Does a Juvenile Hairline at 29 Years Old Indicate That I Won’t Bald?

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

I am a 29 year old male who still has his jeuvenile hairline and low, thick, full hair. I have heard that men who retain their jeuvenile hairlines by 30 years old rarily ever go bald early, if ever. My father kept his jeuvenile hairline and has only lost a very small amount of hair in recent years since he has been in his fifties. I have noticed other older men who have a complete full head of hair sometimes have a jeuvenile hairline. So is there any truth to this? Is a jeuvenile hairline at 29 a good sign?

A juvenile hairline at the age of 29 without evidence of balding says that there is a good possibility that you may never bald (at least not in the front)… but to be sure, get your hair mapped out for miniaturization, which would show any signs of balding at your age.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, balding, juvenile hairline

Hair Loss and Dementia?

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

I am taking care of my mother-in-law and she has Dementia.She just started losing a lot of her hair.She has always had beautiful hair and hardly any gray. She is 86 years old and she is starting to bald on the back of her head from the hair loss. What can be causing this? Tons of it falls out when I wash it or brush it.

There is no direct connection between dementia and balding, but the stress of dementia may cause hair loss. This would be more common in women, since they are usually more impacted by stress hair loss than men. As women become older, the disappearance of the estrogen support that comes past menopause makes the hair more vulnerable to hair loss especially from the genetics, when it is present. We see this in women aged 50-60 years. Also, we are aware that hair has a number of cycles in an adult’s lifetime, so maybe she has reached it?

You should ask her doctor about her treatment, including any medications she is on that can cause hair loss.

Tags: dementia, stress, hairloss, hair loss, female hair loss

70 Year Old Man Losing Transplanted Hair

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

Dear Sirs: am a 70 yr.old white male- have had many,many,hair transplants over the yrs.; were doing as well as expected until about (2) months ago – lack of volume, & just a general more thinning look -been using a good brand shampoos, Lanza products etc.,plus minoxidil “on occasion” – have started using Nioxin products, (2) wks ago, no results “as yet’- my medications include Xanax (hyptension), Symbicort “has corticosteroid”, (asthma), Lortab (arthritis), Testosterone shots “on occasion”

Question,is it possible one of my medications is the cause, or is there a cleansing “shampoo etc.” that may be of help. Regards

I can’t say without a more detailed history and examination. In general, testosterone shots can accelerate androgenic alopecia. The medications you listed aren’t generally known to cause hair loss, but each person will react differently to a drug, so it could be a very rare side effect. I understand that you have had hair transplants in the past, but you may also be noticing increased native (non-transplant) hair loss which occurs in men your age (senile alopecia). If you had this, it would show up in the donor area as well. I would need to examine you.

Tags: hairtransplant, hair transplant, senile alopecia, hairloss, hair loss

Can Propecia Stunt Growth?

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

Can Propecia taken by mid-teen guys stunt height growth?

There are some teenagers who take Propecia (finasteride) under the care of their doctors, but it is generally not prescribed to teenagers. The effects of finasteride on developing teens is not clear and should probably not be used in those who are still in growth mode (usually under 17-18 years old). It is theoretically possible that it may stunt growth during the puberty years, as it interferes with testosterone conversion into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is one of the many hormones that is involved with secondary sex characteristics such as beard, chest, and pubic hair.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, hairloss, hair loss, teen, growth, height

Gray Hair in a 7 Year Old

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

Hi, My son is 7 years old and I noticed a strand of grey hair on his head. Please let me know as to how this is happening and what can I do to prevent it further.

This is a genetic process, so my initial thought was that genetics would be the likely cause. Something has probably triggered the premature graying. Some people feel that this is an errant gene, like a chimerism in your son. There are a series of vitamin deficiencies that could also cause it, including vitamin B-12, although these are found in many foods. Some disease syndromes can be associated with it as well. See DrGreene.com for more information.

Tags: gray hair, child, chimerism, chimera, vitamin, grey, gray

I Have a Fivehead!

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

Hello

Im 17 and I have noticed that my temples have recedeed so much that my hairline on the side literally goes straight up towards the top of my head. I am also thinning on the front right side at the top of my head. All my uncles and my grandad on my mothers side went bald and my brother is also quite bald at the age of 21.

I really would not be bothered if I started balding around the age of 30 but to have it happen so soon is worrying. What treatment would you recomend to try and slow down the process? I also have a big forehead, or a fivehead, so any receeding will be much more noticed! Is it normal for someone to start goin bald so young? It got me really depressed when I first noticed but now I am not too bothered, althgough I would still still like to possibly slow the process down

It sounds like you have genetic balding otherwise known as androgenic alopecia (AGA) otherwise known as male pattern baldness (MPB). It can start with puberty with changes in your hormones. There are medications such as Propecia that can slow this process down, but you need to see a doctor for a formal diagnosis and treatment options.

