Category: Uncategorized

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See a chronology of a balding man evolving into a hairy man with hair transplants (many photos)

This is a terrific story shown in photos in multiple surgeries. Congrats to the patient and the surgical team. It is important to note that the change was gradual, evidenced by the photos and I am sure that nobody saw the daily changes (like watching grass growing that you never see). People have always told me how surprised they were that nobody noticed, however, if anyone ever looked at an old photos, then they would know for sure.


2017-09-14 10:53:36See a chronology of a balding man evolving into a hairy man with hair transplants (many photos)

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Eucapil

Hello Dr. Rassman.

What, in your opinion, would be the best medical option for treating/preventing hairloss?

I have stumbled across a product called Eucapil (fluridil) which claims to be a potent topical anti-androgen. Informaton about the drug can be found at https://www.eucapil.com/. It seems a product such as this one might be a great addition to an internal AR inhibitor. Can you please give it a look? Most importantly, are there any exisiting products or others in development that have a similar method of action?

Thanks very much.

Eucapil is stated to be a cosmetic and is available only in the Czech and Slovak countries. By stating that is a cosmetic, that means that no medical claim will have any value whatsoever. Products like these may do good things for the appearance of hair, but there is no suggestion or proof that it will grow hair or reverse hair loss. It is well known that herbal and natural supplements have wide variability in their manufactured ingredients and the owners of these product seem to push claims that may not be valid far too often. As I have stated many times on this site, it is a buyer beware market. That is my medical opinion. There are medical solutions available, which are finasteride 1mg (Propecia) taken orally, minoxidil (Rogaine) applied topically, or a hair transplant procedure — all of which require a medical examination by a qualified doctor.


2006-05-17 08:26:42Eucapil

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Sertraline and Hair Loss

I am a 19 year-old male living in Turkey. At age 13 I’ve been diagnosed with depersonalization / derealization disorder and was prescribed half a dose of a sertraline-based anti-anxiety drug (known as Lustral here) daily.

I used it for about two years and since then used it on and off for a few weekly periods, including for about two months when I was 17. I heard about antidepressants causing hair loss and in the periods that I used the drug, I noticed that my hair strands were generally thinner and weaker, but no balding visible. And when I ceased using it, my hair returned to its normal strength and thickness. So my question is that, do these antidepressants really cause irreversible harm to hair (thinning / balding) or is it always “back to normal” when medication ends?

Thanks Doc, I’m really curious about this.

The medication you know as Lustral (sertraline) is also commonly known as Zoloft. And as you may know, many antidepressants (including Zoloft) can cause temporary hair loss, possibly even permanent loss in those genetically inclined to lose hair. I can’t say for sure whether the stop/start method you’re using with the medication will always continue the same hair loss/regrowth you’re seeing.

The consumer drug information for sertraline mentions hair loss as a side effect when overdosing, but I suppose it is possible to see loss with normal dosing as well (possibly even half dosing like you were prescribed), depending on how sensitive your body is to it.


2008-12-11 08:38:59Sertraline and Hair Loss

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Excess Sebum After Transplant

Hello! I had a transplant at NHI with Dr. Mcclellan in February 2005 (2000 grafts). After the growth, and then fall out, I am starting to sprout 🙂 What I have developed the past 3-4 weeks is a horribly itchy scalp that feels slightly greasy and is covered with a layer of sebum.

I have tried Nizoral and Head & Shoulders, but am afraid they will make my hair fall out, and dry/damage it. Is this a normal occurence after a transplant? I am itching so badly, that I am starting to shed.

You will have to experiment with different shampoos and conditioners, to find out what works for you. Remember, a hair transplant is a series of organ transplants and each and every one of the follicular units are full organ. It appears from your question that the glands of the new hair are producing excess sebum. Possibly twice daily shampoos during this period might help. You are nearing the 8 month post operative period, so please make an appointment with me so that I can see where you are, and maybe give you a more personalized suggestion.

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When Do Sexual Side Effects from Finasteride Go Away After Stopping It?

For people who experienced sexual sides but continued on finasteride anyway… when did your body start adjusting and the sides lifted?

Not asking about people who had permanent sides, or only had relief when they quit finasteride — that’s been discussed many times. Specifically interested in the experiences of those who had sexual sides, continued fin, and had the sides subside. If such a thing exists.

It generally takes about a month for the side effects to go away. There are traces of finasteride in the body for up to 10 days.


2018-04-18 08:39:53When Do Sexual Side Effects from Finasteride Go Away After Stopping It?

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Eyebrow Conditioner Caused My Eyebrows to Fall Out

Hi, I’m 22/M and have had thinning eyebrows for the past 6 months. I used a product called Brow Boost “conditioner” from Billiondollarbrows.com that was suppose to thicken eyebrows and promote new growth. After using the product for a week I was seeing new hairs growing in and old hairs getting thicker. Then on day 8 my eyebrows started to fall out. I discontinued use of the product 3 days ago and I’m still loosing eyebrow hair and eyelashes as well. The manufacturer gave me no help they could only say that “its extremely rare to loose your eyebrows using our product”. Can you please give me some advice, short term and long term? How long am I going to keep loosing my eyebrows for?

