Hair/scalp analysis with hair restoration doctors using microscopes?

genetic hairloss runs in my father's side of the family (father/uncle) so I decided to seek a hair restoration surgeon to check the health of my hair. Aside from a small recession in the front, I still have a full head of hair, however, this doctor used some microscope to check my scalp and it showed some of the hairs were miniaturizing. He prescribed some drug called finasturide 5mg and said it was probably genetic loss since I told him it ran in my dad's family. I look in the mirror and I still have a full head of hair, so I don't think I buy into what this doctor says. My dermatologist says as we age, we all miniaturize, it is just part of getting older and if I don't show any visible signs I should be ok. I don't think I'm going to take this medication for life per that hair surgeon's advice just because I have a full of head of hair right now. What do you think?

Hair/scalp analysis with hair restoration doctors using microscopes?

Research and my experience show that hair loss is inherited from the mothers side of the family.

Regardless, if you have a full head of hair, then the hair loss in front could be caused by reasons other than heredity.

Wearing a tight cap or headband, using tons of hairspray on your bangs and combing through it without washing the spray off first could cause breakage. Using a hair dryer close to your head could cause the hair to burn and frizz up causing miniaturizing. If this hair is burned then you are also burning your scalp so pl keep the dryer no less than 6 inches away from your scalp.

If you use a curling or straightening iron, you could be doing the same thing-using it too close to the scalp. If you damage or burn your scalp nothing you do to restore your hair will make it grow through a burned scalp.

Here are some tips that could help:

Always wash your hair spray off before combing through it.

Never battle with your hair tangles. It causes breakage. Hair stretches about 2 1/2 times its length when it is wet and when you stretch it to remove the tangles, that becomes the weakest point which at first frizzes then breaks off causing split ends.

Do not use aerosol hair sprays, They contain wax and wax builds up and causes breakage. Use a pump spray if you have to.

We all lose thousands of hairs each week, which always grow back but your dermatologist is right in that it does decrease as we age.

If your hair loss is hereditary, you seem comfortable with it right now. But down the road, if it bothers you, there are surgeons out there who can do wonders with lasers, plugs or scalp grafts.

It is costly, but saves a lot in peace of mind. I have seen miracle hair replacement surgeries and if anyone can afford it, I would suggest they go for it.

If you need more information, please email me: joprabhu2003@yahoo.com

Hair/scalp analysis with hair restoration doctors using microscopes?

Examining hair on the scalp for miniaturization is called densitometry and is a sensitive indicator of early hair loss. Although one normally has vellus hair (very fine hair) on the top of their scalp, when a doctor sees a significant number of hairs of varying diameters (miniaturized hairs), it is a relatively diagnostic sign of early balding. If you have recession at the temples, this would be another sign of genetic hair loss.

Putting this aside, once you begin taking finasteride (Propecia) you must continue it indefinitely so I would not start unless you were sure you wanted to be on it long-term.

If you start to experience decreased hair volume overall, in addition to the receded temples, that might be a better time to start the medication. If you are only concerned about future loss, I would not use the medication now regardless of the densitometry reading. As a final comment, the starting dose of finasteride is 1mg a day, not 5mg.

Hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Dr. Bernstein