Category: Uncategorized

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Getting a hair transplant before starting medications

Hey Dr. Rassman, so was just wondering on some advice , i’m considering getting a transplant as i’ve thinned fairly in the back and towards the front how ever have somewhat density there so i’m considering getting a transplant to give back some thickened and a hairline ! However like most people i’m worried about the sides of Fin , I have never taken fin before so don’t know i’m prone to side affect and don’t want to spend 1000s on a HT to find out i can’t take the fin to maintain is there a way to find out if i’d be prone to sides or should i just take sone before i got the th transplant and if so how long should i take it for to be sure ?

If you are in your 20s, it is likely that a hair transplant performed on you, might accelerate your hair loss. It almost always kicks out miniaturized hair and many of those hair may not look miniaturized but may be extensive where you think that you are thinning in the back and towards the front. Be careful at jumping the gun on hair transplant. Finasteride is a good way to stabilize the hair loss. Get a good doctor who will work with you. Go slow on your decision for a hair transplant especially if you are under 25

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Terminal Hairs at Hairline

I read that all persons have peach fuzz and miniaturized hairs in the beginning of their hairlines, but my question is that if it is normal to see solitary terminal hairs 1 cm before the beginning of the hairline

Most hairlines are transition zones between the bare forehead and the thick hair of the scalp. Some people have a wider transition zone than others. Some people have solitary hairs in front of the transition zone, while others have a tight frontal hairline. We are all different. When I create a hairline, I always build a wide transition zone between the forehead and the scalp hair behind it so that the point where the hairline starts does not come on strong. Some patients want a strong hairline so I often find myself negotiating with these patients on this very point as we plan the hairline for the day of surgery.


2009-07-07 13:29:40Terminal Hairs at Hairline

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GNC Men’s Mega Men and Hair Loss, Follow-Up

Doctor,
You recently mentioned (GNC Men’s Mega Men and Hair Loss) that a certain GNC multivitamin contains DHEA, which can produce hair loss as a side effect. I use the GNC mega men multivitamin, and I can’t find any mention of DHEA -or the full name of Dehydroepiandrosterone- in the ingredients. Does it go by a different name? I suspect one or more of the following ingredients: L-Arginine, L-Carnitine, L-Glutamine, L-Taurine, L-Valine, L-Leucine, L-Isoleucine.

I also take a protein shake that contains much larger quantities of L-Isoleucine, L-Leucine, L-Valine, and L-Glutamine. In addition, I take a creatine supplement with L-Glutamine, Taurine, Glycine, K-Arginine, and L-Methionine.

Ironically, I usually take these supplements alongside of a DHT blocker (first propecia, more recently Avodart) because I was experiencing thinning hair a while back. I’m under the impression some of these may increase DHT production in the body.

I would appreciate it if you could tell me which, if any, of these ingredients produce hair-loss, or increase DHT, as a side-effect.The good news is that I haven’t noticed any additional hair loss, but I would like to cease use of these products ASAP if they accelerate the hair loss process.

Thank you very much.

My comments that reflected the presence of DHEA in the product GNC Men’s Mega Men come from the GNC.com website, where it states “Features DHEA, one of the most abundant hormones produced in the body and is a precursor to other hormones.. ”

DHEA can cause hair loss and that is all I have said about it. I am not against this product, just looking for things that cause hair loss and reporting what I learn to this audience.

With regard to the other listed nutrient supplements that you asked about, clearly a deficiency of any essential dietary elements in your diet can, by themselves produce hair loss.

L-Glutamine: There is a suggestion that high amount of this can cause increases in growth hormone, which could therefore produce hair loss if that association bares out.

Taurine, Glycine, K-Arginine, and L-Methionine : There is no direct association that I know of between taking amino acids supplement and hair loss. Any deficiency in these however, will produce hair loss. Good diets should alone produce adequate amounts of these essential nutritionals.


2006-06-26 08:57:43GNC Men’s Mega Men and Hair Loss, Follow-Up

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Testicle Pain 3 Months After Taking Finasteride

You could be developing some problems with your testicles that may be or may not be related to Finasteride. You should see a doctor and not assume that it is due to the drug. The doctor will examine you looking for testicular torsion or other abnormalities that some men may be experiencing and who are not on the drug Finasteride.

Why are my balls hurting after 3 months? from tressless


2018-07-19 06:29:35Testicle Pain 3 Months After Taking Finasteride

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Not Hair Loss News – For Cigarette Smokers, Read This

Reported From Medscape, September 10, 2014: Scientists contradict WHO criticism of e-cigarettes

The benefits that E-cigarettes don’t have the tar and poisons from burning tobacco is the point of the article. E-cigarette-do not pose a “significant health risk”, say the scientists. The risks of nicotine addition is still present and there is legitimate concern that this is a ‘gateway’ drug that might lead to smoking tobacco, especially in children

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Testosterone Therapy and Hair Loss

Hi Doctor:
Since being on Testosterone therapy for about a year now, I am suffering from serious male pattern baldness. I am 49 and realize it is natural to lose some of my hair but I know it is coming from the testosterone. If I discontinue the treatment (against my Doctor’s wishes) will the hair loss stop and perhaps even grow back as the testosterone level drops or is the damage already done?
Thanks

Once the testosterone has precipitated the hair loss, the loss is not reversible. Maybe your final hair loss pattern has not occurred, and if that is the case and you stop the testosterone and go on Propecia, maybe you can still save some of the hair that will eventually fall out. Please discuss this with your doctor more or see another doctor for a second opinion.


