Hi Dr. Rassman,
What is your take on using capsaicin for hairloss? It’s my belief that Zhang Guang 101, a Chinese “herbal” product that is popular overseas, contains only capsaicin as its active ingredient. Having used a few bottles myself, I’m fairly certain that this simple molecule found in chili peppers is responsible for any hair growth effects that the product claims. I’ve only been using it for a couple weeks, so I can’t give a definitive testimonial. There has been research done on the effect of capsaicin on hair growth. It supposedly promotes the release of IGF-1, which is crucial for hair growth. It also stimulates pain receptors and releases substance P. Can you take a look and tell me what you think? Thanks.

Administration of capsaicin and isoflavone promotes hair growth by increasing insulin-like growth factor-I production in mice and in humans with alopecia

From the article:
“These observations strongly suggested that combined administration of capsaicin and isoflavone might increase IGF-I production in hair follicles in the skin, thereby promoting hair growth.”

Capsaicin is found in chili peppers and even in pepper spray. I don’t have any experience with this, though I read the article and will wait to see if it may become a treatment modality. I’m not opposed to new treatments by any means, but I will need to see actual proof before I throw my support behind it. At any rate, I’d think it would cause incredible tingling in your scalp, just as eating a very spicy pepper can numb your lips.

Hey Doc, I’m an 18 year old who has always obsessed over my hairline because it’s been around a NW2 since i was born, one side worse than the other. I’m wondering about what treatments, or even the possibility of a “cure” (Let’s face it, it’s not polio), you predict will be practical and available in the next 10-20 years.

I can be optimistic at times, but I do not believe there will be a “CURE” for genetic hair loss in the next 10 to 20 years. There may be better drugs or discoveries to slow or partially reverse the balding process, however. There are some exciting things happening with hair cloning / multiplication, but their viability still remains to be seen. Time will tell.

And for the record, polio isn’t cured. There is a vaccine to prevent polio, and most countries have eradicated it completely. Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan still have a polio epidemic. I’m not about to write PolioBlog now, so I’ll leave the rest up to Wikipedia for all of your polio information.

Is it possible to suffer from a phobia of balding. I am losing my hair and am suffering to the point where i cannot face to look in the mirror or touch my head. I no longer go out or interact in any shape or form. Bluntly put.. my life is hell and im seriously thinking of killing myself. I shake when i think of the state of my scalp. Could i have a phobia?

I have seen this type of reaction in the past. You need to get professional help to manage your problem. This is something that I can not help you with and a doctor/patient relationship is critical to solving the problem.

What is the “master plan” you keep talking about?

The Master Plan I often refer to is what you will be able to accept in the future with respect to your hair loss. It is simply anticipating for your future hair loss pattern and having a “plan” to stay one step ahead.

As an example, if you are 21 years old and currently a Norwood Class 3 hair loss pattern and want a hair transplant in the corners of your frontal hairline, it may be easily achieved. However, as you age you may progress to a Norwood Class 5 hair loss pattern and you will be left with only that permanently transplanted corner hairline as you lose the surrounding hair. In other words, you would look like a freak! Your master plan should have been made to consider the possibility of future hair loss by mapping your scalp hair for miniaturization patterns. The master plan may have also included consideration for postponing a hair transplant surgery for a few more years or starting on a FDA approved hair loss medication such as finasteride (Propecia) or minoxidil.

What would your favorite Hollywood celebrities look like without hair? I was talking with someone on my staff about this and found a wonderful Photoshop contest on Worth1000.com that shows what many A-list stars would look like sans hair. Thanks to the artistic talents of the members at Worth1000.com, you can enjoy the following talented photo manipulation work:

• Worth1000.com – Bald Celebrities
• Worth1000.com – Bald Celebrities 2
• Worth1000.com – Bald Celebrities 3

(Above image from Bald Celebrities Photoshop contest on Worth1000)

I am a firm believer that Finasteride works, and works well! I always question people on these forums who say otherwise. An analogous case in point. I was looking at this bodybuilding forum recently talking about this Arnold Schwarzenegger Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, and people were saying some negative things about it. I use it as my bible so to speak, and I can promise it works, regardless of people who says it didn’t help them gain any muscle — they didn’t try hard enough. That said, people reading this should know that other people say all sorts of crazy stuff and lie, so take everything with a grain of salt.

Sorting through all of the BS on the Internet can be a difficult task. Sometimes it just comes down to plain old common sense. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you think a secret “miracle hair cure” is going to be available off the Internet for the low, low price of $100, you’ve most likely just flushed that $100 down the toilet. Look for proof, not for fantasy.

And to add to the point you were making, people need to also remember that many claims found on the Internet are unsubstantiated. For example, just because Joe Schmo says that a medication made his hair fall out and his fingertips turn black doesn’t mean it really even happened!