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How Often Should I Map My Own Scalp?

Dr. Rassman,

Thank you for answering my last question. I have one more for you, if you do not mind.

I mapped my own scalp for miniaturization per your instructions, and found it a very useful tutorial, though I took a nod from a recent entry and snipped a few bits of hair from my head instead. I compared 5 locks of hair from all around my head (temples, forehead, crown, donor area) using my donor area as a control, and to be perfectly honest I could not see a difference in the hair shaft width between any of the samples. Unfortunately I do not have equipment to give hard numbers, but my hair does not seem any less pigmented or thinner in any of the areas compared to my donor zone. I examined it under a magnifying glass, but have access to a microscope if that is insufficient.

I’ve also visited a dermatologist. He did not have the equipment to map my scalp but he said I was a NW2 and was fine.

That said, how often do you suggest this process be repeated? Every three months? Six months? Yearly? Is there a certain age after which you can just stop as there is unlikely to be further progression?

I am 26 with no known male-pattern baldness in my family; both grandparents died with Norwood 2 patterns, and none of my uncles have any hints of balding.

Thanks!

I am assuming that the mapping showed no significant miniaturization. If that is the case, once a year mapping or more frequent mapping may have value if you think that the problem may be appearing or getting worse. The mapping exercise is best when comparing:

  1. The hair in the back of the scalp (donor area) with hair elsewhere on your head, or
  2. Hair within various local areas with hair-by-hair comparisons where the miniaturization shows up well

As for age, some men will lose hair in their teens, some in their 20s and 30s… it can even happen in the 40s and beyond (though it’s less likely). You might be one of the lucky ones and not have any hair loss problems, but I really have no way to tell at this point (and without at least an exam).

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How Often Are Mice Studies Actually Successful?

I see that mice are often used in studies for medicine before they are tested on humans such as this article posted recently on this site in regards to balding (here). I am not sure if anyone would have this information readily available, but how often is medicine that is successful in mice also successful in humans? I am curious to a percentage of a success/fail rate.

Thank you for your very informative site!

Animals such as mice, dogs, monkeys, etc are often used in medicine. In general, it may take many years for the study to leap from animal trials to human trials. With respect to the success and failure rates of such studies ever making to human trials, I would wildly guess that there are way more failures than successes… but I don’t have precise figures to satisfy your curiosity.

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How much would a quality transplant cost in the US?

So I’m thinking of putting aside around $500-1000 enough assuming my hair doesn’t improve on the big 3. Hoping to get a procedure done by the summer of 2021. Really worried about quality and pretty risk adverse. At about a Norwood 3 now

The average hair transplant in my office practice runs $6,700. OF course, the range runs between $3000-$20,000 depending upon many factors. The reason I tell patients to establish a Personalized Master Plan for their hair loss is to be able to understand what it takes to keep their hair in place, from a good medication routine established by a credible doctor to a hair transplant if you should need it. Starting off early with hair transplants at the age of 25, might mean a smaller type of surgery with proper medical preparation early-on.


2020-02-09 11:14:43How much would a quality transplant cost in the US?

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How Much Weight Do You Need to Lose Rapidly to Trigger Shock Hair Loss? Can It Recover?

I weighed around 85-86kg before this, and now, two weeks and two days later from the initial depression episode starting, ended two days ago, I weigh around 80-81kg apparently according to the scales. I am concerned, thats alot of weight to lose in such a short time.

It is different with different people, but 15 pounds per months could trigger hair loss with the genes for balding on board. When the genes kick in, it rarely reverses.


2020-06-04 18:40:12How Much Weight Do You Need to Lose Rapidly to Trigger Shock Hair Loss? Can It Recover?

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How Much Shedding Is Shedding?

The average Caucasian male loses 100 hairs per day at the age of 21 and regrows that same number of hairs. More than that is shedding.


2019-07-29 14:55:45How Much Shedding Is Shedding?

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How Much Rogaine Should Be Applied to the Scalp?