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

My Dad Was Completely Bald at 35 Years Old, and I’m 39 Now…

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

Hi Dr Rassmann,
currently i am a norwood 2 to 3, i am 39 years of age started to notice hairloss around 21 years of age, same as my father.i have been on proscar for 9 years all good with a touch more hairloss in crown area, recently changed to avodart. seems to be going ok. i have also recieved 2300 FUT in the last 10 years or so, with good results.My concern is this,my late father was close to a norwood 7,at 72 years of age, also had senile alopecia (thinning sides and back) mothers side no balding, well norwood 2 maybe her father couple of uncles, same as dads side.As i mentioned before me and dad started balding at same age 21, though dad was completely bald at 35.Dad had thick hair i have very fine hair.Have i made a mistake having hair surgery?

Although you gave me a great deal of information, I can not judge you enough without seeing you to tell you what I think. Generally, at 35 years old, some miniaturization will show up in the future balding area by now. Most Norwood Class 7 patients have their hair loss pattern complete by the age of 35, so I would expect that with regard to your fear of a future Class 7 pattern, it may not occur. With regard to your hair transplants, this should have been covered by you and your doctor when you built your Master Plan for hair loss. I would revisit it again and update it based upon where you are now and the degree of miniaturization found on your scalp. Senile alopecia may be genetic, so that is a real concern, but not for the short term (next 20 years of so). If you are happy with your transplants, then I doubt that you made a mistake (assuming that it corrected what you wanted to correct) and now can enjoy the value of the transplanted hair for the future.

Tags: hairtransplant, hair transplant, norwood, hairloss, hair loss

Can My 2 Year Old Son Have Hair Transplanted into Scalp Scars?

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

what age is ok to have hair transplant? i have a son who’s 2 years of age and he has two scars on his scalp about 1 centimeter (diameter) each…

thanks..

It might be traumatic to do it now. I would wait until he’s older and if this becomes a social issue, then it is something to consider. I have performed surgery on children, but most don’t care until they approach their teenage years when looks are important to them. I would not suggest this is something you should pursue at this time.

Tags: hairtransplant, hair transplant, child, age, scar

Am I Just Wasting Time with Hair Loss Medications in My 50s?

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

Doctor

What do you suggest for a man in his 50’s with thinning in the crown, but otherwise a good head of hair? I can cover the thinning with a small amount of toppix. I started propecia a few months ago and noticed less hair in the sink but much increased shedding in the crown in the last month. At my age am I wasting my time with medication and just get a transplant or wait it out and see what happens with propecia?

Though I don’t have a frontal receding problem now I assume I may have one in a few years following my brother and father. Will a crown transplant limit my donor area for future transplants if I need them?

I know hair loss in your 50’s is unusual, but its in the family. I’m just a late bloomer. Thanks

At this point it in order to see the benefits of Propecia you have to be patient and wait at least 8 months to see if it is helping or if it is at least keeping you from losing more hair. I would not stop the medication after only a few months treatment. I would recommend you get a miniaturization study and then before you do stop the medication, follow up to see if there are clinically evident positive results from the finasteride. Remember, everyone has a limited supply of permanent (donor) hair. If you have a transplant to the crown area you will limit any donor hair that you have for future transplants. Although I would suspect if you have not had any frontal hair loss at your age, you maybe a Norwood Class vertex variant.

A good friend of mine (age 77) went on finasteride for his prostate, and his crown area (which was almost completely bald) regrew a good amount of hair. We see late balders as well, so someone of your age could start balding late in life and still get a great benefit from this drug.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, age, finasteride, propecia, prostate

I’m 18 Years Old and My Crown Is Getting Thinner

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

hi. im an 18-yo and i have been having alot of paranoia about my hair. it seems that in many phases since jr. high ive noticed rapid hairloss and then following up it will grow back to normal. but this last shedding phase it seems to be really affecting my hair. i have a mature hairline in the front and i am comfortable with it because it hasnt changed whatsoever, but the crown where the part of my hair is getting noticeably thinner. you can see my scalp and the area around my part is noticeably thinner. i have always had very thin hair in the first place but in my entire family line that i know of on both sides there is no genetic hair loss, just thin hair. would taking a percription drug like propecia be right for me? or is there an alternative method?

There are 2 drugs that are FDA approved to treat hair loss — minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Propecia). These are the only 2 medications that I recommend, as they have been proven safe and effective. I can’t tell you if Propecia is right for you without seeing what you’re dealing with, but if you do have early hair loss from genetic causes (do a miniaturization study of your scalp) then Propecia is likely to give you benefits. You’ll have to discuss this with your doctor, though.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, minoxidil, rogaine, hairloss, hair loss, teen

16 Year Old with Frontal Hair Loss — Should He Take Rogaine or Propecia?

/by William Rassman, M.D./2 /,

Hey Doc,

I am experiencing thinning at the middle-front of my hairline, and my doctor has prescribed me Nizoral 2% and Rogaine.

