Category: Uncategorized

Hello.

I am curious about hair/scalp contrast, and camera flash vs natural lighting when taking looking at pictures of my hair.

I have a very inflamed scalp, which is also quite scabby. I’ve tried many shampoo’s and ointments, but nothing has been able to clear it up. When I take pictures of my hair, my scalp can be noticeable, since my hair is very fair and when am using flash on my camera it stands out even more. If flash is off, the only noticeable part of my scalp you can see is my crown.

So, what gives the best evidence of hair loss with pictures? Flash, or natural lighting? As I said, natural lighting my hair looks fine, with flash it looks a bit ‘iffy’. My family have said my hair looks like the natural lit pictures, in ‘real life’. My GP says I have no hair loss, but the pictures can make me question hair judgment.

Thanks

I would rather not discuss photography issues (I’m not a photography expert), but it’s pretty common for direct/harsh light to make your hair appear thinner than it is. Just as various light sources can make someone appear older, angry, or even make your hair look a different color, lighting can also make your hair appear thinner than it is. Why, I don’t exactly know. Photography isn’t my field of expertise, but I’m hopeful there a reader of this site has a logical explanation. Direct light isn’t going to be a crystal ball in determining your future hair loss, though.

Other people are telling you that you don’t have a problem with your scalp and/or hair, but if you still believe you are losing hair, then see an expert (photography or hair loss) and find out what is really happening. At the very least, see a dermatologist to treat your inflamed, scabby scalp.

Running testosterone with Finasteride is fine. Finasteride is a 5-alpha reductase type 2 inhibitor (which you, of course, know). It is not a DHT blocker, but it does block the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Therefore, a DHT derived agent (Winstrol, Halotestin) will still function in all its wonders and will of course have all its side effects on hair, rendering Finasteride ”useless” since it is being bypassed by the DHT-agent.

People who take testosterone and are genetically prone to hair loss will get hair loss even if they take the drug Finasteride, which is only 70% effective at blocking the DHT at the receptor level.

A 2017 gene study of 52,000 40-69 year old males tried to identify genes associated with balding, and they identified over 250 genetic markers common in bald men. They then tried to use it to predict MPB with some success. Total of 61% in the lowest risk group had hair loss, with 14% of it being severe. The highest risk had 58% with moderate to severe loss. https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1006594

Even after identifying this many genes its far from perfect. We can logically deduce it’s more likely that there is no MPB gene. Genetics increase susceptibility, but that applies to everything else. This also explains why most old men will exhibit recession, and why everyone recedes to different extents.

Interesting. Thanks for the information.

I have heard that early androgenetic alopecia can present itself as an episodic telogen shedding. Can this happen also at an advanced stage, say, 8-9 years after AA was first detected?

Genetic balding first presents with miniaturization in those that are impacted. The miniaturization usually is progressive with thinning hairs that can be seen by a doctor’s video scope and the hair bulk can be measured with the HairCheck instrument. Continued shedding is common, as the hair loss process is progressive

I responded with, “If I go bald, then I’ll just have to deal with it and go on with life”. It felt so empowering to embrace the fact that I might be bald someday. If she thinks I’m ugly, then that leaves another 4 billion potential females who might find me attractive. This girl and I are just friends by the way and I don’t think she knows my hair is thinning.

Society has prejudices. This is well illustrated in two observations: (1) Since Eisenhower was president, no president has been elected that has been bald because society thinks that bald men can’t be trusted. Men’t Fitness magazine did a study that showed that society felt different about bald men vs hairy men. I think that is why our sexy movies stars have good hairlines. (2) I ran a talk radio show called The Inner Man for a year in Los Angeles. Although my focus was not hair issues but religion, sex or social issues, I remember one show where I talked about hair and societies attitudes about it. One man called in and he was the Vice President of Marketing and Sales for a Billion dollar company (he did not say who he was just what he did). He told me that he would never hire a bald man because bald people couldn’t be trusted. As a side note, he said he was completely bald but he was trustworthy, different than everyone else.

People who are superficial don’t look below the surface of most things (balding included). I am sure that your ‘girl’ friend would not abandon her friendship with you if you started losing hair. She would be very supportive.

The photos speak loudly. Can you imagine walking around looking like this?

Dr.Rassman, I’m thinking of trying Propecia. In your medical opinion can taking it long term also decrease total testosterone and bioavialble testosterone? I’m worried about it causing problems to my endocrine system.

Propecia is used by millions of men everyday and there does not appear to be any issues with their endocrine system. Testosterone levels often rise when a person is on Propecia.