Is Finasteride needed for transplants?

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

If I’m using Finasteride for say 3-4 years and now my hair loss has been maintained, and I go for a Hair Transplant, would I have to be on Finasteride for my whole life because the hair who were prone to fall out are just maintained until you take Finasteride. I know Fin or Min is not important for the new graphs, but would we still need it for the maintained hair?

That depends upon:

  1. is your hair loss stable (if so, finasteride is not so important)

  2. are you over 35, if so, finasteride is usually less important

  3. are you concerned about future hair loss (if so, then finasteride is important)

  4. do you have significant side effects (if so, do no use this drug)

I want to change my transplanted Hairline

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

From the first surgery, you had an amazing change in your hairline. It is a classic mature hairline and to me epitomizes a normal mature hairline. Now you are suggesting to change it as you drew in a new hairline. This new drawn  hairline is a feminine, not masculine. Female hairlines are concave.  Is that what you want?

Does finasteride reverse hair loss?

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

I ‘m 25 and have only taken Fin for a few weeks but this entire year I have had bad hair loss.  Started at one temple now my entire hairline is getting diffused thinning.  Will the finasteride reverse it it I stick to it?

Reversal of balding is not uncommon in men under 25. The younger you are, the more likely it will occur but that does hinge on your genetics. You won’t know until you try it.

Thinning hair

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

Concerning thinning hair, would it be accurate to say that something like decrease in hair density (without miniaturization) might be temporary and stress-induced, but evidence of miniaturization would almost certainly be MPB? Is miniaturization obvious from hair diameter or does it require magnification?

Hair grows in groups called Follicular units which contain between 1-5 hairs each along with one or two vellus hairs. With age or genetic balding, the hair count within these groups can be reduced making a person’s hair look thinner (less full).

Folliculitis from scratching graft area

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

This mas is 24 days after his crown hair transplant.  The healing crown itched and he responded by scratching it. Scratching it breaks the fragile skin of the recipient area and makes it vulnerable to the invasion of bacteria that normally reside on the scalp and in the pores of the scalp,  These bacteria are opportunists and take hold as shown in this photo. It is easily addressed with antibiotics

Mature hairline erosion

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

When a hairline is maturing can thinning go past the leading edge as long as it is contained within the ‘mature hairline’ region. I have some erosion at the very front of my hairline and don’t know if I should be worried

The answer is that balding, when it starts in a mature hairline, may start with miniaturization and erosion of the hairline