22 Years Old and Balding

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

Hello, I have looked all over the web for credible physicians, and New Hair is definitely the best I’ve found! I have heard horror stories and I want to make sure if I’m making an investment that the job is done right!

Now here’s my question. I am quite interested in what you might have to offer. I’m a bit younger, 22 and thinning rapidly all over my scalp (front and back). I’m on Propecia but the thinning still has not stopped. I expect that by next year, a large chunk of my hair will be gone. Unfortunately, I live in the mid-west. I’m a student and only have so much financial stability. I was wondering if there is anyway to estimate how much hair you could transplant, how much donor hair I may have, etc.. without seeing me in person. Unfortunately, I can’t afford constant flights to LA in addition to the cost of a transplant, so this would be quite helpful. I don’t have much of a desire to just cover part of my scalp (I figure I might as well just shave my head at that point) and want to know if it’s worth a shot. Also, I’m curious about your availability. How far in advance would I need to book an appointment for a transplant?

Thank you for your time and help. I hope to hear from you soon!

First, I want to thank you for your kind words about NHI.

Generally, I do not do hair restoration surgery on 22 year old men, because the final hair loss pattern is not usually evident. I always want to set up a Master Plan to determine where you are going and to ascertain your donor supply. Propecia (finasteride) works well to slow the process, which may be inevitable to whatever your final pattern will be. I do miniaturization studies to try to determine what that pattern may be and knowing about your family history will also help. Before you get into making an appointment for a hair transplant, let’s start off with photos. I would need to see (at the least) pictures of your head from various angles — enough of them to see the full extent of your thinning. Please reference this blog post when sending the pictures.

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

Can a 16 Year Old Use Propecia?

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

I am a 16 year old male who has been losing hair in the crown area only for the past 2 years. I don’t really see any hairs in the drain or on my pillow, but my crown area is getting thinner and more noticable. I was told I could not use propecia until I was 18 or 19 years old. What would be the reason for that and is it true? Is there anything else I can do?? I was told to use Rogaine, but does that actually work??

Safety of Propecia (finasteride) is studied at age 18 and above. Get your hair mapped out for miniaturization and let’s get a metric for your hair loss and a diagnosis. With that in hand and your parents’ cooperation, a good doctor may elect to put you on Propecia if everything is understood and risks are discussed in detail.

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

Hair Transplants for Men in Their Early 20s

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

For those of us in our early 20 thinking about hair transplants, do you have before/after photos of men who decided to get a transplant at an early age? I’m interested to see what the balding progression would look like, especially if the man uses propecia.

Look at the Norwood classification below and you will see the progression of hair loss that is possible. Some people follow the loss pattern going from a Class 2, to a 3, then to a 4, and then on and on. Others will thin in the Class 6 pattern and not go through the various stages. What is important to be aware of, is that only about 7% of men progress to a full Class 7 pattern so just because you are a Class 3 pattern balding person, it does not mean that you will advance to a Class 4, 5, 6 or 7 pattern. The genetic factors that determine the final pattern vary between people.

Norwood Chart

The problem with young men (under the age of 25) is that their balding patterns are often not quite clearly defined. I generally like to wait until at least 25 years old, following the patient with miniaturization mapping regularly to understand the progression of the balding process and the effects of drugs like Propecia. If one transplants a 20 year old before the pattern is fixed, a long term Master Plan can not be derived. If this 20 year old becomes a Class 7 patient, transplanting him as if he is limited to a Class 3 pattern might start using up more hair for future pattern loss than he has. The problem is that we do not want to run out of donor hair and look freaky as the pattern progresses.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, hairtransplant, hair transplant, propecia, finasteride

I Want to Look Into Hair Restoration In 4 Years

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

Hello
I’m only 16 and i have a terrible baldness. Rogaine and propecia didn’t have any effect on me after a year of use so i think that the only solution is an operation later(after 3 years).so i’d like to know if the method of hair restoration can be used in 2010 and if i can do operate at the age of 20 years old.

Severe balding at age 16 is not common. You should be evaluated by a hair specialist to confirm your diagnosis and rule out other causes that may result in premature hair loss. If you are diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness with no other causes involved, the best thing is to prevent further loss by taking the medication finasteride. Only after examination of your hair loss and the changes in its pattern, can we tell you what is the best timing for a hair transplant procedure. Hair transplants a rarely performed in men under the age of 24 years old. Please get good metrics on your hair situation by getting your hair mapped out for miniaturization so you can follow scientifically what is happening to you.

