This is a review of a patient who had a hair transplant surgery to address the thinning and a high forehead.  The hair transplant established a non-balding “frame” to his face, but the SMP gave him the look of fullness.

**click on the photo for better resolution**

Thank you for this blog. I have a question for you: is it worth getting a hair transplant without taking minoxidil or finasteride after? I’ve tried both, and react poorly. Minoxidil foam irritates my eyes, and I can’t use it; while finasteride just kills my libido.

I’m seriously considering a hair transplant but wondering if it’s all for naught if I can’t maintain it with these drugs. I’m about a Norwood 3V right now.

The decision to have hair transplant surgery has nothing to do with taking Propecia or Rogaine.  You don’t have to take Propecia or Rogaine to have hair transplant surgery.

Some doctors may recommend that you take these medication but it is not mandatory.

Dear doctors.  3 hair transplants. Last one 3 weeks ago. All was perfect till 2 days ago. I washed my home floor by hand. I put some pressure and head down. I was sure it was OK as I read every where it was safe to do some movements or exercise 10 days after the operation. But, maybe be coincidence, few hours after it the crown area become red. But yesterday I also start feel pain. I bit not too much, but the receiver crown area is still red today.
I will go to see my surgeon tomorrow but your opinion is appreciated
1-24 days after fue it was safe just to wash the floor? Or I did wrong?
2- is it normal that redness get worst 24 days after fue? I had some redness before anyway, but not it got worst
3- every where I read, all doctors confirm that 10 days after HT grafts are safe. Can the redness effect graft grow?
4-do you recommend and product to reduce the redness?

I am posting this only because I receive similar emails daily from patients all around the world after they have their hair transplant surgery.

I want to emphasize I am honored to be sought out for my opinions on hair transplant issues.  However, I also want to make it clear that BaldingBlog (or the Internet) is not a proper place to receive personalized post-surgical or medical care or advice.   If there is an issue or concern after your hair transplant surgery, you need to call your doctor.  Go see your doctor.  If you cannot see your doctor call your doctor.  If you cannot call your doctor email your doctor.  It is also a courtesy to your doctor to keep him/her informed of your concerns or issues.

Washing your home floor by bending your head down seem like a normal activity and I do not know how it would relate to your surgery.

The redness may be normal but also can be a sign of early infection.

Just heard about platelet rich therapy for hair loss. When I “Googled” it, there was a lot of information. However, was wondering what you know of this treatment and if it does work for hair loss? They also say it’s good for wrinkles.

Many doctors offer PRP for hair loss.  There are many research articles written about PRP treatment for hair loss.  Just because there are scientific articles suggesting it may work does not mean it does work.  However, PRP treatment is becoming more mainstream as more doctors offer it.  It is basically a portion of your own blood separated and re-injected back to your body.  PRP is being touted as the next miracle cure for all ailments from wrinkles to hair loss to joint pain.   It is basically safe and likely not harmful.

PRP has been offered at our clinic in Seoul Korea for 2 years with equivocal results with respect to hair growth.  As long as the consumers are well informed and realize it is not a “cure”, my opinion in PRP remains equivocal.   We may start offering PRP in our Los Angeles office for those patients that want it. With time and good follow-up, those patients who want it can judge for themselves.

I noticed this slightly off patch of hair about mid way down my crown two or three months ago from a photo taken from behind.

My friend couldn’t tell if it was just my hair colour (I have mousy brown hair at the back and sides but it is naturally very highlighted around the front) or if there was an area of thinning.

My barber seems to think it is thinning.

I have not been under any chronic stress, I exercise and eat healthily. I don’t have any hairline recession that I can notice and otherwise my hair on top is long and thick. My normal haircut is a buzz cut on the back and sides.

Should I be worried? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help.

If you are concerned about hair loss, then you should see a doctor for an exam.  The most common cause of hair loss in men is genetic male pattern balding.  It has nothing to do with stress, diet, or health.  It is genetics.

I ‘ve been taking propecia for the past 4 years but now I really wish to donate blood at least once in my lifetime.
As you know Finasteride users are not allowed to donate blood. According to one of your previous posts Finasteride is cleared from the blood stream within 48 hours.

So I planned to stop taking propecia for a week, donate blood and resume taking the pill. A week seemed a reasonable
amount of time also because according to the information I found on the internet, DHT levels take a whole week to be
back to normal once you stop taking it.

Unfortunately, however both on the Red Cross site and other sites, they state you need to wait at least 30 days after
the last dose of Finasteride.

Why do I need to stop for a whole month if Finasteride is cleared from my blood stream within a few days? Wouldn’t say,
two weeks be safe enough?

You need to wait a month because that is the policy of the Red Cross.  Two weeks may be “safe” but you have to follow the organization’s policy.

Link supplied here: http://www.drugtargetreview.com/7271/content-type/industry-news/malaria-vaccine-provides-hope-for-a-cure-for-cancer/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DTR%20-%20Newsletter%2041%202015&utm_content=DTR%20-%20Newsletter%2041%202015+CID_38a158c3e7c3b704b824d159684943ed&utm_source=Email%20marketing&utm_term=armed%20malaria%20proteins%20can%20kill%20cancer%20cells

“A photo of a patient with  Aplasia Cutis Congenita. No treatments are being explored, but the presentation was unique, and in our own peculiar way, quite beautiful. I’ve never seen this presentation before, with so many hairs visible through translucent skin.”  (Dr. Bob Haber)

This shows an amazing view of the anatomy of normal skin in the translucent area

If the DHT levels are already low, why would then somebody suffer from alopecia? I.e., if you are suffering from male pattern baldness, isn’t that already an indicator your DHT levels are high?

Or, from another angle, what hope do people then with low DHT levels but MPB have to save their hair?

Many thanks for the clarification

High DHT levels are not the sole source of male pattern balding (MPB). The source of male pattern balding is in the person’s genes plus whatever DHT you have already in your body. As testosterone is metabolized into DHT and DHT is 40 times as powerful as testosterone, any DHT when combined with the genes for balding, will produce balding. Even when someone takes drugs like finasteride (Propecia), it only blocks 70% of the DHT in the hair follicle. So, this hormone plays a part but it probably is not the only factor in the genetic predisposition of male pattern balding. Think about it this way: If you have very high levels of DHT but do not have the genes for balding, then you won’t be bald.

We know that if a male does not have testicles (so he does not produce testostone and therefore no DHT), he will not bald even if he has the balding gene (see story about carrying the balding gene, one twin without testicles here: https://baldingblog.com/2006/07/27/testicles-and-balding/)

We also wrote about DHT before here: https://baldingblog.com/2014/08/22/if-dht-is-highest-as-a-young-adult-why-do-we-lose-hair-later-in-life/

Is it possible to transplant my pubic hair to my scalp?