So Much Hair in My Brush Every Time — Is It Cancer?

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

I’m constantly losing hair and i’m getting worried…i’m 15 (female) and my hair lose has just got worse and worse…my hairs are everywhere around the house and even when i’m not brushing it i can still see strands and strand of hair dangelling and then when i do brush my hair my brush is completely full of hair after 2minutes of brushing it…i dont over brush my hair or underbrush it but theres a history of cancer in my family…my mum had cancer and my dads currently got cancer…could this be a sign of cancer?

This is most certainly not a sign of cancer. Normal people lose 100-150 hairs per day (not necessarily all on the brush, but throughout the course of a day). Some people obsessively count the hairs that come out, but if you are truly concerned, see a dermatologist or hair specialist.

Tags: cancer, hairloss, hair loss, female, women, girl, teen

Poor Growth 6 Months After FUE Procedure

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

Dr. Rassman,

It has been a little over six (6) months since I have had FUE surgery. I had approximately 900 grafts done. My surgery was with a well respected doctor in the industry.

However, I have experienced poor growth thus far. My updated pictures that were recently sent to my physician showed lingering redness in the recipient and poor growth. My doctor responded that he was concerned about the lack of growth, and suggested that I have biopsy peformed if there is no improvement in the coming months.

Is this necessary and what can I expect a scalp biopsy to show as far as poor growth is concerned? It seems to me that not enough grafts were placed to begin with and that I may have experienced poor growth due possible transection of some of the grafts. Some areas are growing in better than others. What do you think?

Thanks

I really cannot tell you what is to be expected and what is poor or good growth without examining you. Not being your doctor puts me at a great disadvantage. It seems you are in good communication with your physician and I would recommend that you follow up with that doctor. Sometimes the full growth may take as long at 12 months.

I believe that follicular unit extraction (FUE) has problems, even in the hands of good doctors experienced in that form of art. Notice that I said the “form of art”. I believe that FUE is a form of art in the way it is done. I have received many reports of failed FUEs and have spoken to doctors who are skilled in this ‘art form’ and they report hearing of many failures amongst the doctors procaiming to be experts in it. For example, I know of one doctor who is well known for FUE (he heavily promotes the practice expertise) and states that the speed for doing them exceeds an extraction rate of over 1000 grafts per hour. I would say, off hand, that this doctor’s failure rate must be huge. Not knowing your physician’s experience, I can not comment on your doctor, but you should be able to meet many of his/her patients to determine his/her success rate.

For more on FUE / FOX Procedure, please see:

Tags: fue, hairloss, hair loss, hair transplant, hairtransplant

Using Listerine to Treat Dandruff?

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

ListerineAccording to Wikipedia, “Listerine was invented in the 19th century as a powerful surgical antiseptic. It was later sold, in a distilled form, as a floor cleaner and a cure for gonorrhea.”

Now I just saw this old advertisement from 1953 for Listerine, saying to use it on the scalp to take care of dandruff.

This is one of those home remedies that has floated around for a long, long time (apparently since at least the 1950s). Interesting… just don’t get it into your eyes! I can’t say for sure whether this works for dandruff, but I know it is a great mouthwash (though I have a hard time holding Listerine in my mouth for 30 seconds and can’t imagine putting it on my scalp).

Full ad from 54 years ago, plus text at Modern Mechanix.

Tags: antiseptic, mouthwash, listerine, dandruff, hair, scalp

Is My Hair Going Into Catagen Phase or Am I Balding?

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

hey doc,
I’ve noticed that some of my everyday falling hairs are lighter at the follicle than at the end where they are black. At first i thought this could be miniaturization but then a read this article (Student Health – Hair thinning and hair loss) which says “In late anagen, there is a gradual thinning of the hair shaft and a lightening of the pigment in the hair. This hair is then shed.” Is this correct and it is just the normal hair cycle before the hair goes into the catagen phase?? Thank you very much for you help.

We cycle hair asynchronously, so only about 10% or less of your hair is going out of anagen. Don’t focus too much on the hair that you lost. In normal periodic hair shedding we may lose both miniaturized and normal hair, since most adult men (50%) experience some degrees of balding at some time. A miniaturization study can tell you what you’ve got left and whether you are actually balding or not.

For more on hair growth cycles, see Hair Follicle Cells Growth Stages.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, catagen, miniaturization, anagen, telogen

DHT Blocks Blood Flow to the Follicle?

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

From my understanding, hairloss comes from a variety of circumstances: genetics, nutrition, stress, etc. When it comes down to it, DHT blocks blood flow to the follicle, until the follicle eventually “dies.” Are there any products or studies being done to remove that blockage? If the blockage is removed, and blood flows back in, will the follicle grow hair again?

This is not an issue of blood flow to the follicle. Hair loss, when it occurs, reduces the demand for blood as the metabolic needs of the follicle are reduced when it becomes miniaturized. We know, for example, that if you put a normal hair follicle from the back of the head that has no genetic cause for its death, that hair will grow in the midst of thinning hair and when it grows it will be a thick, normal hair shaft. Your premise is incorrect, as DHT has little to do with blood flow directly.

