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Post by Reader: Benadryl and Hair loss – from FDA reports

Hair loss is found among people who take Benadryl, especially for people who are female, 60+ old , have been taking the drug for < 1 month, also take medication Tylenol, and have Breast cancer female. This study is created by eHealthMe based on reports of 51,573 people who have side effects when taking Benadryl from FDA, and is updated regularly.

How to use this study: bring a copy to your health teams to ensure drug risks and benefits are fully discussed and understood.

Who is eHealthMe: we are a data analysis company who specializes in health care industry. Our original studies have been referenced on 500+ peer-reviewed medical publications, including The Lancet, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, and EANO. On eHealthMe, you can research drugs and monitor them (see testimonials). If you find eHealthMe useful, please help us to spread the words below or leave us a testimonial.

A Second Comment: WOW, I have been dealing with extreme hair loss for the last 3 years. I have a third of my hair. thyroid tests etc come back fine. Looked this up on a hunch. And see all these! I hope not too much of the hair loss is permanent but I am afraid that it is. Stopping nighttime benedryl immediately.

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A Dermatologist Just Looked at Me and Told Me I Had MPB. Is It That Easy to Make This Diagnosis?

Well, my dermatologist just looked at my hair and said I have androgenic alopecia. The thing which is troubling me is that she didn’t take any tests. And again, I don’t have a family history of hair loss. So I don’t know why I’m suffering from mbp.

See another doctor who specializes in hair loss. You can find them on the ISHRS.org website. I would look to find a local doctor from that site. You need a real examination and don’t need to live in fear.


2018-05-17 08:08:44A Dermatologist Just Looked at Me and Told Me I Had MPB. Is It That Easy to Make This Diagnosis?

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Prescription Holiday to Turn Side Effects Off?

Question re Propecia and Sperm Count. I take Flomax and Finasteride. Side effects are reduced libido and ejaculation. I noticed if I discontinue taking the pills, I regain libido and ejaculation volume in 3 – 4 days, although I had only been on these pills for three weeks. My question is, can I periodically take a “prescription holiday” and then resume medication after, say a week without risk of return of BPH? I.E. will the long term benefits of this prescription program remain in effect if I take periodic holidays?

I am not a urologist, but I suspect that when the “flow problem” has resolved, you might be able to stop if for a week, but I would first check with your prescribing doctor for a more definitive answer.

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DHT and High Cholesterol

I am a 36-year-old male noticing some hair loss. I thought it was related to having taken prohormones, but the slow hair loss has continued after more than a year off the prohormones. I am considering taking Avodart/dutasteride, but not just for the cosmetic hair loss. A concern I have is the relation between MPB to increased risk of heart disease. Thus, my two questions:

  1. Do you know of any connection between DHT and high cholesterol/heart disease? And if there is a connection, would DHT suppression also contribute a health benefit above and beyond the cosmetic issue of MPB?
  2. Do you have any suggestions for any OTC or prescription drugs/remedies that would work to help curb the aromatization of the increased testosterone from taking a DHT inhibitor?
  1. I do not believe that using DHT blockers like Propecia will have any effect on your cholesterol. We know that Propecia will reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
  2. With regard to your second question, I am not an expert on OTC medications that curb aromatization from increased testosterone.


2007-07-25 10:33:56DHT and High Cholesterol

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My previous FUT surgery failed, should I do FUE now? I am a female.

I think that you are focusing on the wrong issue. First, you want to make sure that you don’t have some condition that will kill off your hair like Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia or related entities. Assuming that you do not, and you said you were disappointed with the results of your last surgery as some of the grafts failed to grow, it may be likely that the problem was with the surgical team (including the surgeon who is captain of the ship). Both FUE and FUT in the hands of experienced and well disciplined surgeons and teams, work reliably. As a female, an FUT is a better option for two reasons (1) you don’t have to shave the back of your head and (2) you had on FUT before so the surgeon can work in the same place and if there is a scar there, the surgeon can remove it at the time of the next surgery. This time get the right surgeon to do the right job, with FUT or if you are willing to shave the back of your head, then FUE works well.


2019-05-10 08:35:08My previous FUT surgery failed, should I do FUE now? I am a female.

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Did Mel Gibson Have a Hair Transplant?

