Regrowing Teeth and Hair with Stem Cells

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

I read that they are able to grow certain body parts such as teeth using stem cells, cant they find some type of cell attached to the regrowth of hair? just wondering

I am afraid it is not so simple as you present it. The theory is good (stem cells will be a source of new hair), but that is simplistic. The problem of trying to grow hair from stem cells has defeated many researchers who see billions of dollars in successfully cloning hair from stem cells. The chapter of that book has not be written yet.

In a verbal presentation at the ISHRS conference a few years back, a few patients who had stem cells transplants taken from hair growth centers in experimental circumstances not only grew a few hairs from the stem cell transplants, but parts of bone and muscle also appeared. I don’t know about teeth. Clearly, our ability to take control stem cell growth is limited.

Tags: bone, muscle, hair, hairloss, hair loss, stemcells, stem cells

Comments by a Dermatologist About LaserComb

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

After the recent FDA approval of the HairMax LaserComb, there have been many brief articles written based upon the press release that the product’s manufacturer had sent out. Most articles I’ve seen have been essentially disbelief that a product like this could’ve been approved, while other articles were simply rehashing what the press release stated.

The following comments regarding the HairMax LaserComb were written by a well known dermatologist. He asked that his name not be used, but agreed to let me post this:

“I think it is the physician’s responsibility to inform the patient about the proven value of any treatment, regardless of any stamp of approval, be it perceived or real, from any organization. This product has had some “approval” in Canada for some time, yet it does not receive any acknowledgment or significant medical approval by practicing physicians, and certainly not by dermatologists whose credibility would be potentially significantly damaged by such commercial endorsement. I think we all recognize that there is still no good study to substantiate or prove the validity of this treatment modality. Promoting this product without the strength of good science puts any physician in a category where public perception might be that ethics and science are colliding with monetary gain and marketing advantage. The decision to advocate this therapy at this point in time where the support for its validity is at best weak, can have consequences. I don’t believe it is sufficient for physicians to hide behind the notion of FDA approval in order to legitimize this modality.”

Tags: lasercomb, laser comb, laser, hairmax, hair max, hairloss, hair loss, fda

Reader Comment — Beware of Laser Treatments!

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

I have a comment on laser treatments. I went to a supposed hair restoration clinic in Minnesota and they used the low level light. They had a saleswoman who was very persuasive and guaranteed results in three months. I did this cause I was scared of propecia and wanted something more permanent. Well after six months my hair continued to fall out. I told them I would like to stop and be refunded and they refused. So beware of this supposed technology

Comments like this emphasize the old adage, ‘Let the Buyer Beware’.

Tags: laser, hairloss, hair loss, clinic, lllt, low level, therapy, light

One More Time — When’s The Balding Cure Coming, Doc?

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

Dr. Rassman,

I am sure you answered this question before but I bet people wouldnt mind to hear the answer again. With your expert opinion how long do you think it will take to have a cure for baldness. Atleast the hair cloning part. Everything I read says 5 years for technology and 10 yrs to perfect it. With the pace of my hairloss, I have a max of 2 yrs after which covering up won’t work.

Thanks

I am sure that they will rush to develop the cure or the cloning now that they know you only have two years left. My opinion runs better than 10 years before it is available, and another 10 years to actually perfect it. Let’s see who is right.

Tags: cloning, hair cloning, hairloss, hair loss, hairtransplant, hair transplant, cure, balding, baldness

I Have a Head Ache — Oops, I Mean a Hair Ache

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

White knightI often wondered why so many people crowd dentists offices to get their teeth worked on. Today I had the chance to speak with a very prosperous dentist who told me it was due to the fact that most people starting with a dentist come when they have a tooth ache. It is the pain that drives them to the dentist’s office. At the time of the visit, they get loved (by the good dentists who understand nurturing patient loyalty) and the plan to end pain is defined. Short term relief is given and any relief brings on appreciation. The more the love that the patient senses, the more the loyalty. The dentist then checks his teeth and most people who were less than ‘good’ about dental care, get diagnosed with a variety of cavities, get recommendations on that chipped tooth that they had for some time and as they might even have dental insurance. They get a good dental hygiene program and then get educated on the need for regular dental care. They may start off with 800-DENTIST to find the dentist, that white tooth knight that will make their pain go away. With most people who have tooth decay (because of bad gum management and no flossing), constant dental care is critical and thousands of dollars goes from the patient’s pocket to the dentist’s bank account. The pain from a tooth ache is often precipitous, and emergency care often starts the process.

Imagine Joe Smith, coming into the emergency room. He says: “Doctor, my head aches”. “Well,” says Joe, “the pain came on this morning when I was about to shave. I put lather on my face and realized that the dome of my head was empty. Then I knew that the pain which has been building for some time, caused my hair dome to shine. Doctor, what can I do about my hair ache? It now bothers me all of the time.” The doctor probes his head, asks more and more about his symptoms and then finds out that what he is actually describing is a hair ache.

