Microneedling produces benefits because it creates a wound in the upper part of the dermis where stem cells exist. The wound starts a healing cascade that stimulates these stem cells that may control hair cycling. This is not a blood flow problem, as you are suggesting; however, if evidence comes forward that ultrasound makes a difference in regrowth, that would be great news which I certainly would address on this blog.
1 mg finasteride is for hairloss and 5mg is for prostate. So if 5mg works better, why not using 5mg for hairloss ? Is it related about the amount of DHT found in the scalp ? Has anybody an idea or a study ?
Merck, the drug company that introduced finasteride (Propecia), tested its effectiveness against doses ranging from 0.1 to 10 mg for hair loss. They found that the 1mg dose was the ideal dose for men’s hair loss and that the 5mg dose was the best dose for prostate enlargement that plagues many men over 55. It is interesting to note that many men who had the 5mg dose recommended for their prostate found that they grew their hair back, a great surprise for men of almost any age.
I thought I heard everything by now, but this is a new conspiracy theory. How would these companies do this? Can you please expand on your thesis for me?
The only way to tell the difference between a natural full hairline shown vs a hairpiece is to look at the hairline. In this picture, the hairline is covered by the hair, a common styling technique used in hair systems. Some men do it with their natural hair that is full and curly, so here, it is impossible to tell. Some men use an expensive lace system as shown earlier this month on my Donald Trump post here: https://baldingblog.com/does-donald-trump-have-an-expenisve-wig/
I have read your statements about scabbing (you call crusting). Are you saying that the crusts after surgery make the grafts less than secure until the 12th day?
Yes, these are very conservative estimates on graft security. I wish that doctors would teach their patients that it is essential to wash off the crusts in the first day or two. Longer-lasting crusting can increase the infection rate and possibly increase the risk of crusts pulling out the grafts before they are secure.
I am 41m, using minoxidil and Fin for more than 6 months, and don’t see any improvement in hair loss. I feel like my scalp has recently become more itchy and dry. Especially after applying minoxidil. Should I stop using minoxidil?
Did you know that TOPICAL minoxidil doesn’t work in 60% of males? The oral should work if you get a prescription for it.
I have stopped worrying about my hair and started living and doing the things that make life worthwhile. I date, cook, and feel better about myself.
I hear such comments all of the time from men who obsess about their hair and substitute that obsession for living life as they want to live it. Although this man achieved his goals with finasteride alone, older men who get hair transplants tell me that their lives change so much that their careers and the marriages get better.
Long-haired balding men often brush their hair. It often takes more force to brush long hair so that miniaturized hairs and the hairs that are due to fall out that day (between 100-150) are easily pulled out with vigorous brushing. If you don’t have significant miniaturization in the long hair, then having it long will be okay. I advise all men who are losing their hair to use a wide-comb brush which doesn’t pull the hair out.
SMP doesn’t last very long in scar tissue. Scar tissue turns over quickly, being replaced every 90 days or so. Depending on how deep the ink was placed and how thin the scar is dictates how long it lasts.
Nothing like sticking to the plan you created!
I have had a bad SMP, and I need to shave down my hair. Can you point out a few clinics that have been consistently doing a good job at SMP?
I know we do a great job. I published almost all of the reference articles on SMP and showed many great results. When checking out SMP clinics, it is best to ask to meet a few of their patients with the type of work you want to do. You’ll know good work when you see it.
That is a very impressive result. The microneedling was the key here; once a week, the 1.5mm needles helped it along nicely. The long-term becomes an issue; in other words, what must you do to maintain your final result when you get there? I am almost sure that if you don’t maintain some microneedling, even every month, these hairs, when they go through their next cycle, may not go into anagen (the growth phase) without the stimulus of the micro-needling. This could happen even earlier than the next hair cycle. We just don’t have the information we need to answer that question. You would find out the answer to that question if you did follow-up repeating the microneedling. If the hair starts falling out again, pick up the microneeding and write to me.
This is a remarkable injury from a car accident where this woman lost most of her scalp. The initial surgery to address the loss of her scalp was with the use of split-thickness skin grafts (left photo), probably taken from her thigh or abdomen. The grafts covered the skull so that the skull didn’t die off; however, her look was clearly abnormal as you can tell in the middle photo. You can see the brusing of the split-thickness grafts. I imagine she probably used a wig to cover the deformity shown below.
Dr. Felix Popescu, from Bucharest, did approximately 3500 grafts to cover the deformity and give her back her hair. The photos below only show before and after extending 2 days, but the skin looks viable, suggesting this surgery might work. The zoomed-in view shows that a good blood supply is available to the grafts. Split-thickness skin grafts don’t have an infrastructure to support much beyond the skin grafts. I hope he will send me follow-up photos over the next few days and eventually of the final results. I greatly admire his skill and courage in tackling such a difficult case.
Surgery performed by Felix Popescu, M.D.
Dr. Felix Hair Implant
Soseaua Nordului, No. 98 G
Bucharest, Romania, 14104
Does finasteride only prevent more terminal hairs from miniaturizing? Does it thicken existing miniaturized hairs? Does it help regrow hairs from follicles that stopped growing?
Terminal hairs do not respond in any way to finasteride. It does thicken existing miniaturized hairs and may induce hairs that have failed to regrow if it is recent hair loss. Finasteride works by blocking the hormone DHT, which prevents the genes from kicking in to cause the loss in men that have the genes for hair loss.
Yes, some people get changes in mood on finasteride. That is a problem for men with depression as it could exacerbate it.