I was thinking of getting a FUE hair transplant. I was hoping those that have been through it could give some advice on the following. Thanks for your help! How do you know/verify that the specialist delivered on the number of grafts that he charged you for?

How many hair follicles should be in a graft? What is an optimal number of hair transplant procedures done by the specialist? Some I called said they’ve done 50. What is a good baseline?

Does it matter if the specialist is board certified plastic surgeon?

I have spelled it out in great detail in two posts here: https://baldingblog.com/before-selecting-a-hair-transplant-doctor-do-your-homework/ just follow the link

Yes, beard hair can be used as a donor source; however, the beard hair which is usually taken from below the chin, will be depleted and result in less hair present there. This is a good source for hair provided that you want to shave or not develop a full beard below the chin. The photos shows the result of using the area below the chin as a donor source. Note the thinning of the beard from under the chin which reflects the beard hair that was removed. If this man lets his beard grow longer, the lower density may not show just as it would not show if he shaved daily and didn’t grow out a beard.

“The study conducted by UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas said the scientists made the discovery by accident while researching how certain cancer tumors form. Researchers said they found that a protein called KROX 20, commonly associated with nerve development, turned on in skin cells that become the hair shafts”

https://abc7.com/health/scientists-closer-to-cure-for-baldness-and-graying-hair-study-says/1968797/

Androgenetic Alopecia Treatment in Asian Men

by Yohei Tanaka, MD, PhD; Toru Aso, MD, PhD; Jumpei Ono, MD; Ryu Hosoi, MD; and Takuto Kaneko, MD

Dr. Tanaka is with Clinica Tanaka Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Anti-aging Center in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan, and the AGA Skin Clinic in Tokyo, Japan. Drs. Aso, Ono, Hosoi, and Kaneko are also with the AGA Skin Clinic in Tokyo, Japan.

Funding: No funding was provided.

Disclosures: The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to the content of this article.

Abstract: Background. Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common form of hair loss in Asian men. Although AGA is often regarded as a relatively minor dermatological condition, hair loss can impact self-image and is a main cause for anxiety and depression in some men. We have treated patients with AGA for seven years. Objective. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of our combination therapy in Asian men with AGA. Participants. Between the years 2011 and 2017, 18,918 male patients were treated in our center. Our combination therapy consists of oral finasteride once daily, oral and topical minoxidil twice daily, and an injectable treatment of lidocaine and an AGA treatment solution comprising minoxidil, arginine, aspartic acid, caffeine, copper tripeptide, lysine, niacin, panthenol, propanediol, propylen glycol, retinyl palmitate, pyridoxine, sodium hyaluronate, and ubiquinone once monthly for more than six months. Measurements. Digital photographs were taken pre- and post-treatment, and patient assessments were recorded after six and 12 months post-treatment. Results. Significant improvement was observed in all patients in the digital photographs. Ninety-six and 80 percent of the patients reported satisfaction with the results of the treatment after six and 12 months post-treatment. Minor complications were observed in 802 (4.2%) patients, characterized by slight pain and bleeding due to injection, swelling, dizziness, itching, and erythema of the scalp. Slight pain was reported in 651 patients (3.4%), and slight bleeding was reported in 56 patients (0.3%). Sexual dysfunctions were uncommon. These minor complications resolved spontaneously. No treatment-related adverse events were observed. Conclusion. A combination of these therapeutic options offers safe and highly efficacious treatment for AGA with minimal complications.

Keywords: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), Combination therapy, Finasteride, Hair loss, Minoxidil

J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2018;11(7):32–35

William Rassman, M.D. Comments: This is an impressive series of 18,000 Asian men where genetic patterned balding was treated. The general satisfaction rate is clearly defined and it is high. The article is easy to scan.

I’ve been on the finasteride and minoxidil stacked for a little over a year now, and I’ve had great results with minimal sides.

I just recently got into styling my hair. I’ve been using pomade daily, and I’m concerned about the amount of hair I’ve been seeing on my hands and comb/brush when styling.

I’m wondering if this is indeed increased shedding from the styling product, or if I’m just catching “sticky clumps” of hair from the pomade.

Dear Doctor Rassman,

I am a 25 year old male. I have a Norwood 1, so no thinning at the crown or at the temples. My hairline is about the same as when i was 17. My hairdresser always tells me I have very thick hair (she even thins it out sometimes) I lose about ten hairs a day when brushing and in the shower. My father and grandfather mothers side are not bald and neither are my other male family members.

You might wonder, why is he writing?

I’m really curious. When my long (well medium length) brown hair gets wet, I can see some skin. No bald spots, but dependent on the way the hair falls, I can see my scalp. Well, not eveywhere, but small lines.

How is this posible? (couldn’t find the answer anywhere on the internet)

(I have light skin btw)

Thanks in advance for your answer.

P.S.Great site, interesting and helpfull 🙂

This type of question has been addressed here before. Thinning differs in people. Those with coarse hair can lose more hair than those with fine hair and not show thinning. Those who have miniaturized hairs will show thinner and thinner as the miniaturization increases. The loss of 10 hairs per day only reflects about 10% of what a typical person loses throughout the day. Most people see more hair loss in the shower, because they can not see what blows away on a windy day — but just because they do not see it, does not mean that it does not happen. We lose some of the 100 or so hairs on a 24 hour basis. Everyone can see their scalp, unless the skin is dark and the hair is dark as well, has a high density, or it mats together with a good, tight afro.