Following a scrape on the knee and an ear piercing I developed keloids. Would this present a potential problem if I were to undergo transplpant surgery?
Yes, it may present a problem, particularly since you developed a keloid after a single needle piercing.
2007-10-16 08:32:132007-10-16 08:32:25I Developed Keloids on My Knee and Ears — Would It Be a Problem On the Scalp?
If and when Piloscopy becomes a thing, will you adopt it too?
I’m asking this because you are a very skillful surgeon and it would be a great thing if big surgeons such as you adopt it..
First, what is Piloscopy. A presentation of an endoscopic approach to follicular unit extraction was presented at the ISHRS conference last October by Wesley. The idea was to use an endoscope to enter the scalp from a 2 cm incision and extract follicular units from below the scalp near the skull side with a 1.2 mm punch under suction. At this point in time, it would compete against a well established FUE procedure which is well understood and used by surgeons world-wide. There is no evidence that his technique (which is mostly theoretical) can work efficiently used, if in fact, at all. There are clearly wounds that would be made at different parts of the scalp which would have to be sutured and these wounds would scar. Anyone who claims a ‘wound-less’ surgery is wrong. If the grafts were taken out from an approach below the scalp, there would be a small wound at every folliclar unit where the connection to the epidermis must be cut to get the follicular unit free of the epidermis. This write-up is based upon my memory of his talk before the hair society in October.
Im 23, and know I have lost hair. My hair used to be really thick, and I have lost hair diffusely, at crown, and temples. 2 Derms I went to said it was simply a mature hairline. I dont want a mature hairline, I will not feel stupid being 30 with a teenage hairline. The derm said that I can try propecia if I want to. My mom and uncle have both mentioned my hair looks thinner. Im unsure what to do.
There are men that do not ‘grow up’ from a hair line perspective, so you can get reconstructive hair transplant surgery to bring back that old child-like hairline. While it is respectable that you do not want a mature hair line, it is something most hair transplant doctors do not treat, but something that I would be willing to do in a 30 year old who met certain criteria. The criteria would be:
Currently there is no data that shows finasteride (Propecia) will stop the progression to a mature hair line. Propecia can only be prescribed by a medical doctor and it is important to establish a correct diagnosis before you start any medication.
I am a 42-yr old African American woman. I had hair restoration surgery in March 2006 for androgenic alopecia in the crown. For the last year and a half, I’ve been taking Propecia in pill form 2.5mg/day as well as topically. I’ve noticed since taking the meds, I’m experiencing diffuse thinning all over my head now. Have you heard of Propecia causing accelerated hair loss? Is this a temporary side effect? If I stop now, will my density return?
Propecia (finasteride 1mg) is an oral medication for the treatment of androgenic hair loss approved only for use in men. It blocks a hormone known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is responsible for hair loss in men. Propecia is not approved for women, because female hair loss is not necessarily caused by DHT and it may cause birth defects when women take the medication. Finally, only 1mg of finasteride is recommended for the treatment of androgenic hair loss. Taking 2 mg or 2.5 mg is not necessarily twice as better or effective. It will however increase the potential for more unwanted side effects. I would recommend that you see your doctor and address these concerns to him/her and or see another physician for a second opinion. This website is NOT a second opinion.
The question should be: Will taking Propecia harm me if I am not going to get pregnant? We really don’t know the answer to that, as the appropriate clinical studies were not done on women so safety and effectiveness are still up in the air. I couldn’t possible know the cause of your hair loss without an examination and a detailed medical history.
Also worth noting, Propecia is not available in a topical form or available in 2.5 mg strength.
Dr. Rassman,
Long time no chat. Used to browse here everyday, but took some time off.
Question. I was walking in an apartment complex about two weeks ago, turned the corner, and walked into an air conditioner that was clearly too low with my head. I was fiddling with a bag in my hands, my keys, and some other things so I wasn’t looking up. Plus, I was a wearing a baseball cap, although not a typical baseball cap. More like one of those touristy ones that might say “Universal Studios” or “Los Angeles” on it. Not as thick. Also, I have a ponytail and I wear my hat above the ponytail, so it might hang a bit low. Anyhow, I didn’t see the AC as I turned the corner and smacked/walked into the part where the bottom meets the side and hit the top of my head in one particular spot. I took off my hat and checked for blood. Couldn’t find any, and was relieved. However, when I got to a bathroom, I checked again with a paper towel and blotched a little bit of blood — not too much — on the paper towel. Although there could have been more because I do have pretty thick hair in the spot. The spot where I was hit developed into a raised, red bruise about the size of a quarter. I used a handheld mirror to check the bruise. It looked pretty good actually. Couldn’t even spot any open skin amongst my hair. At most, it looked like a shallow scrape with no definite sides. It was pretty red though. I thought I lucked out. That the hat I was wearing actually absorbed some or a lot of the blow.
