Took Finasteride for 3 Months — Worked Great for My Hair, Bad for the Sex

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

Please i really need your advice.

For 3 months I started taking 1.25mg of proscar daily because I started to shed hair. soon after taking proscar, hair loss came to a halt and I stopped worrying about MPB. But then I started to get sexual side affects so i stopped the treatment and everything was in working order in days. But now of course am starting to itch n shed again. what do i do? less proscar? saw palmetto? minoxidil? am 26 and still have a full head of hair but I will begone if action is not taken.

This is why a prescription from a doctor is required for finasteride… to answer questions like yours if you experience side effects. I often recommend half a pill a day for those that see side effects to see if this is tolerated, but cutting a 5mg Proscar tablet into 8 parts is a real challenge. Ask you doctor, as this is an important thing for you, and you should not let it slide until you go bald.

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

Can Using Rogaine Inhibit Natural Hair Regrowth?

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

I’m a 28 year old woman who suffered a bit of diffuse hair loss at the front of my scalp. I have always had thick dark curly hair but started losing hair as consequence of being treated with a medication for anxiety. I have been told that it will regenerate by itself once I stop the medication. But, I am still taking this medication and obviously I dont want to keep losing hair so my doctor has given me some vitamins and also Rogaine for 6 months. I’m only on the first month of using Rogaine and I havent noticed any improvement yet. I was just wanderig what will happen once I finish both treatments. I’m planning to stop the medication in two months. I’ve read that once you quit Rogaine your hair goes back as it was. Is this going to affect my natural hair regrowth? Will my hair keep thick after Rogaine if this is my natural? Is Rogaine appropriate for me?

Many thanks for any advise!

Rogaine (minoxidil) will not impact normal hair. If you have no side effects from its use, you can apply it as directed twice a day and wait out 8-12 months to see if it works. You won’t notice anything in the first month, and if you stop the medication in 2 months you’re not going to get any benefits. Why would you even bother starting it?

Tags: minoxidil, rogaine, hairloss, hair loss

Doctors I’ve Seen for Years Are No Help!

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

I have had a severe case of hair loss that has continued over the past ten years. Over the past two years, I have learned that this was because of low testosterone. My urologists has prescribed Androgel, which I thought would help but it only gives marginal improvement.

Erections are almost non-existant with some form of visual stimulant. ED drugs help but take a while to kick in. The last test that I took for testosterone had a level of 35 which was lower than the normal low end range for a 50 year old male.

Please help as I feel helpless to resolve this issue with the doctors that I have been seeing over the past 2 years. I’ve been prescribed for Propecia, which does marginal good and I have been using Minoxidil since it was first on the market. It didn’t stop the hairloss.

Please help!

If you come into my office, I can make an assessment of you, a good history, and an examination. Without that, I can not do much to help you. Or, find a local doctor who should do what I would do and get enough opinions until you find the right doctor.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, doctors, physicians

A Reader’s Minoxidil Theory, Part 2

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

I wanted to clarify my question, which you called “A Reader’s Minoxidil Theory“. Let me put the question to you another way:

If a healthy hair follicle, which was never going to be affected by baldness, comes in contact with minoxidil, then its anagen phase will be prolonged and, as a result, its telogen phase will be delayed. And when the minoxdil is withdrawn, then that healthy hair follicle will finally enter its telogen phase and fall out. But since that hair follicle is healthy, then it will grow back, regardless of the minoxidil discontinuation.

Do you agree?

I have no basis of a scientific opinion. You may be right, but does it matter if the long term impact is negligible?

Tags: minoxidil, hairloss, hair loss, anagen, baldness

Massaging My Scalp Causes Hair Loss!

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

Hi,

My hair has been thinning and falling for a few years now (I’m probably too late in asking for help), and now I can see that the hairline has receded quite a bit and the scalp is easily visible. The loss/thinning is limited to the top of my head in a horse shoe pattern. If I massage my scalp on the top, hair falls out. If I massage the side of my scalp, nothing falls out.

I also suffer from a very oily scalp/ face….

