Category: Uncategorized

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Looking Like Art Garfunkel

I am a 26 year old male, I’ve experienced rather quick hairloss (forehead line receeding, especially in the upper corners) over only 1 and 8 month period. It started when I began to get chest hair growing in. So I assume I’m experiencing genetic MPB due to testosterone changes. Its only getting worse. I’m new to all the drugs and treatments available. What course of action should i take? I dont want to look like Art Garfunkel.

You have just determined the absolute identifier for reaching the age where DHT kicks in. The appearance of chest hair is the biggest sign that DHT is now working on you. As you get even older you will see nose and ear hair as well; I should know, I am 63 years old. Propecia (finasteride) is a DHT blocker that will slow down the effects of DHT, but will not stop the chest hair completely. It will also probably slow down, stop, or reverse the hair loss. I recommend that you see a doctor and get on that medication. You need to have your hair and scalp analyzed for miniaturization so that good measurements will tell you where you are going to be as the treatment takes hold.

And for those too young to know who Art Garfunkel is, this is the hair style that the question-asker was referring to: Art Garfunkel.

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Am I Balding (Age 21)? Photos

No. You are probably developing a maturing hairline. Your hairline looks strong and the V-Shape of the mature hairline is just starting to appear. You can expect to see the entire hairline move up possibly another 1/4 inch as you get older.


2020-03-19 12:49:18Am I Balding (Age 21)? Photos

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Losing Hair from Rogaine

Hi Dr. Rassman,
I started using Rogaine almost 2 months ago. My hair was getting very thin and each year I had less hair. Before using Rogaine, I never saw a hair in my shower drain, but somehow I was losing hair. After using Rogaine, my hair loss did not get worse in the first 2-3 weeks, but now, after almost 2 months of using Rogaine, I noticed a lot of hair in my shower drain every day. what shoud I do now? should stop using it? or should continue? I use twice a day, a little more than 1ml of 5% Rogaine.
Thank You

Shedding of hair may occur shortly after starting Rogaine. I would suggest that you ride out this phase considering the short period of time.

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Aminexil, Propecia and Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Hi doctor, A doctor in france suggested to me to use Aminexil SP94(by Kerastase) capsules (commercial name:”Vichy Dercos”) applied on the crown area and the shaded are of the head directly. I noticed from many people’s feedback in France that dermatologists there recommands to apply Aminexil as a safe alternative to propercia since it doesnot have any sexual side effects,and that Aminexil actually stops the thining of the hair caused by dihydrotestesterone ( it does not stops DHT like propecia), rather it thickens the hair follicle which becomes resistive to DHT. What do you recommand doctor i need please your advice please(ie: I used propecia from several weeks and i have serious sexual problems). Thanks A lot

I looked up Aminexil and found that it is basically a minoxidil compound with the type of results that minoxidil gives. The question of course becomes, “Is it better than minoxidil by itself?” I would think that no one really knows the answer to that question, because they may not want to know. The general thought about minoxidil is that it may impact the length of the hair cycle by increasing it, amongst other benefits. That would add more hair, as less hair would be in the catogen phase and more hair in the anogen phase at any one time.

With regard to sexual side effects from Propecia, they are very rare (less than 1%) and much of it may be the power of suggestion as we men are very sensitive to anything that MAY impact the performance of our penis. It is great to blame Propecia for erectile dysfunction (ED), when in actuality it may not be the Propecia, but rather psychological or relationship issues associated with social issues that occur. That is clearly not always the case, but I suspect that it is mostly what is being reported on the sexual erectile dysfunction (ED) issue.


2006-01-10 11:29:24Aminexil, Propecia and Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

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Low Blood Pressure from Finasteride?

I’m currently taking fin 1mg with great results of hair retention. Do you think cutting to 0.5 or 0.25 mg will still maintain efficacy? I am getting moderates amounts of hypotension and dizziness when I stand ok and wanted to see if reducing dose would help.

Finasteride doesn’t produce low blood pressure. I suggest that you see your doctor.


2019-12-05 15:58:15Low Blood Pressure from Finasteride?

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Angry Reader Points Out — Lamisil Does Cause Hair Loss!

A Google search brought me to the question and your answer from a man who was experiencing dramatic hair loss following a two month usage of Lamasil. Your reply discounted Lamasil from being a cause, citing the drug’s use for infections that in and of the condition cause hair loss.

I am sorry to tell you I find your reply specious. Look, the drug insert slip detailing the side effects CLEARLY states that hair loss is a DIRECT side effect of terbinafine hydrochloride usage. You can bet the drug company would give much not to have to include it, or any other in a list of side effects, but after 33 years of patient use, I’m fairly certain that it’s had substantiation. Hair loss is a real unpleasant and tremendously visable side effect, and tons of money is spent by men and women to counter baldness. No drug company wants to have to tell users “this could happen to you”.

Now, I am a 45 year old woman prescribed and dutifully taking on schedule terbinafine hydrochloride aka Lamasil. I have had HUGE, by the handfuls, hair loss. I am in perfect health, substantiated by my age 45 health screening, except for normal stress, the effects of aging, and toenail fungus.

Please note: I received the prescription of Lamasil for TOENAIL fungus, not fingernail fungus, not ringworm or anything else that would cause hair loss, and hair loss is NOT a result of toenail fungus, doctor. So, when you post a sincere and concerned question (which unsurprisingly you did NOT answer) with a reply disdaining and discounting the legitimacy of the issue with an answer that supports an obvious agenda on your part, you discredit yourself and your profession.

AND I still need to know if MY hair will regrow. That guy was almost certainly loosing his hair from the Lamasil. Drugs are special, doctor, and many are needful, but those side effects ARE real.

