Dr. Christine Shaver and other dermatologists are picking up diseases of the scalp in young balding men. These men present with itching, inflammation and hair loss. Upon biopsies taken by Dr Shaver, she identifies about one young male patient each week with a condition called Lichen Planopilaris or Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, both autoimmune diseases of the scalp. In some men who eventually get a hair transplant, the hair transplant is likely to be rejected by the body. It may also reduce the growth or prevent growth in a hair transplant. If you have itching and inflammation, seek out a dermatologist and have two biopsies, one in the frontal where the inflammation and the itchiness is most prevalent and then a second biopsy from the Donor area in the back of the head. A biopsy read by an expert, will make the diagnosis and then special treatments are required. Catching it early is critical for everyone who has these diseases.
Could Testosterone Replacement Therapy Cause Hair Loss?
Hello Doc,
I have recently been diagnosed with low testosterone levels and my doctor recommended that I start testosterone replacement therapy. Is it possible that once my testosterone levels reach “normal” or average levels that I will experience hair loss?
This is something you need to discuss with your doctor and express your concern to him/her. If you carry the genes for genetic androgenic alopecia (AGA) then testosterone replacement therapy can potentially cause hair loss.
Periodic Shedding from Finasteride?
i have been taking proscar for probably 7 or 8 years. a few years ago i had a pretty bad shed. freaked me out. however the hair did come back. again, i am having another shed and i\’m pretty stressed about it. is it normal to have sheds periodically even while on proscar?
It is important to realize the the genetic hair loss has its own course, independent of the effects of the drug. What you think is shedding from finasteride, is probably more genetic hair loss. Hair loss goes in waves and cycles of loss (shedding) most likely be due to your genetics, not the finasteride. You should discuss this with your prescribing doctor.
Crackdown on Fake Propecia in UK (in 2007)
Note the importance of buying legit Propecia from a real pharmacy!!
Couple years old but a UK Press Release about fake Propecia rings true today.
Thanks for sending this in. Yes, it is from late 2007, but it goes to show that counterfeit Propecia does exist and is a problem. One crackdown (no matter how large it was) in the UK doesn’t eliminate the problem altogether. Buyers need to use common sense when buying prescription drugs off the internet without a prescription.
Photo of Zoomed in FUE Sites
Here, an area was left untouched, and the FUE was done above and below the untouched area. From looking at these photos, you can see that the FUE was distributed in the normal donor area nicely, but more FUE than this will cause significant depletion. The FUE was done above and below an area which has SMP done.
2020-01-14 04:00:182020-01-14 06:36:37Photo of Zoomed in FUE Sites
Crown thinning in a 35 year old male
A Pill Instead of Gastric Bypass Surgery for Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
A recent Futurism article discussed a new development that could yield the same benefits of gastric bypass surgery without the surgery part. A team of researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital believes that weight loss isn’t necessarily the key to curing Type 2 Diabetes. They’ve developed a compound they call LuCl (Luminal Coating of the Intestine) using an FDA-approved drug called sucralfate as a base. The compound temporarily coats the lining of the intestine and makes it unable to absorb nutrients.
Cyproterone Acetate and DHT
Dr. Rassman,
I know this may sound like an odd question, but, would an antiandrogen such as Cyproterone Acetate reduce the levels of DHT in the male body? Would it preserve hair in a person with very little balding. I realize there are major side effects with this drug, but am still curious.
Thanks, and keep up the wonderful work, your blog is quite informative!
Anti-androgens in men can cause a chemical castration, so yes, I would say that the side effects are major. A castrated male has no sex drive and may lose facial and body hair. Cyproterone is not something I’d suggest fooling around with.
The direct answer to your question comes from Wikipedia: “Some in vitro studies have suggested that cyproterone or cyproterone acetate may have a slight inhibitory effect on 5-alpha-reductase, however no significant reduction in DHT production has been observed in vivo.”
Please help, I think my hairline suggests that I am going to be bald! (photo)
No, this is a very early maturing process that your hairline is undergoing. Most of your juvenile hairline is still present. If your hairline fully matures, it will take on a V-Shape. The hair you lost is just the corners which will eventually go up along with the center hairline. It is just the part of getting older and wiser.
2019-12-18 04:35:002019-06-22 09:35:21Please help, I think my hairline suggests that I am going to be bald! (photo)