Is it true that fin really does alter people’s mental state (e.g depression) and altered their brain/cognitive functioning as well?
There does seem to be a small number of men who take finasteride and get depressed if they have a history of depression and there are reports of brain fog which has never been successfully explained. Brain fog or depression is a good reason not to be one finasteride.
2021-07-07 01:21:262021-10-25 17:26:11brain fog and depression on finasteride
My boyfriend is 25 years old and has already started to go bald, he won’t leave the house without a hat. I can tell that it is really effecting his self-esteem. What can he do?
Your boyfriend has what appears to be early hair loss, an indication of male pattern hair loss. He should see a doctor who specializes in hair. He should meet with a doctor experienced in this field, get a HAIRCHECK test (invested capital for me ) to find out just how much hair loss he had and where it is, both what he can see and what he don’t see. Then with proper treatment, maybe he can stop the loss, possibly reverse it before he becomes bald
2020-01-24 04:00:172020-01-24 14:47:49My Boyfriend Is Concerned About His Hair
Is it true that broccoli causes hairloss?
No, there is no connection between broccoli and hair loss.
Broccoli causes a great deal of gas that seemed to bother even former US President George Herbert Walker Bush (aka Bush Sr.), who waged a war of sorts on the vegetable, famously saying “No more broccoli on the White House menu” after he took office. He’s also been quoted as saying, “I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.”
But no, broccoli doesn’t cause hair loss. In looking at this photo (at right), I see that his corners are reflective of some genetic hair loss, which according to his many photographs was present for many years. I wonder if his hair loss reflected a deficiency of broccoli in his daily diet?
Doc
I’m 19 year old and I’m afraid I’m losing hair, even though my father has a head full of hair, because of the irregularity of my hairline and recession at the temple.
I’ve consulted a dermatologist that said I have seborrhoeic dermatitis and that he can’t tell whether I’ve male pattern baldness, thinning or receding hairline before my dermatitis is cured but even using the foam, nizoral and pills he prescribed I still have dermatitis and I’m afraid I’m wasting time when I could be curing my hairloss.
I really want to know what do you think? Do I have a receding hairline and hairloss?
I took these pictures this morning, feel free to publish them. Thanks
Click the photos to enlarge:
I will post your photos for the readers that may like to comment, but if a doctor examined you in person and couldn’t diagnose genetic male pattern baldness, I don’t know how we could be expected to provide a diagnosis just based on photos. It does appear that you may have some hairline recession, but you’d need your hair bulk analyzed and scalp mapped for miniaturization in order for me to be able to know if you’re thinning in various areas of the scalp. The photos don’t show me that.
I am not sure why you would not want to follow the recommendation from your doctor, who gave you a treatment plan. Did you use the medications he recommended for the length of time he prescribed? If you feel your doctor is wrong with the diagnosis, then you should seek another doctor for a second opinion. Treating seborrhoeic dermatitis wouldn’t be a waste of time, though.
And just to be clear, there isn’t a cure for hair loss.
This is a difficult question so i will try to guess relying on my 30 years in this business. Using a 70% probability (my opinion), by the age of 26 and using the HAIRCHECK instrument and trichoscopy you will know your final balding pattern, a 80% probability (my opinion), by the age of 30 and using the HAIRCHECK instrument and trichoscopy, you will know your final balding pattern, a 90-95% probability (my opinion), by the age of 35 and using the HAIRCHECK instrument and trichoscopy you will know your final balding pattern. A few men may be normal past 35 and still develop balding, but that may reflect less than 5% of men.
2020-04-02 07:58:122020-04-02 18:13:29By what age will I know my balding pattern?
Good afternoon Doctor. To make a long story short just want to say I am a 28 year old male with early hair loss, and my derma gave me an rx for the drug avodart to stop hair loss. He didn’t give finasteride as he said its weak, and avodart is better. he told me about all the side affects of both drugs such as erection problems, gyno, low sperm count with avodart, etc. and basically said its my decision to pick which one, propecia or avodart so I choose the more effective one. I honestly do not care about the side affects, I’m single and I could care less if I have erection problems from avodart. My hair is more important than sex lol.
But anyways my question is that does avodart from clinical experience and studies does it work on hair loss better, or its about the same as propecia? The reason I’m asking is because avodart is more expensive, so if it the same as propecia might as well take the cheaper one. My dermatologist said it blocks type 2 5AR way better than propecia, and that the type 1 blocking ability of it will do nothing for hair loss as type is negligible and not proven to cause hair loss. From your practice, are the patients that take this drug doing better than the ones on propecia?
My first choice for a drug treatment is always finasteride (Propecia) and in the generic form it costs about $3/month. So yes, while Propecia is probably the cheaper option, it is also the only oral drug approved at this time by the FDA for the treating genetic hair loss (the other is topical minoxidil).
