Balding Blog – Page 1327

April 6, 2009

I Have 50% Miniaturization – Is That Significant? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hey Doctor, I just had a miniaturization study done the other day by Dr. Bernstein in New York (who I found out about thanks to this site) and he said I had about 50% miniaturization on the front of my head while the crown/back was all normal and prescribed me 5mg Propecia to cut it into 1/4s. I didn’t take the chance to ask him any questions about it, which I regret. So I was hoping I could ask you:

Being 20 years old, would you consider 50% miniaturization a significant amount of hair thinning?

Being that right now I just have hair thinning and there’s really no signs of balding to the untrained eye, am I at a better advantage to responding to Propecia?

Also, could the propecia actually reverse the miniaturization, at least to a certain degree, or is it much more likely that it’ll just halt it/slow it down?

Block Quote

Yes.
Yes.
Could go either way, or none at all. I can’t predict how you’ll react to a medication.

50% miniaturization is a predictor or hair loss or balding in the area where the miniaturization is found (in your case, in the frontal area). Sooner or later, the balding will be evident to the naked eye, but with finasteride, it may slow it down or reverse it. You should repeat the miniaturization study in a year and see what has happened ,and then you will have a better idea of the hair loss progression and the speed of the process.

April 6, 2009

Taking Saw Palmetto Capsules with Provillus? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I’ve been taking Saw Palmetto Capsules for the hair loss control but discontinued because I started taking provillus dietary supplement(because containing Saw Palmetto), Can I continue with the Saw Palmetto capsules (The reason: I’m interested in the protate benefits)along with Provillus. Thank you in advance for your help.

Saw palmetto and Provillus are over the counter natural supplements, though Provillus now contains minoxidil along with saw palmetto. The use of saw palmetto may or may not work, but one of the problems is the dosage between different manufacturers and as it is an herbal remedy it is not covered by the FDA regulations for claims. I really don’t believe it works in treating hair loss, but I also see no harm in taking it. I would be careful not to take excessive dosages of any natural supplements, though. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what an excessive dose of saw palmetto would be.

Provillus has 5% minoxidil in it now with their “improved formula” (it should say so on the bottle), which means that it is now as good as the cheaper generic minoxidil you can get at any pharmacy or most supermarkets.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 6, 2009

Is a Ceramic Flat Iron Different from Regular Flat Iron for Hair Health? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I just read your article about flat irons and I was impressed with the information, the reason being i purchased a ceramic flat iron in which i was told it was the healthy way to get the hair straight but after using it about six times i started experiencing breakage like you described in the article. So my question is do you know anything about ceramic flat irons being different from regular flat irons?

Ceramic hair iron The article you’re referring to can be found here, just so everyone is on the same page.

That article is a good review of the process. As I understand it, a ceramic hair iron ceramic is supposed to be more gentle on hair compared to a traditional metal hair iron, but the best information for you would be obtained through a good hair stylist who has experience with this process. Other sources you can try include cosmetology schools for stylists or even Wikipedia.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 6, 2009

Impotence from Minoxidil? – Balding Blog

hi doctor. i have been using regaine 2% from 3 years last year i started with regaine 5% and now i stopped because i’m really afraid of its side effects. are they true? i mean the side effects such as partial or total impotence? i have to declare that the effect of regaine was amazing and now i dont know what to do?

thanx a lot

Well, Wikipedia does list that as a side effect of minoxidil (Rogaine/Regaine), but I’ve yet to encounter a patient that has experienced that. Anyone can update Wikipedia, and the revision history shows that someone added that to the side effect list just a few months ago. In other words, someone is goofing around with Wikipedia.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 6, 2009

Generic 1mg Finasteride Recommendations? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Dr. Rassman,

I have read countless articles on the net about generic propecia. I have found your site to be the most helpful. My question is do you recommend a site to get generic 1mg finsateride? I know that there is a very popular brand made in India. I want to start buying generic due to cost, but I am worried that it won’t work and I will begin balding again. Propecia has worked GREAT for me. Let me know asap if you know of any good sites/places to get generic propecia. Thanks again!

There’s a patent law which prohibits a generic 1mg finasteride from being sold in the US legally. Merck still has the patent on the 1mg dosage. Sales of 1mg generic in the US obviously still occur, but I can’t recommend any websites where to purchase illegal medications — plus, they are prescription medications where a prescription is not verified.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 6, 2009

Female Balding and Steps Taken to Fix It (with Photos) – Balding Blog

This is a 60 year old woman who had 2700 grafts to fill in the area where she was very thin. She uses a combination of Toppik in the first inch of the hairline only, a good solid perm for the rest of her head and a reddish hair coloring that works to minimize her hair color contrast. Red coloring at times gives wonderful results and this lady was very careful to style her hair to maximize coverage. The curly nature of her hair changes the characteristics of her hair, which is normally straight.

She could have done it all with transplants alone, but it might have taken twice the amount of hair transplants than she got with the three step approach she used. Click the photos to enlarge.

