Treating Hair Loss with Rejuvenating Oil (Includes Olive, Sesame, and Peanut Oils)

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

Hello Dr.
I am 21 years old and i have been using Rogain and Propecia for a long time( about a year). Unfortunately I have not had a positive result from these medicines. I lost hair since I was 15. I am norwood 1 or 2. I have heard about an oil called Rejuvenating Oil including oils from plants such as:

Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Arachis Hypogaea (Peanut) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Seed Oil, BHT, Cananga Odorata Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Gardenia Florida Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, and also chemicals such as: Chlorphenesin, Amyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Citral, Citronellol, Coumarin, Eugenol, Farnesol, Geraniol, Hydroxycitronellal, Isoeugenol, Limonene, Linalool

Are these oils really helpful ?

Olive oilNo, the oils probably do not help with your hair loss. Of course, you’re welcome to try the product out for yourself, but I don’t see anything in that list that will cause your hair to regrow.

My question to you is why did you use Rogaine (minoxidil) and Propecia (finasteride) when you classify yourself as a Norwood 1? Plus, I’m not sure what you’re looking for as far as results that have lead you to believe there was no positive result. Are you expecting complete regrowth, or do you know that just seeing the hair loss halt is also considered a positive benefit? As you can see, after reading your email I’m left with more questions than answers. There is something wrong with your logic, and unfortunately without an exam and better medical history, there isn’t much I can offer you.

Tags: rogaine, minoxidil, propecia, finasteride, olive oil, sesame oil, peanut oil, hairloss, hair loss, rejuvenating oil

Lisinopril Causing Hair Loss at 52 Years Old?

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

I have been reading your forum about medications and hair loss. I am a 52 year old male and i have been taking lisinopril 10/12.5 and ziac 2,5 for years i have been loosing hair gradually over the years but i thought it was just heredity and now i find out that i have killed my hair from taking these drugs that makes me angry that i wasnt told. About 6 months ago i started a different generic brand of lisinopril and now my hair is thinning faster than ever before, could it be the medicine or what do you think might be happening.

Blood pressureI’ve written about this before, but Lisinopril is a blood pressure medicine. If you believe you are having hair loss side effects from lisinopril, discuss this with the physician that prescribed it to you, as you should not stop any medication without speaking to your doctor.

If your hair is thinning and you are male, the most likely cause of hair loss is genetic hair loss. Aside from that I really do not know what is happening. Even at 52 years old, hair loss from genetic causes can happen, so there may or may not be a connection between the drugs you are taking and the hair loss. You can’t completely rule out the medication, but my advice is to discuss these issues with your prescribing doctor.

Tags: blood pressure, hypertension, heart, lisinopril, hairloss, hair loss

Penis Structure and Finasteride

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

I was thinking of going on Propecia but found this article: Effect of androgen deprivation on penile ultrastructure

I was wondering why Merck hasn’t mentioned this as a side effect. Is this claim true in humans?

This may occur in humans at doses of finasteride much higher than the 1mg dose level that is the therapeutic dose for hair loss. The study doesn’t say how much finasteride was administered or the frequency of dosing, but as the study is in rats, I wouldn’t know how it could apply to humans. Merck likely hasn’t mentioned it as a side effect, because it hasn’t been proven to be a side effect in humans. I don’t know how else to comment on this question.

Tags: merck, finasteride, propecia, hairloss, hair loss, penis

Catch-Up Hair Loss After Stopping Medication

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

Why does it take 6 months for catch up loss to occur?

Everything happens slowly in hair as it only grows at a rate of 1/2 inch per month. Much of the hair loss or reversal of it from drugs like Propecia (starting or stopping it) occurs in the 6 month time frame to be detectable. Usually, when you stop the drug and the drug was working well, the loss will occur in the first 3 months.

Tags: medication, drug, propecia, finasteride, hairloss, hair loss, catch up hair loss

Testim Testosterone Gel and Hair Transplants

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

I am on testim. Will propecia help? can transplants survive testim use?

Propecia may help reduce the impact of testosterone, but the use of exogenous testosterone does cause hair loss in people with genetic balding. The transplants, however, will not be effected by the testosterone, as hormones do not impact donor hair (which is not prone to genetic balding in men).

Tags: testim, testosterone, gel, hairloss, hair loss, hair transplant, propecia, finasteride

Would Minoxidil Help If I’m Supplementing Many Hormones?