2008-01-09 09:36:40Testosterone Therapy and Hair Loss

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Hair Loss And Propecia – Revisited And Updated

Hi doctor Rassman. you have an amazing blog and are so informative when it comes to hairloss.

I have been taking propecia (the brand version from merck frost) for 6 months and 3 days to be exact. (I started taking it on June 1 2011, and today is december 3 2011). I have seen no change in my hairloss at all. My hairloss has not gotten better, or it hasn’t gotten worse. It is at the same rate prior to taking propecia. So basically its like I have taken the propecia for nothing. They say you are suppose to see less hairloss by month 3. this is now month six and still nothing.

I went to see my dermatologist and he told me that since I haven’t seen any results within these 6 months that I should stop taking it if I want and further treatment with it will make no sense since it has done nothing in the first six months.. he basically left the decision up to me. These were his exact words, “If I were you, I would stop taking it because since it has done nothing, i don’t think it will be of any benefit, but its up to you. you can keep taking it for another 6 months and see where that goes”.

Now this is my question to you doctor rassman. I know you can’t give medical advice and such, and I completely understand. I just want your opinion on the matter. Since you are a hair restoration specialist, I feel that your opinion is far greater than any dermatologist.

do you think 6 months is to soon to give up? should I continue in your opinion? Have you had any patients who started seeing the benefits after 6 months and such. what do you think? I just want your opinion. I really appreciate it. thank you

Without an examination or documentation of how your hair loss has progressed in the last 6 months, I really would not know what to advise. I can’t tell you whether you should or shouldn’t take a medication I didn’t prescribe to you, but it could be worth sticking with it for a little while longer before making a decision either way. Your doctor gave you the same advice.

We advocate miniaturization studies, bulk measurement studies, and even take photographs under consistent lighting. These tests, while not perfect, are an attempt to quantify and scientifically track hair loss. Hopefully one day we can accurately measure and document hair loss more accurately. As a matter of fact, we have just been granted a U.S. Patent on such method a method (see here).

If you want an evaluation of hair loss and options, I would seek a hair transplant surgeon in your area. Your situation may not be hopeless as finasteride almost always works to some degree, even if it is just slowing the process down. I generally tell my patients that they need to take Propecia for 6 to 12 months before the effectiveness can be assessed but that same advice should extend to a few years with Bulk measurements taken yearly. I also make it a point to tell those patients that while they may not notice any difference (or even notice more hair loss), that could mean the genetic predisposition to hair loss is winning out over what the drug can offer. It’s possible that the medication has slowed the rate of your loss, and had you not taken it for these past 6 months you’d have even more hair loss than you have now. Really though, I don’t have any way to know unless you get two measurements for hair bulk over a 12 month period.

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The Damage Produced by Sun Exposure (with Photos)

This is a 70+ year old man who had blonde hair in is youth. He was a lifeguard for 15 years and constantly got sun burned. The price he paid for this sun exposure is monthly visits to his dermatologist with many, many skin cancers. Notice that his hair loss could not be worse, with hair not only in the front and top, but also the sides to just behind the ears. I suggested that he was not a candidate for hair transplants. You can see the many scars resulting for removal of his skin cancer. The message to take from this is to stay out of the sun and certainly be careful that you don’t get sun burned!

Click the photos to enlarge.

 

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I Like Being Bald What’s The Big Deal

I am a 33 year old woman who has been completely bald (by choice) about eight times. I have been shaving my head since 2008, and my hair is usually about a number 1. I did not do this to raise money for cancer research, or anything similar. I shave my head because I love having short hair. I think it is very sad that so many people consider hair loss to be a bad thing, and spend ludicrous amounts of money just to have more hair.

I shave my head myself every week and spend about 30 cents a week on shampoo. I own a few beanies for Winter, and in Summer I never have that disgusting feeling of sweat-soaked hair.

Why have hair, when you can just shave it all off? I used to have beautiful long hair, but it is more fun to NOT have hair.

If you are worried about hair loss, you must have a very boring life!

Thank you for sharing your experience. I think bald can be beautiful too! But hair loss does bother many men and women and at least they have a choice to do something or nothing about it!

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The limits of hair graft calculators (from Reddit with comment by W. Rassman)

This is nice to see, however, it doesn’t take into account a few very important factors:

1- Your hair thickness (fine hair has 1/4 the value of coarse hair) so the calculations are different based upon hair thickness

2- Your hair density in the donor area: We are all different with different hair densities. The density reflects the donor bank so if you take out say 3000 grafts, and you only have 3000 to donate, then you have used up your reserve. A good doctor will tell you how much hair you have in your donor bank and as you use it, how much remains.

3- What can you expect in the future as hair loss is progressive. Today, for example, you have some frontal loss and you transplant it with 2000 grafts. In a few years maybe you have more frontal recession behind the area that was transplanted and you also develop some early crown loss. If you transplant these two areas, then maybe in time, the crown loss will become more and wider, what do you do then? Did you leave enough hair in the donor bank to manage future hair loss?

The hair transplant conundrum is not so simple as a graft calculator can easily solve. A good doctor who has experience, will address this for you and give you a realistic assessment of your short term and long term needs. I always tell my patients don’t think a year out, because balding is a lifetime problem.

HOW MANY GRAFTS Do You Need? Try this 30 Second GRAFT CALCULATOR! from tressless


2019-08-22 08:19:29The limits of hair graft calculators (from Reddit with comment by W. Rassman)