Category: Drugs

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If I Don’t Want to Use Minoxidil for Life, Should I Even Bother Starting It? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am female and decided to have an FUE transplant of 1200 grafts just to fill the front centre. I have some existing native hairs there but it was just getting very thin and more and more difficult to conceal.

I am now due to start the minoxidil foam 2%. I was advised i should use the foam once a day in the evening for at least 6 months. I do not wish to use minoxidil for life and would stop after the 6 months. My question is whether i should use it at all if i plan to stop..? is it necessary to use after surgery? Will it cause more hair loss if I stop after 6 months?

Many thanks

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You must use minoxidil for life to maintain any benefits you may see from it. If you do not plan to stick with a minoxidil treatment beyond just 6 months, I don’t really see a point in starting it. If you do start and then stop after 6 months, you will lose any hair that regrew from the medication… though it’s not likely you would’ve seen much regrowth after only 6 months anyway.

Follicular unit extraction (FUE) to the middle of the head for increased density may have a negligible impact. A reasonable alternative to your surgical plan might be Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP), as it is less expensive and the results are instantaneous. See an example female patient here — Bride-to-Be Received SMP Before Her Wedding to Cover Her Thinning Scalp.

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Hair Loss InformationIs Rogaine Making it Hard to Concentrate and Changing My Head Shape? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi doctor,
I know its a really silly question but I am really obsessed with this issue. I am applying rogaine solution on my scalp everyday since I was 17. I am 23 now. I think I noticed that my head shape have dramatically changed due to the constant pressure. Its getting longer and slimmer and there is a bulge on my head. Is minoxidil or constant pressure to my head causing this situation? And my last question is, does rogaine affect my learning ability? When I apply this product, it retains me to concentrate on my daily issues. And I hardly understand what I read.

Thank you,
Regards

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Feeling a “constant pressure” on your scalp doesn’t sound like something that I’ve encountered from Rogaine (minoxidil). I doubt that your head shape has changed, and while the drug does get absorbed your body, I also doubt that it is impacting your ability to learn or concentrate.

You should see a doctor about what you’re describing for an exam, as it could be unrelated to the medication.

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Any Considerations for an 18 Year Old That Wants to Start Propecia? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

My son has shown signs of balding from the age of 14/15. We have very successfully been using minoxidil, and he has just turned 18. We are about to start propecia and I would like to confirm that there are no additional considerations I need to take into account because of his age.

Many Thanks

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Yes, you should have him visit a doctor who uses the HairCheck device, which is a bulk measurement tool for the hair. I believe that this is important, because it tells us where he started from, then in a year when the measurement is repeated it will tell us where he is going with his hair loss.

I have recently had two patients who had their hair bulk measured with us when they were 16 and 17 years old. One was stabilized on Propecia (finasteride) and the other showed a downhill course on his hair loss. That meant some important counseling needs to be considered if he has emotional problems resulting from balding before he turns 20.

In the case of your son, he is 18 years old and has completed puberty. If a young man was to start the drug at say 14 years old, I don’t know what the growth effects might be. I don’t believe that clear documentation is available to answer that question.

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Hair Loss InformationWhen Should I Apply Minoxidil After I Take a Shower? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have thinning hair on the top of my head. Should I apply minoxidil after a shower when the hair is still damp, or wait till it dries? If I apply when it is wet, it seems like more gets to the scalp since less gets absorbed by the hair and is easier to apply in between the hairs. But if the skin is nearly saturated with water, won’t less medicine get absorbed? The instructions don’t cover this.

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I would use a towel to dry your hair and then apply minoxidil while the scalp circulation is increased from the warm water.

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I’ve Been Taking Finasteride for Years, So What Should My Next Step Be? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Cheers doctor. I live in the UK and there is not much information regarding hair loss as there is in America. I have been steadily going bald for the past 14 years and have been on proscar for some time. My doctor was reluctant to put me on proscar but finally gave in, bless him. Anyways, fast forward to now, I am 32 years old and have been seeing an increase in my hair loss in my temple area, hairline, and behind it. It is not that noticeable yet because nobody has really commented on the loss but I know in certain lighting it is very apparent and when I style my hair in different ways it is apparent.

What are the stages I should be taking at this point?
A. Continue with the medication or not take it anymore because I am losing hair regardless
B. Wait for my hair loss to continue until I have a more prominent bald spot and then go for a procedure
C. Go for a procedure now and try and stay on top of my balding
D. Get those micro dot tattoos on my thinning area
E. Do nothing and hope for the best

I always wondered about people who stay on top of their balding but the problem is when they start losing the hair behind their implants or their donor hair runs out, that is what is sort of preventing me from doing anything. Your comments and feedback would really be appreciated. Cheers.

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There is no substitute for a good doctor to help you in this process. If you are really losing hair, then stopping Proscar (finasteride) could be a disaster that would lead to “catch-up” hair loss. I assume the Proscar you’re taking is cut into 4 or 5 pieces, and not the full table, which would be too much medication for treating hair loss.

You don’t need to necessarily wait for more prominent balding before you plan for surgery, but as hair loss is progressive, your pattern would need to be determined so that any surgery accounts for potential future balding. Having Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP) is also a possibility, depending on the hairstyle you plan on having. I can’t really answer your questions without pictures at a minimum.

So really, your next step should be to sit down with a good doctor (you are fortunate to have both Drs. Bessam and Nilofer Farjo in the UK) and build a Master Plan with them.

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I Keep Seeing Stuff About TRX2 in the In-Flight Magazines When I Travel – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

What is TRX2? I’ve never even heard about it prior to seeing it mentioned in two in-flight magazines on my travels this year; yet it boasts on it’s website that it is Europe’s number one best selling hair loss medication. How does it differ from propecia? Does it really have no side effects whatsoever as the in-flight article claims? I’m sensing there is a catch. Is it more expensive than propecia; why have I never heard of it before?

