Category: Uncategorized

Could a head band cause hair loss? I know the answer will probably be “if it pulls on the hair it may cause traction loss” which I understand, but I honestly don’t know if something like this has potential to pull on the hair.

Here is a photo of the item in question, it would be good to hear your thoughts on the possibility of traction loss: Photo

I guess another question is, since something like this pushes down on the hair, is traction possible from something pushing down on your head like this would? Thanks.

The band you are using does not appear tight. If that is correct, I would doubt that this would be a problem.

My original blog entry (found here) detailed a reader’s thinning hair, possibly due to taking Accutane when he was a young man. The following is my response to him along with one of his photos, which I was given permission to post.

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Thanks for sending your pictures. I am using one of these for the Balding Blog to make good reading for our audience, showing only a top down view without anyone able to identify you. What I see in this photograph along with the other you sent, is that you seem to have miniaturization throughout the Norwood Class 6 pattern. The frontal hairline looks stronger than the area behind it (a good surprise), suggesting that the frontal line has different and stronger genetics than the hair behind it. I can not determine the amount of miniaturization that is there, but a good baseline is needed to determine change over time and any response to medications. Also, the donor area around the back and sides needs to be assessed to determine if you have a condition called Diffuse Patterned Alopecia, a diagnosis that is important to make prior to considering what to do about your problem.

With such an extensive area of thinning, your donor supply, skin laxity, and varying hair characteristics need to be determined before any treatment recommendation can be made. You may be a good candidate for Propecia and/or Rogaine. The pictures help, but I would think that you need to be managed by a competent doctor before going forward from here.

The (1) higher the contrast between hair and skin, the (2) finer the hair, the (3) less wave in the hair itself and (4) the larger the balding pattern combined to be negative elements for the person who is balding and wants a hair transplant. The use of Scalp Micropigmentation often allows more fullness when used as an adjunct to the hair transplant in people with these attributes.

Hi Doctor,

Great to find a forum that cuts through all the nonsense on balding; this really is a great service. I am a 25yo male with a hairline receding around two inches at one side. On this receding side I have a “cow’s lick,”(not sure of medical definition!) and this seems to be where the majority of the loss is occurring. I am currently on finasteride, and am worried that the loss at one side looks rather odd.
Is a “cow’s lick” particularly prone to loss? Or is this purely coincidence?

All the best!

Asymmetrical hair loss is not uncommon. It would be a coincidence that your cowlick is on the side with the hair loss. You should see and doctor and probably go on appropriate treatment. Lopsided hair loss does not look good for most men.

Hello Dr Rassman,
I have recently been diagnosed with seborrheic derm in my right eyebrow by a dermatologist. I have read in previous Balding Blog posts that you don’t believe seb derm causes hair loss as it is primarily a skin condition, and that loss could result only if there is manipulation of the hair follicles and I agree with you! But, my case is such that I am losing anywhere from 3-6 hairs a day in my right brow (which is the only place I have this issue…white flakes that adhere to the follicle and cause weakening of the hair and then soon loss) so I was wondering if you think this means I might not have seb derm?

Afterall the doc just listened to my symptoms and as I was still speaking wrote out a prescription without even looking at my brow! I am thinking it is a condition which mimics seb derm what do you think? I am planning on eventually getting a transplant when the loss subsides but I can’t seem to control the problem first! He put me on desonide and ketoconazole cream which did nothing for the hair loss of flaking and just exacerbated the condition. Any insight you can give I would greatly appreciate. Thank you Doctor.

If you weren’t happy with your dermatologist’s review of your eyebrow (you said he didn’t even look at it before prescribing medication), you should consider seeing another dermatologist that will examine the hair loss.

As for me, I honestly do not know. It is strange that you are losing eyebrow hair on only one side. Perhaps it is temporary and the hair will grow back? Give it time. Don’t jump on the surgery solution. Follow up with your doctor. If this is of any comfort, I have yet to see someone with one good eyebrow and the other bald, unless, they are pluckers or pickers.

When a person gets a hair transplant, I know that it can take over 8 months and in some cases up to a year for 100% of the transplanted grafts to fully grow in (well, the ones that survive at least). At the same time I know that a person can often get a second hair transplant by 6 months which means that some of the grafts from 1st procedure might not have erupted yet. With that being said, what happens in that second procedure if a graft is transplanted into or near the same spot where a graft was transplanted during the first procedure and just hasn’t grown yet? Will it damage the first graft? Or will you just end up with two grafts growing from that spot; so basically like one big follicular unit?

I don’t believe that if one transplants over another hair graft, the second graft will add hairs to the first, making the follicular unit larger. A second follicular unit will arise in the area. Follicular units are controlled, I’m size, by the genetic mechanisms of the stem cells in these follicular units.