Enablex and Hair Loss?

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

Hi,

I’m writing because my hair has been falling out for four months after I stopped the medication (Enablex) that I believe was causing my hair to fall out. Nowhere on the internet can I find an association with Enablex and hair loss and my doctor has not heard of this either. Do you have any knowledge of an assocation? I am sure this is the problem as the only other times my hair has fallen out is when I’ve been on other medications (Accutane, Zonegran). My hair stopped falling out in about 2-3 months after stopping the other medications but this time my hair continues to fall out at a rapid rate even though I’ve been off Enablex for four months.

Help! Is there anything I can do? Do you think it will stop falling out soon? Will highlighting my hair aggravate the problem?

I’m trying not to worry too much and be patient but I’m running out of patience. I already have straight thin hair and am worried I’m going to get bald spots soon!

Thank you

EnablexThe Enablex website says, “Enablex is a prescription medicine that’s proven to treat the symptoms of Overactive Bladder (OAB).” Enablex (darifenacin) is an antimuscarinic that relaxes the bladder muscles to prevent urgent, frequent, or uncontrolled urination.

Hair loss is not a known side effect of Enablex; known side effects include dry mouth, constipation, abdominal pain, etc (see list). Even in the worst case scenario if Enablex was the cause, there is not much you can do to reverse the hair loss. Before thinking that this is the cause of your hair loss, you need to see if there are other medical conditions (including genetic balding) that is the source of your hair loss. The medication may just be a coincidence. I hope you consulted your doctor before you stopped taking the drug. You should never start or stop a medication without consulting with your prescribing physician.

Tags: enablex, darifenacin, anticholinergic, antimuscarinic, hairloss, hair loss, oab, overactive bladder

Make Your Own Laser Comb for Under $50

/by William Rassman, M.D./4 /

This is not an endorsement of the laser technology, just a video that some of you may find interesting and useful. No, I did not make this. The video was made by prolific Metacafe.com video blogger KipKay. For info on the HairMax LaserComb (the commercial product that sells for around $350 more), you can read the posts here.

Update: KipKay wrote in to let me know the video has been removed due to some apparently legal issue. Sorry, folks.

Tags: lasercomb, laser brush, laser, hairloss, hair loss, hack

Do DHT Levels Change Over Time?

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

Dear Doc,
I was just curious to how the levels of DHT change in the body over time. Do DHT levels rise to some sort of critical level before the onset of baldness? or do the follicles just become less resistant to DHT as one ages? Also is there a difference in DHT levels in bald and not-bald males?

thanks

Yes, DHT levels change as we age, but the level of DHT does not necessarily correlate with balding or androgenic alopecia (AGA). It is your genes that makes you susceptible to the DHT impact on hair that produces balding. In other words, you can have a high level of DHT and if you do not have the gene for AGA, you will not lose hair. Or you can have a very low level of DHT and have the gene for AGA and be bald. As DHT comes from testosterone, it is your testicles that are the supplier of the hormones that cause baldness. If you did not have testicles, then the balding process would stop, but your hair would not come back.

Tags: dht, testicles, aga, alopecia, hairloss, hair loss

Lupron and Hair Loss

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

A had a shot of Lupron in May. Since then I have noticed I am losing my hair. I have several areas where I can see my scalp. I was wondering if the Lupron was responsible and if it is permanent. Is there something I can take to reverse it? Thanks!

Many drugs can cause hair loss, but it is generally the last on the list of other more common causes of hair loss. Also, you should consider the medical reason why you are taking a certain medication. The medical condition itself may be the reason for hair loss. I cannot tell you why you are losing hair or what may be the cause, but Lupron is reported to produce hair loss, although it is an unusual side effect. You need to speak with your doctor and address these issues with him/her. Before starting or stopping any medication you need to talk with your physician.

Tags: lupron, hairloss, hair loss

My Hairline Has Matured at Age 17 — Does That Say Anything About My Future Hair Loss?

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

Hello,
I have read a few posts previous to my post, inwhich you reassured people that gaining a “mature hairline” at a early age (17 in my case), certainly DOESNT mean that you WILL definitely experience further balding past the “mature hairline”. on this subject i have two short questions:

  1. Is there any medical evidence based on maturing hairlines that states that they are definitely separate from the balding process (past the mature hairline)
  2. Since i reached a mature hairline at 17, does this mean i will have a greater chance to actually have the balding gene, or is this just me thinking the worst?

thanks for the great service you provide

The answer to both questions is no, but a good Master Plan should be made with sound metrics on the mapping of your scalp for miniaturization to cover you in the future if you should develop hair loss.