The question is, can I treat the situation or is this genetic? Is oily scalp a culprit? It does feel like hair falls out faster when my scalp is oilier.

thanks

HorseshoeOily scalp is not the reason for your loss. Genetics are. It is likely not too late to start on medication like Propecia, which can help to halt the hair loss and possibly regrow some.

If you rub the side of your head and no hair falls out, yet when you massage the top of your head you’ve seen hair loss, this sounds like a classic situation of male pattern baldness (MPB). The sides and back of your head retain your hair permanently (which is why you see so many men with the “horseshoe” of hair) and will not come out like you describe with a massage, and it sounds like when you put any traction on the top of your scalp, even gentle massaging, it’s causing those weak hairs on top to fall out faster.

You indicated in your email form that you were in the San Francisco bay area. I have an office in San Jose and you should consider making an appointment with either Dr. Pak or myself by calling 800-NEW-HAIR for a consultation.

Tags: massage, scalp, hairloss, hair loss, mpb, propecia, finasteride

If I am Not Losing Hair, Is Rogaine Foam Bad to Use?

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

I searched for a bit to try and find if there was already an answer to this. I believe my hair is thnning, my parents deny my claim. I am an actor/mdoel so my looks are very important. Just recently I started to use Rogaine Foam.

  1. If I don’t have thinning hair will it harm me?
  2. I use it on damp hair and rub it all over the my scalp the blow dry 15mins later, is this proper?
  3. I have only been using it once a day, should I do two? (Should I shower twice a day?)
  4. Is there anything else I can do for faster and better result to thicker set of hair?

Rogaine FoamYou should see a doctor to determine if you’re thinning. For example, I would be able to map out your hair for miniaturization and give you an idea of what is happening. Then I’d follow the measurements of any miniaturization and use drugs that are appropriate. If you are a model and your looks and livelihood are linked, why not approach your hair correctly by an expert?

To answer your questions:

  1. No one should take any medication that they do not need.
  2. The Rogaine website has application information. See their FAQ.
  3. The proper dosing is twice a day to see the full benefits (once in the morning, once at night).
  4. You can use something like Fullmore or Toppik.
Tags: hairloss, hair loss, rogaine, foam, rogaine foam, minoxidil, toppik

Erectile Dysfunction, Headaches, and Stomach Problems from Propecia?

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

Hello doctor. i been taking propecia for about 2 years its been working alright for hair loss however i always have had side effects from it like erectile dysfunction, headaches, stomach problems, all kinds of stuff. i don’t see any hair solution coming soon so i decided to stop taking this medication that is doing so much harm to my body. do you suggest to start rogaine or it wouldnt help since propecia is much more efficient? i’m 25 and i’m starting to give up on this battle :(

i cant believe nobody can find a solution to this horrible disease

I am not your doctor and you are asking for a medical opinion with only a limited amount of information supplied to me and no opportunity to examine you. I really can not help you without a direct examination and interview to get to know more about your medical history and experiences. If you have headaches and stomach problems (and “all kinds of stuff”) you might have something else going on, but you’re attributing it to the finasteride. I really don’t have a clue in your case, and that is why an exam is important.

If you’ve been taking Propecia, you hopefully have a prescription and should go back to your prescribing doctor with the question you posed to me.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, propecia, finasteride, side effects

I’m Balding But I Can’t Find Any Hair Loss in My Family!

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

Just a quick question, I am 23 years old and no one in my family is bald, uncles,cousins, grandparents, everyone has a full head of hair, and it is from both sides of the family. I have noticed for the past few years I have been going bald and this past year I have a peak and Im loosing my hair really quickly. I have tried nioxin and svenson products nothing seems to work.

What would be the reason, they said i do have MPB but I dont know where it could come from. And I do know my Father is my Father, LOL.

Cheers thanks

Sometimes, the gene is carried by many generations and not expressed. In your case, it is being expressed.

I’ve not seen hair regrowth from Nioxin, and I don’t even know what Svenson products you’re talking about. It’s not surprising those haven’t worked to regrow your hair, though. There are only 2 FDA approved products to treat hair loss — minoxidil and finasteride. At 23 years old, you should see a doctor and ask him/her about a prescription for finasteride (Propecia). I’ve seen that medication work wonders in men your age (and in older men… though the earlier the hair loss, the better it tends to work).