Dr.Rassman

If I want to apply rogaine to both front of the head and the back, can I put 1 mL on the scalp and 1 mL on the front? or do I take the 1 mL and distribute it evenly on the front and back?

Thank you

You’re supposed to use 1 mL per dose of Rogaine (minoxidil), meaning you should apply 0.5 mL to the front and 0.5 mL to the top, if that is where you want it. The recommended treatment is two applications per day, so 2 mL total. Using too much minoxidil could result in a drop in blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, etc.

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How Much of the Donor Strip is Actually Used?

When a strip from the doner site is harvested, what percentage of the hair from the strip can generally be used (the rest being wasted or damaged?)

Can the donar site be in the back corners of the scalp? In my case it seems more loose there and more tight directly in the back.

Norwood 7The donor area is that portion of the scalp that is seen in the Norwood Class 7 balding pattern (see image at right). This is the only permanent hair in men, assuming no other disease is present, such as alopecia areata.

There is a general rule hair transplant surgeons use which states that half of the donor area can be utilized for hair transplantation without impacting the integrity of the donor area. When a donor strip is taken, fully 100% of the hair should be harvested in that strip of scalp (short of a few damaged hairs, usually less than 4% of the total amount) and all of it should be used.

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How much minoxidil to apply?

I’ve been on finasteride for half a year and I’ve just started topical minoxidil (regaine) about a week ago, I’ve been applying it on my temples because that’s where my hair is thinning and receding, I don’t have any hair loss on other parts of my head. I found that using a few drops on each side already covers the whole balding areas and using any more makes it wet and drip down my forehead, so is it fine to just use enough to cover those areas even if it’s less than 1mL? Thanks

You don’t have to flood your scalp. Using the liquid, put if on the scalp in small drops and rub it in. Do it best after a hot shower before you go to bed

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How Much is Enough Hair?

This 26 year old man received 2200 grafts into the frontal hairline. He came into my office today asking me if he should do any more transplants. He trusts me and felt that I would give him the correct advice.

His results are remarkably good and he is very pleased with the results. Like most young men, he feels he might be happier with more hair, but he is not at all dissatisfied with the fullness he sees when looking in the mirror. I told him that considering his age and his overall satisfaction with the results, that additional hair transplants should be postponed, and we should watch for more hair loss over the next 5-10 years. If his balding does not progress and his present stage of fullness is maintained by continuing Propecia (he has been taking it for the last three years), then he can increase the fullness with more grafts into the frontal triangle. If, however, his balding pattern should progress to a more advanced pattern, the additional donor hair may be best placed elsewhere on his head, for the best results.

This is a call that could go either way. If he felt that a fuller forelock area was his focus, then I would have no hesitation to fill in the rest of this frontal triangle. Clearly, I am in no rush to take his money and he is in no rush to get more hair, so for the moment, we have decided to wait out the unfolding nature of his future.

Photo on the left is the “before”, from a few years ago. The photo on the right is the “after”, taken today.

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How much hair loss to see it?

Saw this online and how true is this? I get that many people are not as concerned with their hair like us in this sub and never track their hairline and density until they one day look in the mirror and realize they’ve lost a lot. What about guys who constantly monitor their hairline, take pics, compare to old photo’s, i.e really track everything regarding their hair. I for one do that and still have all of my hair (age 30).

Does that still mean I won’t notice it until I lost 30.000 hairs? As soon as I see any sign I’ll jump on finasteride so the “30.000 hairs “ theory only makes sense for people who literally never track their hair in my opinion.

Depending upon the size of the area, for most people with medium or coarse hair, they can lose 50% or more of their hair without seeing a difference. For people with fine hair, the visual effects of hair loss come on more quickly. One doctor in the 1980s, pulled out 50% of the hair on one side of the head on a man with black, medium weight hair and no hair loss. He took photos and had independent observers try to see which side had less. The answer was no one could tell and the photography failed to tell which side had less hair. This is important for a hair transplant surgeon to know Read this: https://baldingblog.com/hair-transplant-density/


2020-11-16 07:58:04How much hair loss to see it?