Depression is a known potential side effect from Propecia (finasteride). There are actions of the 5AR enzymes in many parts of the body and as it blocks the effect of this enzyme, the effects can be seen everywhere the enzyme exists which does include the brain. The dose of Propecia (1mg) is low so the effects elsewhere in the body is minimal. We see this drug used in the 5mg dose for the treatment of benign hypertrophy of the prostate (BPH) and most of the information we have on side effects come from the men treated with BPH. There are, of course, many causes of depression and depression itself needs to be addressed independent of the use of this drug alone.
I Cut Off My Dreadlocks After Seeing a Bald Spot
I’m a black female and two years ago I wrote to you guys about dreadlocs and hair loss. I cut them off and kept my hair almost to the bone most of 2007. Last year, after growing my hair back for a few months I cut them off after experiencing very localized alopecia at the back of my head along my ears (about an inch inside my hairline). I thought that maybe it was reaction to the hair dyes I used so I cut it all off and started over and was all growing in nicely. Well now a year later I’m having the alopecia problem again.
I’d been growing my hair since I trimmed it in June. But when it started getting cold here it started to get the itchies behind my ears, something I remembered from the previous time I lost my hair and whenever I’d wash it, it would have lots of hair coming out. I thought maybe it was because I did my hair in styles that I kept for a week (and therefore losing on in day a weeks work of shed hair)but deep down I knew it was much more then that.
So I looked in the mirror yesterday and saw the bald patch, much larger then what I had last year. I just don’t understand what’s going on. If you drew a line from ear to ear, my hair is much denser from the front to that line, I get thick braids when I style that part of my head. At the back it’s much finer. I’m really at a loss as to what could be going on.
I don’t use relaxers, artificial hair dyes (only pure henna), I don’t use heat to straighten my hair and I’m as gentle as possible when combing my hair. Can you shed (no pun) some light?
What I tell black women is that anything they do to their hair can cause hair loss if it is done often enough. It’s a general statement, but I see it almost every day. Hair straightening with relaxers does it, pigtails do it, dreads do it. Perhaps you are best served with a good afro, but if you’ve already lost a considerable amount of hair, that might not be an answer. Wigs work, but the attachment mechanisms can cause hair loss. It’s a huge catch 22. I really can’t give you any kind of solution without at least seeing what the problem is for myself.
If you’d like to visit my office for a consultation, I may be able to come up with something. I might suggest hair transplants (I’d need to see you first), but then again, that is an expensive solution and it still may not help 100%. Just don’t let any doctor recommend a hair transplant unless he/she is honest and straightforward with you. Good luck.
Will my transplanted hair stand the test of time, regardless of how far I bald?
If the hair grafts are taken exclusively from the donor area (permanent zone), they will ?have hair that is resistant to males hormones. The wreath of hair around the side and back of the head, is permanent on 99+% of men no matter what they have inherited from the ancestors, these hair will last their lifetime. Although this is the written rule, occasionally we see some patients that may lose their transplanted hair and if they do it may result from: (1) miniaturized hairs in the donor area (often called DUPA or Unpatterned Alopecia), aging of the donor area (seen in men over 50-70 years old a condition that unfortunately bares the name ‘senile’ alopecia, in many women whose hair around the side and back of the head is susceptible to female genetic balding and for other unknown causes we doctors call the ‘X’ face, which means we don’t know.
When strip surgery is performed and it strip incision is placed in the lower border of this permanent zone, these hairs will be lifetime hairs. If however, a doctor pushes the number of harvested grafts and extends outside of the permanent zone to push up revenue as they charge per grafts which are worth more to the doctor, these hairs may not be permanent.
2017-01-12 13:02:562017-01-12 13:06:26Will my transplanted hair stand the test of time, regardless of how far I bald?
I don’t think that I have enouogh hair for a hair transplant? I may just get a wig.
I don’t have a bald ‘spot’ though and temples are not receded much. Its diffuse in the whole NW6 area. I fear I don’t have the donor to get the desired results in the long run as the loss is not stabilizing.
You should see someone like me, who can assess your donor area with good quantitative numbers so you will know for sure, what you should and should not do. Don’t be your own doctor, your hair and your hairy life is too important.
2019-10-08 04:01:192019-10-08 10:49:20I don’t think that I have enouogh hair for a hair transplant? I may just get a wig.
Woman Picking at Sore Spots on Her Scalp
(female) I have very sore sporadic spots only on my scalp. If I pick at them it is agony. They are really tiny and have a little white head. Also if i rub my scalp with my fingertips little hard white bits come out like they were the hair follicles. Most disturbingly my hair is getting shorter, thinner and has become dry and extremely frizzy. I used to have beautiful long curly hair. I am so distressed. I feel so embarrased. I have just turned 40 also. Have you ever heard of anything like this.