After

Before

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 3, 2009

I’ve Been Taking Finasteride for a Month and I Think My Hair Loss is Diffuse – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi Dr Rassman.

I’m a 29 year old male. I had a full, thick, wavy head of hair until about a year ago. Then the top and sides of my head have thinned rapidly since. I didn’t have any recession of the hairline, although now my temples have receded a quite a bit and also quite rapidly, but I’d say nothing beyond a “mature hairline” (though for me, the difference is obvious compared to what I started with). But overall, the hair on the top of my head and also the sides is very thin. I’d say the only place which hasn’t changed much is the back. There’s no history of MPB in my family.

I’ve trying finasteride for the past month but having problems with nipple sensitivity and worried about gyno. I know you’re going to tell me to get myself mapped for miniaturization, but I don’t know where I can get that done around here. I think I may have some kind of diffuse pattern alopecia, I’m just horrified that I made it through almost my entire 20s thinking I’d keep a full head of thick hair, and in a year (8 months, really) it’s so thin and wispy. Seems like it has happened overnight… I thought MPB takes years and is a slow process. I just wish it could have waited until my 30s instead.

Block Quote

There might be no immediate history of MPB in your family, but it can skip generations. Thinning hair on the top of your head could be MPB, but the hair on the sides should not be thinning like you briefly described. MPB doesn’t need to take years, as the speed of hair loss progression is different for each person.

What if I didn’t tell you to go get yourself mapped for miniaturization, but provided you with a tutorial to do it yourself (if you have the right equipment)? See part 1 here. You can then take the results of the mapping and upload them to BaldingForum, where I can provide a consultation opinion. You should (with your mapping in hand) seek out a good hair doctor or come visit us here in sunny Los Angeles.

April 3, 2009

Questioning the HairDX Finasteride Test – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

Good day Dr.,

I’m just riddled with questions regarding this new HairDX test and although it’s brand new, I was wondering if you could help me clear up at least one. How accurate do they boast this test to be? They say: “Scientists discovered that among men that had the best response to Finasteride approximately 70% had a CAG score below 22 while among men that had a subtle response to Finasteride approximately 70% had a CAG score above 22″

Does that mean that even if someone has a score above 22, there’s still a chance at having a best response? I mean, say the score comes back above 22… is that the end of hope or is there still a chance the pill could work? And if someone scores below 22, does that mean it’s a slam dunk that it’ll work for them?

Thanks again for the great site.

HairDX You do not need the HairDX test to find out if you have a balding gene if you already show miniaturization and/or balding. The CAG repeat test, however, does suggest how sensitive you will be to a drug like finasteride. This may have value in establishing expectations for finasteride, but any benefit of finasteride is better than none. I’m not completely familiar with the HairDX tests yet, as I’ve not used them, so I can’t give you specifics on what their descriptions mean.

If you believe you are balding without much physical evidence of balding (even after a miniaturization test), I would not recommend Propecia to you even if you test positive from the HairDX finasteride test, as we bald at different ages and although you may be positive for the genes for hair loss, if you are not yet losing hair, no treatment is needed until it starts.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 3, 2009

Miniaturization Tests Show Propecia and Minoxidil Didn’t Work for Me – Balding Blog

I have been to every doctor in my country, untill i found one that does hair miniturization test. He took a test of my hair and said i have miniturization of 17% so he prescribed me to propecia. 1 year passed and back then I had 87% hair density and now i only have 69%. He said propecia just dosent work on me.

Now I have for the past 2 years an itch wiv acne on my scalp which no remedy was able to fix. Also I took blood tests which show I have copper deficancy although i eat alot of meat and food. Im 22 years old and my family have no sign of baldness besides my dad who started thinning in his mid 30s. This is the most details i could give you from you without looking at my head directly. Also I did take minoxidil for a year and it didnt help also, my balding does look genetic because my hair is thinning on my front sides, although my hairline is still there.

Thanks so much for listening and i hope this time you will be able to help me, because I dont know what else to do, my only last option is to fly and meet you but im a student and dont have much money. Thanks again

17% miniaturization may be within normal limits. Something is wrong here. I can’t believe that the medical community is unable to help you with a diagnosis — which is exactly what you need. The numbers you are supplying me make to sense to me. You need to have a doctor who explains what is going on with you in a logical way. Perhaps you should look into the new HairDX test for finasteride response.

Diet and vitamins are good, of course, but you have a series of questions which may or may not be related. I need good scientific baselines to determine what is going on and I can not get this over the Internet. Pay me a visit and I will be happy to help you if I can. I’m located in the US, so I’m sure there is someone closer. Try the physician search at the ISHRS for a doctor in your area.

Paid advertisements (not an endorsement):

April 3, 2009

Hair Loss Information » Lazerfish – Balding Blog

What do you think of the Lazerfish? http://www.lllt-therapy.com/Products.html

As I’ve stated many times before, I do not believe that low laser light therapy works for hair regrowth. This Lazerfish product would fall into that category.