A joint Russian-American research team has found a genetic mutation that causes an unusual kind of baldness. The discovery may offer a path toward preventing the more routine kind of hair loss, they say.
Read the rest of the article at Forbes.com – Baldness Gene Identified in Russian Families. It’s just another piece of the puzzle.
Doc, Johnny Depp totally had a hair transplant. Compare this pic of him wearing a tuque or beanie or whatever Americans call it:
http://www.johnnydepp-zone.com/deppartment/nocolor/13.jpg
to this pic in the same head-gear:
http://www.johnnydepp-zone.com/deppartment/nocolor/09.jpg
Those photographs seem to show slight differences in the corners of the hairline. Could this be a hair transplant that caused this difference? Possibly. I’d guess that it’s probably the photography leading the viewer astray.
Dr. Rassman,
I know you can’t mention this company directly in any response on your blog, but I thought you’d find this example of used car hair transplant sales techniques atrocious and a perfect example of what the buyer should beware of. A free digital camera for scheduling a last minute surgery!
I removed the link you included, but I’m sure some people can figure out who you are referring to. I have heard your sentiments from quite a few of my patients. It is a shame that the practice of medicine is being compared to car sales, but many patients like you will see this tactic and will stay away. It’s a very cheesy, splashy thing to offer some kind of freebie like that to entice someone into choosing one clinic over another, or rushing one to make a decision prematurely for a deal that might close at midnight tonight. Your questions and probes should be about the quality of the procedure, not the giveaway or inducements to get you to ‘book’ a surgery. But that’s just my opinion — obviously what works for them is not what I would agree with doing. It is unfortunate, but I have seen many patients taken in by these practices. As I’ve said time and time again, this is a buyer beware business and I am disappointed and saddened to see that even my profession is not beyond used car sales tactics.
(My apologies to the readers out there in the pre-owned auto sales field.)
[tags]hairtransplant, hair transplant, tactic,
Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):
I just read a very interesting article in the current NewScientist magazine (issue 2576) that I wanted to comment on –
“…with the exception of the musk ox, humans are the only mammals with almost continuously growing hair… Different parts of the body is what determine different lengths of hair… Leg hair, for example, last around 2 months, armpit hair .. make it to six months but head hairs grow nonstop for 6 years or more. … and there are hundreds of genes involved….. there are 10 main genes for the keratin from which our hair is constructed.”
Furlessness may be a better way to manage hair loss in the savannas for human hunters which allows for better thermoregulation. The authors of the article believe that there are several good reasons to become less hairy, evolutionarily speaking. Fighting disease is one such good reason, since “hair is a prime habitat for parasites.” The authors believe that the driving force for change in our evolution is mostly cultural.
“Darwin believed that less hairy was a sexual selection process and those with less hair were the most attractive…. Those people who did not groom, became ‘the mark of the outcast, the lunatic and the social pariah’.”
For proof of the value of culture working with evolution, the authors suggest that we look at well groomed animals such as the African baboon (magnificent manes), Amazonian cottontop tamarin (punk head tufts), emperor tamarin (imperial mustaches), and India’s lion-tailed macaque (chic eloquence).
| Baboon | Cottontop Tamarin |
 Emperor Tamarin |
 Lion-tailed Macaque |
These animals have fur that grow to a fixed length and each of the primates are groomed constantly by peers in their social organization. The world’s oldest profession possibly may be the hair dresser, certainly competing with prostitutes and soldiers for that distinction.
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Hello, I am 26 years old and in the last 6 months have experienced thinning of hair on top of the scalp especially in the front hairline? Is this normal? and because of this problem can I get a consultation with New Hair Institute even though I do not want a transplant?
Thank You
Yes, we offer free consultations, even to those that do not want a hair transplant. It is a goodwill gesture. We will map out your hair for miniaturization so that you know what the future has in store for you. Please call our office at 800-NEW-HAIR to schedule.
Dr. I bought the hair max laser comb, i cant tell if it is producing results or not, my hair is still pretty thick, my question is, is there a difference in the hair max laser comb compared with the machine that you sit under, is there a difference in quality or the results you can expect?
Unless you have a camera that takes pictures at the exact and repeatable spot on your scalp, it is almost impossible to tell. One researcher (see: Analyzing the Results of the HairMax Laser Comb) used a small tattooed dot on an area of interest and took serial photographs at regular intervals to see if there is a change in hair count. I reviewed that particular study, as you can see in the above unfavorable reference. To my knowledge, no comparable study has been done so far for the lasers that you sit under.
With respect to your question asking if laser comb and the ‘bigger’ laser machines differ, well, the size comparison is obvious — one is a comb and the other is a big hood that you sit under. If you are asking if one is better than the other, I have no way of telling, but based upon the study of the laser comb, which was most unimpressive, I might think that the comb has very limited value. The subjective feedback of patients who have experienced the larger system seems positive, but there are no objective criteria for me to endorse. If you are asking for the results, I have no way of telling at this time.
Hi,
I work at a daycare and had a case of head lice a month ago. I treated it with over the counter and prescription and it came back. I then used oil treatments and homeopathy. I recently returned to the doctor to find out it is gone. HOwever; I still have itching around my ears and top of head. I also have a lot of dandruff. The doctor gave me a topical solution of cortisol but it does not seem to be helping and only making it worse? Is this normal after a case of head lice will it go away?
Head lice can be a problem and it usually requires a strong prescription medication to eliminate it. Moreover, you must remember to wash ALL your sheets and clothes in very hot water and then through a hot drying cycle to kill the lice and eggs. You may find that the dormant eggs have now hatched and that is causing your problem. I would advise you to be seen by your doctor (again) if the problem persists. For more, see:
Many people seem to find a way to make a bundle in our litigious society. There is no doubt that hair dyes can cause problems such as skin allergy in some people, burns from improper applications of the dyes, etc. Television has many soap opera presentations of such litigations. A good company like P&G should have adequate disclosures on the products to cover the individual risks of particular patients. $12 million is a lot of money. The legal costs to pursuing such a case is high and for P&G, the cost is higher just to build and present a defense. Many times, companies like P&G will pay off the pursuers just to avoid the legal costs and internal management costs for nuisance cases. The lawyers that take on such battles know that, so this is like a game of Russian Roulette with money as the bullet in the chamber. As clearly stated in the article, “Once Ross’ firm determined the extent of Mack’s injuries, more formal negotiations began.”
35, male
I have read that Propecia can cause testicular cancer. Is this true? I was born with a congenital anamoly which increases my risk for it and don’t want to exacerbate that risk.
If my wife were to accidentally get pregnant while I was on Propecia, would it negatively affect a baby. I have read that a pregnant woman should not handle finasteride, but is there enough in the sperm to harm a child if a pregnancy occurred?
Can Propecia regrow hair at the hairline or only the crown?
What do you think about dutasteride?
Currently I take minoxidil+azelaic acid. I have no problems applying it regularly.
I recently discovered a patch of my hair is missing in the middle of my head, the area is very tender and itchy. I went to a dr and he told me it was a fungus. Other than taking the meds I don’t know what type of fungus it is or how to keep it from happening again. Or if my hair will even grow back.All I was told was he saw that there was a black head in it……Iam confused
The appearance of a fungal infection may reflect:
If you are confused, I suggest that you ask your doctor to clear up the confusion for you.
