How Did Pro Hockey Player Ryan Getzlaf Lose Hair So Quickly?

Good day Dr.Rassman and company. Here is a picture of professional hockey player Ryan Getzlaf back in 2003 when he had gotten drafted to the Anaheim Ducks.

This is him in: 2003, 2010, 2012

How did he lose hair so fast?

According to Google, Ryan Getzlaf is 27 years old now… so he was a teenager in that first photo from 2003 and his juvenile hairline is clearly evident. In young men (under 35 years old) hair loss is not a steady process, as it may come in spurts. Hair loss over an 8-9 year time frame is not fast from a genetic point of view.

What makes a good transplant candidate? (reddit)

This Reddit poster did a good job at summarizing the key elements everyone must understand. I would add:

1- understand that genetic balding is progressive and over the years more hair loss may occur until you reach your final genetic pattern so your Personalized Master Plan should account for this possibility

2- be sure you research the doctor you are going to use and develop a Personalized Master Plan for your hair loss with that doctor so you can set realistic expectations. Although coarse hair is the best hair caliber, many men get great results with medium weight hair and even fine hair if the balding pattern is not very extensive.

3- realize that over the years, hair character changes with age, often becoming finer so plan for these changes in your Personalized Master Plan

What Makes a Good Candidate for Hair Transplantation Surgery from tressless

What To Start First? Minoxidil or Propecia

Doctor. I appreciate that you always advise patients to try one product at a time so they know what’s working. And you always advise men to try Propecia first and minoxidil later. Propecia is obviously more effective. But couldn’t it be less effective if minoxidil was started before propecia?
I’m just guessing here but if minoxidil is used first you now have susceptible mph hairs addicted to a less effective medication. The suggestion is minoxidil dependent hairs aren’t protected by Propecia. So you now have a lot of hairs that could been Propecia dependent giving greater and longer protection dependent on much less effective minoxidil and more susceptible to loss. Adding Propecia after affords no protection to those minoxidil dependent hairs. I’ve seen nothing that says hair can be dependent on both. So I would think its always best to getting hairs dependent on Propecia first then starting minoxidil 6 months to a year later. Is my reasoning off here?

You ask an interesting question. The simple answer is that there is no right answer. What medication you choose (Propecia vs Rogaine) is up to the individual and its results may not be a significant issue because the two medication work in different ways (different mechanism of action). The hairs you gained from Rogain may not be the hairs you would have gained from Propecia. I generally suggest that our patients do both, to get the big-bang right up front.

How does Finasteride cause ED when it does?

The NHS wrote: This US study looked at a medical records database to see how common erectile dysfunction (impotence) was among men prescribed two drugs, dutasteride and finasteride, both used to treat non-cancerous prostate enlargement. The drugs work by blocking the male hormone testosterone. A low dose of finasteride is also used to treat male pattern baldness.

Overall they found that around 1 in 17 of all men prescribed either drug for prostate enlargement had erectile dysfunction. This figure fell to 1 in 31 of those prescribed finasteride for baldness. Using the drug for longer was generally linked with a higher risk. However, in 99% of men, stopping the drugs solved the problem so it wasn’t as catastrophic as the media implies.


2020-08-02 15:46:11How does Finasteride cause ED when it does?

When All Else Fails, What Can a Young Man With Hair Loss Do Besides Give Up?

Hey, I just want to take a second to thank Dr. Rassman for all of the time that he puts into this blog in helping young men as myself in looking for solutions to hair loss. I just want to explain something for a second.

First of all im 20 years old, have been losing my hair for some time. For all the time I put looking for answers to stop my receding pattern, people like me seem to be just wasting their time. I have been on finasteride for two years, and from the looks of my head, it seems as if I have no more options. I come to this blog out of desperation to hopefully find a “miracle cure” that will hopefully one day regrow the little fibers of youth that have slowly destroyed any bit of self confidence I once had. Im afraid that I have put countless hours a week researching baldness and still can find no answer in how to stop this.

How do people like me… when all fails…deal with this situation?…because it seems to me like the answer that makes the most sense is to just give up. It is most certainly wrong that young men, barely out of high school, will not face judgement and humiliation from this. In my case, I am embarrased to say that this little problem has turned into one big life crisis. A couple of years ago I was a pretty good looking kid. Now I cant jump into a pool without my scalp showing for everyone to point fun at. Two years ago I was happy…now im just depressed

If I’m going on a little rant here im sorry, but im just desperate I’m afraid. In reality, is there any hope for the guys like us, who seem to see thier youth crumbling, and confidence fading?

You’re not alone in feeling this way. Unfortunately, we don’t have all the answers and there is no cure for hair loss. It’s possible that a hair transplant could be in your future… but you need to find a caring doctor who can work with you on a Master Plan addressing hair loss possibilities.

How Fast Does an Eyebrow Transplant Grow?

Hello Dr. In How many month I can see the final results for an eyebrow transplant?

As with hair transplant surgery on the scalp, you should see some results from an eyebrow transplant anywhere between 3 months up to 12 months after the procedure. Some grow faster, some grow slower. Everybody is different.

When Is a Good Time for a Hair Transplant?

I was just wondering when you can get a hair transplant. I’m 20 years old, male. My hair is falling and I’ve already started the propecia. I know that the propecia isn’t going to get me to where I am before so I just want to get a transplant. I don’t want to stick with where I’m at. There are no bald spots….just the scalp is visible all over when my hair is wet. My question is this…..can I get a hair transplant already or do i have to have a bald spot? Thanks a whole bunch.

You should be on Propecia (finasteride 1mg) for at least a year. You need to get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and follow the benefits or lack of benefits of the drug. Either you will:

  1. Get better with less miniaturization after a year
  2. Slow or stop the hair loss
  3. Get worse

Based upon the response to the miniaturization mapping, you need to develop a Master Plan with your doctor which will define the various paths open to you, including the timing of things you can do. Some men of your age will slow, stop, or reverse the hair loss on Propecia, while others may continue to bald at their own accelerated rate indicative of strong genetic and hormonal influences. There is no magic about hair transplants and if you are going to get really bald, then great care in how transplants are used is critical to being sure that you will always look normal, never trading short term benefits for your long term appearance. The Master Plan will lay out the transplant option and put it into perspective with projections on your hair loss which might be easy for a doctor with a great deal of experience in doing such predictions. 20 year old men are often less objective and less able to stand back and look at the long term hair loss process when they have short term needs (girls, self confidence), but some doctors see the money in it and may be willing to take your money to allow you to focus on short term agenda issues. That is in no man’s best interest. If you are unfortunate and have a very rapid hair loss process going on that is not benefited from Propecia, hair transplants could be the worst thing you could do right now. Please remember the following philosophy: A Good Decision Today is a Good Decision Tomorrow. Get a caring doctor who works with you on that Master Plan I discussed. I have done a few hair transplants in very young men (early 20s) but I am careful that I know what is happening to them and I learn a great deal about them as fellow human being before embarking on such a path.


2006-11-27 16:34:30When Is a Good Time for a Hair Transplant?

How long can your hair grow with finasteride and minoxidil?

Finasteride can alter the anagen phase of hair growth, but the length of hair depends upon the genetic hair cycle that you have. Hair grows at 1/2 inch per month on average when there is no balding present. Miniaturized hairs can be maintained or partly reversed to normal, but they will grow slower, not necessarily longer, because the length is ingrained in the mechanics of your hair cycle. Miniaturized hairs will never grow as fast as non-miniaturized hairs nor reach the length of non-miniaturized (Terminal) hairs.