Hair Loss in the Crown — Genetics or Dreadlocks?

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

Hey, I’m 22 and worried about hair loss. I noticed my hair thinning out in the crown area when I had dreadlocks, which I have since cut off after seeing a dermatologist. I don’t experience a great deal of hair loss, but the crown area has thinned out a bit and is more noticeable in bright lights.

I have purchased minoxodil (which the dermatologist said was optional) but am yet to start using it as I wanted to watch my progress in case if I didn’t actually need it. Advice?

I don’t know anything about your hair loss history, but early crown hair loss is typical of male pattern baldness, which means it may be caused by your genetics. The loss you’re seeing could be unrelated to the dreadlocks. Then again, the dreadlocks wouldn’t be helping the situation, as you’re running the risk of developing traction alopecia.

Minoxidil does work for some in the crown, but I’ve found that Propecia for young men with early loss (particularly in the crown) works even better. Both Propecia and minoxidil are optional (they are for treating a cosmetic issue, not to save your life), but if you want to save your hair, the option you’ll want to try becomes clear. I assume you want to treat your thinning crown, or you wouldn’t have written to the BaldingBlog.

So if your dermatologist saw early crown loss, I’m a little surprised you weren’t prescribed Propecia… though again, I’m not your doctor and don’t know about your hair loss history. Perhaps there’s something else that I’m not aware of at play.

Tags: dreadlocks, dreads, hairloss, hair loss, genetics

Hair Loss Treatments on “I Love Lucy” (Video)

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

I found this humorous clip from i love lucy where ricky thinks he’s going bald and lucy gives him a hair growing treatment. Very funny!

I love this. Thanks for sending it! This is a clip from season 1 of “I Love Lucy” that originally aired in 1952. There’s not much more I can add here, so just watch the video below and enjoy!

 

 

Tags: hair loss, hair growth, i love lucy, lucille ball, desi arnaz

What Caused My Transplanted Hair to Thin 6 Months After My Surgery?

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

I’m 6 months into my hair transplant and it seems to be getting thinner from about 2 months ago. I was under a great deal of stress a few months back. Could that cause a thinning of the newly transplanted hair. I use Rogaine and Avodart every day. The doctor said it was ok to use on the new hair. At the 4 month mark it really looked promising. However it has definitely thinned since then. Any suggestions on the cause?

Hair transplant surgery is highly variable in terms of the individual patient, as well as the techniques used by clinics and doctors. Many people who have a hair transplant will actually lose some of their original hair and that may be the cause of what you are seeing.

The general estimate is that it can take 4-8 months to see results, and usually the majority of the results are visible by the 8th-12th month. I’d follow up with the doctor that did your surgery.

Tags: stress, hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss

Will Hair Regrow After a Bout of Typhoid?

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

Hi Doc
My Sister had Thypoid for a month and she suffered hair loss due to Thypoid. Does the hairloss due to Thypoid is reversible ?

Thanks

Hair loss in itself is likely not a direct result of typhoid, but the hair loss is likely from the stress on the body from the disease. This stress related hair loss can be caused by a variety of illnesses. Your sister should gain her hair back over the course of a year or so.

Tags: typhoid, typhoid fever, hair loss, hairloss, stress

CB-03-01 Anti-Androgen — Is It a Future Hair Loss Treatment?

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

Hello, Doc. I found a study about a future topical antiandrogen that appears to fight baldness.

This is the link: Cosmo reports exciting results in P.O.C. alopecia study

Do you see this treatment as a potential option in a not so distant future?

Thanks for keeping us informed through this great blog.

CosmoIf you understand a basic fact about hair loss, it’s really quite simple: Blocking the impact of androgens at the hair level will favorably impact hair loss. It could be a promising direction, but at this time good data is not in hand, so an anti-androgen cream is not a proven solution for the hair loss problem.

The link you sent is for a press release from Cosmo Pharmaceuticals of Italy, which boasts “exciting results” to get readers interested, but in reality this is just announcing that a proof of concept trial has concluded for something called CB-03-01 on 40 men and 30 women over the course of a month.

The studies and products you and I find on the Internet are usually not new or groundbreaking, though they might sound promising. Both doctors and patients hope the next great hair loss treatment is right around the corner, but we will have to wait for good science to be presented to us before getting too excited about this as a future option. There’s a lot of hurdles it would need to cross before making it to market.

Tags: anti-androgen, antiandrogen, CB-03-01, cosmo, hairloss, hair loss

Does Seborrheic Dermatitis Rule Out a Hair Transplant?

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

I have been on propecia due to MPB for about 2 1/2 months. In addition, I also have seborrheic dermatitis. I believe I am going through a shed however I can’t be sure as my seborrheic dermatitis has flaired up over the last month so I cannot totally tell which my accelerated hair loss is from. My questions are:

  1. When you shed from propecia, does shedding also occur in the hairline? If so, does this hair grow back?
  2. Hair lost due to the seborrheic dermatitis, does it regrow? I haven’t been scratching or picking at it, but hair has fallen out of parts of my scalp affected by it.
  3. Does having this condition make you a bad candidate for a hair transplant?

