Reader is Angry About Hair Loss Treatments

/by William Rassman, M.D./12 /

Please don’t call hair loss treatable. Why? Because it isn’t. For the vast majority of people, who don’t even bother seeking solutions because what’s available is so downright pathetic, it is a permanent scar.

Anyone with serious hair loss knows this, that other than some supposed miracle stem cell therapy in twenty years, there is nothing you or any doctor can do to truly repair the damage (I don’t mean moving three hairs from end of the scalp to the next.) Make a Norwood 7 a Norwood 1, and you can call it treatable, until then please be honest about the prospects. Aderans spent how much money and time trying to fix it and look where they are now? The prospects are dismal.

You are obviously angry and my answer is not to assuage your anger. Hair loss is treatable. What you’re looking for is a cure, which doesn’t exist. Treatment options are available, though.

Your experience may not be uncommon, but that reflects poor research, not poor treatment. I am assuming that you are specifically referring to hair transplants. Go to our Full Face patient gallery and you’ll see examples of men that had their hair loss treated successfully with transplants. If you come to one of our Open House events (which are held every month), you can meet many of these patients in person.

Take a look at Patient ZU below and you will see a Norwood class 7 patient that turned into a person with a mature hairline from transplants with almost 10,000 grafts. Are you suggesting this man’s hair loss wasn’t treated?

Tags: hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss, treatment

When Are Transplanted Hairs Safe?

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

Hello doctor,

I had a hair transplant and I’m at month 3, I’m a little paranoid thinking about the weeks when I saw hairs falling out with the bulb on the hair shaft when I scratched my head..

That was around week 3, my question is, how long does it take until the hairs root?

Thank you this blog has been most helpful

At 7-14 days, most hair transplants will not be affected by whatever you do. If all of the scabbing is gone, you are generally safe. If you tried to pluck one or even a few out after the scabs are gone, I doubt that it will impact the graft at the root, regardless of what you see.

So at week 3 or month 3, you’re fine.

Tags: hair transplant, post-operative

Will There Ever Be a Baldness Cure?!?!

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

Hello doctor. I have a bad english so i do it fast. Do u think that we will ever get a baldness cure and if u do think, in how many years you think it gonna happen?

Thank you

There is a tarot card reader down the street from my office. Perhaps she’d know better. In all honesty, I hope there will be a baldness cure at some point, but I have no way of knowing when it will occur.

Tags: baldness cure, hairloss, hair loss, cure

Widow’s Peak and a Mature Hairline

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

Hi Dr R.
We seem to be reading posts describing the concept of a mature hairline frequently enough for each of us to form many conclusions about his own hairline. However, the great size of my widow’s peak is causing me much confusion, especially when considering placement of the leading edge of the hairline in a possible hair transplant scenario.

If a typical male person with a typical mature hairline shaves away his widow’s peak, will he still have a normal mature hairline, or will the hairline be higher than the average person without the widow’s peak? Or should we actually be asking, is a widow’s peak a result of a person having more hair or less hair than the average male person without a widow’s peak?

Maybe we have the definition of a widow’s peak confused. A widow’s peak is the small triangular point on the front middle of the hairline that extends downward as low as the highest wrinkle of the furrowed brow. I am about to publish an article on the evolution of the hairline, and in that article I point out that the widow’s peak is actually a genetic remnant in the middle of your childhood hairline. Yep, the widow’s peak is just a genetic hold-over of the juvenile hairline.

The widow’s peak has nothing to do with balding, and I can simply point to the actor Andy Garcia as a good example of this. He has a strong hairline and pronounced widow’s peak. In women, some erosion of the hairline occurs as they mature and 81% of women have a widow’s peak, which reflects a phenotype of their genes in that location.

With respect to a hair transplant, some ask to create the triangle widow’s peak, though some may not want it. It is merely a personal cosmetic decision / point of view.

Tags: widows peak, hairline, hairloss, hair loss

How Can I Tell Shock Loss Following a Hair Transplant From Just Progressive Thinning?

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

Doctor.. You mention that 2-4 months after procedure may see some originals hair shed in transplanted area. is this shock loss.. or just continued loss or original hair or both.