As the doctor who first meets him, I find out that his insurance does not cover hair aches (it is not a known, defined benefit of health insurance). “But,” says Joe, “I have the best insurance that money can buy!” Now Joe is in a quandary — does he have to go into his wallet and pay real cash to fix that hair ache? Does he put off his new car, that vacation he is planning for next summer? Joe thinks about it and he realizes, unlike a tooth ache which keeps him from sleeping, his hair ache can be ignored. That baseball hat seems to work well and his hair does not ache as much when he wears it. He could wear his hat when he shaves in the morning and maybe the hair won’t hurt. Joe finds out that the costs of putting back the hair on the front of his dome will be about the cost of some veneers on the frontal teeth that his dentist recommended, or a tuneup on his Jag (and he loves his Jag). The only good news about Joe’s hair costs are that once the hair is put back, the hair lasts forever. Best of all, he doesn’t have to worry about brushing his hair after every meal, hair decay or even flossing his new hair. Those veneers, however, need to get replaced from time to time and they may fall off once the tooth behind them decays again.

Tags: ache, hair, hairloss, hair loss, dentist

I Have a Hard Time Rejecting the FDA Approval of the LaserComb

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

In the world of hair loss, sufferers quickly learn to veer on the side of caution when approaching new “remedies.” It is for this reason that I stand behind your skepticism of the Hairmax lasercomb, despite recent FDA approval. But something about this really bothers me. If we can’t even trust the FDA when they tell us that something grows hair, who can we trust? How can we pick and choose which of their approvals to accept? The lack of any real clinical data might make the comb especially fishy, but I have a hard time just rejecting the FDA stamp. They wouldn’t lie to us, would they?

Please see my previous posts on the subject —Why Are You Suspicious of the FDA and the LaserComb Now? and HairMax LaserComb Receives FDA Approval?.

Even though the stationary laser has some scientific documentation in the European literature, thie stationary lasers are far more intensive a treatment than a few strokes of a comb, which I can not believe will produce any long term effect such as is reported. It’s not that I don’t want it to work, I really would like to be wrong on my stance, but I don’t believe in ‘fairy tale’ miracles. The cost to the individual consumer is not great (between $500-700), but the doctors and the company that is promoting it stand to make a fortune. There are many such fortunes made in various hair solutions on the market that just don’t work, so this now joins the group of what may be another successful marketing product. Only time will tell if it works. I really can not endorse the hair comb at this time, but alas, it is a Buyer Beware issue. The good news is that the buyer will not risk much more than his dollars to find out the answer for him. I can see no down side, other than potential disappointment and loss of money if it doesn’t work as you’d hoped — but really, that goes with along with most things in life. Balding men seem to chase rainbows when there is a potential cure available. Many disappointed people may eventually come to see me because of such comments and with honesty as the best policy, maybe it will benefit the practice of honorable doctors in the hair restoration field who can really put their hair back. I hope that people who can benefit from drugs like finasteride (Propecia), don’t put off treating their hair loss while they wait for the comb to do its thing, the thing that may not happen.

Tags: laser, laser comb, lasercomb, hairmax, hairloss, hair loss, fda

I Had My Scalp Mapped for Miniaturization

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

Hey Doc, I have visited your site quite a bit over the last year reading various posts on MPB. I am a 21 year old male who has been noticing a receding hair line over the last year. I have been to many hair experts and one actual doctor regarding this issue. My doctor who I saw in December told me it was too early to tell if my hair was balding or just a maturing hairline. He told me to start using rogaine as a first step. However, I recently visited a Hair Club for Men just to see what they had to say about my situation. They mapped out my head for miniturization and it was very clear and apparent that my hair in the frontal area was miniturizing, aorund the temples and such. Moving backwards there was very little signs of miniturization on the top and none towards the back. They wanted me to start their extreme hair therapy which costs close to $2000 for six months. I obviously do not want to go that route and am very curious as to how you feel about my situation. My grandfather is bald and I have uncles who are bald and a 28 year old cousin who has already had hair transplants. How do you think my situation looks right now and what would you suggest as a plan. Thanks so much.

I could have helped you more if I knew precisely what Extreme Hair Therapy is. Just from looking at the Hair Club website, it appears to be some shampoo, conditioner, herbal pills, and topical minoxidil. Assuming that you have a high degree of miniaturization in the frontal area, the best treatment is finasteride 1mg daily which should slow down, halt, or possibly reverse hair loss. This is not “extreme therapy” and I charge $85 for an office visit and to write a prescription for the drug (if I find that you have genetic hair loss). The consultation is free, though. Miniaturization mapping at my office is also free. Anything else would not be good medical care in a 21 year old with miniaturization. Some of the essentials for establishing a long term plan that your doctor should comment include:

  • Family history of baldness
  • Miniaturization mapping
  • Pattern of baldness
  • Characters of hair
  • Donor hair quality
  • Other medical conditions

This does not cost $2,000.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, miniaturization, mapping, extreme, therapy

Why Do Older Men Get Bushy Eyebrows?

