RevitaLash as Hair Loss Treatment?

/by William Rassman, M.D./3 /,

What is you opinion on the product Hair by Revitalash? Do you think it has potential as a hair loss treatment? I know you would have to be careful not to get it in your eyes.

RevitaLashThis post gets two responses…

Response from Dr. William Rassman:

There is no proof that this product will work on scalp hair, although there are some doctors trying it with their own form of human experimentation. I will certainly let you know when there is a credible scientific study released. I spoke to a representative of the manufacturer and they are interested in learning if it has an effect on scalp hair loss but they have not begun testing it.

Response from Dr. Bessam Farjo:

Actually at the ISHRS annual meeting in Amsterdam 2 weeks ago, I (Dr. Bessam Farjo) presented some initial data from a study my centre is working on in collaboration with University of Bradford in the UK. Our work so far is on human hair in the laboratory, but there were encouraging results showing that Bimatoprost (the active ingredient in Latisse eyelash treatment) can make the hairs grow longer and faster and prolong the anagen (growing) phase. We also identified that there is a receptor for this compound in the hair follicles explaining its mechanism of action. Further work is ongoing and may in the near future result in a clinical trial that would show what value if any these medications have for scalp hair.

Tags: revitalash, bimatoprost, latisse, hairloss, hair loss, hair growth, ishrs, eye, farjo

Is Follica the Same as Hair Cloning?

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

Hey Dr,

Great blog, keep it up. I’ve read about seemingly cures to hairloss – follica, haircloning etc.

Just to make things clear – Is follica’s approach also known as hair cloning, or is it completely different? I just want to distinguish between the two.

I ask because you say that haircloning will probably not available for another decade, or more. And am wondering if this applies to follica’s research.

The difference relates to the mechanism of action for Follica which is distinctly different from hair cloning. A Follica press release states, “By studying wound healing on a molecular level, Dr. George Cotsarelis and colleagues discovered that the skin has the ability to revert to a more primitive or ’embryonic’ state as stem cells migrate to the affected area, thereby achieving a regenerative capacity not previously appreciated to occur in adults.” It is this capacity that the research for Follica is based on.

Simply put, cloning requires that replica cells are created from an original cell, while the approach from Follica is to simulate the repair process, gaining more control over it to produce hair. The same press release goes on to say, “The researchers were able to control the regenerative response, including the extent of new hair follicle formation, by manipulating genetic pathways during this ’embryonic window’ when new follicles formed.”

Tags: follica, hair cloning, cloning, hair multiplication, hairloss, hair loss, baldness

Climbing the Genetic Hair Loss Tree

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

My mom’s dad was mostly bald by 30, but my dad has absolutely no sign of baldness at 56 and his dad had a fair amount of hair left in his late 70’s.

I know your mother’s father is the best indicator for inheriting MPB, but what if there’s an extra Y chromosome involved (i.e. someone who is XYY)?

Since I inherited my dad’s hair twice (it also become brown and then later curly at the same point in life, 11 and 17 respectively), could I have dodged a bullet?

I’m closing in on 21 with no sign of baldness yet. Would the extra Y outweigh the MPB on the X chromosome?

Thanks

DNAEven if you were an XY, you have about a 50% chance of inheriting your father’s family line. I do know now about XYY like you are, but I would generally tell you to do what I always tell people to do when determining their likelihood of developing genetic balding:

  1. Get a genetic test from HairDX
  2. Follow your hair looking for both gross and microscopic changes in potential miniaturization. This is the practical side of the process and it is easy to do this type of microscopic evaluation by mapping out your head for miniaturization.
Tags: hairloss, hair loss, genetics, family tree, chromosomes, gene

I Still Have the Same Amount of Hair I Was Born With

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

when I was born I had the usual amount of hair as most newborns, however, it never grew any more. even though I am now 65 years old, my head hair is the same as when I was born (except it is mostly grey now). my two sisters are the same. we have worn wigs most of our lives. we have never heard of anyone like us. our parents, brothers, children and grandchildren all have normal hair. does anyone know what this is???

