Appearex – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Hi,
I’m a 40 year old female experiencing severe hair loss. I’ve had problems with hair loss for the past 13 years but last summer I went to a local salon to have the graying covered with some highlights. Whatever she used burned it because after that the hair strands are very thin and dry. I use alot of conditioner and it doesn’t help. I noticed that when after she washed the hair that it was severly tangled which resulted in her having to cut 3 inches from it to get the knots out from the burning. My hair was at that time past my knees with very few split ends. It is now around knee length and I keep it pulled up in a clasp. I have enclosed some photos to show the hairline-thinning-damage. I’ve been prescribed (Appearex) and don’t know much about it. Does this product actually help the hair as it states on the box that it’s a nail product? I have taken Lupron injections in the past and not sure if those created some of the hair loss but the problem is getting much worse and I don’t have a clue what to do about it. Thank you for taking the time to help others, and any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Appearex is a dietary supplement. Its generic name is biotin. Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin component of the vitamin B complex. As an essential nutrient, biotin acts as a coenzyme for the body’s carboxylation reactions and is a factor in maintaining healthy muscle, hair, nails, and skin. If you are Vitamin B complex deficient, then this may help your problem, but few Americans have such Vitamin problems with any reasonable American diet.

Because dietary supplements are essentially unregulated in the United States, you can not be sure what you are getting when you buy an over the counter supplement product. There are many preparations on the market (prepared or manufactured with different techniques that are not fully disclosed or regulated with different additives). With different preparations, the same supplement may not have the same effects or equal potencies. Because there is no regulation, the efficacy or the validity of such ingredients cannot be guaranteed. That is why you sometimes hear it is a “buyer beware” market.

There are many causes for hair loss. You should be evaluated by a medical doctor to rule out a medical cause for hair loss. If you are still not satisfied, you should see a hair transplant doctor to map your hair for miniaturization and a possible pattern for your hair loss.

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Problems from Fincar (Generic Finasteride) – Balding Blog

Dr. Rassman: Fincar Caused Bizarre Problems for me-please advise. I have used 1/4 proscar daily for 8 years I decided to try Fincar for a while. Supposedly Fincar is identical to Merck’s proscar. After starting Fincar my left testicle started aching. I had read numerous about such a paid although I had not experienced it.

In 30 days of Fincar use, bare spots appeared in my beard and the hair on my left arm diminished significantly. The outer third of both eyebrows have thinned drastically and my skin has gotten dry and wrinkly. I know this all sounds crazy but it’s scary.

I went to my family doctor and he just blew me off and said Im getting old since I’m 48.

Doctor-What did the Fincar do to me? I’ve been of Fincar 3 weeks. No testicle pain. Will I return to normal? I’ve resumed the Merck proscar daily but am scared. I wish I had never touched Fincar. Please tell people to never touch the non-Merck finasteride.

Thanks

From my understanding finasteride formulations like Propecia and Proscar is still under U.S. Patent protection thereby restricting the manufacturing of this drug in companies which are under patent treaties with the United States. Generic versions of finasteride like Fincar are made by a pharmaceutical company called Cipla in India and is not available in the U.S. (although I suspect internet sales makes this possible). I am not familiar with International Patent laws so I am not qualified to comment on patent issues. I do know that foreign manufacturing of drugs are not governed by US FDA regulations, so I do not know if the formulation meets the same criteria. There is real no way for me to know if your symptoms are a direct result of taking Fincar. I also do not know about the additives and other inactive ingredients in the formulation. I am not aware that the official, U.S. brand of Propecia is associated with aching testicles or thinning eyebrows or dry, wrinkly skin. I am curious to know why you took the medication if you had read “numerous” reports that such drug will cause these problems.

Fincar may have caused your symptoms, but it may also have been coincidental. I suspect you do not want to take another chance. It is always a “buyer beware” market. Seek competent medical advice. I hope you return to “normal”




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Does Wheat Grass Eliminate DHT? – Balding Blog

I’ve heard that drinking wheatgrass juice eliminates DHT completely from the system. Is this true?

It appears to be recommended as an alternative or a dietary supplement for individuals with prostate problems. Like all herbal remedies, there is more folk lore than facts backing up such claims. I would presume that claims for blocking DHT would deal with prostate problems and hair loss, just like proven approaches with the drug finasteride.




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I Was Told To Put Vaseline on My Transplanted Grafts – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

VaselineI am a 33 year old female and just had a hair transplant 3 days ago. I was told that I had to put vaseline on the grafts and on the donor site twice a day for about a week. This keeps my whole head really greasy and I can’t go out without a bandana or hat on. I washed my hair with shampoo (very lighly where the grafts are) but it seems that it doesn’t get clean. Is this really necessary? How can I get the vaseline off my hair? If I could have clean hair, I would be able to go out and it would “hide” my transplant but I feel like the vaseline just plasters my hair to my scalp and the “wet” look really makes the transplant stand out. What would you recommend?

