Hair Loss Causes – Page 182

February 5, 2009

Forums Say Minoxidil Does Nothing for Frontal Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I have read on many forums that Minoxidil only works effectively for the back region of the head and does nothing for frontal hair loss. Is that entirely true? As my hair is shedding around the sides and front but still thankfully have a ‘full head of hair’.

Much obliged

I have seen minoxidil grow hair on the hand of a man that used his right hand to apply the medication, so I would expect that it could grow some hair in the frontal area. In other words, it can potentially grow hair basically anywhere it is applied. The reports through FDA studies only show crown results, but that does not mean it would not (absolutely) work in the frontal area in some men to some degree.

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February 4, 2009

Poor Diet, Insomnia, High Miniaturization – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello Doc,
I went to a hair loss specialist near where I live. She examined my hair and noticed that I had miniaturization well above 40% even in the permanent zone. She refused however to say that it was DUPA, but rather claims that my very poor diet and sleeping patterns have caused this and that it may reverse. Granted, I hardly ate for 7 months and I have rampant insomnia, but this seems very farfetched. Can I trust her?

Starvation can cause hair loss. Starvation can induce genetic hair loss and accelerate it if it is present. As I have not had a patient suffering from starvation and haven’t been able to microscopically map out the scalp of a patient like that, I can not tell you what it means as far as the type of loss experienced. In fact, I can not tell you what you mean when you write that you “hardly ate for 7 months”. I am not being disrespectful, but you are only telling me part of your history and clearly the doctor you met with may have more information than I do. Try to build a bond with the doctor you choose. If you don’t trust her, go to another doctor who you can trust and get another opinion. That is the way the medical system works and BaldingBlog is an oddity in that it really does not fit into the medical system, as it is just a source for information.

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February 4, 2009

Removing Scales from Scalp is Causing Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello,

I have seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp (since last 3/4 months). I had almost 25 % of scalp covered by thick scales. After my GP prescribed me for Nizoral(2%) and salycylic acid+sulphur solution (i also use tgel alternately), the flakes started to loosen up and are coming up after shower.

I gently remove the loosened scales which come at the end of the hair. But in this process i have suffered hair loss. Do you think this hair loss is reversible once the condition is controlled? My age is 27 (male).

The hair from one time hair loss should grow back, but you need to know why your seborrhea is so severe. Maybe you have psoriasis, which looks like seborrhea, but is often much worse. Check with your doctor.

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February 4, 2009

What Is Considered Extreme Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

This sounds simple and but I’m really quite curious. What would you consider rapid and abnormal hairloss for someone in their twenties? One month, two months, half a year, a year? I’ve noticed an extreme amount of thinning over a month period and then none for the past 5 months ( what I would consider normal hair loss, very similar to before the extreme thinning)? Help!

I’m not sure I follow your question. Are you suggesting that hair loss occurs for a month or two and then stops… and cycles that way? That’s not how it works. Normal hair loss reflects hair cycling, which can account for 100-150 hairs falling out per day. There are no general rules about what is considered extreme, but if you are concerned then take charge and either see a doctor or check out your own hair for miniaturization (see Mapping Your Own Scalp).

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January 30, 2009

Hair Loss InformationSikh Man Has Been Losing Hair Since Early Teens – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,

I am a 23 year old Sikh Male. I have always had long hair my whole life. And I have been suffering from either traction alopecia or eczema on my head but I am not sure what it is. I am seeing my doctor soon to diagnose it. My doctor has given me 2 different types of shampoo and a liquid clear acid application that burns the skin after I shower. And nothing works, I’ve had this for nearly 10 years now. Any suggestions? I have tried everything BUT wear my hair out in the open and or cut it. Cutting the hair wouldn’t be a great loss for me considering that I am not religious. But do you think that would help? I also work out at the gym and do physical activities through out the day so I am always sweating. So my head really never gets air. Please get back to me, I really need to make a decision. Thanks

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The common cause of hair loss in Sikh men is traction alopecia from the use of the turban, which pulls on the side and frontal hair. The turban is tightly applied to the head and the traction of it against the skin causes traction alopecia. If you have hair loss on the front and the sides above your ear, then that should be the diagnosis.

Treatment is often best with hair transplants. If you are losing hair elsewhere, your doctor should be able to map out your scalp for miniaturization to determine if you have genetic hair loss.

January 30, 2009

Hair Loss InformationExclamation Point Hair – Isn’t That Miniaturization? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have a question concerning today’s blog post. you mentioned that “exclamation point” hair is a sign of a disease but isn’t that what happens when miniaturization occurs in general? doesn’t the shaft get smaller, generally at the root first? that’s what’s happened to me. does this mean i have a disease? i doubt it. i got my thyroid checked when i first noticed hair loss and everything seems fine. i guess what i’m asking is, what’s the difference? thank you!