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The way it differs from Propecia (finasteride) is that Propecia is an FDA approved hair loss medication with peer reviewed studies of efficacy and safety, while TRX2 is some sort of dietary supplement without any FDA approval. The ingredients in it should not work at all in curing or treating balding, though I’m sure it does allow the maker of the product to become quite rich.

We’ve written about TRX2 before here and here. I’m not impressed by the product, though their marketing efforts seem to be working to their advantage.

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Hair Loss InformationI Used Minoxidil for a Couple Years, But Then Got Severe Dandruff and Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I am 25 years old and have used minoxidil for two years but around a year back I got severe hair loss along with dandruff. Now the condition is worse than it was 3 years back, when I had started the treatment.

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Hair loss is progressive, so having the loss increase over time is not unusual. Minoxidil doesn’t block the DHT that causes hair loss, and many people get increasing dandruff from its use.

If you decide to stop the medication, you should realize that this could rapidly cause hair loss, as many people build dependencies on this drug when it works well. Have you seen a dermatologist?

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Did Taking an Acne Pill Cause Provillus to Stop Working? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I started with the 6 month trial offer of provillus after noticing a thinning hair line. I was skeptical at first with the knowledge that hair was still falling out while using the product because the product was pushing out dead hair to grow new strands. But about four weeks in I had great results with a filled in hair line. The product continued working so well for months and I decided to grow my hair out a little longer than my usual buzz cut.

I eventually stopped using the product as much,skipping applications certain times but not too often. One day I noticed my hair was the longest it’s been in a while so I decided to buzz it again to about a #2 short length. When I did this, that is when I noticed my hair line had began to thin again some where along the line, which I could not see under the longer hair. I then began to make sure I didn’t skip any more applications day or night.

During this week my results with the product began to change for the worst. My scalp began to get irritated and flakey with heavy dandruff and even small scabs appearing. I noticed that my hair was very weak and fragile at this point, and it began falling out the same way it did before I started provillus. *about a month prior to this bad result period, I began using an acne pill called acnepril to treat my acne symptoms.

So my question is: do you think my taking this acne treating pill has any correlation to why provillus stopped working for me? Or is there any other reason it may have stopped working??

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As I do not professionally think that Provillus works any better than generic minoxidil (Provillus is just a boutique combination of minoxidil and some herbs), I can not tell you how your Provillus interacted with your acne medication. From what I just read about Acnepril, it is just a multivitamin.

If you’re serious about treating your hair loss and acne, I would consult with a dermatologist… not tinker with so called “all natural” herbals.

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I’ve Got Stress, My Wife Finds Balding Men Sexually Repulsive, and Now I’m Worried I’m Losing Hair – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,

I am 36yr old male and have just had a baby as well as a herniated disc which incapacitated me for 3 months (this was on top of an interstate move and loss of my job). I received an epidural steroid injection to minimize the pain. I am now on the road to recovery, however my hair is falling out at an alarming rate, I would estimate a 30%-35% loss but have not noticed my hairline receding. I am noticing many hairs on my computer keyboard, pillow in the sink etc etc. I also have pretty bad dandruff at present.

I have always had VERY thick hair as does my father (he’s 74 now and still with a full head) but my uncle and grandfather on my mothers side are bald. I think i am noticing small re-growth hairs on my hairline but read that this is actually the hairline receding. I am very worried as my wife has always told me she finds balding or bald men kind of repulsive (sexually). I of course went to my docs who took bloods and found everything was normal so i asked for a referral to a dermatologist but the only clinic in Portland OR cant see me for 4 months. I find myself in a catch 22 cycle of worry, please help.

My questions are as follows….,

May i be experiencing stress related hair loss and if so will the hair that has fallen out grow back?

If i shave my head now will that affect regrowth if it indeed occurs or will it just speed up the process of my ‘losing everything’?

I have read that Rogaine does not work on the front of the scalp, is Propecia my ‘best bet’?

Best Regards

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You might be experiencing stress related hair loss. If you have the genetics for losing hair, stress induced loss might become permanent. Otherwise, it should hopefully be a temporary hair loss. Try to get your stress under control and have some patience that your hair may regrow within a year.

If you shave your head, you will have a shaved head with the same amount of hair follicles which will grow out to the same status as you are now, unless you are losing hair. Shaving the head doesn’t speed up hair loss or induce hair growth.

Before you make a decision on going on any hair medication, do two things:

  1. Send me photos of your head from various angles and with your hair pulled back and your eyebrows lifted high. Reference this post when sending.
  2. Find a doctor in your area that can provide a hair bulk analysis with the HairCheck instrument which will absolutely let you know where you hair is being lost, if at all.

I wait anxiously to hear from you, as it sounds like you are coming into a personal crisis.

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Hair Loss InformationIn the News – Can Hair Loss Drugs Cause Injuries to Athletes? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from the article:

Arsene Wenger has warned that professional footballers looking to cure baldness with hair loss products could be putting their careers at risk.

The Arsenal manager made the shocking claim when discussing the nature of injuries in his weekly press conference ahead of Sunday’s game against Everton.

Wenger, who revolutionised the English game when importing new fitness and preparatory methods following his arrival at Arsenal in 1996, says some players are leaving themselves open to problems if they use products to reverse the process of balding.

And according to the Gunners boss, vanity could lead to injury.

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Read the rest — Wenger warns stars over hair loss products

He says hair loss medications can lead to liver problems, though he doesn’t specifically say which medications he’s concerned about. As far as I’m aware, finasteride (Propecia) does not have any adverse effects on the liver.