Many drugs can cause hair loss, but my position has always been to explore other, more common causes of hair loss before blaming the drug. More importantly you need to discuss starting or stopping any medication with your physician.

Lamisil is often used in the treatment of fungal diseases of the skin, such as ringworm or toe fungus. If left untreated, some fungal diseases of the scalp by itself can also cause hair loss. I stand corrected with your reference to the drug insert warning of hair loss as a complication, but many times, just because a person is on a drug that has hair loss as a known side effect, it does not mean that it is THE cause of the hair loss. Diagnosis is just not that simple.

If you believe the drug you are taking is causing your hair loss, please address these issues with the prescribing doctor. There’s a disclaimer at the bottom of every page of this site that can be summarized to say, “This site is intended to educate the public on hair loss topics and should not be used for the purpose of medical diagnosis or treatment recommendation.” Please remember that I am not your doctor.


2007-11-27 14:33:09Angry Reader Points Out — Lamisil Does Cause Hair Loss!

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Major Hair Loss After Stopping Propecia

Dr. Rassman,

I am 46 years old. My father and brother have extensive hairloss on top. I am blonde and have very fine hair. No hair loss on maternal side. About a year ago I noticed some thinning at the hairline after many years of very slight creeping at the temples…still a NW 1-2 with very good density and caliber. I became alarmed given the extent of loss of my younger brother whose loss started as a 20 yr. old.

After doing what I thought was sufficient research and an recommendation from my Dermatologist who had used Propecia very successfully for 7 years, I started on the drug in early March of this year. I noticed little difference in my hair other than very slow thinning in front and on top. At 6 months (Labor Day) loss of libido had become an issue and E.D. became a problem. Watery and loss of ejaculate also surfaced. I wasted no time and quit the drug cold turkey. The sexual sides resolved in a couple of weeks, but that was just the beginning. After a few weeks my hair began shedding like crazy from all parts of my scalp..front, top, back, sides, nape of neck, sideburns, eyebrows, arms and hands too! This has continued steadily and I have lost an enormous amount of hair in 4 months…probably 30-40% of total! I am very depressed, nearly paralyzed and suffering severe anxiety..can’t sleep and having trouble functioning in my professional career. My life is cascading downward rapidly.

I am afraid there has been some sort of androgen/dht backlash. My hair seems to have miniaturized all over my head in a few months. Remaining hair is very fine and wispy ..hard to manage. The falling hairs seem to be very fine and less pigmented as well. This was not nearly as evident until a couple of months ago. I feel like I have the hair of an 80 year old man all of the sudden.

I have experienced “burning scalp” symptoms where MPB would normally be evident. I am terrified by the speed in which things have occured. I have not done anything in terms of treatment for fear of more shedding. Can you please suggest a course of action. I have no one to turn to. There are no reputable hair restoration physicians up here in Oregon.

Propecia is often effective at slowing hair loss, however, once it is stopped your hair loss can appear to accelerate. Your hair loss plays ‘catch-up’ to get to the point where your balding would have been without having taken the drug in the first place. This therefore, may look like accelerated hair loss. If this happens, you may continue to lose whatever hair that had been saved by Propecia and then continue the loss at whatever rate would have been ‘programmed’ for you by your genetic code (assuming your have genetic hair loss). An important question to consider: ‘Could you have been at the beginning of a rapid hair loss period from genetic or medical causes?’ Your situation does sound more complicated than simple genetic hair loss and this means to me that you might need a full medical work-up looking for other causes of hair loss (including appropriate blood tests). Stress can add substantially to the rate of hair loss and you are clearly being heavily stressed now.

Men in their 40s often (40%) will have ED (Erection Dysfunction) and Viagra might be worth trying (you need a doctor’s prescription) for any sexual ED problems you might have. If you feel that you are the 1% of patients who get a decrease in your libido from Propecia, then you should probably not take the drug, but you need a good, caring doctor to evaluate you along the lines as I have discussed in this blog over and over again. Your strong words above say a lot to me. You are VERY concerned and you want to take charge of the process that is impacting your hair, so be smart about it and whatever you do, do it the right way, ‘partnering’ with a good doctor. We have an office in San Jose and Los Angeles and a trip to one of these offices may be in your best interest. If you see me in Los Angeles, there will be no charge for the visit.


2006-01-11 20:24:10Major Hair Loss After Stopping Propecia

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Another Story of Gabapentin and Hair Loss

After 6 months of excruciating pain, I was prescribed gabapentin. I took this drug in January 2018 for nerve pain related to Herniated disc in C6 & C7. I took the drug for a month while waiting to get everything in order for disc replacement surgery. Then, the day of my last appointment before the surgery, I woke up pain free!!! No pain since. I could not believe how fortunate I was. Was it the drug? Did my body heal? I didn’t care as long as I was pain free. We postponed the surgery. If the pain returned, we would move forward. 2 months later, I still had no pain. Then, I noticed a little extra hair when I brush or wash my hair. It turned into hand fulls of hair! I had waist length, full bodied hair. So much that I fought to wrap a pony tail holder around my hair twice. It is June 2nd of 2018. I can now wrap a pony tail holder 6 times. Yes, 6 and it’s loose!!!! I touch my hair. I pull back loose strains. From May to June, I have lost an estimated 75% of my hair. If I had known this was a side-effect, I never would have taken this pill. There are other options. I have started taking folic acid in hopes it will trigger the hair follicles to begin regrowing.

I am assuming that you are a female. You need to meet with a doctor who specializes in hair loss. The figure 75% of your hair lost is more than I have ever heard. Without seeing you, I can’t give you an opinion.


2018-10-10 12:21:38Another Story of Gabapentin and Hair Loss