Lymecycline and Finasteride

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

I was stupid and took steroids for a little while to improve the results in the gym. I realised I was being very stupid and doing harm to my body and have stopped. I have been taking Proscar (finasteride) before, during and after taking steroids to try and slow down going bald but with just ok results. While I was taking the steroids I was getting spots on my head. Since I stopped these spots did not go away and I went to my doctor and got Tetralysa l (Lymecycline) to take to help with the spots. This has helped somewhat but I am losing more hair now than I have done in a long time. Do you think the Tetralysal is affecting the Proscar or is it possible that I have some infection in my scalp that may be affecting the Proscar from working?

I would really appreciate any help you can give me. Thanking You

You said you’re already taking Proscar, but is it the full 5mg pill or did you cut the pill to take a smaller dosage? 1mg is recommended for treating genetic hair loss, but I have no idea how much you’re taking or how long you’ve been on it. Keep in mind genetic balding is lifelong and it will progress to a certain pattern. Finasteride is not necessarily a cure, though it does slow down the loss dramatically in many men. I doubt lymecycline has anything to do with finasteride.

Lymecycline is an antibiotic used to treat infections and sometimes acne. I am not sure why lymecycline was prescribed for you. You need to ask your doctor what your diagnosis is and what you are being treated for. Until then, you are approaching your problem backwards! Find out what you have first! Perhaps you’re seeing a temporary stress loss unrelated to any medication you took. Perhaps you do have an infection and that is why you were prescribed lymecycline. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. There’s much I do now know about your situation that would make it impossible for me to provide much more help without typing up a page of random guesses.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, lymecycline, finasteride, proscar, propecia, infection, steroids

Ted Kennedy — Mature Hairline Example

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

Dear Dr. Rassman,

Thank you for your excellent, informative site. I’m 32 and still have my juvenile hairline, but like most men, I’m concerned about the prospect of balding in the future, and have considered starting Propecia just in case.

I’m writing because something occurred to me while watching the coverage of the passing of Ted Kennedy: he’s an excellent person for you to hold up as an example of a maturing hairline. Footage and photos of his first election in 1960, at age 30, show a pretty severely receded hairline at the temples, probably more severe than the average mature hairline. Anyone looking at him at the time probably thought he was destined to be bald. But, when he died nearly 50 years later, he had basically the same hairline — just replaced, of course, with white hair.

Thanks again.

I have assembled some photos of Ted Kennedy throughout his political career to reflect your insights…

Senator Edward Kennedy

In all three of these photos above, you can see that the shape of the hairline is convex (mature male hairline) rather than concave (which would be a more juvenile or female type). What is notable is that the forelock is lower than usual and this is often a hereditary issue. At times, a lower forelock (like with talk show host David Letterman) runs independent of the hair around it and becomes isolated. Ted Kennedy’s hairline is the shape that I like to obtain in my patients, but I often go slightly higher.

Tags: ted kennedy, edward kennedy, senate, senator, politics, government, hairloss, hairloss, hairline

My Moustache is Disappearing

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

Sir, my problem is that my moustache started disappearing on left side gradually. I have a habit of shaving daily so it was not noticed by me earlier. But now it has reached to about half. How to stop this and what to do so that hair is again grown in the bare part? Please cure my problem!

That is rather strange. Perhaps you can send me a picture? I can’t simply cure your problem for a couple of reasons, the first one being that I’m not a magician and the second one being that there is no cure for hair loss. I have no clue what could be causing it and you really should see a dermatologist in your area to get to the bottom of your disappearing mustache.

I’ve answered a similar question before here and was just as baffled then.

Tags: moustache, mustache, hairloss, hair loss

I Need a Straight Answer — Why Does HGH Cause Hair Loss?

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

hair loss has seemed to progress. after 13 months on finasteride, i started taking hgh injections however have stopped since. reading the blogs on hgh and hair loss, however never getting a straight answer. why does hgh cause hair loss? and what can i do to stop mine. im using rogaine, spectal dnc-l and on 2.5mg of finasteride daily…and wash with revita shampoo. is there anything else i can do?

Human growth hormone (HGH) has anabolic properties that include increased androgen production. Increased androgens contribute to the androgenic alopecia (as the term implies). The impact of hair loss from HGH or androgens like testosterone is generally not reversible. It seems you are doing everything you can, but still losing the battle.

Tags: human growth hormone, hgh, hairloss, hair loss, anabolic, androgen

My Rogaine Shedding Has Been Going on For Months!

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

Hi,

I understand that Rogaine may cause initial shedding, but I’m concerned that mine is going on longer than it should– 2.5 months. At first I had some minor thinning on the crown and minor receding at the temples (my friends think I’m crazy, but I saw a dermatologist who noticed thinning), but not really anywhere else. After following her advice to take Rogaine, my hairline (not just the temples) has receded some, and all of the hair on top of my head is thinner, to the point that I can see scalp, which I never could before. At this point, should I discontinue Rogaine, or try to stick it out for a few more months?

