Category: Uncategorized

Posted on

My DHT Levels Dropped Significantly from 2 Weeks on Saw Palmetto

Thank you for writing this blog, it is a wonderful resource for so many people. My question is regarding Saw Palmetto. I had my serum DHT levels checked, then began a regimen of Saw Palmetto extract for two weeks and had my DHT tested again. The results showed that my DHT dropped from 62 to 22 during that period.

This is a pretty significant drop in DHT but I am wondering if there is more to the story from a hair loss perspective. Does an overall drop in serum DHT mean that it should have a similar effect to Finasteride in stopping hair loss or is there something else to the equation?

It is hard to believe only two weeks on a herb (saw palmetto) can have a significant decrease in DHT levels. I do not believe even finasteride can have that effect. I simply do not know the significance with respect to how it can be interpreted for hair loss treatment.

Please note that the human body and its functions are not as simple to just quantify with a blood test and hormone levels. For example, testosterone level may vary in your bloodstream throughout the day! It may be high in the morning and low at night, and this may even vary from individual to individual depending on their work habits, exercise habits, sleep habits, etc, etc. So DHT levels can vary as well. The conclusion or associations that you are trying to make is unclear.

DHT may be implicated in male pattern hair loss, but as we have said over and over again, just lowering your DHT level is not “THE” answer to MPB. Sorry to be a party pooper.


2010-11-29 09:53:06My DHT Levels Dropped Significantly from 2 Weeks on Saw Palmetto

Posted on

Can a Dermaroller Damage Hair?

I am interested in using a dermaroller to enhance topical absorption. How long can the needles be before there is a risk of damaging the follicle and the surrounding vasculature?

We do not use or have experience with a dermaroller. I had one on my desk to play around with, but it never got use on the scalp, so I am the wrong person to ask about this one. I wrote about that years ago. It still looks painful.

In general, anything with a sharp point or a needle that you use on yourself (or others) should be sterile and used with caution. If there are readers out there that use this product, I’d be curious to know what you think about it.

Posted on

My Doctor Said I Should Take Oral Minoxidil for Treating Hair Loss

hello, i recently started propecia and minoxidil tablets one each daily. here in japan doctor said minoxidil tablet is ok, but i read on internet it is only for heart problem. is it ok to take it for my hair loss? thank you very much

Without seeing the patient in person for my own assessment and examination, I do not usually like to override another doctor’s opinion since they may have their own reasoning for giving a particular recommendation.

But in this case, I disagree with taking oral minoxidil tablets (also known as Loniten) for treating hair loss.

Perhaps you misheard your doctor or were confused by the instructions. Oral minoxidil is a blood pressure lowering medication. Topical minoxidil is a hair loss treatment. Propecia is an oral hair loss treatment you can take (with a doctor’s prescription).


2014-01-08 11:51:51My Doctor Said I Should Take Oral Minoxidil for Treating Hair Loss

Posted on

My Doctor Won’t Prescribe 5mg Generic Finasteride and Propecia Is Too Expensive!

Hello how are you? I am patient under dialysis treatments because my kidneys do not work anymore, and I wonder if some of your doctors could prescribe me generic 5 mg. My doctor did not want to prescribe generic finasteride 5 mg, the doctor just prescribe me Propecia, but is very expensive. It cost more than 80 dollars for thirty pills, I can not afford to pay that, I’ll be waiting for your reply. thank you!!

You can make an appointment with any dermatologist or a hair transplant doctor if your doctor won’t prescribe the 5mg. Did he give you a specific reason for not prescribing it (even if you are instructed to cut the pill)?

You would first need to have a good medical diagnosis for androgenic alopecia before you receive a prescription for Propecia or its generic finasteride. In general, there is a consultation fee for patients, but most hair transplant doctors waive the first visit fee.

Posted on

My Friend Was Very Sick After He Had a Hair Transplant

Hi. I just wanted to know if you have a hair transplant most surgeons tell you after 3 months the transplanted hair start growing. Is it possible it could take longer and if so how long would be the maximum?

My friend had a 3000 graft trasplant done and its been over 4 months, but not much has happened. He says he was very sick on the 2nd day after surgery and the pressure going to his head from vomiting made him feel as if the grafts were going to pop out. Is it possible something could have gone wrong due to vomiting? Thanks for your time.

Some people can have some side effects of drugs that are used for sedation after a hair transplant. Every medication has side effects, but most of the medications we use have few detectable side effects at the doses we utilize. If there are any lingering effects from these drugs, they may last a day or two at most. There has been a rare occasion where a patient was recently sick with the flu just before a transplant, so it would be logical that the same thing could happen after a hair transplant. Perhaps he caught the flu and it was coincidence. I really can’t tell you, as I have no idea.

Concerning your friend, hair starts growing at between 1-5 months after a transplant. I doubt that your friend lost any grafts or did any damage from being sick after the transplant.

Posted on

My Hair Has Changed, But There is No Miniaturization

In your opinion, if there is no miniaturization does that mean there is no hair loss? I recently had my hair mapped for miniaturization by Dr. Pak in San Jose, CA. He found no miniaturization beyond what is normal. It is possible that I have experienced a telogen effluvium, I mistakenly took a testosterone booster for a month about 8 months back, I also had 4 surgeries this past summer. I know for a fact that my hair has changed some in the past year, but I don’t show any miniaturization upon examination. Should I be worried?

In the interest of patient confidentiality, I will keep the answers generic. If you have specific questions or concerns you can call our office at 800-NEW-HAIR (800-639-4247) for a personal consultation / discussion.

Having no significant miniaturization should indicate that your hair loss state at that point in time was stable. You may have lost your hair in prior months and may have even experienced telogen effluvium, but there is no way to tell with a miniaturization study, which just shows hairs that are in the process of being lost.

If you take testosterone or anabolic steroids, you could “kick start” the genetic balding process, but as stated above, if you do not show signs of miniaturization at this point, it indicates things are stable. Most people will undergo changes in hair texture with age, but frankly there is no way to tell. I would recommend watching the hair over time with repeat miniaturization studies in the hope that your hair will become more full.

Posted on

Can Finasteride Stop Further Hairline Recession?

I’m aware that fin isn’t as effective on thickening hairs at the hairline, but is it effective at halting further recession, as it is at stopping general thinning?

Finasteride (Propecia) may halt further hairline recession, but hairline recession is usually not reversed with this drug. It’s also usually not a permanent phenomenon, so over time you can expect more hairline recession even if it stops the recession initially.

In other words, even if you take Propecia every day without missing a step and have good results, you could eventually start seeing the loss start again. It’s not a hair loss cure, though some patients have been on the medication for over a decade while still seeing good results.