Category: Hair Products

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My Doctor Said I Wasn’t Programmed to Have Crown Loss, So Propecia Wasn’t Necessary – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

First, I can’t thank you enough for maintaining this resource–it’s alleviated a lot of my anxiety about hair loss simply by giving my a place to find answers to my questions.

I recently had a consultation with a surgeon about reshaping my temples. I’m 29, and probably a NW2-3. (I’ve had relatively high temples since high school, though the spaces have expanded slowly since though then.) He ultimately recommended 1100 grafts to fill in my temples and create a relatively straight hairline.

I have two questions:

1. He told me that diet has a significant impact on hair loss, second to genetics. He advised a vitamin regimen of L-Lysine, Vitamin E, Saw Palmetto, MSM, Glucosamine, Chondroitin Sulfate, and Ester-C. In addition, he recommended that I stop consuming creatine, and eat a sulphite/nitrite-free diet that’s rich in antioxidants and low in refined sugar and bleached flour. I realize that much of this might be good health advice generally, but does it have any non-negligible connection to hair loss? I appreciate interest in my general welfare, but this had me a tad skeptical.

2. After examining the entirety of my hair, he told me that I’m “programmed” for hair loss not beyond a NW3. He did not conduct a miniaturization study; this was a “naked eyeball” examination. Because he didn’t think I’m “programmed” for any crown-area loss, he said Propecia wouldn’t be necessary. Should I take this pronouncement with a grain of salt, or could he accurately reach that conclusion via the type of examination he made?

Many thanks, and all the best. If it’s at all relevant, he did not recommend any type of hairline lowering, but simply filling in the temples and leaving the forelock as is.

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While it is possible that you won’t advance beyond a Norwood class 3 hairline, I don’t trust doctors who give eyeball opinions for predicting hair loss. There are some good tests (miniaturization mapping and better yet, bulk analysis) that will tell you with some certainty if you are balding.

The decision to take drugs like finasteride should be based upon clinical evidence of balding. You might want to consider getting a second opinion, hopefully from a doctor that can give you a more thorough analysis of your hair. If you aren’t balding, Propecia isn’t necessary (though you should consider it to prevent shock loss from any hair transplant you may have). If you do have early balding, now would be the best time to start the medication.

As for the recommended vitamins, I am not a nutritionist, so your doctor’s suggestions may be good ones for your overall health. I wouldn’t expect to see lush hair growth upon taking them, though. None of those have satisfactory evidence linking them to treating genetic hair loss.

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Hair Loss InformationUsing Toppik for Norwood 6 or 7 Patients That Can’t Have Full Coverage from a Transplant – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman,

What is your opinion on using products such as Toppik to enhance a hair transplant on a Norwood 6 or 7 patient who cannot achieve full coverage? Obviously the need to use a product like Toppik long-term may not be ideal, but for a man whose hair loss is too extensive to achieve full coverage from donor hair, a keratin hair-binding product combined with a hair transplant may be the most effective and natural looking solution for a lot of men with extensive balding.

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A bald Norwood class 6 or 7 patient does not do well with a concealer like Toppik, which works better with some hair. Many men who use this product without hair in the bald area will actually show the Toppik itself, which is often irregular in the way it is put down. If used to enhance a hair transplant that is not thick enough, it might work if it can be applied so that the Toppik can not be detected. The keratin hair granular product has significant disadvantages, as it can come off on your clothes, your sheets and pillows, and when someone runs their fingers through your hair.

There is another treatment which is a permanent concealer that can thicken up a hair transplant look — Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP). If you look at the SMP site, you will see examples of this type of concealer and most of these patients (who have hair that is just not thick enough) can avoid another hair transplant with the SMP alone. We have successfully used this SMP technique to address individuals whose balding patterns are too large and the transplants too few to get the coverage they want.

As everyone is different, I would suggest that you request a virtual consultation with me and send photographs in good lighting so that I can understand your problem as you see it. Also, please include a phone number.

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Theaflavins from Black Tea Extract and the Ability to Reduce Serum DHT? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi dr

I really like your site as you seem very genuine and take a considered approach. I am 26 and have been losing my hair for a few years now and am probably a Norwood 2 with a slight thinning all over. I have been hesitant about taking propecia due to the side effects and even freaked out after taking one pill as I thought my member was going to turn black and fall off (or something awful).

Luckily it didn’t but before embarking on a course of propecia I would like your opinion on the study regarding theaflavins from black tea extract and soy isoflavens and their ability to reduce serum dht by an amount equivalent to propecia. Granted the study was done on mice but as probably most of the readers on here are, I am rather desperate for a natural solution to hairloss. The study was done in 2003 which makes me think there’s nothing to it but would like to hear your opinion in any case. If a reduction in dht is the mechanism by which propecia works, couldn’t this work in theory?

Sorry for the rather long post but one other interesting study looked at a combination of capsicum and soy isoflavens and their ability to increase hair growth. I am reluctant to give citations or links to the website I found them on as it looks like a bazaar for snake oils and im sure your team are fully aware.

Many thanks, and if I do end up taking propecia I am confident that your honest appraisal of the incidence of side effects will go along way to reducing the placebo effect.

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I hate to project what was reported in mice as transferable to humans, but our readership can draw their own conclusions that there may be value in theaflavins for reducing DHT. More research needs to be done to prove it would actually be effective in humans for treating hair loss, of course. The studies I’ve seen about this have continued to be limited to just mice and rats.