Since loss is ongoing I would think the best one can hope for if they start early enough is delay looking worse as opposed to looking better. Since by the time the new hairs are full grown 1 year later you’re a year into further thinning of existing hairs which continue to thin. Is that a correct assumption?

Shock loss is a rapid loss that can be associated with a hair transplant within 1-4 months of the surgery. When this happens, there is substantial loss… not the slower loss you’d see with progressive genetic hair loss.

One can protect oneself by using finasteride in advance of the hair transplant. Finasteride should be maintained for at least 8 months following the transplant; however, upon withdrawal of the finasteride, a reactive hair loss might still occur.

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

Not Hair Loss News – Diabetes Drug May Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer Death

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

Snippet from the article:

Metformin, a widely used diabetes drug, may reduce the risk of dying from prostate cancer, according to new research.

A study of nearly 4,000 diabetic men found that those taking metformin when diagnosed with prostate cancer were less likely to die of the cancer or other causes compared to men using other diabetes drugs.

“We demonstrated that metformin is associated with improved survival among diabetic patients with prostate cancer,” said Dr. David Margel, a uro-oncologist at Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel, who conducted the research while at the University of Toronto.

Read the rest — Metformin May Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer Death

The article points out that the diabetic men (aged 67+) that took metformin had a 24 percent reduction in risk from prostate cancer death for every additional six months of use after their cancer diagnosis.

Tags: prostate cancer, death, metformin, diabetes, health, cancer

Can I Use Body Hair to Transplant Into My Temple Peaks?

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

Would using body hair be ideal to construct the temple peaks ? I had a hair transplant done, and my donor hair count was very low. So the doctor built a hair line which was 8 cm long. I want to go for a second session, and in that session I want do something about my broad forehead. The length needs to decrease both horizontally and vertically. Do you think it okay to use body hair only for the temple peaks. I understand the growth of the body hair differs, but it is ideal to use to decrease the horizontal length of my forehead ? I am also looking to decrease the hair line by a centimeter vertically.

Scalp hair is the best source for transplanting to the temple area. It should be noted that the temple area is a very difficult area for hair transplant doctors to get “right”. It is an artistic and technical skill to make temple transplants look natural, as the surgeon must fully understand the direction of the hair that is placed there. Hair transplantation in general is an artistic and technical skill, but the temple area takes even more attention to detail, as I have seen many failed and marginal attempts at creating them.

I personally do not endorse using body hair for restoring the temples, especially since it is such a delicate area to get right. The only rare exception may be if you have very kinky/curly scalp hair and your body hair can match the kinky texture, AND you do not have sufficient scalp hair to accomplish your goals. Straight hair can stand out and will be less forgiving.

Tags: body hair transplant, bht, temples, hair transplant, hairloss, hair loss

Not Hair Loss News – FDA Says New Acetaminophen Warning Shouldn’t Panic Consumers

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

Snippet from the article:

An acetaminophen warning issued this week by the FDA that the painkiller could cause a serious rash shouldn’t panic consumers or health care professionals, an FDA official said.

The FDA issued the warning Thursday, saying the popular over-the-counter pain reliever can cause a rash, blisters and, in the worst case, widespread damage to the surface of skin.

The FDA called for these potential symptoms to be listed on the warning label of any medication that includes acetaminophen.

Read the rest — Acetaminophen warning shouldn’t panic consumers, FDA says

The article points out that since 1969, only 107 cases of severe skin reaction have been caused by acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol), but they are now listing it as a rare side effect. Keep that in mind when reading certain rare side effects about medications: 107 cases reported over 44 years triggered an update to acetaminophen’s listed warnings.

Tags: fda, acetaminophen, warning, skin disorder

Hair Loss From Root Canal Obturation Paste?

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

Hello! I’m from France and I saw something about the composition of the root canal obturation’s paste. It contains corticosteroids, and i want to know if that thing can cause a hair loss.

Thank you.

Corticosteroids in excess can potentially cause some general hair loss, but I am not familiar with root canal paste.

Tags: root canal, corticosteroid, hairloss, hair loss, dental

Press Release – Biologix Hair is Suspending SEC Reporting

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

Snippet from the press release —

Biologix Hair Inc. announced that it filed a Form 15 as notice of suspension of the duty to file periodic reports under Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) August 1, 2013. The Company is thereby voluntarily suspending its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

As a result of filing Form 15, Biologix will no longer be required to file annual and quarterly reports with the SEC. The Company took this action in order to maximize management efficiency and cost effectiveness during its fast-paced development stage. The Company also aims to benefit from new capital-raising exemptions contained in the JOBS Act, which will allow registration exempt companies to raise up to $50 million in any 12-month period from accredited investors.