Thanks

I can’t tell you what you should do with medication, but I can tell you that shedding from Rogaine (minoxidil) may last up to 3 months. You have a dermatologist and I would ask her that question, as she has the advantage of being able to examine you.

Tags: rogaine, minoxidil, shedding, hair loss, hairloss

Developed Scabs 13 Days After My Hair Transplant

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

After 13 days post transplant, I developed lots of scabs on my head. I used a brush to help remove these scabs as it is said the scabs can damage the regrowth process. But using the brush removed much of the transplanted hair in one go along with the scabs. Was using a brush a mistake? Or would the hair roots not have been affected by the brush as it was on the 13th day?

Great work on the site, a real help.

Cheers

I do thank you for reading the site and I am more than happy to give you general information, but shouldn’t you be asking your post-surgical questions to the doctor who performed your surgery? Answering such specific and personal post-operative questions (simple as they may be) could be potentially misleading just by the fact that I do not know what was done in your particular case. I mean, developing scabs on 13th day (with no scabs prior) is very strange if I am reading your question literally!

Small scabbing (1 to 2mm size) on the transplanted recipient sides after a normal follicular unit hair transplant surgery is common, but very minimal. With daily hair washing it should resolve in a week or two. I am not sure how you brush your scabs away, but if the hair grafts are not locked in by that time, you run some risk of pulling them out with the scabs. I would ask your doctor and have it checked out to make sure it is healing properly. See our published article on the subject — Graft Anchoring in Hair Transplantation (PDF file).

Tags: hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss, scabs, scabbing, anchoring

Teen Girl with Bulimia and Hair Loss

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

(female) i have bulimia, i used to smoke weed and be very depressed. during that time, i had a v8 moment and suddenly realized my hair was soo much thinner than it used to be. i looked around and realized both of my older sisters, have extremly thin hair, balding hair i guess could describe it more. they have been smoking for tens of years, i have stopped, unfortuantely i have picked up another habit. i guess i want to know what everyone else here wants to know, will or could it grow back? also, i am only 15, im still growing, is there hope?

I would have to see you and understand what you are actually referring to as thinning. I would map out your scalp for miniaturization, perform a hair pull test, and then render an opinion. Obviously without seeing you, I can not really understand what your situation is and where you are in this cycle.

Bulimics often have hair loss from stress and unhealthy weight loss, so I would like to know more about your overall nutrition. I wouldn’t rule out that your hair could regrow at some point, but I doubt it will until you get your eating disorder under control. Hopefully it is a temporary telogen effluvium, but I have no way to know that over the web and without some more medical history.

Tags: bulimia, hairloss, hair loss, stress, diet, female hair loss, teen, malnutrition

Can a Hair Transplant Cure Migraines?

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

Does Hair Transplant cure Migraine too?

NYTimes.com – Plastic Surgery May Also Ease Migraines

Personal experience — after HT, forehead lines decreased considerably. Perhaps because of increased skin tension after a part of skin is removed?

MigraineFrom the article:

The double-blind study, published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, found that more than 80 percent of patients who underwent surgery in one of three “trigger sites” significantly reduced their number of headaches compared with more than 55 percent of the group who had sham surgery. More than half of the patients with the real surgery reported a “complete elimination” of headaches compared with about 4 percent of the placebo group.

No, a hair transplant would not cure migraines. Maybe it causes less headaches as you are not so preoccupied with balding, but a hair transplant wouldn’t be among the trigger sites the article refers to. Plus, this is all very experimental. Lots of work remains to be done, but thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Tags: headache, migraine, hairloss, hair loss, hair transplant, surgery, study

Reactive Hair Loss?

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

Please explain to me what reactive hair loss is…..

This is usually another name for shock hair loss (or shock loss), which can occur in association with a hair transplant. We used to see this often in the days before Propecia (finasteride 1mg) was available, but the use of this drug in men before the hair transplant has prevented most surgical induced hair loss.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, reactive hair loss, shock loss, hair transplant, surgery

Periods of Greater Hair Loss?

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

I read everywhere losing up to 100 hairs a day is normal. When I wash my hair I usually notice losing 20-30 hairs. Sometimes though I’ll notice a spike (for a few weeks) and notice 50 or 60. Is it normal to go through periods of a greater shedding/hair loss? Thanks for your time.

Yes, the average is about 100 hairs per day but it does vary by day, time of year, and possibly stress levels.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, calendar, year, time

Does Body Hair Transplantation Cost More?

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

Dear Doc,

I have a burning question regarding hair transplant if hairs can be harvasted from areas of the head that are deemed to be sufficent can the same be done from other areas of the body i.e arms, legs etc. I understand the hairs are gentially different, growth rate etc but in principle could it be done and retrospectifcally will it cost more then harvesting hair from the head?