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

Dear Drs., thank you for all the info on this site. I am a 59 y/o female. During menopause, I experienced quite a bit of generalized hair thinning which concerned me. However, it tapered off, and I’ve lived with it. However, six months ago, my drs. found a pituitary adenoma which had shut down many hormones. I am now supplementing thyroid, prednisone (5mg/day), desmopressin, and, starting 6 weeks ago, hgh (nordutropin). I am not taking any other meds. My hair is again thinning pretty dramatically. I realize I need these supplements to maintain my endocrine system. However, my question is: do you think minoxidil might be helpful in my situation?

Thanks for your opinion.

Minoxidil may help, as it works independent of hormone supplements. It is available over the counter for women, so be sure to read the directions on the packaging for proper dosing.

Tags: minoxidil, rogaine, women, female, hairloss, hair loss, supplement, hormone

Trapped Nerve After a Hair Transplant?

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

Your blog is incredibly insightful and useful, can’t believe its a free resource. I’ve had a strip excision, my question is that there is one area directly above the scar line, about 3 cms wide and maybe 3 cms high (where scar is probably about 20 cms long) that feels raised and different. if I run my finger from below the scarline in that area up and over you can feel how that area becomes distinctly raised even sometime after transplant. the other areas above the scar dont have that feeling. could it be a trapped nerve ? and how easy is it to treat ? my doctor (even though giving good cosmetic hair results) doesn’t have your diagnostic capabilities. thank you !

First, with regard to the free service, I have never turned down money offers or checks in the mail. I haven’t received any, but still… :)

You raise a series of questions that pose different problems. Some people heal with elevated scars that are like mini-keloids (heaped up scar tissue on the skin edge). These scars can be difficult to control and the wider they are, the more difficult they are to treat. Steroids injected into the scar helps on those that are fresh (under 6 months old). When you don’t have feeling about the scar, if it is just the area within an inch of the scar, it may be attributable to cut nerves, which occur in everyone who has had a strip. The feeling usually returns in weeks of months after the surgery. If the area is more extensive, like a hand’s width, then you may have a cut major nerve trunk. The nerve may be cut or just squeezed in the scar tissue. You will need a skilled surgeon to make the diagnosis.

Tags: hairtransplant, hair transplant, nerve, cut, trapped, hairloss, hair loss, scar

The Odds of Going Bald

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

Hi, I just turned nineteen and have become concerned about hair loss. The corners of my hairline seem high and an abundance of small hairs have sprung up around the hairline. Are these signs of recession, new hair, or can it be either? No one on either side of my family has ever been bald except my great uncle on my father’s side. What are the odds of me becoming bald?

Norwood 7There is no way to predict your hair loss completely, that is, until you are older. This site is full of information to educate you and if you are concerned, then take charge of your problem. The hairlines in men generally rise between the ages of 19-29 (see Maturation of a Hairline).

Overall, 50% of men develop some level of balding by the time that they are 50 years old and only 7% will have the most extreme form of balding, Norwood Class 7 (see image at right).

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, hairline, teen, age, odds

Is My Vegetarian Diet Causing Female Hair Loss?

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

(female) I am 23 years old and a vegetarian and recently i have noticed my hair has been getting much thinner, everytime i run my fingers through my hair, several strands fall out and it has been feeling much thinner since it used to be pretty thick. I have been growing my hair out for Lock of Love the past two years, I am 5’8″ and my hair length rests at my butt so it i very long. Could the thinness be because of my vegetarian diet, could it be from the length and how long i’ve been growing it out, or could i be balding already? Please let me know. Thanks.

If you are losing hair, the other things that you mentioned probably has nothing to do with it, providing you are getting the full vitamins you need and are not anemic. We often try to connect two facts or events that are not related, because our intelligent nature requires close examination of our health and our lives. So no, you being vegetarian or growing your hair long have nothing to do with losing hair.

Tags: female hair loss, hair loss, hairloss, vegetarian

Propecia Stopped My Hair Loss Immediately, Then Started It Again Months Later

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

Hi Doc. Thanks for a great website.

37 year old male, been on Propecia for three months now. Prior to Propecia, hair was falling out of vertex at a steady rate. Started Propecia and loss stopped immediately and completely within three days. One month later after continued Propecia use, hair begins falling out at same rate as before Propecia and continues falling out now.