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The term “exclamation point hair” is a term of medical art (see more info and a diagram at American Academy of Family Physicians). You are correct that as the miniaturization progresses (it would have to be rapid progression) one could theoretically see the reduction of shaft size, which is normally a very, very gradual process. It rarely can be picked up visually as you report.

January 29, 2009

Hair Loss InformationAfter 10 Years on Propecia, I Finally Started Shedding – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr, I have been taking Propecia for 10 years. If the drug would indeed stop working, what exactly would happen? Would I have some form of telogen shed? Or would the loss be gradual? The reason that I ask is because I am going through a severe shedding phase that began in September of 2008 and it continues until now. I have indeed ordered the “generic” drug from overseas the past couple of years. Could the overseas drugs be bogus and this is the reason I began shedding again?

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There’s two possible problems — the generic you bought overseas could be fake, or your finasteride dosage could just be starting to finally lose the fight to your genes. I often talk about a tug of war of sorts, where Propecia works on one side of the rope and your genes work against it. The genetic side appears to be slowly winning. Talk to your doctor about increasing your dosage to 2mg daily and see if that helps.

Whatever you do, do not stop the drug! You’ve taken the medication successfully for 10 years now, and it hasn’t stopped working for you… but if it’s not due to fake overseas medication, then it’s not slowing the hair loss as well as it was before. Stopping it completely will likely result in a massive catch-up hair loss situation occurring.

January 29, 2009

Hair Loss InformationInterview with Dr Rassman in Time Magazine – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Snippet from article:

Hair loss affects more than 50 million Americans, 20 million of them women. With numbers like that, it’s not surprising that the people behind the bestselling Dummies Books series have taken note. Their comprehensive new book, Hair Loss & Replacement for Dummies, authored by four medical experts on hair loss, has just been published by Wiley. TIME senior reporter Andrea Sachs spoke with one of the authors, hair-transplant surgeon Dr. William Rassman in Los Angeles.

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Time Hey, that’s me!

Read my new interview with Time Magazine at their website — Time.com. I’m glad I got the chance to get some publicity for my new book, Hair Loss & Replacement for Dummies (which you can buy online or in stores now *cough cough*). The interview was just posted on Time’s site, so feel free to post your thoughts about it here (after you read it, of course).

Read: Time.com Interview

January 28, 2009

Hair Loss InformationMy Wife Has Alopecia – Will Our Children Have this Disease, Too? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dear Sir, My wife is 1 month pregnant . She is alopecia patient & complete bald since at the age of 5 years old. Her 2 other sister are also bald and having the same disease. They all wear wigs.. But her parent is having full grown hair.

My worries is that will it affect our future children ? Will my future child inherit this disease from her mother. how can i be assure for that. What test can be done to confirm it. Please advice.

Regards

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Alopecia totalis sounds like the diagnosis and in one form of inheritance, the problem starts appearing in the very young at between 3-4 years old. Once the process starts, all of the hair falls out within months. Angela Christiano, Ph.D., of Columbia University in New York researched this in a town in Pakistan where the population was inbred. She found that many of the children in that town lost their hair at ages 3-4 and it fell out in a distinct pattern. She took samples of their genes, and tested them at the university, finding a connection between their disease and some of the genetic patterns in our more common form of alopecia areata, a disease which she has. Your child may very well inherit the condition. See our previous post on this subject here.

January 27, 2009

Traction Alopecia from Scratching My Head? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hello. I have experienced thinning on my scalp and my transplant surgeon who did 2 of my eyebrow transplants & is now doing a third was going to put me on propecia, but I seriously doubt I have MPB. I think I have a bad case of traction alopecia because I believe I have sebhoraic dermatitis and in the past I used to scratch my head a lot and used a comb on it and I believe that is the cause of my recent thinning. it thinned at the time my scalp was extremely itchy and I have an intense itchiness in the thinning areas, however this was a few months ago. When i wet my hair it looks like it breaks into streaks. I read that you said that traction alopecia is reversible with most cases but since this was several months ago do you think there is still hope? How is traction alopecia reversed? I still have to see a dermatologist. My last question is, I have read that massaging your scalp with essential oils is good for your hair but I am afraid of massaging the thin areas since I don’t want to cause traction alopecia.

Seborrhea does not cause hair loss. Rubbing any oils into your scalp will only pull out the hairs that are already damaged from genetic causes. Once a person has real traction alopecia, is is usually permanent, but the pulled hair from one or two episodes of picking or scratching should reverse. Get a good doctor and establish a good working relationship with him/her.

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