For more about the maturing hairline, see Maturation of a Hairline — Moving From Juvenile to Mature.

Tags: maturing hairline, mature hairline, hairloss, hair loss, hairline

Will Taking Hydroxyzine Harm My Hair Transplant?

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

(female) I had a hair transplant in January of this year for thinning from the front of my crown to the back of my crown…1500 grafts. I am now taking hydroxyzine for my anxiety disorder and wanted to make sure it would not harm my hair growth.

Thank you for your time

Hydroxyzine will not harm your hair transplant. Please consult with your hair transplant doctor or your psychiatrist if you have further concerns. You should never start or stop a medication without consulting your doctor. I am not your doctor.

Tags: anxiety, hairtransplant, hair transplant, hydroxyzine, hairloss, hair loss

Taking Propecia a Month After a Hair Transplant to Stop Shock Loss?

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

Dr. Rassman

One month after HT I started Propecia hoping that it would slow down the shock loss that I am experiencing. Will propecia indeed contribute to helping reduce the shock loss?

Thanks for your help, this blog is a great resource.

It may help, but it isn’t in the ‘nick of time’ at this stage. You should have been taking Propecia before the surgery. It would not be a waste to take it now though.

Tags: finasteride, propecia, hairtransplant, hair transplant, shock loss, hairloss, hair loss

Why Is It Difficult to Regrow the Hairline?

/by William Rassman, M.D./2 /

Hi Doc,
Thanks for answering so many questions on this site- It has been extremely helpful. The question I have is why is is extremely hard to regrow hair along the hairline?

Your question is somewhat confusing.

If you’re asking why medications like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) will not regrow hair after it fell out, well that could be due to the hair being further down the path to ‘hair death’ and these medications simply can not bring them back. They only work if some of the old hair is still left and miniaturized, not if it is clean bald. If the area is clean bald, nothing but hair transplants will work. The frontal hairline does grow wonderful hair transplants — just look at the patient galleries on our website.

The formal studies that were put into the FDA show that Propecia and minoxidil work in the crown. The studies on the front of the head did not have data, so there was no good data submitted. As such, efficacy claims are allowed for these medications on the crown, but not in the front. The FDA studies were probably limited to the crown for convenience sake, so we really do not have data on the impact of the medication on the frontal areas, but this is just my guess, as I don’t have any firsthand knowledge as to why they chose this path. From my experience, the hair regrowth benefit on the hairline is less obvious than it is in the crown.

Tags: finasteride, propecia, proscar, fda, minoxidil, hairloss, hair loss

Throbbing in the Right Side of My Groin — Linked to Finasteride?

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

I started taking Propecia a year & a half ago, switching to a generic finasteride earlier this year. Shortly thereafter, I started noicing a dull throbbing in my groin area. I thought it might be epididymitis, but I was experiencing the uncomfort primarily in the right side of my testicles (I’m told epididymitis is usually the left). I made an appointment with my doctor & even went in for an ultrasound, but nothing was detected. The throbbing seemed to go away, but just last month, it started again. The throbbing lasts for a few seconds before going away. It usually comes back at other points in the day, sometimes happening off & on for a couple hours at a time. I notice it when I’m sitting, when I’m standing, etc.

The fact that I got a “clean bill of health” from the ultrasound & what not put me at ease, but while it may not be anything serious, there definitely seems to be SOMTHING going on! The only thing I can think of are side effects due to the finasteride (I told my doctors about it), as it’s the only drug I’m taking. Do you think that’s the case? Am I being paranoid?

I guess I should add a few things:

I am 26 years old. I haven’t noticed any swelling or anything physical in & around my groin area; furthermore, there is no pain if I feel my testicles & scrotum. I don’t recall any trauma to my groin area. Lastly, when I was at the doctor, I was also treated for any STDs like chlamydia & those tests turned up negative.

So… any guesses?!? Do you think it has to do with the finasteride?!

CupYou seem to have done the right thing with an evaluation from a doctor. If you think your groin pain is due to finasteride, consider stop taking it for a week to see if the pain goes away. Stopping finasteride for one week should not have a deleterious effect on your hair loss treatment. Discuss these issues with your doctor and make sure both you and your doctor are on the right page about the plan. You should never stop or start any medication without consulting with your doctor (I am not your doctor). I am a general surgeon (by training and years in practice) and groin pain is often the sign of a hernia. As you can see from your history and the above, a doctor must direct your diagnosis.

