Moustache Restoration?

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /,

Moustache

i would like information on moustache restoration as mine is thin

The use of hair transplants for the moustache is relatively easy to do technically, but may be more difficult from a planning point of view. The hair usually would come from the back of the head and you therefore must be reasonably sure that the character of your hair from the back of the head will look like your existing moustache. If you have a coarse, brown haired moustache and fine, blonde hair in the back of your head, a transplant using scalp hair might not be the right decision. To get around this, one could use pubic hair which is more coarse than a fine character scalp hair transplant. Get an expert to find out what is reasonable.

Took Accutane Years Ago, Now Hair Sheds and Grows Back

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /,

Hello Dr. Rassman,

I have been experiencing a problem with hair shedding ever since I took accutane 3 years ago. It seems to be cyclical in nature. It sheds every 3-4 months but then grows right back. I’ve looked this up on the internet and what I’ve concluded is that I have chronic telogen effluvium brought on by accutane. I don’t have much miniturization…that’s when the hair falls out and is replaced by a thinner hair and then by a thinner hair right? Each strand of hair on my head is still as thick as it always was it’s just that I keep shedding massive amounts of hair every 3-4 months. Everytime I think it’s stopped for good, it starts shedding again. Also i have very straight hair and ever since I took accutane it seems that I now have hairs that are kind of curly or bent looking if that makes any sense. I don’t know what to do…I’m tired of it falling out. Please help.`

I have heard of problems like yours from Accutane, but I do not have a suggestion in the short term. In the long term, I would expect that this cyclical process will become less and less of a problem, but you will have to wait it out. If I become aware of any solutions, I will let everyone know through this blog and write to you as well. If any of my readers have a solution, please share.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and Hair Loss

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /,

hi im 23, female and for 3 years now my hair has gradually become noticly thin all over my head i have been told by a dermatologist my scalp is ok and that my hair has only thinned out due to stress but i feel its through dht, as my hair falls out from the root and regrows finner especailly the sides where it was effected first. my hair around the sides of my head to the back of my ears look near enough bald now even though theres hair there. please HELP i feel like i cant cope with my hair loss its effecting my life so much im highly thinking about taking propecia cause my hair is so important to me i dont wont to where a wig the thought of it makes me sick. please note i have polycistic overies and have been told that can cause thinning of the hair, i have also had alot of blood tests except dht which have all come back normal once again pease help me. regards kelly. x

ps, the loss of my hair has caused me to look so unatractive, and was applying to be a model but i now feel it can only be a dream. i wish and wish for a mirical every day.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) can produce some masculine hormonal changes, including hair loss on the scalp and hair growth in areas like the face (i.e. upper lip) and some body hair growth. You need to get your hair mapped out for miniaturization to outline just what is happening to your scalp hair, where on the head it is happening, and to what degree. Drugs like finasteride (Propecia) may work, but if you should become pregnant on this drug, there is a likelihood that your child will develop abnormal sexual characteristics like hermaphroditic changes. There is a report in the literature that women with PCOS and hair loss have been helped by finasteride, but be warned not to get pregnant if you go that route. The metrics obtained with mapping of your scalp hair will show the value of any treatment modality, therefore it is critical to get the measurements in hand before any treatment is started. With that positive note, you probably have genetic female hair loss which can impact the course of treatments as well, and just like men with hair loss and finasteride treatments, there are no guarantees that it can work. Any approach to this requires a really good doctor to manage your hormonal problems.

For more info on PCOS, see:

Eucapil

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /,

Hello Dr. Rassman.

What, in your opinion, would be the best medical option for treating/preventing hairloss?

I have stumbled across a product called Eucapil (fluridil) which claims to be a potent topical anti-androgen. Informaton about the drug can be found at https://www.eucapil.com/. It seems a product such as this one might be a great addition to an internal AR inhibitor. Can you please give it a look? Most importantly, are there any exisiting products or others in development that have a similar method of action?

Thanks very much.

Eucapil is stated to be a cosmetic and is available only in the Czech and Slovak countries. By stating that is a cosmetic, that means that no medical claim will have any value whatsoever. Products like these may do good things for the appearance of hair, but there is no suggestion or proof that it will grow hair or reverse hair loss. It is well known that herbal and natural supplements have wide variability in their manufactured ingredients and the owners of these product seem to push claims that may not be valid far too often. As I have stated many times on this site, it is a buyer beware market. That is my medical opinion. There are medical solutions available, which are finasteride 1mg (Propecia) taken orally, minoxidil (Rogaine) applied topically, or a hair transplant procedure — all of which require a medical examination by a qualified doctor.

