Category: Uncategorized

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I Was Treated For Tuberculosis and Now I Have Sudden Hair Loss

I am a 22 year old man.i underwent treatment for tuberculosis for2 year but now iam ok.the problem is now i have sudden hair loss with circular type.

Hair loss for men in general is caused by genetic factors. In other instances illness or medical conditions which cause stress to the body or adverse effects from medication can also be responsible for hair loss.

Treatment for tuberculosis (TB) sometimes can mean you tested positive and were once exposed to tuberculosis and doctors gave you a long course of antibiotic. It does not always mean you have an active tuberculosis infection. Either way, you were treated and it should not impact the hair especially after two years. Even the medication you took for TB should not be a factor after two years.

The best advice is for you to see a doctor for an examination. Circular type of hair loss (patchy circles) can also mean you may have a condition known as alopecia areata (AA). AA is not related to TB.

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Hair Loss on Top of Head, Hairline is Fine

PorcupineI am 29, male. Recently I got my hair cut rather short, and it has kind of spiked up, somewhat resembling a porcupine, i guess you could say. I notice when looking at my head from above that my hair seems thinner, like there are some areas not as full as others. Is this a sign of hair loss? My hair line is not receding, and my hair is fine at the crown/point at back of head, where you usually see bald spots in people going bald. Do you have any idea what I am seeing in the mirror? Is there a pattern of baldness where you start to lose hair on the top or in the middle of your head? Thanks in advance for your comments.

Some people will develop thinning behind the hairline, leaving a normal hairline. We also see thinning in the crown with no problem in the frontal area as well. The first 3/4 inch from the highest crease or the wrinkled brow is the juvenile component of the frontal look. Behind this first 3/4 inch starts what I call the mature hairline.

The shorter you cut your hair, the more you will see of any thinning that is present. To find out what this means, map out your hair and scalp for miniaturization so that you can know if this is a genetic pattern for you. If it is genetic, Propecia works well in the crown.

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Trichophytic Closure Questions

When the strip harvest method is used, a linear scar is produced, but what if the doctor uses a trichophytic closure, would the scar be “virtually undetectable”? Would I be able to buzz-cut my hair without the scar being noticeable?

And also, does the number of hairs that grow through the scar vary by the person? And for my last question, if I felt the back of my head for the scar, would I feel it even if I couldn’t see it? (Would there be a bump where the incision was made)?

Good judgments in determining the size of the donor area is the best determinant of the size of a donor scar. When the incision is too tight due to the piece of excised scalp being too large, then the enemy is tension. The use of special closure techniques minimize the scars and the tension, but a bad judgment at the time of surgery can not be offset with a repair process.

The readers interested in the subject of scars, may conclude that special techniques can make the scar disappear. Many surgeons would like you to think that their wonderful skills guarantee that the scars on their patients are either non-existent or non-detectable. I believe that the only surgeons who have never seen scars from strip harvesting are those surgeons who have never done the surgery. If any surgeons give you this line, then that surgeon is not honest, for scars (much of the time) have little to do with the surgeon and much to do with the patient’s healing capabilities, when proper techniques are used.

The use of trichophytic incisions do not offset bad judgments or poor surgery, but when used, they can close the gap in a 2-3 mm scar that usually accompanies a donor wound. The scar will still be present even if it is covered by hair, and yes, you may be able to feel it.


2006-08-11 17:10:29Trichophytic Closure Questions

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Should I try to have all of my hair translated in a single surgery rather than Two or Three?

The decision on how many surgeries you need and if you can do all of the transplant work in a single session is a matter of: (1) your needs for hair, (2) the size of your balding area, (3) the skill of your surgical team and their experience, (4) your donor density (the higher the density the more hair can be moved in a single session) and (5) your budget. Safety is the most important of the 5 situations listed above. Some less than scrupulous doctors push hair graft numbers beyond what is needed so that if they charge by the graft, they make more money, so make sure that your doctor is skilled, competent and ethical.


2017-02-02 08:02:11Should I try to have all of my hair translated in a single surgery rather than Two or Three?

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Hair Potions and Lotions

What do you think about all of the vitamins and other things sold in the health food stores that claim that they reduce or reverse hair loss?

The word ‘claims’ in this usage, reflects the lack of scientific proofs for naturally produced substances sold in heatlh food stores. Many of the items sold are sold on their potential and a ‘hipe’ that is created by word of mouth. There is little regulation for natural food additives, so there is no way to determine the proof of the claims that are made. Some of the natural substances may have DHT blocking abilities, as claimed, but there is no proof of such activities.

It is common to find substances sold in health food stores that claim DHT blocking properties. There is no way to confirm or deny this, so it again becomes a ‘buyer beware’ issue, leaving the final action in the hand of those willing to spend the money on it. At least Propecia is a proven DHT blocker and we know that because it has been thoroughly investigated by the drug company to meet a high standard of FDA regulations. We also know about the side effects (very low) and long term use statistics. A large company behind this medication tells us that someone is accountable if things go wrong. I can not say that for most of what is sold in the health food stores.