I never use or recommend Vasoline, because it is difficult to manage and remove. The general purpose of the Vasoline is to keep the grafts moist to prevent crusting, but I generally believe that it is best to take off the crusts by a good washing technique before they form and get fixed in place. It is impossible for me to get to you in a timely manner and it would be inappropriate for me to give you advice on a piece-meal basis without a doctor/patient relationship established and the internet is not the place for this activity. As you have a doctor, best to follow his recommended course. You might ask him why he does what he does so that you can understand his/her thought process.

Only 50% of My Hair Grew Back After Chemo 6 Years Ago – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I had a chemotheapy in 2000 and lost all my hair. Then it didn’t fully come back and now I still have diffuse alopecia. I can say only %50 of my hair came back. I also had lots of grey hair but they are now replaced by black colour hair, my original hair colour.

Do you think if I use Pantogar Capsules 3 times a day, will I get any results? If not, which medicine do you suggest to use?

Thanks a lot!

Hair loss from chemotherapy usually grows back without any supplements. I am not aware of any supplements or medication that will accelerate this process. The only treament I know of is “time”. I realize chemotherapy has the stigmata of cancer and is often devastating and depressing for your morale and self image. You must be sure that you do not have other systemic causes of hair loss and your treating doctor should advise you on this.

The time you are taking to grow your hair back appears much longer than most. This may indicate that you will not return it all. If you are disease free and you have what we call a positive nitrogen balance (good diet adding calories to you), then you are doing the most that you can do. There are many organizations or some hospitals have great hair piece or wig programs for their chemotherapy patients.

As I have written in a previous blog entry, I am not familiar with Pantogar, but did find this site which mentions it: EHRS.org

Tricomin – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

what do you know about the shampoo Tricomin, is it useful in fighting hair loss or another propoganda?

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To date there have not been any FDA approved medications other than topical minoxidil or oral finasteride 1mg (Propecia). The company that produces Tricomin talks about phase 2 clinical trials (the company states, “this product was initially intended to be released as a hair-growth compound. The early-stage Phase II clinical study of the product had very positive results on some of the 36 male subjects who, applied the treatment topically twice a day for 24 weeks. “), but without completed trials, this type of hype does very little for the safe minded men who want an effective medication for their hair loss. I suggest that you wait for the results of the clinical trails to know what is going to happen to this drug rather than speculate on it.

The shampoo should be no different than the ‘medication’.

Hair Loss InformationAny Special Creams I Can Apply to Scar Right After Surgery? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello,I have just had my third hair transplant.The one befor this last one was about ten years ago.The doctor removed the old scar and alot of scar tissue,and he stitched me inside and out and closed the cut pretty nice from what I can see.I still have the stitches in and wont have them removed for another week and I was wondering if there any kind of cream or gel I can apply now or after the stitches come out to reduce the appearence of the scar.I am in the army and I am being deployed to Iraq so I have to shave my head and would like not to see a big scar on the back of my head. Thank you for any advice you can give me.

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Everything takes time. There is no way to accelerate the healing process you are going through. If after the stitches come out you are still red, then you can apply some 0.5% hydrocortisone cream every 12 hours, but only apply it three or four times and then wait 5 days to see if it resolved. You can then repeat the process again, waiting another 5 days in between each treatment cycle. Do not continue this for more than a month.

Repeated Bleaching Causes Follicle Damage? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Bleach - art

Is it possible that hair follicles could have been damaged/destroyed by hair chemicals, such as repeated bleaching of hair? If so, is it possible to restore damaged hair follicles?

Hair follicles grow through the skin. These follicles arise from the bulb which is located 5-6 mm below the skin edge. Between the skin edge and the bulb, there is a ‘tunnel’ which allows the waxy sebum to rise out of the follicular unit to the skin. In theory, this tunnel could become a two way highway allowing chemicals, dyes or bleach to find their way deep into the hair follicles (note: the drawing is simplistic for illustrative purposes only). Through this route, it is possible to damage the machinery that grows hair either by killing it, or damaging it so that the hair that grows out might be a smaller gauge hair that has a different character to it. The question you ask is whether or not this process be reversed, and the answer really depends upon how much damage was produced. Generally the hair is quite a robust organ and will recover from insults. Hopefully in your case, the damage is such that it is reversible.

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Taking Propecia and Procerin Together – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hello, I am 23 and I have a receding hairline. I started taking Propecia and Procerin together about 3 months ago. I feel like my hair in the front is falling out even faster! Is there a possibility that taking both in conjunction with one another might actually be speeding up the process?

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I do not know anything about Procerindirectly. However, I would suggest stopping the Procerin and focus upon Propecia first. Then with one of the substances gone, watch for what is changing. Accelerated hair loss does occur in genetic balding in phases. You may be going through one of those phases.

Hairpod – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I saw this article today on the internet. What are your thoughts on it?

Hairpod photo

“Hairpod … stimulates the user’s scalp with low frequency electric current”.

There will always be devices, potions, creams, shampoos, and other such creations for “magically” restoring hair. I am not aware of the Hairpod or its results, though I am familiar with the iPod (though unrelated to this).

I’m only posting this to show the readers this … uh, interesting… new hair device.

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