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Dear Dr

There has been a lot of interest in the UK about intermittent fasting where an individual eats normally for 5 days a week and then fasts for two (not on consecutive days). There was a BBC horizon programme where it was shown to reduce IGH-1 (growth hormone) and improve insulin sensitivity. It is claimed that when a body goes into fasting mode the body starts to repair itself better by repairing cells rather than producing more cells. It was suggested that this may be beneficial to age related diseases, cancer etc.

Do you think this would slow down the pace of hairloss if insulin sensitivity improved and/or IGH-1 was reduced? Has research been done on this approach? Your thoughts would be appreciated

Genetic hair loss is not a disease. Balding is a genetic trait, like your height, body build, hair color, the way you look, etc. Even if this ‘fasting’ has value (which I would doubt), it will not change your genetics. Significant fasting can actually accelerate hair loss. You are what you are and although your patterned balding can be modified with drugs or transplants, your balding pattern is fixed in your genetics.

I researched a lot but got a diverse array of answers. If the delivery system is inhibited, does that mean a healthy Lifestyle (Stop Smoking, Lots of Water and veggies, exercise) might have positive influence on your hairloss prevention?

99% of men who lose hair are losing is for genetic reasons. To lose hair from diet, for example, you would have to have undergone very rapid weight loss or be dietary insufficient with multiple vitamin deficiencies.

I am a 45 year old male and have had a bald spot on the right hand side of my head for about 4 weeks. There is no itching or discomfort, and its about the size of a 50p piece. I am a smoker and probably drink more than I should, my job is also quite stressful.

could you give me any advice please? thanks.

I cannot diagnose a bald spot without seeing you. In addition to stress, there could be many causes, such as a fungal infection, alopecia areata, etc…

I recommend that you see a dermatologist to diagnose the scalp condition you have.

Sometimes it is unfair that some people get a great hairline regarding genetics. I believe Stalin might never have succeeded as a dictator had he been bald! A full head of hair gives great confidence to those with it. Look at Bill Clinton’s hairline as such an example? Men’s Fitness did an article some years ago reviewing the political ramifications of not having hair. Since Eisenhower, there has not been a bald president in the United States. Donald Trump knew this and tied a perception of good hair with a lace hair system (a wig) to build his personal confidence. The public doesn’t know Donald Trump is bald because they know him as a hairy man with a strange hairstyle.

Response from Reddit poster: I had this happen to me firsthand from 16 until 24. I ran a community in the mountains of Ohio, and year after year, we were gaining more and more followers. I could Stockholm syndrome a beatiuful model, even a wealthy businessman in no less than 3 hours. Then baldness struck, no new members, all my wives left me for one of my enforcers who had beatiuful luscious hair, but I guess the hair loss saved my ass the feds raided the community like a year later. I’ve been saving up for a $30,000 for graft treatment, so maybe one day I can create another community

If it really bothers you, you can address this with Scalp Micropigmentation relatively easily, see here:https://scalpmicropigmentation.com/thinning-hair-gallery/#!

Finally, after much research, scientists have concluded that cell phones do not cause brain cancer.

New Scientist 18 July page 25

The crown often takes more hair than other areas of a similar size because the swirl is present in the crown and the hair changes direction. The swirl draws the eye to the scalp. A 4-inch area will take anywhere between 2000-3000 grafts, depending upon the thickness of your hair shafts. More coarse hair requires less grafts when compared to fine hair.