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

Is there a medical answer for why whenever men get older they loose the hair on thier head and thier eyebrows get bushier?

EyebrowsI believe that the explanation of this is related to the effects of DHT. Included are other “benefits” such as:

  1. The appearance of nose hair
  2. The appearance of ear hair
  3. Increase in body hair
  4. A more coarse beard

You can’t just select one of these secondary sex characteristics probably caused by DHT, but I have seen a couple of patients who took finasteride (Propecia) and found that they lost some or all of their chest hair. They did not report the impact on their nose or ear hair, however.

Tags: eyebrows, eyebrow, hairloss, hair loss, bushy, growth, dht, finasteride, propecia

When Will Blurred Vision from Minoxidil Stop?

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

I’ve been using 5% minoxidil for a little over a year now and began to experience an itchy & flaky scalp, as well as some blurred vision. I decided to stop using the ointment and was wondering how long would it take for my vision will return to normal or will it even return to normal?
Thanks

This side effect should disappear after a few days. If it does not, you may need to have your vision checked, as it may not be from the minoxidil.

Tags: minoxidil, hairloss, hair loss, vision, blur

Why Are You Suspicious of the FDA and the LaserComb Now?

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

Personally, I though the laser comb was just a joke!

I was very suprised to see the FDA’s results. Why are you so suspicous? The FDA is govt’ buracracy that is very conservative. Why would you not honor its results? Aren’t they “independent”?

I too was surprised to see the level of endorsement for the use of the term ‘hair growth’. I have read a massive number of articles on Low Laser Light Therapy and it is clear that the articles seem to show some benefit in the 10-20% range. Each article, however, was sponsored by people or organizations that may have something to gain. What is needed is a completely independent analysis. I have had a laser in my office for some time, and some of my patients find that it helps. I do not charge for its use and the use is confined to my patients who have had surgery with me in the past. So now, I must confess that the use as a stimulant for hair growth seems to have some merit. I still go by my gut feeling, an application three times a day by a comb going through the hair just does not sit right with me and my intellectual judgment (which dictates a great deal about why I think that way). I wonder if sitting in the sun may have more value? I will try to keep an open mind.

Tags: laser comb, lasercomb, fda, hair growth, regrowth, hairloss, hair loss

Any Theories About MPB?

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

Hi,

I understand there’s a lot to be discovered about MPB, which is demonstrated by the effectiveness of certain products that can regrow hair in some and not others. Obviously everyone reacts differently but I dont think it’s an overstatement to say something is missing from the equation. Do you have any theories or guesses of your own for what the medical community has yet to prove or discover about MPB? Thanks.

You are correct, there are missing pieces of the puzzle. With years of research and billions of dollars spent on finding a cure for thinning and balding people, we have little to show for it in either new treatments or a better understanding.

Tags: hairloss, hair loss, mpb, research, funding

HairMax LaserComb Receives FDA Approval?

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

I received two emails recently about the HairMax LaserComb, so I’ll combine my response into one…

EMAIL 1:


I was watching The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch last night, and a representative from the makers of the Hairmax Lasercomb announced point blank that they had received FDA approval to make claims for hair growth. He mentioned something like 19 new hairs per centimeter. This is a big deal. I was expecting a bigger announcement, and now I cannot find any press release or report announcing Hairmax’s FDA approval. If the comb is in fact FDA approved to stop hairloss/regrow hair, it’s something I would consider adding to my regimen. Have you heard anything about Hairmax gaining FDA approval?

EMAIL 2:


Hello Dr. Rassman,
I recently read that the Hairmax Laser Comb has now been cleared by the FDA as a product which is “clinically proven to promote hair growth in males with androgenetic alopecia (Norwood II A to V with Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV)”. Here is the link: hairmaxforum.com

I’m a bit suprised that I have not heard more media buzz about this. Is this now the 3rd FDA approved method to treat MPB? I have read your prior posts on the subject and am just intrested to know what this new FDA approval actually means. Any thoughts? Thank you

This came out of the FDA and this is the exact wording in the final page of the FDA letter in January 2007:

Indications for Use
510(k) Number (if known): K060 305
Device Name: HairMax LaserComb
Indications for Use:
The LaserComb is indicated to promote hair growth in males with androgenetic alopecia who have Norwood Hamilton Classifications of la to V and Fitzpatrick Skin Types I to IV.