For example, Saw Palmetto, is thought to be a natural DHT blocker, and there are various articles that purport to prove it is an effective DHT blocker. But, a recent article that I read in a well respected medical journal indicated that it was a very weak DHT blocker. Did you know that Saw Palmetto was added to the GI’s food in World War II battle zones to suppress the soldiers sex drive so that they would not get distracted? Now if you link these two (weak DHT action and sex drive suppressant), why would anyone want to take it?

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Two Different Doctors Refuse to Prescribe 5mg Finasteride

Thank you very much for your useful blog. I have been taking propecia for a year and a half with great success. I have tried to get a prescription for finasteride 5mg from two different doctor but they both refused to prescribe it to me. So my question is do you know anyone that can do this in the London?

Some doctors aren’t open to prescribing the 5mg, but I couldn’t say for sure which ones would. You made sure to tell those doctors that you know you’re supposed to cut each pill when treating hair loss and you just want it to save money, right?

Dr Bessam Farjo is an occasional contributor to BaldingBlog, and he has an office in London. I can’t say for sure if he’d prescribe the 5mg dose, but it’s worth a try. Good luck!

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Hair System vs Wig

What is the difference between a hair system and a wig or a toupee?

ToupeeIt is the same as the difference between a garbage collector and a sanitation engineer! Everything is in the packaging!

Shakespeare wrote, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I would change this for the sanitation engineer: “That which we call garbage smells the same under any name you choose to give it. Unfortunately, for many wig wearers, there is a smell that comes with chronic use of wigs unless you have replacement wigs that you wash with some regularity.” It’s not quite as romantic, but it fits.

So to answer your question straightforward — no difference, except for the name. Hair system was coined to market fake hair so that it sound better than wig or toupee.

The picture shows a ‘hair system’ from the bottom (you almost can’t see the hair). What you are looking at in the photo above is the part that attaches to the scalp. To get the best fit, the scalp should be shaved and then the device is glued to the skin with some ‘attachment’ compound. Once glued, it stays in place on the scalp until it is removed and reattached. Many wearers do not do this for themselves, but rather pay someone to do it for them. If the device stays on for a week or more, the sweaty scalp produces an odor which then transfers to the ‘device’. Some people remove it at night and this allows them to shower and wash their scalp. They may also wash their device, but washing it makes it wear out earlier. Alternatives to glue include weaves, which use the existing hair around the head to be weaved through the mesh of the device like thread or clips which can attach the ‘device’ to the existing hair around the edges of the ‘unit’. The clips are better, because they can be easily removed while the weaves can not be moved and must be reworked as the hair grows longer. The average weave becomes more and more loose the longer it stays in place and to make matters worse, it moves as the hair gets longer.

The constant movement of the ‘device’ as the hair gets longer, or the pull from the clips or the glue, creates traction alopecia (hair loss from pulling) which is permanent in almost every person. The sad thing in all of this is that these devices will cause permanent hair loss and dependence upon them. This dependence creates business for the life of the customer.

The reason I think that hair transplants are a better solution is that rather than create dependence, it creates independence. Most of my hair transplant patients say goodbye to me after one or two sessions. From a financial point of view there is no comparison, as the wigs run an average of $3000/year for purchases, replacements, adjustments, repairs and services (and more and more services). Just think of the money a person will spend at $3000/year in 10 years ($30,000) — a far more expensive process than two hair transplants that run between $10,000-$20,000 (hopefully with a stopping point at just two sessions). The existence of a good Master Plan with an honest and reputable hair transplant doctor is critical for the hair transplant candidate who wants to ask “when will it end?”

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Umbilical Cord Blood, Is It the Future?

Umbilical cord blood is stored by more and more people today at great expense. It is used to treat rare blood cancer and bone marrow disorders. They can be used to form beating heart cells, treat heart disease, form neurons, and treat neurodegenerative diseases, like Alzheimer’s, with almost endless possibilities (including brain injuries, stroke, spinal cord injuries, and even multiple sclerosis). A recent study treated cerebral palsy successfully in experiential trials. This is very exciting stuff! Maybe in 10 years, we will see cures never imagined.


2018-09-13 14:00:14Umbilical Cord Blood, Is It the Future?

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Hair Transplant After Radiation Therapy

I would like to know whether it is possible to do hair transplants to someone who had radiation therapy for 6 weeks. The area is about the size of the palm of a hand. Balloon expander was suggested… but 6 months and 2 “operations” is too long and not worth the result…or is it?

Thanks for your advice.

Hair transplants may work in the radiated area, but that depends upon the status of the quality of the skin in the recipient area. I can not render an opinion without seeing you, but it seems like you got advice already from a doctor and an area as large as you report seems appropriate for a balloon expander at first blush.

When I transplant a patient’s hair into an area that received radiation, I often do a test transplant to be sure that the transplants take 100% and are strong and robust.


2009-11-13 08:24:04Hair Transplant After Radiation Therapy