Thank you very much

  1. When you lose hair at the hairline, the hairs rarely grow back (even if you take Propecia). Propecia mainly slows down the shedding process.
  2. Seborrheic dermatitis is a skin condition, not a hair condition, so it shouldn’t cause hair loss. However, it might accelerate underlying MPB or you could be seeing loss if you are picking at your hair. Picking at seborrhea can produce traction alopecia, which can be permanent.
  3. I have performed hair transplant surgery on many patients with seborrheic dermatitis and there is no issue. Sometimes if it is severe, I will use a short course of topical steroids to calm it down.
Tags: seborrheic dermatitis, hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss

In the News – Data Analysis Confims that Propecia Works

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

Snippet from the article:

A review of recent research found that men with the most common form of baldness who took finasteride are more likely to experience an increase in hair count, and say they believe their hair is thicker. But approximately one in 80 also experience erectile dysfunction, according to the analysis published in the Archives of Dermatology.

Read the full article — Drug for baldness works, experts say, but may lead to sexual problems

Archives of DermatologyA doctor and his team combined results from a dozen Propecia studies of nearly 4,000 men and published it in the American Medical Association’s monthly peer-reviewed medical journal.

So while the findings aren’t exactly news, it does confirm what we’ve been saying for years: Propecia works well to treat hair loss and you have a small chance of experiencing erectile dysfunction from it.

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

I’m Losing Scalp and Body Hair on One Side of My Body!

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

I just want to know why i’m losing hair from right side of my body, including scalp, Right arm, right leg. I mean from whole right side, whereas left side has normal hair growth. What is this??? This is bothering me alot. Plz help!

I will assume this is not a prank question, but it is difficult to believe you are only losing hair on the entire right side of your body while your left side is completely fine. I can understand why you’d be so bothered by it. This is just not something I’ve ever seen or heard about, so I’m really unable to provide an answer.

Tags: body hair, hair loss, hairloss

My Hair Transplant Scar is Wider Than My Surgeon Promised

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

I recieved a transplant of about 3,000 grafts from another doctor about 12 months ago. 720 are 1 hair and 2,140 are 2 and 3 hair grafts. I am 23 years old and I am not very satisfied with the results. Hair is not as thick as I would hope and the scar is wider than promised.

I was looking into doctors that could possible thicken up the front a little bit and try and reduce my scar as much as possible so I can keep my hair shorter. I was seeing what your thoughts would be on this. I am not able to make it into your office very soon but I can forward some pictures for now so you could give me some initial thoughts if possible before a consultation.

Before undergoing a hair transplant surgery, you must fully understand the limitations and have reasonable expectations. The scarring is also highly variable in each individual and there is no way anyone can predict how the scar will turn out with total accuracy. Everyone wants a great outcome and minimal scarring, but you must understand surgery is not an exact science and no matter how great your surgeon is there is always a variability.

You stated that the results are thinner than you expected. The 3000 grafts that you received was spread over your balding area, so if your balding area was large (Norwood Class 4,5 6, or 7) then I might expect thinner results than if your balding pattern was a Class 3 or less. Also, the thickness of the hair shafts (fine vs coarse hair) will reflect the fullness that you received. The growth of the transplants (100% or 50% growth) may play a role as well. If I was able to see you, I would have an appreciation of these factors and then give you an opinion.

You can always email us or call us at (800) NEW-HAIR to set up a phone consultation. We usually request photos in advance and you can arrange a time to speak to one of the physicians to facilitate the consultation.

Tags: hair transplant, scarring, hair restoration, surgery

Hair Transplants for Woman Losing Hair from Antidepressants?

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

Dear Doctor

After reacting to several tricyclic antidepressants I developed telogen effluvium extending an already high forehead and thinning the temples. Large regrowth resulting in thickening hair has not really occurred. I have received conflicting advice from several doctors, ie. lowering the hairline surgically with transplants to the temples or lowering the hairline and thickening the temples using a transplant alone. The lowering would be in the region of 1-1,5cm. What would you advise here? Thank you.

Withing seeing you and examining you, I can not comment on your questions. I’m assuming you’re female based on the name you used (though I’ll keep that private). Female hair loss is difficult and complex to discover a cause for, especially when it is related to drug causes.

I don’t know how long you took the medications, how long you’ve been waiting for regrowth, hair loss history, etc… and honestly, I couldn’t suggest hair transplants without knowing much more about your situation. Make an appointment with us or check the ISHRS for an expert near where you live.

Tags: hair transplant, antidepressant, hairloss, hair loss, female hair loss

Minoxidil and Prolactinoma?

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


I’m currently looking to get on something to halt and regrow any hair ive lost. I have a prolactinoma and being treated for it. I came across this and many other articles that mentioned minoxidil can cause a prolactinoma and im worried about starting it as mine is currently being treated and could worsen it.

