Will Finasteride Prevent Hair Loss from Accutane?

/by William Rassman, M.D./11 /,

Two years ago I took accutane to deal with bad acne. During such time I ended up receding a lot around the temples – to the point of NW1.5ish – which certainly wouldn’t have normally happened – considering I was only 17 then.

To deal with the hair loss I’ve recently gone on Finasteride. However, my acne has also returned in a moderate form that like before, doesn’t respond to any creams. I know this second round will fix my skin once and for all, but I don’t want to lose any more hair.

Do you know if my taking Finasteride will somehow prevent hair loss from Accutane? The hair loss I suffered whilst on Accutane appeared to be TE as I was losing a lot more eyebrow, eyelash, and normal hair than normal – all with a white bulb at the end. I just want clear skin, and to maintain my hair. But my skin is so sensitive to acne creams thanks to Accutane, that I’m unable to treat it. It’s a real catch-22 and I’m afraid to go on Accutane again in case I go bald or something.

Propecia (finasteride) is used for the treatment of genetic hair loss, not for loss caused by other medications. I doubt that it will protect against possible hair loss caused by Accutane (isotretinoin).

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

FUE vs FUT — Which is Better?

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

ImageThere is a question arising out of the hair transplant community which is becoming polarized and lining up for a fight: Which is better, FUT (Follicular Unit Transplant with Strip) or FUE (Follicular Unit Extraction)? Some doctors have already specialized in performing FUE alone, so their opinion is already made up. Some doctors new to the business entered the FUE market having never done an FUT strip procedure. That means that the nuances of quality control have not been learned (tricks to prevent graft damage from manipulation and drying).

I have had the opportunity to speak with some of these new doctors and they reported a substantial failure rate in their initial patients, but with time, they learned how to prevent damage and minimize transection of the grafts, and their results progressively got better. Their decisions on becoming hair transplant surgeons were initially made from a business mindset, under the assumption that the market demand would be there as they learned the process. This assumption is what actually happened. They also made the assumptions that the FUE technique would eventually be as good as the FUT technique over time. Again, this was a business, not a medical decision, and only time will tell these doctors if the quality of their work has met the needs of the patients.

ImageThe long term results with FUE (particularly on donor area damage in extensive FUE grafting) is not yet in. When we introduced the FUE technique in 2002 at the international meeting and in the Journal of Dermatological Surgery, there was not too much of an initial reaction, because the doctors who tried it quickly failed to get good quality grafts out. I remember two doctors in particular (names withheld) — one called me the first day after I returned from the meeting and I spent an hour on the phone explaining the subtle nuances that made it work for us. He thanked me, then quickly announced his new “pioneering invention”, the FUE technique, both on his website and through various press releases. Clearly he did not have the time to do more than one procedure and I felt sorry for that patient, a victim of a doctor’s greed for fame and money.

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I’m Feeling Tingling in My Fingers After Using Generic Rogaine Foam

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

I’m a 44 year old male and have been using Rogaine foam for the past 3 months and at the begging of this month changed over to a Generic “Rite Aid” brand of the Foam Rogaine. After using it for a couple of weeks I noticed my finger tips started tingling and feeling numb. Maybe from working it into my head with my fingers? Has this ever happen to anyone and is this a possible side affect?

I don’t remember hearing this complaint before, but tingling hands are a rare known side effect of minoxidil. It could be a sign that too much medication is being absorbed in the body. Are you using the medication at the correct amount and only twice a day? The generic should be the same as the name brand (I wasn’t aware a generic foam was available yet).

Maybe you should also consider using disposable gloves to keep the Rogaine Foam (or generic) off of your fingers.

Tags: rogaine foam, rogaine, minoxidil, tingling

Levothyroxine and Finasteride?

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

Hello,

My endocrinologist diagnosed me hypothyroidism a couple of years ago and I’ve been taking levothyroxine every morning to treat it. Since last year my dermatologist prescribes me finasteride to treat MPB. I take both at the same time (first thing in the morning).

Is there any problem about taking them together (poor absortion, etc)?

Thanks.

There are no interactions I know of. Taking levothyroxine should not be an issue with finasteride, but ALWAYS let your doctor be aware of any medications that you are taking when being prescribed something new. You should be asking this to your prescribing doctor and the pharmacist who fills the prescription.

Tags: levothyroxine, finasteride, hairloss, hair loss, hypothyroidism

In the News – FDA Looks Into Fake Adderall Sold Online

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

Snippet from the article:

Beware of fake versions of ADHD medication Adderall that are being sold on the Internet, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned.

The agency issued the warning Tuesday after receiving complaints from the manufacturer Teva Pharmaceutical Industries that the 30 mg tablets, which do not even resemble the authentic version, was being sold online under the company name, FDA spokesperson Shelly Burgess told ABC News.

Adderall is approved by the FDA to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) and narcolepsy.

Read the rest — Fake Adderall Sold Online Gets FDA’s Attention

While not hair loss related, this is something to remember if you decide to purchase prescription drugs from online pharmacies that don’t require a prescription.

Tags: fda, adderall, dextroamphetamine, amphetamine, teva