It is important for the readership to note that just because this is cleared by the FDA, it does not mean that it is guaranteed to grow hair. I would like to see an independent scientific study with adequate statistics, done by a third party. If I saw that, I would be comfortable in recommending it depending on the results the study found. I have not seen the company’s submission science, so I can not endorse this and would not recommend that everyone go out and buy one. Frankly, I’m just not convinced, despite FDA clearance.

Tags: hairmax, lasercomb, laser comb, fda, hairloss, hair loss

Angry Letter to Procede from a Reader

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

This email was sent to me by a reader that wanted to share his letter written to the makers of Procede. I have heard similar stories already about this product. Two patients in the past 6 months developed hair loss that appeared ‘not to reverse’.

I question if this letter should also be sent to the FDA, whose job is to investigate substances that have deleterious side effects, therefore protecting the public.

I’m not sure where the reader got the address that he mailed the letter to. I tried to verify the address and came up with nothing. The makers of Procede, Youth Enhancement Systems, Inc, do not list an address on their website at all, and all of the phone numbers I can find there appear to have a Florida based area code. Nonetheless, I hope your letter reaches its intended destination.

Update: A reader sent this in —
Regarding the letter about Procede, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has the following address and phone:
4770 BISCAYNE BLVD, SUITE 1400, MIAMI FL 33137
305-576-6889 (tel), 305-576-6997 (fax)

Please read the following letter I wrote to PROCEDE. Beware!!!

02/05/2007

Procede
4201 Kellway Circle
Addison, Tx 75001

To whom it may concern:

I ordered your product and received it the beginning of January. I travel often for my work and was unable to use the product until this past weekend, February 2, 2007.

I followed the instructions to the letter. I waited the 48 hours recommended before washing my hair. During the first few minutes in the shower I saw hair circling at my feet and around the drain. By the time I got out of the shower and towel dried my hair I must have lost hundreds of hairs. My towel was covered with hair along with my shower and bathroom floor.

I cannot begin to tell you how disappointed I am in the results. I went from thinning hair to contemplating shaving my head, because I have lost so much additional hair. The texture is that of a bad perm and it has been falling out all day!

I called your customer service number and was told that you would send me Minoxidil to help with the hair loss. Didn’t I buy your product to thicken my hair? I have lost 25% of the hair I had and your solution is to send me minoxidil.

Your product is a farce! It has done more damage to my hair than I can even come to grips with at this point. I expect a refund of my money in full and that’s just for starters.

My wife works for one of the largest Law firms in Philadelphia. You will be hearing from someone there shortly. I have asked her to make sure he is a balding man, so he can appreciate the way I feel.

I will expect a timely refund to the credit card you have on file.

Sincerely,

Tags: procede, proceed, hairloss, hair loss, balding, thinning, refund, product

Depression from Finasteride?

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

Dr. Rassman,

Thanks for running this blog, it really helps soo many people. My question is concerning finasteride on depression. I am currently in graduate school and losing hair since 6-7 years. The hairloss has been really significant the last 8 months. I started taking proscar, 1.25mg, since a month ago. I stopped once in between because I was feeling down a bit. When I started taking it again 15 days ago with lower dosage, I again felt a little down. I have never imagined that I could get depressing feelings but I am almost positive its the drug.

What do you know on this matter? How many of your patients felt this way? And when I say depressed-its really not that bad but I am not my regular self.

Thanks

I have not seen this side effect and I do prescribe finasteride to a large number of patients. I have received comments from some patients that they do not ‘feel’ the same. I tried to pin that feeling down, but I do not have it surrounded. Clearly, the decision to take the medication must be weighted against the liability of not having it on board. The same recommendation applies to depression, which has been reported in the literature:

Tags: depression, finasteride, proscar, propecia, hairloss, hair loss, medication

I Want to Sue The Place I Got My Laser Hair Treatments

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

Dear doctor,

please help!

In [name removed], I payed dear money for laser hair treatment which included laser, serenoa products and minoxidil. Now I’m taking the hair studio to small claims tribunal for refund, because they told me the success comes in 85% cases and that I had great chances…

I’m immigrant in this country but like to invest in myself, so I can’t say goodbye to this money.

Unfortunately, now that I investigated it a little bit, I found the figures are different, but how do I present material on tribunal? Where do I find a person, an expert who can say what is realistic success rate with minoxidil, with laser (if it can be taken into account at all…)?

Please advise me where to seek for expert opinion and facts that can be used at court? Do you have any experience? Please help us protect ourselves from these marketing sharks.

Best regards and thanks in advance

Best go to the consumer protection agency in your government, which often protects people from false advertising, as that is their job. In California, this agency is active, but they generally do not like to take on the quest of individuals unless you can prove false advertising/promotion. I do not know where you could find an expert in your region, however.

Minoxidil does work in some people and the 2% solution can regrow some hair in about 30% of male patients with genetic hair loss (see health-cares.net for more).

Tags: laser, treatment, marketing, minoxidil, rogaine, hairloss, hair loss