Tags: finasteride, groin, propecia, proscar, hairloss, hair loss

Scabs Won’t Go Away After Hair Transplant

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

What can I do to speed up the process of the scabs falling off after surgery. Salt water? How much?, How often? Anything else I can do?

Scabbing was clearly allowed to build. They should have been kept down with good daily washing. I am assuming that you are more than 2 weeks out of surgery. You can put on shampoo and let it sit for 10 minutes, then wash it off and repeat it a couple of times. You can also add conditioner and leave it on the head for 10 minutes (after wetting it) and then wash it off. Gently rub them with your fingertips (not your fingernails). The scabs should come off.

Tags: scabs, scabbing, hairtransplant, hair transplant, shampoo, wash, clean

Does Revita Shampoo Block DHT?

/by William Rassman, M.D./2 /,

I recently saw an ad for “Revita” shampoo that claims to help regrow hair by blocking DHT. What is your opinion of shampoos like this that have supposed hair growing features? Can it be used together with Propecia (which I have been on for 8 months), or would that be overkill?

There are no topical products that block DHT for the treatment of male pattern hair loss in the same way something like finasteride or even dutasteride can. Propecia (finasteride) blocks DHT, but if you put that in a shampoo it will not work, because it will not get down to the growth center of the hair follicles which is at least 3mm below the skin surface. You can claim anything to sell a product and as stated many times here, “It is a buyer beware market”.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, revita, shampoo, dht, topical, hairloss, hair loss

Is DUPA a Sign of Illness or Disease?

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

Hello I am a 24 year old male how has been experiencing DUPA over the last year and a half or so. My father has a full head of hair as well do my uncles and brother. However I read that people who suffer with DUPA don’t have problems with DHT levels, but something foreign. Could DUPA be a sign of something out of order internally in regards to symptoms of an illness or disease. I have many signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism and I wonder if that is why my hair would be thinning all over. If you would to be so kind and assist me with this question it would make the year and a half all the more better spent. Thank You and God Bless.

Hair loss can sometimes be a sign of medical illness, which is why you need to see a physician for a complete medical examination. DUPA (diffuse unpatterned alopecia) in itself is not a sign of illness, though.

Tags: alopecia, diffuse, dupa, hairloss, hair loss, illness

Irritation from Smooth Razorless Hair Removing Creme

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

Smooth Razorless Hair Removing CremeDear MD,

A couple of weeks ago, I used the Smooth Razorless Hair Removing Creme made by Softsheen Carson. I followed the directions carefully before using it and was quite satisfied with the close shave. A few days later, as my hair started to grow back, my skin scalp started to be irritated and developed some bumps on the back of my head. I never had bumps prior to using this product. Today, my skin is sore and I’m afraid of shaving at all. The bumps are still there and they feel sore.

What should I do?

If you’re experiencing a skin irritation after using this product, I’d suggest you stop using it. I don’t have any particular experience with this hair removing creme, but if the skin condition persists you should see a dermatologist.

Tags: softsheen carson, razorless, hair remover, cream, creme, irritation, bumps

Does Hair Loss from DUPA Thin At the Same Rate All Over?

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

If you have DPA or DUPA does it tend to thin all over at the same rate or would you notice a faster thinning of the traditional crown and temples area followed more slowly by the top of the head and/or back of the head and sides?

Thanks!

I don’t believe anyone knows the answer to this question, but you can have your scalp mapped out for miniaturization and see to what degree your hair loss is and how it progresses over time. For more on diffuse unpatterned alopecia (DUPA), please see How Fast Can DUPA Take Effect?

Tags: dupa, alopecia, hairloss, hair loss

Labor Day is For Long Weekends

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

Labor DayFrom Wikipedia — “Labor Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on the first Monday in September. The holiday began in 1882, originating from a desire by the Central Labor Union to create a day off for the “working man”. It is still celebrated mainly as a day of rest and marks the symbolic end of summer for many. Labor Day became a national holiday by Act of Congress in 1894.”

That’s a brief history of Labor Day, and the reason there will be no posts here today. We’re taking a day off, but will be back tomorrow with our regularly scheduled hair loss questions and answers.

So to our U.S. readers, enjoy your day off today. To everyone else, happy Monday.