You describe a condition known as trichotillomania.
From Wikipedia: Trichotillomania (TTM), or “trich” as it is commonly known, is an impulse control disorder characterized by the repeated urge to pull out scalp hair, eyelashes, facial hair, nose hair, pubic hair, eyebrows or other body hair.
There are support groups and learning centers such as Trich.org.
2007-09-12 10:36:132007-09-12 10:36:21Woman Picking at Sore Spots on Her Scalp
I Found this List of What I Can and Can’t Do After Surgery…
Hi Dr. R!
Captain Forehead here. I’m one week post-op. Staples are good so far. Not too much discomfort.
Wow, there is SO much different info online about what you can and can’t do after surgery. I found this elsewhere on baldingblog.com, a very helpful guide.
Patients…
* Can lie flat
* Can have full aerobic exercise in 1 week (even run a marathon if they want)
* Should limit weightlifting greater than 25 lbs for 4 weeks and keep the back straight
* No sit-ups or pull-ups for 4 weeks
* May play with pets in 1 day (but no licking the transplants by your dog until the crusts are off – it had to be said)
* Smoke and dust in the environment are not a problem unless you are not clean
* Passive sex is ok for the first 2 nights, then everything after is a goIt’s just weird ’cause sometimes I feel more tension while yawning than I do after the pushup I just tried, of course while keeping my head totally back!
I guess I’m just writing to say, I wish I knew for sure how “zombie-like” I have to remain after surgery and how much of my history of widened scars is due to junky genetics.
Thoughts?
P.S. See ya at the Open House in L.A. this Saturday!
You don’t have to be a zombie after a hair transplant surgery. The precautions are so that it protects and minimized the donor area scarring and most of the rules are to protect the people who are not generally careful and do unsafe things. I am generally open to shortening all of the time lines with more careful people. To simply think about it, the more tension you put (sit-ups, etc), the more there is a risk of widened scarring when your neck muscles are pulled. You will know that if you put your hand on the back of the neck and see how much pull you get from what you are doing.
2007-05-04 14:33:442007-05-04 14:33:50I Found this List of What I Can and Can’t Do After Surgery…
Woman’s Hair Loss: LA Times
A different pattern to female baldness
The above link is to an interesting article which appeared April 17, 2006 (yesterday) in the Los Angeles Times. The article discusses the differences between male and female hair loss, but offers few viable solutions to the female hair loss problems that face nearly half of women past menopause and many young women. The article paints hair transplantation into a distorted positive view, suggesting it is a solution for many women. In my experience, women who make good hair transplant candidates are few and if the transplant option is played in most women who are not suitable candidates, not only is there often poor results, but the women that are inappropriately transplanted could be worse off than if they were to have left it alone or just put on drugs like minoxidil. I hope that women who read this article do not rush into a surgical solution that is not the answer to their dreams for if they do it may take their dreams and turn them into nightmares.
I had 4500 grafts in Turkey almost one year ago, I see holes in my transplant pattern
I had 4500 grafts in Turkey almost one year ago, I see holes in my transplant pattern.
Yes, I see what you are talking about. A session of 4,500 grafts requires a great deal of skill in handling the grafts. Grafts that are out of the body exposed to air for 10 seconds will die before they are put into the recipient area. Quality control therefore is very important. I suspect that the quality control may not be tight. I too would have expected to see much more density present. What is unfortunate, is that your donor area has been depleted by over half and another FUE in the donor area could cause you donor site depletion and a see-through donor area that looks like it is balding. My recommendation is to see a doctor with years of experience who knows how to manage your problem and won’t make you look worse in the donor area.
2020-08-07 03:22:022020-08-08 09:36:13I had 4500 grafts in Turkey almost one year ago, I see holes in my transplant pattern
I am worried about the hair transplant damaging the hairs in the thinning area
A good surgeon can keep the recipient making instrument apart from the normal native hairs which he/she should be able to see when the recipient area sites are made.? Magnification and good lighting during the surgery allows the surgeon to see every existing hair without shaving the head. If you have it done with the robot with site making, the head must be shaved and then the robot watches out of the existing native hair, just as a surgeon would do.
I Had a Unilateral Orchiectomy — Will That Help My Hair Loss?
Hi, I am a 23 year old with a receding hairline. I have been losing hair for over a year now. I recently had a unilateral orchiectomy following my diagnosis for testicular cancer last month.
I was wondering if the operation will help me in anyway with my hair loss. Could having one less testicle have an effect on my DHT levels and my hairloss? I have been on Propecia for 3 months now and am hoping that the medication and surgery will help me out a bit.
When a man has one testicle removed, the remaining testicle will enlarge and increase its output of testosterone to compensate for the missing testicle.