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Re-Mox III 15% Minoxidil – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

To round out the collection of Minoxidil questions I’ve received in the past few days —

Hi Dr. Rassman,
I have recently decided to move to the Re-Mox III 15% minoxidil lotion for my frontal hair loss. Is there a danger to using such a high concentration of Minox? if not, why can’t one find this concentration in rogaine or other branded minox in the stores? Do you know of any side effects? Thanks!

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You must remember that Minoxidil is a known anti-hypertensive and can cause low blood pressure and other reported side effects. Any medication that you get at the normally prescribed concentration will be worse in side effects at the higher dose. 15% Minoxidil must be formulated -I do not know where to get it. A pharmacist must prepare it if it is to be legally obtained.

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Minoxidil and Hair Loss Options – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I am 27 and currently experiencing baldness in the crown and the vertex region. I also have a receding hairline. I am currently using minoxidil 5%. It has shown some results but I am not sure if it will be effective for the receding hair line. There is general thinning of hair too. I want to know the options that I have and whether I should go for propercia or surgical procedure.
Thanks.

Minoxidil is not as effective as Propecia generally speaking. It is also not very effective in the frontal area. Generally growth with Minoxidil is in the 3-15% range for noticeable clinical growth. Propecia works best in young men of your age with benefits in excess of 50% and better results in the crown, but sometimes surprising results in the frontal area in a small percentage of men. Please meet with a competent doctor- that is always the best way to start the analysis. Don’t rush off to surgery until you know the impact of Propecia.

Balding Forum - Hair Loss Discussion

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Hair Loss InformationHair Restoration Questions – FUE – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

This writer indicated that he was based in Dallas, TX, but was currently in Iraq…

I guess I started losing my hair about 4-5 years ago. I am 29 years old now and it shows now in the crown area. My hair is pretty thick everywhere else except for that spot where it seems that the hairs that I do have aren’t growing as fast and feel weird to the touch. If I were elegable for FOX and got the procedure done is it my decision how many graphs I would need or want if I wanted it extra thick like it used to be? Also, what are the chances that the hair would just fall out in another few years after the procedure and is there something that can be done to ensure that that doesn’t happen? I will be home in September for a month,..can I get information on cost and location closest to me? Thank you

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I am a former Vietnam vet, so I appreciate your Iraq experience and feel it deep in my core. First off, thank you for writing. The number of grafts is something that needs to be discussed during the consult. I would need to examine the balding area, and based on the density needed to give you the look that you want, I can determine the approximate number of grafts need. If you are a candidate for the FOX procedure, we can discuss the fee at the time of your consult. The grafts used come from the permanent zone of your scalp. These grafts are genetically programmed not to fall out, unlike the hairs in your balding area.

Our closest office to Dallas, is in Los Angeles — I’ll bet that you would enjoy a vacation in Southern California after being in Iraq. If you would like to schedule a consult appointment for September call 1-800-639-4247, or if you would like to email photos, send them to the address on my Contact page and I can email you back with my recommendations. Be sure to provide enough views (front, top and sides) including frontal views with your eyebrows lifted as high as you can lift them on your own. I need such views to determine the normal location for your hairline. As an Iraq vet, I will give you special pricing if surgery is appropriate and you elect to have surgery.

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Hair Loss InformationMedications That Cause Hair Loss – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I was looking at the NHI site and thought it might be helpful to identify medication that has been significantly associate with hair loss. Eq lithium for bipolar illness.

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When you read the insert on most drug information packages, hair loss is mentioned in almost every one. I tried to do some internet searches, but alas, the number of drugs appear substantial. If you are looking up lithium, in particular, just go to Google. Hair loss is a known side effect of lithium.