Hair Shedding After Stopping Thyroid Medication

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /,

Ive had a history of thryoid problems starting when I was 16 I was told i was hyperthryoid, which is stange becasue this disease is usually found in middle aged women, not a 16 year old male. Then after a while it switched to a Hypothryoid and I was treated with synthroid. I was on that medication for around two years when they told my my thryoid had returned to normal. Once I stopped taking the pills my hair began to shead. That was in October of last year and the shedding has been going on eversince. I was told by the doctor that my body was just getting use to being off the medication.I was wondering if this in permanate hair loss, or how long it will take for my hair to start to grow back. Thanks a lot.

Only time will tell. Thyroid disease is well known to be associated with changes in the character of the hair and hair loss. However, there may be a component of male pattern hair loss that is independent of your thyroid condition. Miniaturization of hair in a specific pattern can usually diagnose male pattern hair loss. If you are concerned, have your scalp hair mapped for minturization by a qualified medical doctor.

Technical Term for Itchy, Dry Scalp

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

I was wondering what do you call itchy, dry scalp so I can try to find products for it. I have flakes of dry skin, (not actually flakes) but i know it’s not dandruff, and dandruff has a name of it’s own so I was trying to figure out the name of just itchy, REALLY dry scalp.

Medical term for itchy is puritis. Medical term for dry flaky skin is scaly. Sometimes those medical terms are used in combination to describe a fungal infection of the skin such ring worms, which is a misnomer because there are no real worms. This does not mean you have ring worms. You may want to see your primary care doctor if you are concerned. Please note, I am not diagnosing you or implying you have ringworm.

Ultra Nourish Hair

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /

I am taking a GNC product called Ultra Nourish Hair which contains 1200 grams of biotin along with other vitamins, and the box says to take 2 pills a day. My question is, would this product help me alot to grow my hair longer, faster, and stronger? Please let me know if I’m using a good product or not!

I don’t have personal experience with Ultra Nourish Hair, so I can’t tell you for sure if this will help your hair grow stronger or faster, but there are plenty of online reviews that seem to be positive. Keep in mind that there are numerous products out there that claim to give the best hair growth results, so finding one that actually does what it says can feel like an impossible task. While I really have my doubts about many of the commercial products out there on the market making hair growth claims, Ultra Nourish does contain biotin in it (which has marginal value, if any, in people who are well nourished).

Please note that this product will not treat male pattern baldness (genetic hair loss), but aims to grow your existing hair faster.

Miniaturization Test With Long Hair?

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Can I Have a Miniaturization Test With Long Hair or do you need to cut your hair first ? And how will the procedure continue after for example one year ? Do you need marks or some fixpoints on your scalp to measure from ?

Thanks for an informative and important blog !

I’m glad you find this so blog useful. The mapping out of the head can be done without cutting your hair at all. Regions of the scalp miniaturize and the degree of this miniaturization process can be estimated by a skilled person without cutting the hair. Provided that regions are covered in an organized way, markers on the scalp are not necessary. The best of all worlds would be to tattoo a few areas (fine dot) and re-look at the same exact spot each and every time the scalp is mapped out, but for many people this may be impractical.

Acupuncture on Scalp Caused Hair Loss?

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Dear Dr Rassman,

I had Alopecia problem a year ago and tried acupuncture treatment. The acupunturist used plum blossom hammer (this is a small hammer with five tiny needle points) to hit my scalp. My scalp soon got infected and red. In the end, I lost all hair on the scalp. I was so dismayed. Recently I found that some hair grow but these are thinner and diffuse than before. I am wondering of I should use a product Recapeen or any other product you recommended?

I am in my twenties and a female. I really hope that you can give me some suggestion. I am really in despair. Please reply me.

I am assuming that you have been diagnosed with alopecia areata? If so, your hair may grow back to normal sometime down the line. Steroid injections may help, but not always. The acupuncture experience with the infection you reported may have contributed to the acceleration of the hair loss seen with alopecia areata. If you have alopecia areata, then there are dermatologists who specializes in this disease who are worth seeing. You might check with your family doctor and ask him/her to investigate the dermatologists in your area who have a special interest in treating people with this disease. I would not recommend any treatments without a diagnosis in hand.

Hair Transplant for Pro Soccer Player

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /

Hello Dr Rassman,
Your site is very helpfull and I appreciate what you are doing to help and support those who are suffering with hair loss.

I am a 22 yr ol male and I play professional soccer in the UK and am seriously considering coming over to you for a consultation in hope of having a hair transplant. I was wondering however if the surgery will affect in the long term my ability to head the ball and my sporting performance and also if taking propecia will affect my performance. I look forward to hearing from you.