I am not clear here. Do you have a high hair count (with very fine hair) or a low count? You have certainly made me curious, but you need to elaborate on what your question is. I would imagine that the use of a wig indicates that you do not have enough hair on your head to look full and youthful. It seems like genetics would be the reason for this, but I really don’t have enough information. Have you seen a doctor for an exam about this?

Tags: thin hair, newborn, hairloss, hair loss

Can I Eat Peanut Butter to Prevent Hair Loss?

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

Hey there I realize your very busy, but I was wondering, since hair is made of protein, do things like eating alot of peanut butter or whey protein shakes help prevent hair loss in any fashion???? Or would it even be harmful to the hair follicle???? Im 18 and trying to stop hair loss before it starts or gets too bad, I would APPRECIATE VERY MUCH if you would answer this question, THANK YOU :).

There is no connection with preventing hair loss by increasing peanuts in your diet. It’s not harmful… unless you put the peanut butter in your hair and then rip it out. If you want peanut butter health benefits, check out this page.

Tags: peanut butter, peanuts, protein, hairloss, hair loss

What Are Considered “Natural” Treatments?

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

If I’m going for natural treatments for hairloss, what is defined as natural? I used to think anything I could buy over the counter was natural. Is any product with “Drug Facts” instead of “Supplement Facts” on the back not natural? But my salicylic acid acne medication and pyrithione zinc shampoo both say Drug Facts, and they seem natural. And I know you can buy Rogaine OTC, and that I know can have systemic side effects.

Saw palmettoI would think a natural treatment is something that does not use medication or artificial chemicals; a treatment that is found in nature, as opposed to developed in a lab. This is called homeopathy.

The FDA allowed Rogaine (minoxidil) to be sold over the counter in 1996, but it was originally a prescription medication. Many drugs start out as prescription-only and are then approved for OTC sale. Rogaine is not considered a natural treatment, though. There isn’t a minoxidil tree or root. It seems in our society we gravitate towards things that are “natural” because we believe they must be better for us, but a natural treatment does not necessarily mean that there is no potential for side effects.

There are natural treatments that work very well for specific ailments. For example, saw palmetto is known to be effective in treating an enlarged prostate, but as I’ve written here many times before, I’m not convinced of its effectiveness as a hair loss treatment and it needs to be studied further. The Mayo Clinic has a good index of herbs, supplements, and vitamins that you should review. Check it out here.

Tags: herb, supplement, vitamin, homeopathy, natural, hairloss, hair loss, rogaine, minoxidil

The Doctor at the Aderans Interview Said Cloning Would Be Available in 5 Years

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

Dear Dr. Rassman,

I am a 29 year old male. I became aware of thinning in my crown area in April of ’09, and got on Propecia at the beginning of May. I volunteered for the Aderan’s phase II hair/cell replication study, but was told I had too much hair to be a subject. The Dr. at the clinic where I was interviewed said the cloning procedure would be available in about 5 years.You state that you see the cloning procedure as a decade off, so from the information you’ve gotten at this recent convention, is it reasonable to imagine that in my late thirties, around 2019 or so, that I can get hair restoration through a cloning procedure? And in the next few years, do you see a better drug, like an FDA approved version of Dutasteride coming to market?

Thank you for you time

The folks at Aderans predicted the cloning solution would be available in 5 years… and that was 5 years ago. So by that timeline, it should be here now… yet here we are, wondering where it is. I probed that question to those who are knowledgeable and found that no one really expects a cloning solution in 5 years. Perhaps ten years… and maybe more.

Dutasteride is already FDA approved to treat the prostate, but I’d like to think it’ll be available for treating hair loss at some point down the line, once any other studies are concluded and safety can be assured. It’s not up to me, and I’ve got my reservations about the medication already. There are no other new hair loss drugs like dutasteride that I know of coming in the next 5 year horizon. It takes years to clear it through the FDA so we will have plenty of notice when the process starts for a new medication.