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, minoxidil, finasteride, nioxin, genes

If I Used Laser Hair Removal on My Body, Would that Help My Head Hair Stay Intact?

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

I’m an all around hairy guy, and I was just wondering is there any connection what so ever between loosing head hair and getting loads of chest,arm pit,upper leg and for arm hair. i mean I started getting a receding hair line around the same time i started getting loads of body hair! so is my body hair starving my head hair of nutrients???

…..and on that note, if I used lazer hair removal on my body would that help my head hair stay intact whats so ever??? Thanks

It is common to get more hair on the back of your body as you lose hair on the head… if you are so genetically inclined. Body hair develops as you age, and in some men the DHT effect causes you to lose your scalp hair around that same time. However, even if you used laser hair removal on your hairy back, you will still continue to lose your head hair. Your back hair (or any other hairy part of your body) isn’t killing off your head hair.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, body hair, laser removal

What LLLT Treatment Did Used to NHI Offer?

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

Dr. Rassman. Always a pleasure. I would be interested to know what Clinical Laser Unit you had in your office, and the treatment protocol you had your patients follow. For example were patients just using it whenever they happened to be in the office, or were they on a strict schedule of using the machine 3 times a week etc….

Myself and other LLLT advocates know that LLLT is a moderately effective treatment so long as it is used as directed, that being on average 3 times per week and longterm, not just several months.

It’s like applying minoxidil once, every other day, results if any would be minimal.

I believe the machine was a Revage 670, but I’m trying to get confirmation and will update this post if I discover the name or model is incorrect. As for actual use, I left the decision up to the patient, but recommended three applications a week. About half of those using it stuck to the 3 times a week schedule with no results seen by me. The laser was available in my office for over a year.

Tags: lllt, laser, revage, nhi, hairloss, hair loss

Generic Propecia — Finotop-1 from Ind-Swift

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

Hi Dr. Rassman,

You may have gotten this question before… I just received an order of finasteride from 4rx.com. The drug is called Finotop-1 and is manufactured by Ind-Swfit. I tried to go to the manufacturers website to verify the validity of the drug and to read a little bit more about it, but I couldn’t find any information at all. I complained to 4rx.com and they assured me that it was legit and that all of their manufacturers are FDA approved. I guess I’m just concerned because I don’t really feel good about taking a med that I can’t be absolutely sure of. I suppose my question is whether or not you have heard of this specific med and if you could give me any advice.

Thanks a bunch for the help

Ind-SwiftFirst off, you ordered a prescription medication via the web from a site that obviously has no regard for the legal system. That’s a red flag for me. But from what I’ve learned about Ind-Swift, they are a large manufacturer of antibiotics in India. I visited both of their websites and wasn’t able to find anything about a finasteride product or anything called Finotop on either of them (indswiftltd.com and indswiftlabs.com). That doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t make this medication, as their sites could just not be updated. It just makes it that much harder to attempt to verify.

I have not heard of this Finotop brand name before, but a Google search reveals more people asking a question similar to the one you asked… and there doesn’t seem to be too much info on this one. There are better known generic finasteride tablets available if you’re concerned about what you’ve got, but perhaps you should try getting a doctor’s prescription for Proscar (legally available as generic) and cutting the 5mg pills into 4 pieces.

Tags: indswift, finotop, hairloss, hair loss, finasteride, generic, india, pharmacy, proscar, propecia

How Much Should I Trust My Dermatologist?

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

How much should I trust my dermatologist!?

I am a 24 year old male and over the past year I have noticed some subtle signs of hair loss (my hair began to feel slightly thinner when I ran my hands through it, initially just in the front, but then around the back/crown as well… although i’ve noticed that it still feels thicker around the sides and the nape of my neck). Additionally I noticed some very slight recession on the right side of my front hairline.