It does sound like if there was something to it from a decade’s worth of research, we’d be seeing more in the news about black tea extract being the hair loss treatment we’ve all been waiting for. Alas, that doesn’t appear to be the case at this point.

We’ve actually written a little about this before here, where I pointed out that black tea is extremely common in the UK, where hair loss is still seen just like in other parts of the world.

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Hair Loss InformationAveda Invati Shampoo – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was wondering if you have any thoughts on the new Invati Treatment for Thinning Hair (shampoo, conditioner, and scalp revitalizer) from Aveda. Supposedly it won’t regrow hair, but it will stop hair loss (at least that’s what they said in the store.) Sounds too good to be true. It also seems to be mainly targeted towards women, though they claimed it would work just as well for men.

Thanks!

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I found the product’s page and have seen the commercials on TV. The site says it stops hair loss from breakage, meaning it does nothing for actual genetic hair loss, but rather, it may strengthen hair. I think you answered your own question about it sounding too good to be true. Having said that, if you want to try it, it is your prerogative.

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Will Cloning or a New Drug Be the Next Treatment for Hair Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello Dr

Are there or have you heard of any new potential treatments for hair loss that we might likely see in the next 5 years or so? There doesn’t really seem to be anything new since the discovery of propecia and that was some time ago. In your opinion will it be hair cloning or some form of drug if there is anything on the horizon

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There is a lot of activity with clinical trials going on, but we are not privy to them. We, like you, wait to see which treatments rise to the top. I couldn’t say whether cloning or a new drug will be first to rise, though. It all depends on the ongoing research and development.

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Hair Loss InformationShampoo That Makes Hair Grow Fast? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

There is a new shampoo that claims to make hair grow faster, and MSN are backing it up.
Link: The shampoo that makes your hair grow faster

If this is a reality, could a baldness combating shampoo be on the market soon? Do you really think this works, or is it pseudo science junk?

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For what it’s worth, the article on MSN looks more like an advertorial than a news piece.

The product is by Nisim, and is called F.A.S.T. Shampoo, but I don’t know what the initials stand for. They claim it makes hair grow up to 99% faster, but I have no clue what makes this shampoo special. Besides prices and claims, actual info is tough to find on this. Looks like pseudo science to me.

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Hair Loss InformationI Noticed Regrowth In My Hairline 2 Months After Taking Melanotan! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Melanotan and hairloss

some background info: Male, mid twenties, taking propecia for about 1.5 years.

Some time ago I stumbled across this thread

I thought it’s just an illusion, because the drug makes your hair a few shades darker. But recently, I’ve also noticed some regrowth in my hairline after 2 months of taking melanotan. It’s not dramatic, just a few follicles at the corners, but clearly visible. I doubt it’s finasteride since I’m taking it for 1.5yrs now (not taking any additional drugs).

Hope you find this interesting

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It is interesting. Thanks for sharing. You should have taken before and after pictures to have some visual comparison at the very least, otherwise it is just one of many anecdotal observations that get reported about a variety of treatments.

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Hair Loss InformationIf I’m Starting to Lose Hair, Could Coloring or Straightening It Cause More Loss? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I’ve been slightly balding in front of my head. is it ok to straight and color my hair?? would it cause more hair to fall out?

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Coloring and/or straightening the already weakened hair can cause significant hair loss. I recall a patient that bleached his hair for years when he started seeing hair loss (less contrast between his hair and skin), but the bleach wasn’t doing him any favors.

If you’re at the early stages of hair loss, you should see a doctor about a prescription for Propecia to try to keep your loss from advancing and strengthen the miniaturizing hairs.

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Hair Loss InformationMy Scalp Burned and Felt Numb After Getting Highlights, And Now It’s Much Thinner! – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

(female)
I have been getting my thick hair dyed for 20 years. I usually go every month. I have been using an Aveda salon where they use products with high ammonia content. I have been noticing the last few months that my hair is no longer thick.

I feel I did not realize this because I have a different style that is has very choppy layers and just naturally makes it look thinner. So, the last 3 times she put a toner on the highlights (bleach over bleach process) my scalped burned and felt numb. The times before this happened also, and I told her about it. I did not see any redness to my scalp. It just felt numb for more than a week and then it itched. I have seen my hair on my pillow and in the filter after a shower. It is noticeably thinner now and I am very distressed and worried that this is a PERMANENT loss, with having sustained death to the hair follicles.

Please help!!! My sister lives in LA and I could come to see you. What do you recommend?

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The use of hair dyes have risks and can impact hair permanently, which is why you must go to a reputable hair stylist to hopefully avoid the types of damage that these chemicals can induce. You are welcome to visit us for an opinion.

In general, it may take a full year before you can tell if the damage was permanent.

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Hair Loss InformationI Used Doo Gro And Felt a Burning On My Scalp – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

The left side or my hairline is thinning and so is the middle. Im only 20 years old (male) and balding doesnt happen this early in my family. This happened REALLY SUDDEN (I keep a grade one haircut most of the time so I would noticed).

I have been using a product called Doo Gro and it burned the back of my head and gave me weird headaches. I stopped but started using it again and one day I felt a tingle/burning in my left temple where I applied the product. I plan on stop using it for good if I see improvements. Could this have triggered MPB to start early?

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I couldn’t tell you if this kickstarted your genes. This is an over the counter product, but if the problem persists I’d see a dermatologist. I don’t know anything about it from personal experience, but if the product is causing burning sensations on your scalp and even headaches… I’d stop using it immediately.