Tags: aderans, cloning, hair cloning, hairloss, hair loss, dutasteride, avodart, medication, drug

In the News – FDA Warns About “Supplements” Causing Hair Loss

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

Snippet from the article from The Consumerist:

Earlier this week, the FDA sent a warning letter to Americell-Labs, the manufacturer of many popular lines of such supplements, and also warned consumers to stay away from the products. The “supplements” claim to act a little too much like steroids, and should be tested and sold as drugs if they are, y’know, drugs. If they’re anabolic steroids, they shouldn’t be sold at all.

MMA-3 XtremeRead the full article at Consumerist.com

The reason I’m posting this is because I get a lot of emails from bodybuilders inquiring about various supplements that I’ve never heard of. The products in question here are TREN-Xtreme, MASS Xtreme, AH-89Xtreme, HMG Xtreme, MMA-3 Xtreme, VNS-9 Xtreme, and TT-40-Xtreme. These supplements promote “no hair loss” in big, bold print on their websites… then followed by a warning that states, “Possible side effects include acne, hair loss, facial hair growth (women), aggressiveness, irritability, and increased levels of estrogen.”

And that’s just one of the things the FDA had trouble with. Read the full FDA warning here.

Tags: fda, proto-steroid, steroids, hairloss, hair loss, supplements, bodybuilding

One Side of My Hairline Getting Worse After 5 Years on Propecia

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

Hi Dr., great site!

I’ve been in Propecia for nearly 5 years and I think I’ve maintained for the most part. In the last 8 months or so, I’ve noticed the left part of hairline getting worse. What can I do? i was thinking of adding Tricomin. Possibly Rogaine Foam, but I didn’t want to get started on a major product just yet.

Thanks for any help.

Asymmetrical hair loss is not uncommon. You can add Rogaine Foam (minoxidil) to your routine, but stay on it for at least a year, possibly your lifetime. Chances aren’t fantastic that it’ll help with the hairline, but it couldn’t hurt. Hair transplants to the frontal area work really well, but for you, it may be too radical a move based upon your statement that minoxidil is a major product shift.

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

Individual Graft Technique (IGT)

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

Hi Dr. Rassman,

There is a Dr. in the Boston area doing an FUE type procedure he calls IGT. I am considering trying this procedure. He says he has improved on the FUE method and can do up to 1500 grafts in one session. I was wondering if you have heard about this and could comment based on yours or sombody else’s experience you may have heard of?

Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

I can not comment on a technique that I do not understand. If the doctor improved on the FUE techniques that I developed, I would love to know more about it. We all need hard evidence and good science when evaluating any technology.

Tags: individual graft technique, igt, fue, hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss

This Patient Would’ve Been Bald Without Hair Transplants (with Photos)

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

This man stopped by this week and he’s given me permission to post his photos showing the results of his hair transplants started 15 years ago. He had a total of 4085 grafts over three surgeries done incrementally as he lost more and more hair. Had he not had these procedures, he would’ve been showing a Norwood Class 6 or 7.

Forgive the quality of the before photo below, as it was from an old scan (the days before we had digital cameras).

Click the photos to enlarge. Left = Before (15 years ago); Right = After (this week)

 

The reason for his visit was to inquire about filling in the crown, but I suggested that more surgery may not be in his interest. His scalp is tight and his donor area is depleted. Instead, we applied DermMatch to the crown, making a big impact. The use of concealers are discussed in my book, Hair Loss and Replacement for Dummies, a worthwhile read with suggestions on alternatives for hair transplants.

Click the photos to enlarge. Left = Before DermMatch; Right = After DermMatch

 

Tags: hair loss, hairloss, hair transplant, surgery, balding, dermmatch

Painful Donor Area After Huge FUE Case

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

hi there

I had a FUE hair transplant. I had two sessions over two days of 3500 hairs. It has now been 2 weeks – the receipient hair looks great and I have had no pain. This is completley the opposite of the donor area. The donor area became so painful that I had to go to hospital for 6 days. The area was felt like it was burning and having constand tingling.

The neurologist advised I had “neuropathic pain”. I am now taking lyrica ( 3 tabs per day) to calm the nerves, neurobion, and tramadol (4oo mg per day) to help ease the pain. I am also using ice packs to calm the entire area.