Conditioners usually have one or some of the following ingredients: moisturizers, reconstructors, acidifiers, thermal protectors, glossers and/or oils. Some of these will add small molecules to the hair shafts. I don’t know what the contents of the conditioner you used on your eyebrows are, but they shouldn’t cause any permanent damage to hair. It is difficult to say whether you are losing hair due to this new conditioner or this is only prolongation of your baseline loss. If any doubt, stop the product and hopefully your eyebrows will grow back in a few months. A series of autoimmune and genetic causes may be responsible for loss of eyebrows. If your eyebrow doesn’t grow back in 8-12 months, you can consult a hair transplant surgeon. Hair transplantation works nicely on eyebrows, but it has the disadvantage of growing longer than the normal eyebrow hair (since it is moved from the back of the scalp) and the hair must be cut every few days.


2006-11-29 13:02:24Eyebrow Conditioner Caused My Eyebrows to Fall Out

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Shedding From Minoxidil and Propecia

Dr Rassman:
I started using Monixidil 5% two times a day combined with Nizoral shampoo 3xweek about two and a half months ago. I also added Propecia to my thinning hair treatment about a month ago. I started experiencing shedding about a month and a half ago and still I am shedding; my dermatolgist did not see anything wrong with my scalp by the time she Rx propecia. Is shedding normal under treatment for this long? The Monoxidil has irritaded my scalp which also seems to be part of treatment but I decided to take a 10 day brake which ends today (11/18/06) so I started using it again. The irritation has ended…so far and the Nizoral definetly helps.

I started the treatment as prevention, I am 43 and thinning but now I am questioning my decision because of the excessive shedding.
May you please offer some advice? When should I expect improvement on the shedding? Are those follicles still intact? My biggest fear is that I have caused more damage than good. Thanks for your help.

Shedding is occasionally reported when starting minoxidil or Propecia (finasteride 1mg). You must wait out the period until the shedding stops (about 3-4 months). This appears to be an acceleration of the hair cycle before the better growth kicks in. Your reaction to minoxidil indicates that you may not be able to take it. Some people get considerable irritation from it.


2006-11-25 22:13:17Shedding From Minoxidil and Propecia

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Failed hair transplant of 5500 grafts, why?

Most failed hair transplants are technically created by a team of people working on you without a good quality control process in place. That reflects the surgeon, who is Master of the Ship and responsible for what his team should be doing. I have found many surgeons who don’t understand the nuances of the hair transplant process. Grafts that are removed from the donor area can be mishandled, dried, crushed, etc.. all of this often kills the hairs. What is even more disturbing than the failed hair transplant and the lost money to pay for it is the loss of donor hair, which is not a reversible process, is the reduction of your donor area supply. You can’t buy back your donor supply. Depending upon donor density and hair quality (fine, medium or coarse hair thickness), 5500 grafts could be all this man has to transplant, so another transplant may be out of the question. He needs a real expert to assess his situation.

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Shock Loss at 5 months (photo)

The photo on the left is before the surgery and the photo on the right is after the surgery. The loss of hair reflects shock loss and it could have been prevented with the drug finasteride in 95% of young men who take this drug. This 25 year old male, lost most of his native hair from the transplant, something we see often in young men when they do not take finasteride

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Father and Son Hair Transplants (with Photos)

The photos below are of a father and son duo that I treated. The father had advanced balding with fine hair, while the son had early balding. The father got a nice result, but because he lost about 50,000 hairs over his lifetime and got back about 10,000 hairs from me, he could never have the same head of hair like his son. The son started on Propecia and with his average weight hair, he has had wonderful results. Hopefully, with Propecia continuing for years to come, he will hold on to the hair that his father lost in the pictures shown below. Click the photos below to enlarge.

The son’s before photos are here (the first photo was taken immediately after surgery):



The son’s after photos, which were taken after one procedure of 1,295 grafts, are here:



With the son’s use of Propecia, I believe that he will not follow in has father’s foot steps with regard to his hair. Since the son is in the family business, now the new leadership will be hairier than the old one.

The father’s before photos are here:



The father’s after photos, which were taken after two procedures totalling 4,879 grafts, are here:



Since male balding is genetic, it is not unusual that I work on family members, in fact many of our patients are from these extended families. Once I had the privilege of performing hair transplants on three generations of individuals in the same family. Usually, one member starts it off and when they are satisfied, other family members follow. I have done 17 members from one overseas family who flew here every few months after the patriarch was satisfied with his results. Usually, the father has it done first, then the son, followed by the uncles and grandfathers. However, I remember one particular movie producer who sent his son in for a hair transplant ‘test’ and he watched the change occur over the next year. When he saw how great his son’s finial results were, he felt it was safe for him to have the transplant so he came to surgery with the confidence he apparantly needed. We do offer family pricing when they come together, extending the hairy appearance into the balding clans, a few patients at a time and hair by hair.