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

Young Teen Girl With Hair Loss Questions

/by William Rassman, M.D./3 /, ,

Hello. Lately I have been experiencing excess hair loss. I am only 13 years old (female), and nobody in my family has had any hair loss problems. Everyone has a full head of hair. I still have tons of hair, but more hair is coming out than it used to. I lose probably about 150 hairs a day. Is this normal? Should I do something?

QUESTIONS:

  1. Can a dry scalp cause hair loss?
  2. Am I losing the right amount of hair?
  3. Is there anything I can do to stop it?
  4. Can going through puberty cause hair loss?
  5. I am stressed because of my hair loss, and hair loss is caused by stress. WHAT DO I DO?!

PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE help.
Thank you

To answer your questions in the order in which they were asked —

  1. Dry scalp does not cause hair loss.
  2. It is normal to lose the 100 hairs a day. Sometimes more. There are other hairs growing at the same time.
  3. There is nothing you can do about it. (sorry)
  4. Puberty may be a factor in your hair loss situation.
  5. Stress can cause hair loss and stress of losing hair can be a vicious cycle (to a certain degree).

If you are a regular, healthy teenage girl, it may only be just a phase, but if this bothers you that much, you should see your primary care doctor. Get your parents involved. Let them know what’s going on and have an appointment setup with your physician. This might not be anything to be concerned about, but if you are worried, best to get it checked out with an in-person exam.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, teen, girl, female, women, woman, puberty

Can an 18 Year Old Woman Develop Female Baldness?

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

hi i was wondering if its possible that an 18 year old woman can develop the female pattern baldness at the age of 18 and with no history of family baldness.

thank you

Although anything is possible, it is rare to occur at such a young age, but it does happen. If you are losing hair and suspect that there is something wrong, you should see a medical doctor for any health realted issues that may be causing your hair loss. (most common cause of hair loss in women is a medical condition) as hair loss may be sign of other underlying health issues.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, women, woman, female, teen

FUE for 21 Year Old

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

I was Just wondering why you wouldn’t advise FUE at the age of 21 ? What is your advice? Kind Regards!

There is no recommended age for FUE, as opposed to a regular strip hair transplant procedure. The issue for a 21 year old is knowing what are we treating and finding out where the is balding going. In most 21 year olds, we really do not have a clue.

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

70 Year Old Woman Just Started Thinning

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

Hi Dr. Rassman,

I just found your web site an hour ago. I have a very specific question:

My hair has been thinning at the hairline (above the forehead and can see through to the scalp) Thinning last 2-3 years. The sides above my ears have thinned out also. I am 70 years old, still wear long hair (my previously feminine crowning “glory.”) I take estrogen–all appropriately prescribed by my gyne. Good homeostasis with estrogen!

Why is this happening? My late daddy was bald at age 30. Any genetic connection to me. Anything safe I can use to stop any progression. I notice people look up at my forehead hairline so I know they see the same thinning scalp which concerns me.

Yes, Dr. Rassman, it is just as important at age 70 to be beautiful as age 20. :-)

Won’t you respond to me?

I totally agree with you that “it is just as important at age 70 to be beautiful as age 20”.

Several question and answers are posted about female pattern baldness in the Female Hair Loss category of this site.

You need to be seen by a hair specialist for confirmation of the diagnosis and pattern of your baldness. Women with baldness need to be tested for some medical conditions that may cause hair loss; among those, thyroid disease, iron deficiency, hormonal and autoimmune diseases. Some of these conditions can be easily treated and the process of baldness may be reversed.

You need to know that women do not necessary follow the phenotype of baldness of their male ancestors. Unlike male pattern baldness, female hair loss is generally more diffuse with no preserved area of hair that could be used for transplant. That is why for a typical female pattern baldness, hair transplantation is rarely indicated. Minoxidil is the only FDA-approved medication that will treat hair loss in women, but first you must be sure that the hair loss is not medically induced.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, women, woman, female

Hair Shedding in 7 Year Old Daughter

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

Hi Dr. Rassman! My 7 year old has diffuse thinning hair. Her hair shed quite a lot everyday but not much regrowth of new hair. What could be the cause? Is there a internal problem/disease? What tests can we request to determine the cause? Do you think it’s treatable? Thanks!

