Sudden Hair Loss Years After Transplant

I have had 6 procedures. four smaller (elsewhere) and my last two (more substantial) with NHI. You performed my last procedure about 6 years ago. I started the restoration process early, so I never went through a noticeable hairloss phase. I have been on proscar for about 5 years and it halted my hairloss. Obviously, I still have a significant amount of hair. I normally kept my hair cut short, but recently I let it grow a bit longer and got a trendy razor cut hairstyle. I towel dry my hair and put a manipulator cream (bed head brand) to keep the style. I have never looked so good! Then one week before my next haircut I started to notice hairloss. From Oct. 13-Nov 12 I have lost all the hair behind and between my frontal-most grafts(about a half inch deep, from the front hairline and extending all the way across the front and into the corners. Is this normal? I’m beside myself. I have done everything through the years to combat my hairloss with unbelievable results and now this. It’s as if somebody just flipped a switch and Pow! Can proscar just stop working? I would appreciate any information(based on my brief description). I diligently keep track of my hair–the hairloss happened that quick. Also, I am now 41(a very young looking 41!!) I am on 3 medications. One is allegra D, the other is an acid reflux medication (both prescribed for allergies/cough) and finally, a cortiosteroid nose spray (nasonex). Can any of these be compromising the effects of the proscar? Thanks again.

I am also alarmed. I will try to call you as I know you are not local to California. The corticosteroid nasal spray could cause this, if you are using it regularly and heavily. Loss of transplanted grafts after they have grown is very, very unusual. It could be caused by other medical conditions which you will have to get checked out. The Proscar should not be the problem.

As I think back about hair loss in transplanted grafts, they are rare. I have seen them in some men who have developed a type of senile alopecia where the donor area is thinning. If this was happening to you, your donor area should show signs of miniaturization and that would point to this diagnosis.

We need to talk and get you to a good doctor locally who can map out our scalp for miniaturization and attempt to clarify the cause for the hair loss.