All these changes were only noticeable to me, and I have asked many friends and family to examine my hair closely and they all think I am paranoid and have a thick head of hair. However, I finally went to the dermatologist two weeks ago and he looked at my head for about 30 seconds with a magnifying glass and said that he did see some slight thinning at either side of the periphery of the crown (so not in the center of the crown area). Interestingly, this is not where I “felt” my hair thinning. He prescribed propecia, and I have started taking it. However, I asked him several questions about what extent of hair loss I should expect should I choose not to take the drug and all I got from him was that I could expect “further thinning” over the “next 20 years”… he did not mention miniaturization mapping as an option and when I asked about heredity he said that it wouldn’t really tell me all that much to look at other males in my family. Anyway, I was wondering if there was any way I could clarify this further… how much hair loss should I expect given the subtle thinning at my age and my family history??

There is little balding in my family as both of my grandfathers died with full heads of hair… my mom has five brothers, only one of whom has any significant hair loss and he is over 60 and the hair loss occurred later in life; my father’s hair has receded a bit and thinned over time, but he is now in his mid 50s and I would say he is a class II/III with some slight thinning on top and (very slight) around the crown, but still with a good head of hair and no one would consider him bald… in addition, he has a brother is in his 60s and has a full head of hair.

Anyway, I was just wondering if from this information there was any way to make a guess at my future hair loss pattern/rate? I will continue to take the propecia, but is it worth getting a second opinion?

Sadly, not many physicians seem to know of miniaturization studies, as I often write about here. Or if they do know of them, they don’t provide it as a service to their patients. One of the reasons I created a guide to mapping your own scalp is so that you will be empowered to evaluate your own miniaturization. And while a doctor may not call it a “miniaturization study”, if they look at your hair under a microscope it is essentially what they are doing. The key is to have this study done annually (or every 6 months or so) and compare the results so you can see where your hair loss is going or if any treatments are working.

You were obviously concerned enough to seek the advice of your family member and a doctor. If both you and your doctor believe there is some early thinning (miniaturization), Propecia may be a good starting point. I can’t tell you who to trust and not to trust. You need to make that decision on your own and if you still cannot decide (maybe from your paranoia), seek a second opinion from another doctor who may give you a better and more believable opinion.

Tags: miniaturization, mapping, hair loss, hairloss, doctor, physician, trust

Coating on a Proscar Tablet

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

I have a question about the coating on proscar tablets.

If I were to quarter a proscar tablet would it affect the pills absorbtion into my system in a negative way, additionally, would the ingredients be a stomach irritant without the coating? I had wondered if it might be better to crush a proscar tablet into powder and then weigh the powder to one millagram and place it inside a gell capsule.Thank you for your time and consideration

You sound creative and I guess you can try your crushed method. The best way, of course, is the drug Propecia which is pre-measured into 1mg finasteride that you should take daily to treat hair loss. Everything else is a substitute for the best way to take the drug.

I’ve really got no idea about stomach irritation without the coating. If I had to guess, I’d say the coating is there to make the pill easier to handle. If women touch a broken finasteride tablet (particularly without the coating), it could lead to problems with pregnancy and such. Just one of the reasons finasteride is not indicated for women.

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

My Hair Stylist Says Getting White Hair Early On Means You Won’t Bald

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

Hi your advice would be greatly appreciated. Cant beleive this site if free access.

I had extremely thick hair always had. Just over a year ago my hair started falling out to the extent that I can now see slight parts of my scalp (front and side)but my hair which falls out are still very thick. My scalp is very itchy and I always get dandruff frequently. Majority of my hair has turned wite I am only 28!! which my hair dresser says is a good sign that you will not go bald as white hair is a sign of healthy scalp?? Is this correct?

What medications would you suggest to either reverse the process or stop it from happening? Your help you be very much helpful.

Having white hair or gray hair at an early age just means that you have white hair or gray hair at an early age. It does not mean you will not go bald and it is neither good nor bad. Its just your genetics. Likewise, having an itchy or dry scalp just means your have itchy or dry scalp. It has nothing to do with hair loss or hair growth.

Maybe your hair dresser wants a bigger tip by making you feel better about your hair, but his/her expertise seems lacking on these subjects.

Tags: hair stylist, hair dresser, hairloss, hair loss, gray hair, grey hair, white hair, genetics, gene