a CO laser treatment to remove a some acne scars I had gotten when I was younger. My plastic surgeon did a “test patch” too see if I’d have any pigmentation issues during the healing process. Duning that time, the COâ‚‚laser left my skin quite exposed, as it was raw from the treatment.

My question is, I currently use 5% Minoxidil twice a day and I’m worried what might happen to my treated skin if maybe a drop of Minoxidil accidently came in contact with it? I currently style my hair, after the Minoxidil has dried, I see the minoxidil particles that flake off when I brush. Could these dried airborne minoxidil particles create irrevocable damage to laser treated skin?

Thank you for your time and knowledge.

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Minoxidil can be irritating to the skin. Try to keep it away from fresh wounds. If you can not, then it may be best to stop the minoxidil for a week or two and then restart it. The flakes you are seeing may be dried skin being shed and not the minoxidil that has dried out. I would doubt that these flakes, whatever the cause, would give you problems.

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Hair Loss InformationI Feel Stubble on My Scalp – Is Hair Possibly Regrowing? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr,
I just posted a question to u before realizing to ask your advice on another topic. I’m 29 and have been taking propecia and minoxidil for the past year. I have noticed that some of the hair that i am losing is short but not necessarily finer than other hair. Also when i run my fingers over my scalp, i can feel a fair amount of stubble. Is this hair that is growing back or just a part of the hair loss process with hair falling out and growing back with a shorter life than before? If propecia and minoxidil is working for me then i shouldnt see the shorter hairs (about one inch long) falling out right?

Thanks for your advice on this difficult to understand topic!

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Unfortunately, I can not comment on your observations just based on what you wrote — I’d need to examine your scalp. What I generally do is examine the hair with a video microscope right where it is growing and then I can tell a great deal about the hair you are talking about. I know that when I had hair transplants, I felt the new hair breaking through, so I have some personal feelings that what you are reporting may be new hair.

With regard to your questions/comments on hair cycling, we know that minoxidil does impact the hair by increasing length of the hair growth phase, but these two medications (Propecia/Minoxidil) may kick in the telogen cycle when it is first started up, making the hair cycle shorter. There are many things that occur (possibly at the same time in some people), but I don’t know if you can draw any conclusions from a year’s experience with these drugs.

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Hair Loss InformationI Swear, This DHT Blocking Shampoo Is Working for Me! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’ve been using MiN New York’s shampoo for more than a year now and I swear it has worked wonders for my hair. The ingredients are all high-quality (no sulfates, etc.) and it contains all sorts of DHT blocking compounds. It’s the best shampoo I’ve ever used, and I’ve used a lot.

I know you are skeptical of a shampoo’s ability to re-grow hair, and rightfully so. I don’t think MiN re-grows anything; what it does is create a healthier scalp environment. You can’t grow good crops in poor soil, and the same goes for hair. I use 1mg finasteride in the morning, minoxodil at night and MiN products throughout the day. My hair looks better now than it has at any time over the last few years.

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MiNWell, I like that you are using standard medications (finasteride and minoxidil) with your MiN products. Without good controlled studies though, nobody can tell which drug or product is giving you the benefits you’re seeing.

The claim that this shampoo is a DHT blocker flunks FDA regulations by making a medical claim that can not be backed up by the type of scientific research that the FDA supervises in their approval process. Don’t believe everything you read.

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Hair Loss InformationDoctors Said I’m Balding, But Now I Think My Hairline Is Just Maturing – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Doctor,
Your website has helped me discover a lot about balding, so much so that it has led me to believe that my previous diagnosis of having MPB may be inaccurate. I am a 16 year old male who was told by two dermatologists to begin taking Rogaine Foam to stop my hairline from receding, and my hair on top from thinning. I’ve been taking it twice a day, every day. But my hairline has now evened out (i.e., the corners which had receded now match the middle length) and the hair on the top of my head, which still feels thinner than my other hair, does not seem to be anything more than normal. Could this be because of two months of Rogaine, or because I only had a maturing hairline and was misdiagnosed?

And if that is the case, is it safe for me to stop using the Rogaine?

Thank you

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If you are 16 years old and seeking the advice of dermatologist for hair loss, the doctor is likely to find that you have the development of a maturing hairline. After just 2 months of treatment with minoxidil, I would doubt that it had a major impact on you, but without the results of a microscopic examination of your hair to determine the degree or pattern of miniaturization, I cannot tell you if you are balding. I doubt stopping minoxidil will have a drastic impact on your hair loss at this time.

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Hair Loss InformationIf Rogaine / Regaine Is Working, Would I Still See Daily Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Doctor Rassman

I have a few question, I hope you can help. I have been on Regaine for 3 months and half now,my doctor has recommended me to use it after checking my scalp, he said im suffering from MPB. I have not seen much improvments or results, I still have a good hair density though..my hair line is still fine but its kind of receding.

At first and as stated on the regaine web site I knew that hair loss should be stopped by the 6th week of use, otherwise it may not be working. I still see hair loss every day and my doctor who prescribed me the regaine believes and as he told me on our last meeting that im seeing results and should keep on it. I dont know, Im confused.. my doctor believes I should not stop because its working and losing some hair everyday is normal and doesnt mean its not working. Therefore I have the following questions:

do you have any suggestions about my condition doctor??
do you really think I should not stop and keep on it??
and do you think losing some hair everyday is normal even if regaine is really working??

Bye

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RegaineUnfortunately, I do not have suggestions about your condition, because I have not examined you and I do not know the condition of your hair or the miniaturization state. If you are already under the care of a physician, you need to see your doctor and ask him/her these questions. You need a Master Plan to understand what is happening to you and where you are in the process. This plan will take into account the way you respond to the medications and what medications to use.

So if you’re looking for me to give you direction, I really can’t tell you to stop taking it or even to continue taking it, because I have not examined you to know if there are improvements or not. You should never stop or start any medication without consulting your prescribing doctor. What I can tell you is that you will likely continue to lose hair if you have male pattern baldness (MPB). You can slow it down with drugs such as finasteride (Propecia) or topical minoxidil (Rogaine — now marketed in the UK as Regaine), but to see any results, you need to continue using it at least 8 to 12 months so you can not tell where you are in the hair loss process.