The value of posts such as this on the BaldingBlog are to show the difficulty in detecting modern hair transplants. In my day, when advertisements focused on blondes, the saying was, “Does she or doesn’t she? Only her hair dresser knows for sure.” This would be the case for people who have had hair transplants today. I might take that old ad and change it to ask, “Does he or doesn’t he have a hair transplant? Only his hair transplant surgeon would know for sure!”

This article about Mel Gibson’s possible hair transplant is about 6 or 7 weeks old now, but it is nonetheless interesting (at least to me).

The photo caption states that the below photo on the left is Mel from 2 years ago, and the photo on the right is from today (or July, when the article was published).

(photo: DailyMail.co.uk)

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Prolactinoma and Hair Loss?

Hi Dr Rassman,

Im looking for a bit of advice, i think i have been fooling myself into believing i was going bald genetically and that my hairloss was due to Seb Derm/Inflammation and Traction loss. I believe some of it has been caused by my scalp picking and itching, but i have noticed i am starting now to recede and have lost hair diffusely through the top and also on the sides of my head.

I have been diagnosed lately with a Prolactinoma and low Testosterone so dont know how much that could be affecting my loss if any ? if im just going bald DUPA what would be youre recommendation for halting and regrowth, and would it conflict with my Cabergoline im using to shrink my Pituatory Tumor ?

Thanks

You’ve got a lot going on. The excess production of the hormone prolactin can possibly cause hair loss, but I do not have a lot of experience in this area. I can’t give recommendations for you, as I don’t have enough information and you’re under the care of a doctor that you should be getting your info from. Cabergoline doesn’t list hair loss as a side effect, and I’ve written about a similar problem before here.

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Did Surgeries from My Fibrous Dysplasia Cause Hair Loss?

Dear Dr Rassman:

I’m a 27 year old who has long suffered from Fibrous Dysplasia (I’m not sure if you are familiar with this disease). Due to my ailment, I have incurred over 30 medical surgeries over my lifetime. My hair was thick up untl high school, and then it really began to thin. The only ancestors of mine that have been bald were only two of my great-grandfathers. I was wondering if all of the major surgery I have had would have caused my hair loss. Also, I have been on propecia since November of last year and am having some back surgery next week. Would the shock of surgery or the medications used cause my hair loss to increase? Also, because I may be missing a couple of days of propecia doses would this affect the progress of the drug in combating my hair loss?

I’m familiar with fibrous dysplasia (it is a very rare bone disease), but I do not know what surgery you have had or what medications you take. Your question is very general and it is not something I can give you an answer to in this format. You need to see a physician and have a complete history and examination.

In most cases, hair loss in men is caused by genetics. If you have an autoimmune disease like a form of a scarring alopecia, surgery done in these conditions can be dangerous and produce failures of the grafts and further scarring of the scalp. Any medical illness or surgery that is a stress to your body can cause hair loss (sometimes permanent). But to distinguish that from genetic causes is something that only a thorough examination with a physician can provide. You are looking for a cause and effect type of relationship and I really cannot help you with the limited information I have.

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Propecia and Frequent Urination

My question concerns an unreported side effect of Propecia that has never been discussed on this website…I really feel alone on this one and am really depressed about my circumstance. I am 17 years old and recently started taking propecia for my hairloss, but had to stop because it causes me to constantly unrinate and gives me a burning sensation down there (which cannot be tolerated). My doctor told me to stop taking the medicine because of this, but now I am at a loss for what to do to stop my hairloss. Have you ever heard of this and what do you suggest I do so that I don’t lose my hair? Thank you so much for your response.

The usual report with some older men on Propecia is that their frequent urination (particularly at night) will decrease. This occurs because the prostate will frequently shrink on Propecia (finasteride 1mg) and in older men, swollen prostates cause urination problems.

From what you are describing, I would think that you have some other problem. First, you can stop taking the Propecia and see if your urination problem goes away. I would be surprised if it did. If I am correct, I would look for Chlamydia and other forms of prostatitis. Go back to your doctor after you stop taking the drug for a week, particularly if the problem persists.

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What is the difference between a biopsy and a HAIRCHECK test?

A hair biopsy or rather a scalp biopsy takes a small piece of your scalp out with a knife or punch, and sends it off to pathology to view it under a high powered microscope after it has been prepared and stained. A HAIRCHECK instrument tests for the thickness of the hair in a defined area of the scalp. As this can be compared area by area, the differences always reflects loss of hair bulk or hair mass. The HAIRCHECK test is non-invasive while the biopsy is invasive