Tags: dht, blood flow, blood, hairloss, hair loss, follicle

Will Using a Blow Dryer Cause Brain Cancer?

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

Hi Doc, I’ve been shedding hair everyday for the past year or 2, usually within 50 a day. I went to 2 physicians and they told me that my hair is fine and im not losing hair and they even did the test by pulling my hair. But I do see that my hair is thinner than before. I really dont know what’s causing my hair thinning. Is it because I wash my hair 2 times a day everyday, and I use blowdryer and hairspray to style my hair everyday? Also I want to ask you if I use blowdryer and hairspray to style my hair everyday, will it cause brain cancer? What should I do to stop shedding? Do I really have to use Rogaine to grow thicker hair? Please give me some advise this time, because last time you didnt answer my post. Thank you!

Blow DryerIf you are male, the most common cause of balding is genetic hair loss. This is also known as androgenic alopecia (AGA) or male pattern balding (MPB).

Hair dryers do not cause brain cancer — otherwise I would expect to see a brain cancer epidemic. If you blow your hair too hot, you could potentially damage the hair, but I suspect you would stop yourself before you start to burn your hair and skin.

If you are concerned about hair loss, I would consider seeing a doctor who can diagnose the cause of your hair loss. There are medical and surgical options.

Tags: hair dryer, styling, blowdryer, blow dryer, cancer, brain, hairloss, hair loss, burn

What Can New Propecia Users Expect?

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

Dr. Rassman, I’m 35 and I’m considering taking Propecia. Do I assume for most patients taking Propecia, that after being on the drug for an extended period of time (four, five, six years perhaps?) that it’s normal for Propecia to eventually lose it’s effectiveness or level off somewhat? Also, as a Propecia user yourself, did you experience any hair shedding when you started the drug and do you think this is something new users should be concerned about? Your site is very helpful. Thanks for taking the time.

When I started Propecia (finasteride 1mg), I did not experience any shedding. Shedding is very rare, but when it occurs it does stop in a couple of months. Over time, the Propecia does not lose effectiveness, but as hair loss is a progressive process, it eventually overtakes the ability of Propecia to stop the loss process.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, hairloss, hair loss

Scientific American Asks, Does Stress Cause Gray Hair?

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

Scientific American looks into whether stress really causes gray (or grey, if you prefer) hair. From the article —

“There is evidence that local expression of stress hormones mediate the signals instructing melanocytes to deliver melanin to keratinocytes,” notes Jennifer Lin, a dermatologist who conducts molecular biology research at the Dana-Farber / Harvard Cancer Center in Boston. “Conceivably, if that signal is disrupted, melanin will not deliver pigment to your hair.”

And general practice physicians have observed accelerated graying among patients under stress, says Tyler Cymet, head of family medicine at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, who conducted a small retrospective study on hair graying among patients at Sinai. “We’ve seen that people who are stressed two to three years report that they turn gray sooner,” he says.”

Full article here — Fact or Fiction?: Stress Causes Gray Hair

Tags: gray, grey, hairloss, hair loss, hair color, sciam, scientific american

Open House in Los Angeles — Saturday, November 3!

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

NHITomorrow (Saturday, November 3) from 12 noon until around 2pm we will be holding a free open house event at our Los Angeles office!

If you can make it, we’d love to see you here. This is a great chance to get questions answered in person, see real patient results (and talk to patients), and even see a live hair transplant surgery.

Address:

New Hair Institute
9911 W. Pico Blvd, Suite 301
Los Angeles CA 90035
— map here

You can call to RSVP or to get more info — 800-NEW-HAIR

We have these every month in our Los Angeles and San Jose offices. The full event schedule is here if you’d like to attend a future open house.

Hair Transplant on Nip/Tuck (with Video)

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

Doctors, did you see tonight’s episode of Nip/Tuck where they performed a hair transplant? How accurate was the scene, and the resulting effects? I’m sure they took a lot of creative license, I’m just curious, as I am sure others who saw the scene are now.

Nip/TuckNip/Tuck, an outrageous plastic surgery drama TV series on the FX Network, has two episodes featuring hair transplants — the first of which has just aired this week. We actually advised on the program and they elected to use the hair transplant Carousel (automated rapid fire hair implanter), which I invented in the 1990s. I just saw the first of the two shows with the Carousel. One of the two lead plastic surgeons got a hair transplant by his surgical partner and then resumed a full ‘work and play’ load. Doing too much steam and sauna, the plastic surgeon that received the transplant got folliculitis within a day of the surgery. I laughed like hell as I watched the spoof unfold. The focus of this first show of the season was how to build a successful cosmetic surgery practice. I think the message was right on.