Have you ever undertaken or known dr to undertake this procedure? outcomes?

Thanks doc

Body hair transplants are not generally considered accepted treatment for balding. It is considered more on the experimental side. As for costs, it really depends on the doctor. As body hair transplantation is done with follicular unit extraction (FUE), costs are likely higher than a traditional strip surgery using scalp hair anyway. That is moot though, as I don’t believe anyone should have this done if your scalp donor hair is usable. So while technically, body hair transplantation is possible (and is done), I personally do not believe it is viable for the reasons you are familiar with. I’ve written about it before.

As for outcomes…. I’ve seen some complete failures of body hair transplantation and even more poor, unnatural looking results from using body hair to transplant to the scalp. One particular patient I recall spent about $11,000 with a doctor who claimed to be an expert. The surgery was a failure and the patient was none too pleased, as one might expect (see story here). I’ve yet to see a natural looking body hair transplant that appeared anywhere near the quality of using scalp hair from the donor area.

Tags: body hair, bht, hair transplant, cost, fees, hairloss, hair loss

New Laser Treatment Promises To Melt Fat Away

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

This post isn’t hair loss related, but it goes hand-in-hand with wanting to look your best.

My hair transplant patient, plastic surgeon Dr. Jon Perlman, got very excited when he explored a new, non-surgical way to treat fat build-up in the neck, trunk, stomach, and thighs. He started to offer this service and continues to be very high on the results he has now seen. So many men (and women) have just enough fat build-up to make them self-conscious and rather than undergo a surgical procedure like liposuction, this option may be attractive to some of you. Dr. Perlman offered our readers a 10% discount through the end of this year for anyone wanting to undergo this non-surgical fat reduction procedure.

I asked Dr. Perlman to explain how the technology works. He writes:

ZeronaIn the last year the Zerona diode laser has been developed for body sculpting and removal of unsightly fat collections. It works by applying a low power laser energy painlessly without any surgery or probes and “melts” the fat layer beneath the skin of the neck, trunk, stomach or thighs. During the course of multiple (usually six) painless Zerona laser applications, electron microscopy reveals the development of pores in the walls of the fat cells resulting in them emptying their fat into the interstitial fluid space. This fat is eliminated through the lymphatic system with patients noting a loss of 3”- 4” or more over a several week period of time. A few have even lost up to a combined 10” with this procedure and have been given a “jump-start” toward looking and feeling better and maintaining it by better diet and exercise habits.

More information and pictures about this exciting new technology can be found at this site or by calling 310-854-0031.

Tags: perlman, zerona, diode, laser, fat, plastic surgery, cosmetic surgery, beverly hills

Minoxidil and Kidney Disease?

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

I am recently diagnosed with ckd (kidney disease) stage 2 (mild one). i was on topical minoxidil for almost 4 years but i stopped after my knowing about my ckd. is it possible that minoxidil cause ckd within this 4 years? And can i use minoxidil 5% again or it is dangerous for progression of my kidney problem ?? does minoxidil worsen kidney problems?? I also take propecia for almost 2 years.

A precaution in the literature for minoxidil states, “Tell your doctor your medical history, especially of: heart problems, kidney problems, liver problems, other scalp conditions, allergies (especially drug allergies).” This is a question you need to discuss with the doctor treating your kidney disease.

Minoxidil is an antihypertensive medication, which means it can reduce your blood pressure when given orally or when absorbed through your skin in substantial doses. Generally, lowering high blood pressure helps to prevent kidney problems, but that connection between blood pressure and kidney function is what you need to discuss with your doctor.

Tags: minoxidil, rogaine, kidney, disease, hairloss, hair loss

Is My Density Above Average?

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

I’ve read that the average density of hair in the donor area is 2.0 hairs per square millimeter. I have a density of 2.2, which obviously is above average but how much? Is it slightly, moderate, or very high? Also, what’s the highest density you’ve ever seen on a patient?

The difference between a 2 or 2.2 density could be the normal variation around your scalp. High densities have ranged from 2.6-4.0. Let’s take a look at a patient with a density of 4.0, who has now had nearly 9200 grafts transplanted. Before on the left, after on the right (obviously). Click the photos to enlarge.

 

To see more photos of this this patient’s remarkable transformation, click on Patient ZU.

Tags: density, hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss

Insurance Company Pay for Hair Transplant?

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

In your experience as a medical professional have you ever seen an insurance company pay for a hair restoration as a preventive measure to certain skin cancers & not view it as simply cosmetic? Im very fair skinned & had a small piece of skin removed from my face today & am now waiting for the biopsy results. Thank you for your time & have a great day.

Insurance companies do not pay for cosmetic hair transplants that treat genetic balding, but insurance companies have paid for hair transplants for men and women with hair loss from accidents (burns/scarring).

Tags: hair transplant, cosmetic, hairloss, hair loss, genetic, accident, insurance