There haven’t been a ton of studies comparing the two for treating hair loss, but the one study that stands out in my mind is from late 2006, where 416 men were studied over 24 weeks. The results showed dutasteride was more potent and resulted in a superior hair growth count based on photos. But that is just one study over six months time, published nearly seven years ago.
One does not have to give up their sex life, nor does one have to take crazy risks with this decision. The incidence of sexual side effects from finasteride is 1 to 2%. Avodart (dutasteride) might work better in some men, but the side effect risk is much higher. I would criticize your doctor’s view on these two drug choices, and will point out that you are welcome to get another doctor’s opinion. Some doctors who do not specialize in these areas may not have all the information.
Hi Doctor thank you for your help. Can skin irritations trigger Alopecia Areata? I have read many different articles about the triggers of AA but it is still confusing. I see certain chemicals and allergies might trigger another spot. It is hard for me to understand if skin irritations or skin allergies are really enough to do this. Also are there irregular shaped spots or are the spots always round. Thank you for your time.
Alopecia areata can often be spontaneous, but some have tried to connect allergic reactions to it. I really don’t know though, to be honest. The spots can appear singular or at multiple locations, regular or irregular and they can change in size and grow larger.
For more info on alopecia areata, I recommend visiting the National Alopecia Areata Foundation site.
2012-03-23 11:04:312012-03-23 11:06:40Can a Skin Irritation Trigger Alopecia Areata?
Dear Dr. Rassman.
I wrote you before about my hair condition. I am male, 22, caucasian. I went to the trichologist last week and was prescribed to apply topical Minoxidil 5% +mpg 0.0125% together with some vitamin-enriched solution called “Biostim” (ingredients include: Aqua, Sabal Serrulata extract (biogen), mono propylene glycol, ceramide, panthenol, calcium pantothenate (vitamin b3), vitamin E, vitamin A, Vitamin H (biotin), vitamin H (P.A.B.A.), Inositol (vitamin B8).
The doctor I went to also told me the weirdest thing about the long-term treatment plan. he suggested that I follow the usual minoxidil regime for 12 to 14 months, then switch to less concentrated solution with less frequency of application until I’m in my late 30s. What he added to that,that it is possible to take me out the medication at that age, because (quote) my “hormone levels will settle up”… I don’t know what to think of it? It sounds like some sci-fi scenario for me…
another thing I want to ask you is that I’m currently quite happy with my hair – I have slight recessions at the temple area and that is my only problem. I always had quite high hairline, so recessions are quite visible (if I for some reason will go for shorter haircut). I have no history of baldness in my family (my father is 60 and he is on NW3, so are/were most of my family). So as far as I understand the idea of the treatment is not to let my hair loss progress…
I’m very confused abouth this whole situation. Should I trust my trichologist, or does he sound ridiculous? Should I consider undergoing Minoxidil treatment at this stage or not?
I look forward to your reply.
kindest regards
Hair loss is a progressive process and if you think about it, you can logically figure out if the Master Plan made by your trichologist makes common sense. Certainly, I approach the problem with a solution (Propecia and/or minoxidil) and continue treatments that are successful. The idea of starting minoxidil and withdrawing it if it is working, guarantees hair loss from that withdrawal. Propecia always works at least by slowing down the hair loss (to what degree though, is different per person), possibly stopping it altogether, or maybe reversing it.
As for the Biostim product, the only place I can find that references this is one trichologist in London, leading me to believe he is the exclusive marketer of this product. Perhaps it is a private label item and he is just looking to make some money? I don’t know. The ingredients you listed do not look like they’ll do much for your hair. It is your call, of course.
The skin in this area takes about 3-4 months to become normal, even if it looks normal. Therefore, you should not traumatize it by brushing roughly. Instead, gently use a brush to comb your hair in this area.
2018-02-05 06:56:232018-06-26 13:44:22Can I Brush My Hair in the Recipient Area with a Tough, Hard Brush?
Hello Dr. Rassman,
I have been having eyebrow loss for over ten years now. It started after a period of overzealous plucking as a teen (I am now 29). The hair grows out and then after a few weeks to months it gets very weak and limp and falls out. This has been going on for years. My primary doc said it was age and possibly alopecia (though I have no problems on scalp and hair loss is diffuse not patchy). my dermatologist said seb derm but my symptoms are not that similar and the meds he prescribed didn’t help. Any ideas what it can be? And am I a candidate for transplant surgery? Please help! Thank you.
I really couldn’t make an attempt at an answer to what you are asking without examining you myself. So I’m not sure what it could be. If it is indeed seborrheic dermatitis, treatments are usually limited to antifungal shampoos. You didn’t mention which meds you were prescribed, so I’m kind of at a loss there, too.
As for whether you’re a surgical candidate, again, that’s not something that can be determined without an exam. A hair transplant into the eyebrow will reflect the thickness of the hair in the donor area where it is taken from (back of the head area).
