Category: Uncategorized

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21 Year Old Male with Hair Medication Questions

Dear Doctor,
I just recently stumbled across your site while doing research. I’m glad that I can actually speak with a doctor, as opposed to self-proclaimed hair loss zealots on forums and other sites. Here is my current situation.

I’m 21 and about four months, and I do believe that my hairloss started when I was just turning 19, maybe even as early as 18. All my hairloss practically is from the crown area. It started with a quarter sized essential bald spot, and its spreading to either side of my crown. My hair was always thick, and it has thinned somewhat, but still remains pretty thick. I have little to no signs of a receeding hairline. I tried finasteride (finpecia, www.unitedpharmacies.com) for six months, and tried generic mixodil 5% for a little over a month. Currently I am taking nothing, and it seems to be getting somewhat worse. I am a college student, so once I get enough money I intend to take finasteride again.

I have the following questions…

  1. Is the generic finasteride I found on unitedpharmacies.com legitimate?
  2. Should I definitely use Minoxidil in conjuction with finasteride?
  3. Are there any shampoos/conditioners, that will help my situation?
  4. I’ve heard that in Canada hair transplants are much cheaper than in America
  5. Is Hair cloning going to be legal in any time in the near future?
  6. Maintaining hair is one thing, but I would really like to regrow. Is there anything besides the above mentioned treatments that may help my cause?
  1. Please be aware that finasteride is covered by a series of U.S. Patents held by Merck (drug company), one of which I believe is about to expire shortly. I am not in the drug manufacturing business so I can not state with any certainty that someone will be able to manufacture and sell a ‘generic’ Propecia in the United States anytime soon. Any generic finasteride you purchase, may or may not actually be finasteride — there is no way for you to easily be sure.
  2. You do not need to use Minoxidil while being on Finasteride, especially considering that you are college student without much money, but crown hair loss (your pattern) is most impacted to finasteride, so that would be my drug of choice here. If you want to be sure and knock down the price, then some people will purchase Merck’s Proscar (5 mgs of finasteride) and cut it into quarters — though it is available by doctor’s prescription only. I can not advise that you do this, but I know that it is done. I believe in Propecia/Proscar/finasteride use in all genetically balding young men.
  3. I don’t believe one brand of shampoo/conditioner is better than the other in saving your hair.
  4. See my blog entry titled The Truth About Cheap Hair Transplants and draw your own conclusions. Buyer beware.
  5. See the Hair Cloning category, but don’t hold your breath.
  6. Not that I can endorse.
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In the News – Man Sues South Korean Military Over His Hair Loss… and Wins!

Snippet from the article:

The government is liable for a military staff member’s hair loss due to extreme stress related to his duties, a local court ruled Sunday.

The Seoul Administrative Court ordered the Ministry of Patriot and Veteran Affairs to acknowledge 27-year-old Lee as a “man of national merit” and compensate him monthly for the loss of all his hair.

Read the rest at the Korean Times

And here I thought that the US had favorable courts rulings, but this one takes the cake…

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I am 22 years old female and losing my hair (photo)

Past three months my hair loss has been really bad. I’ve checked my blood for problems with my thyriod, iron and hormones with a doctor and my blood work turned out ok. It is all okay, so I’m assuming it might be genetic since it is in my family on my father’s side. My mother and sister don’t have this problem.

Female genetic hair loss can usually be seen on the female side of the family (mother, aunt, grandmother, sister) but not always and your male connections with balding really don’t count. When the diagnosis is not clear, the problem of thinning impacts the social life of the woman. We have been using Scalp Micropigmentation (SMP) for many of these women with great results and although the hair loss may not have been diagnosed, the fullness comes as a result of the SMP process (https://scalpmicropigmentation.com/smp-for-women/)

female hair loss2

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In the News – Photographer’s Images of Alopecia

Snippet from the article:

It’s a hair loss condition that often robs sufferers of their self-esteem and confidence. Now a photographer has taken this stunning gallery of images of people with alopecia (many with alopecia areata) to raise awareness about the condition.

Daniel Regan, 28, said he wanted to tackle an issue that is often ignored by the public.

See the gallery — Photographer’s stunning images of alopecia sufferers as part of project to create awareness about the condition

The photographer said, “I hope that my images illustrated the drastic change that sufferers experience in their body image and place pressure on those in the right positions to pay further attention to this devastating condition.”