I know that I can’t “build up a tolerance” to Propecia, so am I in a shedding phase? If so, how long will that last approximately? And is it a good sign that my loss stopped so dramatically at the outset of my treatment? Is that a sign of things to come after this shedding?

Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

If this is not a short term shedding process, you could be in for trouble. I don’t have any idea if it’s a temporary thing or how long it’ll even last. Stick to the treatment and then work with your prescribing doctor. You might start to ask yourself if its time to consider adding minoxidil to the treatment plan.

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

No ED Problems After Chemo — ED Problems Started When I Took Propecia

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

Dear Doctor,
I am 33 yo, I took Propecia for two years with NO erection problems and good hair growth. I stopped October 2007. In April 2008, I got diagnosed with testicular cancer, had a left orchiectomy, chemotherapy, a retropertioneal lymphnode disection surgery and have been cancer free since early October 08. I have now retrograde ejaculation but I had NO decreased libido or erection problems until November 08. I started on Propecia on mid Nov 08 and I have been having serious erection problems since then. I can’t get an erection, rarely I do after a lot of help from my wife, but can’t maintain an erection. I stopped taking the drug five days ago, but the problem is still there. Any advice would be appreciated. Is it possible that it didn’t affect me before, but now it does because of either orchiectomy, chemo, or something else? Should I get my testosterone level checked? Will the problem go away now that I stopped? Please advise.

There are many things that you need to explore. Amongst them might be a visit to Boston Medical Group (for treating ED that does not respond to drugs like Viagra), but I would first ask your doctor about your problem. He must certainly have expertise to help you and knowing your testosterone levels might help.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, viagra, hairloss, hair loss, ed, erectile dysfunction

Cytostatic Agent on the Face and Eyebrow Hair Loss?

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

Hello doctor,

can a cytostatic agent applied to the face in order to relieve effects of seborrheic dermatitis cause damage to eyebrow hairs? As far as I know, it slows down cell multiplication rate of the skin so I am wondering if it affects eyebrows and how?

Thank you

I think this question is better asked to a dermatologist. I have no experience with cytostatic agents as they are used for the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis.

Tags: eyebrow, dandruff, dermatitis, cytostatic agent, cytostatic

After a Year on Propecia (with Photos)

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

This patient came to our office a year ago showing a Norwood Class 3 pattern of hair loss. Dr Pak prescribed Propecia to this young man and after a year of taking it every day, the patient returned to our office to show off his results. He had no hair transplant surgery. The results shown (in the photo on the right) are strictly from a daily Propecia pill.

Before on the left, after on the right. Click the photos below to enlarge.

 

Tags: propecia, finasteride, hairline, photos, hairloss, hair loss

FUE Aftercare Question Because My Doctor Is Unavailable

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

Hey Dr. Rassman, I have a question regarding a recent curiosity about FUE post op care. Would it damage the grafts if i buzzed my head down to a 2 in about a month from now? I had a 3500 FUE procedure for zones 1 and 2 in Canada about a month ago. I just want to be sure and have been trying to contact my doctor but he is currently unavailable. If you could answer this question that would be great!

Shaving the head or clipping it after FUE procedure is OK after a month.

Considering that you must have paid a pretty penny for 3,500 FUE grafts, I am distressed that your doctor can not be reached by you. I would like it if you take good photographs of your head now and then more photos again in 8 months. I have been seeing a number of patients with FUE grafts in the 3000+ range that have had very poor results in terms of growth. So don’t forget to keep me in the loop — if for any reason you don’t get good growth, I might be able to help you.

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

In the News – Disgraced Governor Blagojevich’s Hair Caused by Mental Illness?

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

BlagojevichSnippet from the article:

It’s a head of hair that a man 20 years his junior would envy — a chestnut helmet that brazenly mocks Father Time and screams “healthy!”

Gov. Blagojevich’s glossy locks — perfectly sculpted in rain or snow — may be an indication of a sickness beneath his scalp, said one local psychologist.

Read the full text at the Chicago Sun-Times.

It’s pretty ridiculous that anyone could label this man with a disorder just because of his truly awful hair. That being said, his helmet of hair really does look bad. I won’t dispute that. It looks like he’s got something to hide…

Tags: Blagojevich, blago, hair, helmet, mental disorder, narcissist, governor, politics