Post Hair Loss Questions and Get Answers

Hundreds of hair loss questions are answered on our discussion forum and received in our inbox on a weekly basis. Below, we’ve collected some of these hot topic questions of the week and posted responses by veteran hair transplant patients and leading hair restoration physicians.

You can also ask your own questions and get answers on our hair restoration forum or privately by using the contact form.

Is Finpecia (Generic Finasteride) as Effective as Propecia?

Can Doctors Predict Future Hair Loss?

Dealing with Hair Restoration Complications (Dr. James Vogel)

What is the Difference between Rogaine and Minoxidil?

How Many Grafts are Needed to Restore a Balding Crown?

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: hair loss, hair transplant, hair restoration

I’ve been taking finasteride for about 6 months.  For the first few months, I was taking 1/4 tablet of Proscar daily however, due to severe dryness of the skin on my face after taking finasteride for only a few months, I now take it every 3 days.  can you please let me know whether taking 1/4 tablet of Proscar every 3 days is still effective to stop hair loss?

According to the Propecia website, dry skin is not a reported side effect of finasteride.  However, you are the second person I’ve heard claim this in the last 2 months.

The recommended FDA approved dosage of finasteride is 1mg daily.  However, in the event side effects occur, many leading hair restoration physicians have suggested their hair loss patients try taking 1mg every other day.  In my opinion, consult with a qualified hair loss doctor and get their recommendation on an appropriate dosage for you.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: finasteride, Proscar, hair loss, Propecia, hair restoration, hair loss doctor

This insightful information was posted on our hair restoration forum by Dr. Timothy Carman of La Jolla, CA, who is recommended on the Hair Transplant Network.

Recently, I lost about 40 pounds of muscle and fat due to a crash diet.  I know they’re not good, but I was very overweight and was tired of being laughed at.  A few months after my diet, I started noticing hair loss, including brittle hair on my legs and scalp especially around the nape.  I went to a doctor but am still waiting for the blood test results.

During the crash diet, I severely limited my caloric intake and didn’t eat much if any protein.  Also, afterwards, i had two intestinal infections and thinning hair.  I don’t know if my hair los has anything to do with the crash diet or infections.  I am very worried about my hair, please help.

What you are describing is classic for symptoms of telogen effluvium - which refers to a temporary hair shedding related to some type of “stressor” - in your case, caloric restriction or “crash diet”. 

The natural hair growth cycle as it relates to this, and as observed when we perform hair transplants, is that, after the “stressor”, the follicles goes into a resting phase that lasts three months. Also, this “three month window” is also a pertinent time line one sees for the onset of the shedding period as well.  Hence, what we do to our system to “stress” it begins to show up in three months. Conversely, when we “correct” or remove the stressor (in your case resume normal eating patterns, sleep, etc.) it will take another three months to begin to see the hair regrowth of that change.  As hair grows slowly (about 1 cm/month) it takes additional months to really appreciate a change for the better.

Many balding men and women waste time using hair restoration products that promise hair regrowth but seldom deliver. Get past the hype and learn what really works to stop hair loss.

Recently, we asked several of the world’s leading hair restoration physicians to answer a number of frequently asked hair loss questions. Below, we share what the medical experts have to say about hair loss and today’s available treatments.

Is Propecia (Finasteride) Effective When Applied Topically (Dr. Tim Carman)? Read this Q&A blog and learn if finasteride can be an effective DHT blocker when applied topically.

Compare Today’s Non-surgical Hair Loss Treatments to Surgical Hair Restoration (Dr. Mike Meshkin): Learn about today’s non-surgical treatments and how they compare with today’s revolutionary hair transplant procedures.

How Do You Properly Care for Your Hair Transplant Right After Surgery (Dr. Paul Shapiro)? Immediately following hair replacement surgery, it’s important to apply tender care to newly transplanted grafts. Read this article to learn how to prevent damage and optimize hair regrowth.

What are the Risks Involved in Surgical Hair Restoration (Dr. Mike Beehner): Read this article to learn about some of the risks involved with hair transplant surgery.

Why Won’t My Doctor Prescribe Proscar for Hair Loss (Dr. Ricardo Mejia)? Proscar and Propecia both contain the same active ingredient finasteride. But some doctors won’t prescribe Proscar. Read this article to find out why.

Non-surgical hair loss solutions and hair transplant surgery can be great, but neither are a cure for hair loss. Balding men and women ought to explore and consider all the available treatments carefully and work with a leading hair restoration doctor to develop a long term and realistic hair restoration plan.

Though the dream of full lustrous locks dance through our heads, developing realistic expectations as to what can realistically be accomplished is vital. Below you will find answers to common questions on what can realistically be accomplished with today’s treatments. You can also ask your own questions and get answers on our hair restoration forum or by contacting us privately.