I can not ascertain her diagnosis without seeing her myself. You need to take her to her pediatrician and ask that question. Sorry.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, child

12 Year Old Daughter Has Bald Spots Since Birth

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


My daughter is 12 years old now, and when she was little and her hair finally grew in, she had a bald spot right in the center of her head. Her doctors told me not to worry about it, but I awalys have. I thought as she got older her hair would get thicker, but it never has. Yesterday, my daughter show me another spot on her head which is almost bald, I called her doctor, to find out what to do. She is doing research as I write this to you. I was hoping for anything you could share with me. My daughter is so upset and I can not comfort her with any kind of reasoning. Please get back to me. Thank you.

This is a situation where face to face discussion and examination is critical. This is not an internet problem. You need a skilled doctor (dermatologist in your area) to examine her and then render an opinion. If she is upset, not taking her to a good doctor does more damage than need be.

Tags: baldspot, bald spot, thinning, hair loss, hairloss, child, dermatology, dermatologist

Is Propecia Effective in Your 50’s?

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

Hi Doc,

2 questions. Still have good hair with balding at crown. Is propecia effective in your 50’s? Heard it wasn’t. Age 54.

Also, after a few days on Propecia noticed brain fog and anxiety attacks. Any experience with propecia causing anxiety?

Thanks

It works best when the hair loss is more recent. Men in their 50s generally have already passed the rapid hair loss phase, so the impact of this drug in the 50s is not as much as in the mid-20s. Anxiety is a known stress that makes genetic balding more rapid in many men, even 50 year olds.

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

Limitation for a Perm in an Aging Woman?

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

I am peri-menopausal (50 years old) and was wondering if getting a perm would hold, as with all the hormonal changes I am and will be facing may affect this?

Having a ‘perm’ should add body to your hair and make it easier to style. The hormonal changes you are experiencing and will experience in the future should not be a factor in your stying decisions (to have or not have a perm).

Tags: perm, hair, female, women, woman

Radiation Therapy in 10 Year Old Caused Hair Loss

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

Dr. Rassman, my son had a medulloblastoma at age 10. He underwent whole brain radiation with a posterior fossa boost. This left him with very little frontal hair and no hair in his inferior occiput. The hair he does have is somewhat thin. Could your type of transplant help? Is there benefit with your method for him over other, standard methods?

Hair loss is one of the most common side effects of brain radiation therapy. It usually occur about two weeks after you have the brain radiation. Hair loss is usually limited to the area of treatment, but patients may occasionally lose all of their scalp hair. Hair loss after radiation could be temporary and it may grow back within weeks to months following radiation. Higher doses of radiation and frequent radiations may damage hair follicles permanently and leave patient with baldness.

In some patients, the hair grows back with a different character. Hair color or character may also change, becoming thinner and more fragile.

If your son did not grow hair one year after radiation therapy, he needs to be evaluated by a hair specialist. If his hair loss is limited to a particular area and he has preserved good quality hair in other areas, he may be a candidate for hair transplant. What I want to know is whether there are any areas where the hair is normal. If the answer is yes, maybe there are things that might be offered.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, radiation, medulloblastoma, therapy, brain

My 5 Year Old’s Temples are Balding

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

I constantly brush my 5 year old’s hair and now her temples are balding. How can I get that temple hair to grow back?

Balding in children is often caused by things that a dermatologist or pediatrician can diagnose. Get to a good doctor and get a diagnosis. There is no way around that requirement.

Tags: child, children, temple, hairloss, hair loss

I’m 72 Years Old and Losing a Few Hairs Each Day

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

I have perused your website and your answers to many questions relating to hair loss but have not found an answer that addresses my question. I am a 72 year old male. I still have a full head of hair with very little greying but I have begun to notice that there are long hairs (few each day) in my comb. Can I stop any further loss?

Hair loss does appear in the elderly. I’m not calling you elderly, as you are only 7 years older than I am — and I am certainly not near elderly. What I mean though, is that even the elderly lose 100 hairs per day. As long as you do not look like you’re balding, don’t worry, be happy (as the song goes)!

Tags: elderly, old, hairloss, hair loss