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Can Stopping Proscar Bring on Side Effects?

I have been taking proscar for hair loss for about 12 years and recently read a disturbing article in Mens Health regarding side effects. Has new long term evidence emerged that shows greater risks? Can stopping the use of Proscar actually bring on side effects?

We are being overwhelmed with negative information that is out of proportion to the reality of the actual numbers of side effect and the statistics that go with that information. Are you willing to take the chance on reversing the hair benefits that stopping the medication will bring about? Any benefits, even reduced prostate problems, will reverse if you stop the medication.

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Can Someone Control DHT?

HI DR. RASSMAN, I have a question for you…. you say propecia slows the hairloss, but mphl still progresses. I would like to know why the radio show host Spencer Kobren (The Bald Truth) has been able to stop his hair loss for 11 yrs now. Is he from another planet, or someone very special because he say that DHT is scared of him???? I mean you say the studies on merck site show hairloss continues even on the drug but yet I know Spencer has stop his hairloss. I think you might be reading that propecia curve wrong. I believe that when you start taking propecia you ” SHOCK THE SYSTEM” and you hairs go into a angen phase so appears like more hair is growing in the first 2 yrs but are hair does not stay in that phase forever . The hair on our head is not all in sync at the same time. I would also like to point out that the graph shows hair that was grow from vellus hair and does not count the hair that was maintain.. like the the terminal hair. That means at 5 yrs you will have 277 more hairs then when you started but what about all the hair you maintained. There is a difference between maintenance and the growing of lost hair. He has kept his so I think that proves his point, don’t you? DO I make sense..

What you’re saying is speculation based upon little fact. You are confusing things like vellus hair and miniaturized hair. The vellus hair is in each follicular unit (with or without balding present) and miniaturized hair is hair that is impacted by the genetic balding process. All hair goes into anogen, the longest part of its growing cycle and it may last years. You are implying that vellus hairs grow into normal hair on Propcia, but that is not a fact that I am aware of. One can not put all of the pieces together the way you did. The fact that Spencer did not lose his hair may have been in his genetic cards, and certainly not because he “scared” his DHT away. I would not say that former President Bill Clinton “mastered” keeping his hair or that he “frightened” his DHT, even with the Pentagon behind him. Sorry, but I have little to add.


2005-10-05 15:30:12Can Someone Control DHT?

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Can Shampoo Harm Hair?

You’ve said that daily shampooing of hair won’t cause hair loss unless we wash too rigorously. Disregard the physical aspects of washing. Can the chemicals in shampoo be affecting our hair follicles? I know that hair is “dead” when it grows out of the skin, but I’m concerned our hair follicles are shallow enough that the shampoo may be affecting them. Although if this were the case, perhaps a lot more women would have the same type of hair loss as men.

Sorry, but you’re completely off base with this. Shampoo itself has nothing to do with hair loss… absolutely nothing if it is a good commercial shampoo.


2009-04-09 16:25:15Can Shampoo Harm Hair?

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I Can See Though My Donor Area Since I Had 4400 FUE Grafts 1 Year Ago. It Now Appears More like the Balding Did Before I Had the Surgery (Photo)

The more FUE grafts that are taken from the donor area, the more see-through the donor area is. This is what happens when more doctors and people push the FUE to greater and greater numbers; more balding appears in the donor area. Your history of 4,400 grafts suggests that your donor density was low, which would create this problem.

pink donor area

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Can I have a second hair transplant to increase my density? I had 5000 grafts in the first hair transplant. (photo)

If you had 5000 grafts in the first hair transplant, it may have depleted your donor area. You should have your doctor check this out or you could be bald in the back of your head. Another procedure depends upon your donor density today.


2018-01-14 10:37:23Can I have a second hair transplant to increase my density? I had 5000 grafts in the first hair transplant. (photo)

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Can I Scream, Sing or Do Things That Raise My Blood Pressure 8 Days After a Hair Transplant?

Hi doctor, excuse me if i contact you again about the same topic. You already told me in another website that singing 8 days after hair transplant (FUE) isn’ t a problem. However, in that website, it wasn’t possible to use many words to explain my situation, so I’ll try here. I am a professional singer, and I sing high notes (which is equivalent to a “controlled” scream ). I read that, after a hair transplant, you can’t shout for some days (to avoid raise blood pressure), but I didn’t understand why you can’t shout (and also sing high notes). I am worried because 8-10 days after my hair transplant (FUE), I started to sing high notes. So I ask: if the pressure had increased, would I have risked something for my grafts? ( I repeat, 8-10 days after FUE.) Or you don’t have to scream only the first days? (If yes, how many days? ) I didn’t bleed.

You can sing, scream or do whatever you want, even run a marathon as early as 4 days after a hair transplant. The grafts should be well set in 4 days.


2018-06-22 09:01:49Can I Scream, Sing or Do Things That Raise My Blood Pressure 8 Days After a Hair Transplant?

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Can I scratch off the crusts from my donor area?

scratching runs a risk of breaking the skin and causing infections. The medications HPR + HydroGel work well for itching and you can get the reference from your doctor


2017-11-19 16:01:21Can I scratch off the crusts from my donor area?

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Can Scars Be “Cured” with FUE?

Can scars be cured with FUEs?

I do not like your use of the word ‘cured’. FUE (Follicular Unit Extractions) can be used to fill in scars found in the scalp, eyebrow or beard. The more that are placed and the closer they match the surrounding hair, the more they will cover a scar. Scars do have a different vasculature than normal skin, so at times we must reduce the densities of scars to get the best growth.

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Can Scalp Massages Damage My Hair in the Anagen Phase?

Dr Rassman,

I am on Minoxidil 5% topical for more than 8 months now, and beginning to see modest yet much appreciated results. I love massages. I remember reading years ago that scalp massages can damage hair in early anagen phase. Would I be putting my newly growing hair at risk if I indulge? For the purposes of your answer, please assume a massage once a month by a skilled masseur applying reasonable amount of pressure.

Where did you read that scalp massage can damage anagen hairs? The only thing I remember writing was a quip about a very vigorous head massage that could potentially cause hair loss in miniaturized hairs — but not damage hairs that are in anagen (growth).

If you must indulge in scalp massage, go for it! If you are scared you’ll lose the hair, then don’t get the scalp massage.


2013-10-30 16:45:50Can Scalp Massages Damage My Hair in the Anagen Phase?