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24 year old male with advanced balding in the family (father)

This young man (Joe) believed that he was starting the balding process that his dad had (a Class 7 pattern of balding). His father was with him today and he told me that he started balding when he was in his very late 30s. That was unusual for a man with a Class 7 pattern of balding (just a rim of hair around the head) as most men achieved that pattern in their 20s. Joe had early recession in the corners of his hairline.

This is what I told him and what I did: “You were concerned about the balding in the family with your father developing his advanced balding pattern in his late 30s (unusual). We performed bulk measurements on your hair today and much to my surprise, the balding you are experiencing is very mild and early with less than 9% hair loss behind the frontal hairline and in the top of your head. At the age of 24, you might be able to hold on to your hair for years if you use the drug finasteride. We discussed the potential side effects of this drug and I told you to call me if you should develop any of these.”

This shows the value of the HAIRCHECK test for hair bulk measurements. Although he thought that shaving his head was a good option and receiving Scalp Micropigmentation rather than face his fading hairline every year, month by month, I felt that he had a good chance to keep his hair and postpone any more thinking about his balding. This is very important for any young man. At his age, thinking too much about his hair replaces the real important things in life. Hair may not be important for him to worry about for years to come.

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In the News – Small PRP Study Showed Significant Regrowth in Alopecia Areata Patients

Snippet from the article:

In the latest research by scientists at the International Hair Research Foundation, the University of Brescia in Italy and the Hebrew University Medical Centre in Israel, used 45 sufferers with alopecia areata, affecting two per cent of the population.

The patients had injections on one half of their head. Some were given the PRP, some traditional steroid cream, while others received a placebo. Three treatments were given every month. Hair growth was checked by measuring the area where new hairs grew on the bald scalp. Results showed the plasma injections led to significant hair regrowth in the bald patches, compared with the placebo and the steroid treatment.

Following the publication of the study in the British Journal of Dermatology, the scientists are hoping to develop a cream, so needles won’t need to be used.

Read the rest — The vampire ‘cure’ for baldness: Scientists inject patient’s own blood into head to stimulate hair growth’

It is important that the readers do not confuse the alopecia areata (an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss) with the genetic male pattern balding condition called androgenic alopecia. Applying platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to androgenic alopecia has been tried over and over again, and despite many attempts to use this treatment for androgenic alopecia, hair growth has never been shown in a clinically valid, controlled study.

Although Dr Fabio Rinaldi told the Telegraph that the new treatment could also help those suffering more common hair problems like male-pattern baldness, I think he has gone overboard when he stated, “We think it can help to regrow hair on people with androgenic alopecia“. I strongly suggest that those people with classic male patterned baldness (androgenic alopecia) to not get suckered into the many doctors who have been selling this treatment for years.

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In the News – Thinking Positive Means Drugs Work Better

Snippet from the article:

When it comes to taking medicine, you may get what you expect.

A new study has found that your expectations can affect how well pain medications work. Being optimistic may boost their effectiveness in blocking pain, while being pessimistic may lower their effectiveness.

Unlike earlier research, the new study used brain imaging techniques to examine brain regions that are known to be associated with pain. Scientists say that until now, little research has been done to clarify the brain mechanisms that control how different expectations affect drugs.

Read the full story — Positive Thinking May Make Drugs Work Better

This is a very interesting article. Pessimism may lower effectiveness, wishful thinking may make the drug work. We’ve talked about this before on the blog, and this is something many of my colleagues have expressed. When physicians prescribe a medication to patients who are obsessed or too worried about side effects, they usually seem to get the side effects. It’s almost a self-fulfilling prophecy.


2011-02-17 15:47:30In the News – Thinking Positive Means Drugs Work Better

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Increased Body Temperature with Propecia Use

I had used propecia about three years ago but I stop using it because it caused gynomastia. At that time I expierence thick and full regrowth in three months with no shedding or scalp discomfort.
I decided to try it again recently and the gynomastia did not reoccur. now I have been expirencing some shedding and a slight scalp discomfort on my first week of use. Is shedding a good sign or would this be an indication that I am a poor candidate for propecia. I have also been expirencing an increase in body tempreture 24 hour a day. my face is flush or red since starting on propecia.

You should go back to the doctor who prescribed you Propecia and address these concerns. The shedding you are talking about is something that I have heard before and the thought is that you may be experiencing accelerated hair cycling, a precursor to increased growth which may be following in a few months. Hang in with the hair loss, because it should be temporary (see: cycling).

I have not heard of facial flushing or hyperthermia (increase in body temperature) with Propecia use. You may have an underlying medical condition that may be coincidental to Propecia use.