Read the rest — Biologix Hair Inc. Voluntarily Suspends SEC Reporting Obligations

A few months ago, a company called Biologix Hair had a heavy PR campaign going to announce their “breakthrough” hair loss treatment. As a result, their stock was at one point approximately $5.00/share. It closed last week at 11 cents a share and they are being delisted from the NASDAQ. What does that tell you about the product/company?

I can’t help but wonder the number of people who got caught up in the hair treatment frenzy from this company, which you can learn more about at their site.

Tags: biologix, stock market, investment, hairloss, hair loss

Using Rogaine on Chemically Relaxed Hair?

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

can an african american female who relaxes her hair use rogaine? are there any known cases where using minoxidil on relaxed hair has caused breakage.

These are two complex issues which should be overseen by a competent doctor who knows about minoxidil and relaxers.

Generally speaking, minoxidil (Rogaine) will work on African Americans who use relaxers with no difficulty, but it is recommended that you don’t use the minoxidil on the same day that your hair is chemically relaxed, as it could cause scalp irritation.

Tags: chemical relaxers, hairloss, hair loss, female hair loss

In the News – Fashion Designer Styles to Complement Alopecia Totalis

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

Snippet from the article:

A fashion-lover who lost her hair when she was just 18 months old due to alopecia has told how she’s learned to pick clothes that complement her baldness.

Rachel Fleit, a creative director for the hip New York-based womenswear brand Honor NYC, told Refinery 29: ‘After 30 years of being bald, I know what works and what doesn’t work.’

She says that she steers clear of structured blazers and dresses because they make her look like a ‘Svedka vodka fembot’ and prefers softer, more floaty shapes.

In a bid to create softness around her head she uses accessories such as big scarves or dangly earrings, while plunging necklines add a touch of femininity.

Read the rest — Fashion designer on how she learned to accept her alopecia and win over the style set

Tags: alopecia totalis, alopecia areata, hair loss, hairloss, female hair loss, fashion

August Is National Hair Loss Awareness Month

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

This August marks the 13th year for National Hair Loss Awareness Month, which was established by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) to raise awareness about this treatable condition that affects an estimated 60 million men and 40 million women in America.

The above snippet is from a press release I was sent, and I want to elaborate about how this is a treatable condition.

For those of you who look into the mirror every morning and see the signs of hair loss, you should know that there are many options available for you to slow, stop, or reverse hair loss without surgery by using medications such as finasteride (for men) and minoxidil (for men and women). Additionally, there other modalities that can make your hair look thicker without surgery, such as Scalp MicroPigmentation (SMP). Of course, there is also hair transplant surgery, an example of which can be found here.

Granted, many readers of this site are knowledgeable about the treatment options available, but just in case some of you weren’t familiar with them, I hope the above was helpful.

Tags: hair loss, hairloss, awareness, dermatology

After Excessive Drinking and a Period of Illness, My Hair Stopped Growing

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

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I am a 23 year old male. Recently after an extended period of excessive drinking followed by a short period of illness the hair on the top of my head
suddenly stopped growing and when it began again it was very thin, sparse and light. I have no family history of mpb. I went to a dermatologist and he told me it was mpb.

Now I read somewhere that it is common for mpb sufferers to also have very oily scalps and, while neither has any effect on the other, they are controlled by the same mechanism. Is this ever not the case? My situation is the exact opposite. My hair and skin are remarkably dry to the point where bathing is difficult and they didn’t used to be. Thanks.

You need a good doctor to evaluate you. If you don’t trust your dermatologist’s diagnosis, get a second opinion. Illness is know to cause hair loss and prolonged illness may change in your hair character if your nutrition was poor. Without seeing you, I have no way to know if what you’re seeing is caused by illness, stress, diet, genetics, etc.

Men with genetic hair loss can have oily or dry scalps, but if your scalp is dry enough to make bathing difficult, you should go back to a dermatologist to figure out why.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, alcohol