Can you advise:
1: Have you ever heard/seen this type of reaction before. No where on the net can I find any reports of this type of negative reaction
2: How long can I expect this type of sensitivity from the donor area.

I look forward to your response

3500 hairs or 3500 grafts? I will assume you’re talking about 3500 grafts. If I’m mistaken, let me know…

3500 FUE grafts over a two day surgery seems outside the standard of care today. I would doubt that your donor area would have enough hair to supply that, meaning that the grafts were taken outside the donor area in parts of your scalp that may not be permanent hair. I have heard unofficial reports about some patients where extremely large numbers of FUE grafts were extracted from the back and side of the head with compromises of blood flow, and complications such as bleeding and pain occurring. I’m not sure what was done in the surgery, so I couldn’t tell you how long your donor area will feel pain. Generally, I agree that the approach with the neurologist may be the best way to go until the pain subsides or is well controlled with medication.

Tags: fue, hair transplant, donor area, hairloss, hair loss, pain, nerve

My Doctor Told Me Finasteride Caused Telogen Effluvium

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

I recently saw a doctor about my problem of excessive shedding several months after finasteride therapy has started. He told me that around the 11th to 16th week, there can be sudden shedding, sometimes on a massive scale. The entire phenomenon fits the description of a telogen effluvium. In the case of finasteride use, the telogen effluvium appears to be a reaction to the sudden change in the systemic levels of the sex hormone, DHT.

First, I would want to examine you, do a hair pull test and map out your hair for miniaturization, as I typically do. I am not doubting that this could be a case of telogen effluvium (TE), but over the internet, the diagnosis by me can not be made. If you are impacted by finasteride, stopping it is an option.

The loss of hair on an acute basis may be a TE and that would explain a large amount of hair loss between the 11th and 16th week, but the cause of TE is often mysterious.

Tags: finasteride, telogen effluvium, propecia, hairloss, hair loss

I Abused Steroids and Lost Hair

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

hello, i used steroids for bodybuilding for about 3 years i basically abused them. my question is i noticed hair loss torwards the end so i came off immideatly, i never touched steroids or any drugs since. My hair began to grow back nice and healthy within 2 months or so after i discontinued, then all of a sudden one day about 6 months later it began to thin again, why would this be?? No one in my family mum or dads side has genetic hair loss. Please Help me figure this stressful problem out.

Thank you

The steroids may have triggered genetic hair loss and you are now following through with your genetic pattern. Even though you don’t see hair loss in your immediate family, the expression of the gene can skip generations. Finasteride might be good at blocking this effect, but you should get a doctor of your own to give you a diagnosis and then treatment recommendations. This isn’t something I can do online.

Tags: steroids, steroid, hairloss, hair loss

I Buy My Finasteride at Walgreens, But it Comes from Israel

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

Hey Dr. Rassman,

I currently cut a generic version of Finasteride 5 MG, which I purchase directly at my local Walgreens. I keep reading on your site that you should make sure that you are getting what you pay for and should question the validity of across sea’s medication.

I did some research and I found out that Walgreens get’s their generic Finasteride 5mg version from a company called: Teva Pharmaceuticals US. Walgreens.com

I then googled that company and their generic Finasteride together and I found out the following: Teva finasteride

At the bottom I can identify that they are talking about my pill by it’s identification of being blue and having “93” on one side and “7355” on the other. But what I noticed was that the medicine is manufactured in Jerusalem, Isreal (By Teva IND) and then they send it to their Pennsylvania location to Teva US.

I called 3 different Walgreens and asked them about this drug and they assured me that it is FDA regulated and that I am getting what it says I am. I don’t think a company like Walgreens would allow bad medication to be sent in….but my question to you is if you would trust the validity of this drug because it’s being manufactured in Isreal?

Thank you for your time

TevaMany drugs are manufactured overseas by good companies which subscribe to FDA quality manufacturing rules. Teva Pharmaceuticals is one of those companies. They’re one of the largest makers of generic medications in the world.

Tags: teva, israel, walgreens, hairloss, hair loss, finasteride, propecia, proscar, fda