SoccerFirst, be aware that Propecia is banned for many professional sports players, because it masks steroid use. A hair transplant will not stop you from engaging in full sports within a couple of weeks after the surgery. “Heading” the ball should not be a problem either. If you want to get to full sports in a few days after surgery, you might be a candidate for FUE as a harvesting approach.

Please send me pictures showing the degree of balding and I can be more informative. Your confidentiality is convered under laws that protect you when dealing with a doctor.

I Had Increased Libido From Propecia, Then Lost All Sex Drive

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /

Hi Dr. Rassmann,

I am 22 and started taking propecia around 8 months ago and had some side effects that I did not mind much at all, increased libido and increased ejaculate volume. But a few weeks ago out of nowhere I completely lost all sex drive, it was a very drastic decrease in libido. I can still get myself to have good erections but it is very hard without sex drive. Since I had “beneficial” sexual side effects from propecia, yet still sexual side effects, I stopped its use a few days ago and will see if I return to normal, otherwise it means I have ED and will resume propecia as it has been working well to maintain my hair (I might have even gained some hair). I guess my questions are, how long before I should see a reversal of the sexual side effects? and if I return to normal should I resume the 1mg dose and stay on it until I lose my sex drive once again (hopefully I won’t)? or should I take 1/2mg a day? Thank you for your help. Have a nice day.

The effects of Propecia should be out of your body in a couple of days. Some of it may be bound to some tissue receptors, but within a week, I would expect to see you return to your normal libido. Taking 1/2mg each day will not be as effective as the 1mg, but it is better than taking none at all. Go off of it until the libido returns to normal and then try a half pill. That has worked for half of the patients who reported libido problem to me.

Will 5% Minoxidil Help if 2.5% Does Nothing For Me?

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

My HMO offers 2 1/2 % Monixodil at a very cheap price. However after many months using 2 1/2 % I saw no difference.

My questions. 1) Is there a chance that 5% would make a difference, or should I give up on Monixodil and try Propecia or Avodart? 2) Since the main source of my hair loss is a receeding hairline will any of these products make a difference?

I will first assume that you are male. With that assumption made, you need a diagnosis first and mapping your scalp hair for miniaturization will get that diagnosis in hand. Genetic male patterned hair loss is caused by DHT in combination with the appropriate genes. If you have it, you should start using Propecia rather than minoxidil. You have to wait for at least 8 months on Propecia to visibly notice a difference in hair growth or the slowing effects that this medication will have on the hair loss. Both Propecia and minoxidil tend to work better in the crown area than the frontal area, but without a diagnosis and good measurement, you are managing your process blindly and will pay the price with more hair loss.

To directly answer your questions: It is believed that 5% is better than 2% for regrowing hair. There is no direct evidence for this. Propecia works well in preventing hair loss in young men with genetic balding and it is the best medication for this. With a diagnosis in hand, that decision is a no-brainer. Recession can be slowed or prevented with Propecia with genetic balding. I do not recommend Avodart.

Hair Color and Gene Inheritance

/by William Rassman, M.D./0 /

Hello Dr. Rassman,
I dont want to seem ignorant to the questions and answers that you have already provided because i believe paranoia gets the best of everyone and no matter how much information they have or hear they will always want more or doubt. With that said, I am 22 years old and i am VERY fearful of going bold. My father is completely bald and he had very thin hair at a young age as i have very thick. My hair color is a reddish blonde, from my fathers grandmother. He had blonde. Is haircolor a factor in gene inheritance? I am not seeing signs now but i get paranoid to the point where i believe i am and friends remind me that im not. Please provide any information you have concerning my personal issue. Thankyou!

There is no connection between hair color and the inherited gene for hair loss. If your father is very bald, he would have seen significant balding at your age. Very bald men have much of their hair loss complete in their 20s and at your age I would expect that he would have been thinning a great deal with some transparancy (see through look) of his hair. Considering that you do not show these signs, I would guess that you will not follow in his balding pattern. To be sure, get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and instead of guessing, you will know the answer addressing much of your fears.

Hair Loss After Hysterectomy

/by William Rassman, M.D./1 /

Shortly after my hysterectomy,my hair began to shed. Then, I noticed a balding spot in the crown of my head. Is there a female balding conditions associated with hysterectomies? Any solutions or suggestions

The stress from surgery can cause hair loss in genetically prone women. If you had your ovaries removed, the changes in hormones may produce a imbalance which may lead to your hair loss. Women normally produce male hormones in small quantities and they are offset against the large amounts of female estrogens. With the ovaries gone, the balance is tipped and this could be the cause of your ‘male like’ crown hair loss. Speak with your doctor about hormone replacement therapy.