But what im wondering is if the article is meaning oral or topical ? and if would it be safe to use topical minox with my condition thanks

For those that aren’t familiar, a prolactinoma is a benign tumor of the pituitary gland, usually resulting in an increased level of prolactin produced.

I’m not sure which specific article you’re referring to, but anything topical can be absorbed into your system. In fact, many people taking minoxidil had systemic side effects. Your own doctor should know more about this, particularly when it comes to your medical care.

Tags: tumor, prolactinoma, rogaine, minoxidil

Prednisone After a Hair Transplant for Swelling

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

I consulted a hair transplant doc who prescribes prednisone for post-operative swelling. I wouldn’t want to take this due to its obvious side effects.

Have you ever heard of giving prednisone after a hair transplant and do you prescribe it?

Sounds weird to me (and unnecessary).

The use of short term prednisone following a hair transplant is common to prevent swelling in the first few days. Short term steroids are not usually a problem unless you are diabetic. This is a medical call by the doctor you are choosing. Please address this with your doctor so he/she can better explain the issue and address your particular concerns.

Tags: prednisone, steroid, hairloss, hair loss, hair transplant

Removing Scalp Reduction Scars?

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

I am 43. I had a scalp reduction at 24 along with 4 sessions of hair transplants. I was disappointed with results so I have been wearing a hairpiece the last 15 years. Now I wish to shave my head. Can the flaxel laser help with the scars on the back and top of my head? Or should I consider transplants in the scar areas or both options? I am a little leary to do transplants again. I appreciate any advice, don’t want to make any more mistakes.

In general, fixing a bad hair transplant or a bad scalp reduction surgery is very individualized and difficult. The results are often not perfect, so there must be a full understanding of expectations and what you are trying to achieve. There are always options for repairing your look, but you need to see a hair transplant doctor who specializes in these type of cases. It would be doing you a disservice to offer you specific advice for your case without seeing exactly what you’re talking about.

For the readers that aren’t familiar with a scalp reduction (see image at right), it was a procedure some doctors did that essentially just excised the bald spot. We’ve written before about how patients that underwent scalp reduction surgery often developed a “slot deformity”, where the hair from the sides grows away from the scar, causing an unnatural slot to appear.

Lasers will likely not achieve what you are looking for. Meet with a doctor in person that can advise you about what to expect the end result to look like. It might not be perfect, but I wouldn’t be able to outline your options until your repair area is examined.

Tags: repair, scalp reduction, hair transplant

HairDX Announces Finasteride Test for Women

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

Snippet from the press release:

Genetics research and a clinical study are today bringing significant news to women experiencing hair loss. A new breakthrough test can now help doctors determine if a woman is likely to benefit from anti-androgen therapies.

Genetic dermatology research and development innovator DermaGenoma, Inc. today announces the HairDX Genetic Test for Female Androgen Sensitivity. The test offers a new genetic screening for women suffering from or at risk of androgenetic alopecia (AGA), and is making its debut to physicians at the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery’s 18th Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston.

The HairDX Genetic Test for Female Androgen Sensitivity (to be available through dermatologists at a suggested price of $399) examines genetic and epigenetic (genetic control mechanism) variations in a woman’s androgen receptor gene. This analysis will assess her androgen sensitivity to determine if her hair loss has an androgenic origin.

Read the full press release — Breakthrough Genetic Discovery Helps Dermatologists Prescribe Effective Treatment For Female Hair Loss

Women have few options when it comes to treating genetic hair loss, and this new HairDX test seems to point out which women might respond to finasteride and which will not. I heard the announcement at the ISHRS meeting in Boston, but it’s important to note that finasteride is not FDA approved or recommended for treating female hair loss. The drug can pose a serious risk to those women that are pregnant or can become pregnant.

We previously mentioned the HairDX pilot study about finasteride response in women here.

Tags: hair dx, hairdx, finasteride, propecia, female hair loss, hair loss in women

Renewing My Propecia Prescription

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

Hi, thanks for your site, it’s been a tremendous help.

I’ve been taking finasteride for about two years now, and wanted to go about renewing my subscription. Unfortunately, my doctor is swamped seemingly, and I’ve had to make my appointment 85 days from now.

I’ve had a very positive reaction with the drug and have grown back most of the hair I’d lost (I started in its early stages) and was wondering what the best way to ration out the pills would be in order to minimize hair loss. Should I continue taking the 23 remaining pills and then tough out the next two months, or would I be able to squeeze some benefit out of taking one roughly every 4 days until my appointment?

Thanks a lot!

Why don’t you call your doctor’s office and explain that you would just like a renewal of the same medication that you have been taking at least until he/she is able to see you? I am sure the doctor would have no issues with this.

The half-life of Propecia is short, so if you HAD to ration them out, I’d think splitting each pill might be the best bet so that you get at least some finasteride each day. But first, call your doctor and see if that resolves the renewal problem.

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