With the permission of the show’s producer, I was allowed to post this video clip from the episode featuring the Carousel in it. I take no responsibility for the appearance of these transplants

Tags: fx, plastic surgery, nip tuck, nip-tuck, hairloss, hair loss, hair transplant, hairtransplant, tv, actor, hollywood, celebrity, invention

Bald Presidents and Prime Ministers

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

Tony BlairContinuing the ideas from the recent TIME Magazine article about United States Presidents and their wonderful heads of hair (Americans Haven’t Voted a Bald President Into Office in 51 Years), some of my colleagues in the hair restoration field have allowed me to repost their remarks.

My friend Dr. Richard Shiell writes, “It appears from the polls that our Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, who is a type 6 balding pattern, will be knocked off by a well-haired younger contender Kevin Rudd at the elections next month. Interestingly Howard was the ONLY bald Prime Minister to be re-elected in 100 years here. We did have another bald Prime Minister around 1971, Billy McMahon, but he was appointed from Cabinet ranks when Harold Holt drowned in the surf at Portsea. The only time he had to face the electors as Prime Minister, he lost!!”

Dr. Bessam Farjo points out that in English politics, the last Prime Minister elected with significant balding was Sir Winston Churchill. When former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair came into office 10 years ago, he had a full head of hair, but as his popularity dipped, so did his hair and he receded and thinned significantly.

Is it some grand conspiracy? I won’t pretend to know if this is social engineering or simple coincidence. Nonetheless, I do think everyone can agree that it is certainly interesting. One might ask if these men were to run for political office today, would their balding be a liability with extensive video media exposure?

Tags: blair, churchill, hairloss, hair loss, prime minister, howard, australia, england, president, political, politics, united states

What is Spironolactone?

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

I have read many post in hairloss forums of men using oral spironolactone and having success when used in conjunction with propecia or avodart. Some before and after pictures have been absolutely amazing. I was wondering the following:

  1. What is Spironolactone?
  2. How you feel about oral spirnolactone as a hairloss remedy?
  3. Is topical spironolactone of any help?

Thanks for your time

Spironolactone

Spironolactone (marketed under the name Aldactone) is a blood pressure medication that has some antiandrogen properties which have not been clearly proven in a clinical setting to stop hair loss. Despite the lack of proof, it is used by many dermatologists for hair loss treatments in women. I have not been convinced of its value, although some women may see benefits.

For more info, please see:

Tags: spironolactone, aldactone, hairloss, hair loss, female, women, woman, propecia, avodart

Within 3 Days of Starting Propecia, I Feel Sensations in My Testicles

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

Hello, and thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I am just beginning to show a receding hairline, and decided to act fast to try to stop my hair loss. As a result, I began taking Propecia three days ago. Within a very short time after taking the drug, I noticed a stirring sensation in my testicles. This progressed until it was a 2 on the 10 pain scale. The next day I woke up to quite a bit of tenderness in my left pectoral area. Frankly, I was stunned that I could experience these effects so quickly. I’ve stopped taking Propecia after only 3 days out of concern, but I wonder if there isn’t a typical adjustment period in which one’s body grows used to the drug and the side effects diminish. Was I right to stop as soon as these strange side effects manifested themselves, or is it worth pushing onward?

Thanks

Your symptoms may be a side effect associated very rarely with Propecia (finasteride 1mg), but it is surprising to see these effects manifest only after 3 days. You should address these issues with the doctor who prescribed you the medication. There may be other factors and issues not related to Propecia that your doctor may want to explore. You can stop taking Propecia and see if the pain goes away, but check with your physician first.

Tags: finasteride, propecia, hairloss, hair loss, testicle, pain

Cutting Multiple Proscar Pills for Future Use

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

I used to cut a few weeks worth of Proscar at once and store them in a bottle, so I wouldn’t have to do it every few days. I have since stopped doing this because I was worried the liquid in the tablets might dry up.

Is this a valid concern? If so how long does it take for the liquid to evaporate from the powder? I’m hoping it’s more than 4 days because that would render cutting Proscar into quarters
pointless. Thanks

Only cut the pills as you need them. Cutting multiple 5mg finasteride pills in advance may cause moisture to interact with the active ingredient and make the drug less potent. The 1mg Propecia pill has a coating on it to prevent it from absorbing moisture and so does the 5mg Proscar pill, but when you cut it, you break that seal.

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

I Am Balding in Streaks on My Head

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

Hello,

I just turned 20 years old and have been losing my hair for about two years. Only recently has it started to bother me. I have been taking Propecia for three months and hair is certainly falling out less. But I wonder what it will continue to do. I have odd, vertical streaks of baldness on the top of my head (my crown is not balding). Because I haven’t really seen this before, I was just wondering if you knew if Propecia can help fill these areas in.

I have not seen balding occur in vertical stripes, so I can’t comment on your observations without examining you. If you are balding from genetic causes, your observations of some hair reduction is what we generally see at the beginning of the process.

Tags: balding, hairloss, hair loss, streak, stripe