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Is My Hair Transplant Scar Too High? – Hair Loss Information by Dr. William Rassman

I recently had 2000 FUT’s by a well respected doctor in the field (and planning to get more, but this time, FUE’s). But I notice though that my donor scar location is about an inch above the occipital protuberance (I believe that is what that small bump in the back of the head is called), that is, one inch above the ears. He evaluated my hair and also I had a small previous scar from a prior HT done with laser (600 grafts) that he cut out with the new donor location. I am 43 years of age and I believe that I am a class 4 (or maybe close to 5).
My questions are: Is my donor scar too high? Are the chances high at my age that I will progress to a class 5 or 6 pattern?
I am fearful of future hair loss progressing down to my donor location. My Father and grandfather (both from my mother’s and father’s side) had full hair and of course normal thinning hair as they reached their 70’s. Except my uncles on my mothers side are classes 5’s and 6’s.
Thank you so much for your time

One can not predict hair loss with any certainty. It is clear that you do not follow the family pattern you identified in the body of your question. Scars that are placed in the wrong position may be impacted by the hair loss pattern, but without examining you, I can not make such judgments. An FUE procedure will not address the scar adequately in one surgery and as you have already had two strip surgeries, I generally tell patients that it is too costly to go the FUE route once you had strip surgeries. Maybe with good pictures and anatomical markers on them to show the notch at the back of your head and the location of the scar relative to the ears, I can get enough information to give you further insights. If you do wish to send photos, my address is on the Contact page.

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Hair Loss InformationMoustache Restoration – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Hi,
I have “holes” in my mustache area as a consequence of radiation treatment for cancer in that area. I would like to have my mustache restored. What donor area do you use for this procedure? I have heard that it can be done by taking beard hair from under the chin. Can you suggest someone who has been doing this?

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I have done quite a few moustache repairs at NHI using donor hair from the permanent zone on the back of the head. If the hair from the head is not of the same quality, then you could FUE hair from other parts of the beard or take if from below the chin. As you are in NY, I can recommend that you schedule a consult appointment with Dr. Robert Bernstein in his Manhattan office and spend some time with him going over your options. His phone number is 866-576-2400.

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Best Non-Transplant Treatment – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

Two years ago i noticed that my hair was thinning on top. I found this strange because I was already 25 and my brothers all have full heads of hair. Two years later its noticeable and i cant stand the thought. What is the best treatment(NO TRANSPLANTS) available to me?

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Once you make sure that there are no underlying medical issues that could be causing hair loss, and that the balding is genetic, I would suggest that you make an appointment with a hair loss specialist and find out whether Propecia is indicated. The drug slows or stops hair loss in the majority of young men.

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Hair Loss InformationPropecia Losing Effectiveness – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I have been taking Propecia for 7 years. I started in my early 30’s when I noticed some thinning. It worked well for me, stopping any further hair loss, and possibly re-growing what had thinned. Recently though, I’ve noticed some significant overall thinning that seems to have come on quite suddenly in the past 2-3 months. I am still taking Propecia daily, and have not missed a day in 7 years.

My question is this… Does Propecia lose it’s effectiveness after a period of time? Would it be of benefit to switch to Proscar, or Dutasteride? Please advise! Thanks!

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After the initial improvement in hair count you get from Propecia during the first two years, there is a slow decline in hair count. But this decline is much slower and less drastic than what you would have seen if you had not taken Propecia at all. Stopping Propecia at this time would cause you to lose all of the hair that Propecia has protected for the past seven years. Proscar is the same drug (finasteride) as Propecia, just a higher dose. It has not been proven that a higher daily dose of finasteride is more beneficial, and you do run the risk of having more side effects. Dutasteride is not yet an FDA approved drug for hair loss, so I do not prescribe it.

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Hair Loss InformationHow Much Time Between Procedures? – Hair Loss Information – Balding Blog

I had my first restoration procedure March 2nd 2005. the new hair is about 1/4″ to 1″ long now, (6/25/05) I am improved but need more density. How long do I need to Wait between Proedures? I am 56 yrs old, use both Propecia and Minoxidil topical. How long before the doner area will be adequately “streachable”? Thanks for the mailing. I appreciate this site,

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I usually recommend a minimum of eight months between surgeries. You will be getting more hair growing out and more length with most of the benefit obvious at the 8th month. You will certainly have more bulk over the next few months. I am glad that you enjoy the mailings. Patient education is one of my passions!