However, after reading your post at Why Do Hair Loss Treatments Not Work in the Frontal Hairline?, I realize that you say “finasteride does work to slow down or stop hair loss in the frontal area, particularly if caught early enough.”

I have caught it early (I am only 16), and am taking every measure I can to control my hairloss. Does Rogaine not help with the hairline? Only Finasteride? I need to gather all the information I can so I can talk to my doctor about prescribing the proper medication for my situation. Thank you so much.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) does not stop the genetic balding process like finasteride (Propecia), so the use of minoxidil may not be the right move for you in the long term. Either medication may help with the hairline, but results have been more consistent in the top of the scalp.

First, I would want to do a mapping of your scalp for miniaturization to be sure that you are actually in the genetic balding process. If I confirmed that and I was your doctor (which I am not), then after understanding much about you, your medical history, your growth history, and doing a physical examination, I might prescribe this drug. I can’t make a blanket statement about prescribing medications to men I haven’t communicated with beyond a single email and prescribing a medication that is generally not recommended for a 16 year would require special circumstances to be considered like where you growth is at this time (height, bone growth, etc..)

Tags: teen, hairloss, hair loss, propecia, finasteride, minoxidil, rogaine

Rapid Hair Loss in Just 4 Months — Could Propecia Even Help Me?

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

I’m 22 years old and noticed my hair thinning out about 4 months ago. Back then it was just some one my left side. Now about over a month I noticed some thinning in my forelock and after examining my whole frontal area it seems over all less dense. How can I have such fast hair loss. Is it common to be caught by surprise so fast? If my hair loss is so fast I don’t think Propecia can even help me so fast. I had my hair mapped a few weeks ago and the doc said it’s significant for my age.

For the young man with short term hair loss from genetics, Propecia has the best chance of working in the front. There is of course, no guarantee, but what it does not reverse may just thicken and the best part is that it may very well stop the hair loss. If you go on it, it will take months to see any impact and once started you should stay on it for life. Going bald is the alternative.

Tags: propecia, finasteride, hairloss, hair loss

Is Minoxidil Shedding Age-Dependent?

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

Dear Doctor,

I am 19 years old and my hairline has receded a bit at the front and a bit more at the temples starting about a year ago. I am considering using rogaine to halt the loss but I read on the website that it could cause a significant increase in hair loss during the first stage of use. my questions are:

  1. is it safe to assume that because I am relatively young, my hair wont fall out as much during this stage?
  2. I read that rogaine does not work for everyone. If I experience the initial excessive hair loss, then stop using rogaine, will most of that hair grow back?

In addition, I would be more than happy to have your opinion on what path of treatment I should take

Shedding from minoxidil use does not occur for everyone and should be temporary, and there is no connection between this shedding and your age. See Hair Loss Worse After Rogaine for more.

You’re focused on Rogaine (minoxidil) and at 19 years old, your hair loss most certainly will be genetic. Propecia (finasteride) is the best choice for genetic hair loss in a 19 year old, without a doubt. Get your hair mapped out for miniaturization, have your doctor make a diagnosis, and then get him/her to think through a Master Plan with finasteride (Propecia) in it.

Tags: minoxidil, rogaine, regaine, shedding, hairloss, hair loss, age, teen, propecia, finasteride

8 Year Old with ADHD and Hair Loss

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

My question is I have an 8 yr daughter she has ADHD and has hair loss she right will be almost bald, then that will grow back and her left side will fall out. Could this be caused but her anger? or ADHD. or the medication she is on? Her dr. has tried different medications to see if it is the medication. She is a little girl who wants to have ponytails so bad.

Hair loss that comes and goes may be related to pulling out of the hair (most common cause in young children). Also included in the differential diagnosis would be chronic telogen effluvium, ringworm, and medications (it is a rare possible side effect of Ritalin, for example). This is not meant to be an inclusive listing. She clearly needs to see a specialist.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, adhd, add, child

Lack of Leg Hair

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

(male)
Hey guys im hoping you can help me. I’m 18 i have a problem, now i dont know why i dont have hair on my legs, 1 could it be becuase i dont eat the right food, 2 i dont excersie enough or is it just that my DHT level is low, and why would it be low? i have bvery little hair, only around my ankles not alot but a little, over the month of June last week i was on Vacation, i noticd that i had a little more hair growing then it stopped am i imagining this or is there something wrong

This is a maturing process and body hair increases as one ages. At 18, you may be on the left of the bell curve, which means waiting it out. Leg hair increases in the 20s in most men.

Tags: hair, leg hair