Why Less is Sometimes More in Surgical Hair Restoration

Is Transplanted Hair Dependent on Hair Loss Drugs?

Possible Benefits of Combining a Hair Transplant with a Hair System (Dr. Lindsey)

Developing Long Term Hair Restoration Goals

How to Pay and Plan Financially For a Hair Transplant

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: hair loss solutions, hair transplant, hair loss, Balding, hair restoration

My dermatologist couldn’t answer this question and I couldn’t find an explanation on the internet.  If DHT is the main culprit of hair loss, then why doesn’t Propecia protect minoxidil dependent hair upon stopping minoxidil regardless of its different mechanism of action.  If Propecia is reducing DHT, then why would stopping minoxidil cause hair loss?

I’d suggest that it’s possible for Propecia to maintain hair regrowth from minoxidil.  

Remember that Propecia only really inhibits about 60% of DHT, leaving 40% to attack hair follicles.  Minoxidil adds extra stimulation to your hair causing hair regrowth.  Removing it from the equation will lessen your chance of keeping some of this hair.

I suppose the phrase “minoxidil dependent” should be explained a bit further.  Healthy hair not affected by DHT won’t become dependent on minoxidil.  Only miniaturizing hair that’s been successfully sustained or rejuvenated by minoxidil is.  If a patient uses minoxidil only, most likely these hairs would fall out upon stopping its use.  However, if Propecia is added to the hair loss regime later, some of these hairs may survive due to Propecia successfully inhibiting DHT. 

Unfortunately, there’s really no way to know for sure what hair you’ll keep and which you’ll lose if you stop minoxidil.

I hope this helps explain things further.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

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Before recommending a treatment, balding men and women must discover what’s causing their hair loss. In most cases, hair loss is due to genetics, causing hair to be vulnerable to the male hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Though DHT is more prominent in men, it’s also found in women and still the number 1 cause of baldness in the world. However, other conditions can contribute to or even cause non-genetic hair loss.

Due to promotional propaganda and misinformation spread through the internet, differentiating fact from fiction can be difficult. Below, we expose the legends and distinguish what can and cannot contribute to or cause thinning hair.

Stress Causes Hair Loss: If you ask just about everyone, most would tell you that stress can cause you to go bald. Read this article to learn whether or not there is any truth to this highly popular belief.

Daily Hair Washing and Hair Loss: Due to the amount of hair men and women find in the shower, some have conjectured that daily washing can cause your hair to thin. Learn if there is any truth to this concern.

Accutane Acne Treatment and Baldness: Learn why Accutane treatment for acne might be detrimental to your hair.

Hair Pulling, Styling, and Hair Loss: Not everyone pulls their own hair out. However, excessive hair pulling or styling can be the cause of isolated balding. Learn why and whether or not this is temporary or permanent.

Hello.  I wanted to ask you if Finpecia, the generic version of Propecia is just as effective for hair loss as the brand name.  How can I be sure?

Assuming you are buying Finpecia from a legitimate resource and it contains the same quantity of the active ingredient finasteride in Propecia, it will be just as effective in stopping hair loss.  Be careful of buying medication online.  Whereas several online pharmacies may be legit, there are horror stories of patients buying what they thought was finasteride and ended up being something entirely different.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: Finpecia, Propecia, hair loss, finasteride

Thanks to surgical hair restoration, hundreds of men and women have successfully restored their hair, even those with extensive levels of baldness. However, even after physical hair regrowth, many men and women still struggle with the emotional and psychological impact hair loss has had on them. How long does it take to stop feeling like you’re bald? How has hair restoration improved your life?

Read other and share your own experiences with hair loss, how it’s impacted you and the physical and emotional impact hair restoration had on you.

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: hair restoration, baldness, hair regrowth, hair loss, bald

With all the new hair loss products regularly marketed in the media, it’s vital to be able to differentiate what really works from the hype.

Our educational and supportive hair loss resource and community is interested in keeping you up to speed with the latest and greatest discoveries that can really help you deal with baldness and restore your hair.

Below you will find answers to 5 of this week’s top topic questions provided by educated patients and expert physicians. You can also ask your own questions and get answers on our hair restoration forum or do a free online consult with one of our physicians.

Increasing Hair Transplant Graft Survival and Postoperative Healing Time (Dr. Cooley)

Does Daily Protein Intake and Weight Loss Cause Hair Loss? (Dr. Ross)

How Much Hair Shedding is Normal on a Daily Basis? (Dr. Beehner)

Why Xandrox Might Cause Unwanted Body Hair Growth in Women

Is Treating Hair Loss with Laser Therapy worth $6000?

Bill - aka Falceros
Associate Publisher/Editor

Technorati Tags: hair loss products, hair loss, baldness