I kept looking at the sore for a few days, and was resolved to the fact that I lucked out. Then a few days later I checked again with my hand and noticed a raised scab had formed. It was hard to see amongst the hair, even under light and with a handheld mirror. The scab looked white to me, but my brother said it was dark. Not sure if he saw it well. A scab must mean that the scrape was a bit more than I originally thought right? I didn’t wash my hair as much as usual for about the next two week, which brings us to today, but with working out and using the sauna, my hair became pretty itchy sometimes. So I had to wash, using my usual natural oil shampoo, and massaged with the palms of my hand, something I usually do on the top. Further, it seems the hair on my head protects my scalp from the shower water, which is interesting.
So where am I going? Apparently my scab fell off a few days ago because it wasn’t where it was. My hair in the general area looked pretty dandruffy, although it was the scab and remnants. I’m wondering if I should be worried about a permanent scar and damage to the hair follicles? I’ve read that scar tissue does not contain hair follicles. I checked my hair tonight pretty good and I can’t find a scar, but it’s hard to be certain with my back to the mirror and using a handheld mirror to look over my head. I still think I lucked out because of my pretty thick hair and the hat, but I’m still a bit paranoid. Also, I’m wondering if the hair in the area of the bruise is particularly fragile to being pulled out by a comb or fingers or whatever? What do you think? Give me an honest answer. Not an answer that would make me a client. 😉
So to summarize… you hit your head, which caused a bruise, followed by a scab. After the scab came off, you became worried that it would leave a scar and hair wouldn’t grow in that area again. You can’t see a scar, you don’t have a bald spot in the injury area, but you’re paranoid. You don’t wash your hair for weeks and now your scalp itches. Is that about it?
My honest answer is that it would terrify me if you were my client. By all accounts it’ll be fine. You can’t see a scar so I’m not sure what you’re worried about. Not everyone will see hair loss surrounding a scalp injury. It sounds like you’re borderline OCD about this.
2010-09-07 12:54:532010-09-02 09:36:44I Got a Cut on My Head — If It Scars Will There Be Hair Loss?
This woman lost her side hairline from traction. A hair transplant restored her so that she had the confidence she needed.
My hair is medium-coarse. I had two sessions totaling 5500 grafts. Do you think that it too many grafts from my donor area?
The men who most tolerate 5500 grafts excised from the back of the head are men with a coarser hair. That puts you in this category, so I would worry less, assuming that the FUE was done correctly with good spacing and no donor area shock loss.
Why does it seem that way, way more than 2% of Finasteride users experience negative side effects? I wish we lived in a world where there were clear, concise answers to whether or not our bodies would be negatively affected by this drug. I’ve been taking Fin for 3 months now – no side effects. But the more I keep reading about real & permanent side effects hitting guys, the more I don’t. know. what. to do anymore. Its a horrible feeling. It’s a decision where I now feel damned either direction I take. Thoughts?
If you are not having side effects, stop worrying as you will be like the majority of finasteride users able to take the drug without experiencing many of the problems you are reading about; however, if you keep focusing on the side effects that you don’t have, one day you will not be able to hold an erection and start blaming the drug. A cycle may be started psychologically, where you may induce side effects just from worrying about it. I have seen it happen.
(female) I lost a lot of my hair due to an iron deficiency, after 2 months on iron pills it stopped falling. Now 5 months after it stopped falling I still have no noticeable regrowth. When do I start to worry. Do I need more Iron to get it started. I am at 31 which is in the normal range 20-160 thanks
If you corrected the problem, you will have to wait a full year to find out if the hair loss will reverse. It may not, but in a year with good nutrition, you will probably know.
2006-10-30 08:34:562006-10-27 07:25:34I Had an Iron Deficiency, When Will My Hair Regrow?
hello Dr.
I wanted to ask a question about regrowing hair on the crown and propecia, and I appreciate your time very much.
I am a male, 34, and have been thinning for about 12-14 years, pretty diffuse. I have slowed the loss substiantially with nutrition and minoxodil, but my hair grows slower than it used to for some reason… I have recently begun adding copper peptides once in the evening along with minox 5% 2X per day.
I only have noticable loss on the top/ crown, but think I lost most of that 5-10 years ago. My hesitation to take propecia is due to cost, side effects, long term health effects, and the fear or worsening the hairline, which I have read on blogs sometimes occurs, but am considering taking it or maybe .5 mg per day to see about helping the crown regrow.
my question for you is, what help can propecia be under the best circumstances for hair lost many years ago?? I have heard that it cannot help beyond 2 years back, but have also read that it sometimes helps bring people back to a state from many years back. Thoughts?
thank you kindly.
Propecia will not benefit you if you have a slick bald area, but hair elsewhere in the thinning process may be helped. If you have not completed your balding pattern, Propecia may have value. I would have to examine you to know what benefits you may have, as the information you supplied is not adequate for me to base recommendations upon. You could take 1/2 a dose, but the recommended dosage is 1mg. Some people do cut the 5mg generic finasteride pill for a substantial cost savings, as long as you have a doctor that will prescribe the 5mg to you (it is a prostate drug).
