Bernstein Medical Blog

This page contains all posts in our News, Answers, Video, and Research sections.

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Can Hair Loss Be Induced By Acne Medication Accutane?

March 10th, 2008

Q: I have hair loss due to a treatment of Accutane. I have been off this medication for about a year and a half now, yet my hair has not recovered. The texture of my hair has completely changed. Given the fact that there is no family history linking me to male pattern baldness, I attribute my hair loss exclusively to Accutane. What should I do? — H.F., Eastchester, NY

A: If the texture alone has changed there is nothing you can do except to wait. The texture should improve over time even though it has already been 18 months.

If there are signs of genetic hair loss (i.e. male pattern alopecia), then finasteride should be considered.

Which is Better: Laser Therapy at Home or Doctor’s Office?

March 3rd, 2008

Q: I have thinning hair and have heard about Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for hair loss. I know that I can either buy a machine over the internet or go to a doctor’s office or medical spa for treatments. Which one should I do? A: The advantage of the in-office LLLT systems are that …

Which is Better: Laser Therapy at Home or Doctor’s Office? Read More »

Do You Recommend Avodart (Dutasteride) Hair Loss Medication?

February 25th, 2008

Q: I heard that there is a new drug on the market called Avodart for prostate enlargement which might help with hair loss as it blocks the conversion of testosterone to DHT better than Finasteride and is more effective than Propecia. Do you recommend taking it and if so what is the dose? — Y.B., Orlando, Florida

A: I am currently not recommending that patients take Dutasteride for hair loss, although it is more effective than Propecia, finasteride 1mg. (Dutasteride 0.5, the dose generally used for hair loss, seems to be slightly more effective than finasteride 5m in reversing miniaturization.)

The reasons that I am hesitant to prescribe it at present are outlined in the Hair Restoration Answers question, “Is Avodart Safe?“

Does a Hair Transplant Affect the Quality of Your Hair?

February 18th, 2008

Q: I would be so grateful if you could give me some idea on how the quality of the hair that is transplanted is affected by its new ‘home’ and the native neighboring hair. — D.C., Flatiron, N.Y.

Is it likely all the hair that is going to be able to come back to life with Propecia will also mature fully eventually? At the moment there is a big visual difference between the front section and rest of hair. (I understand hair count per cm2 may differ more drastically- I’m thinking here just of the hair shaft thickness.) Also, when I have hair transplants – as I intend to when Propecia has done all it can – will the hairs from the back of my head (thick) stay that thick regardless or will they take on the properties of the new surrounding hair?

A: Hair that responds to Propecia doesn’t always regain the full character of the original hair, so the area may still look thin.

The transplanted hair, however, will look like the original hair and maintain, over time, the same character as the hair in the donor area (where it came from).

Can a Woman be a Candidate for a Hair Transplant?

February 1st, 2008

Q: I am female and thinning can I be a candidate for a Follicular Unit Hair Transplant?

A: If it turns out that you have female pattern hair loss, you may be a candidate a hair transplant, but would need to be evaluated by a doctor who specializes in surgical hair restoration.

In the evaluation, you should have your degree of hair loss assessed and donor supply measured, using an instrument called a densitometer, to be certain that you have enough permanent donor hair to meet your desired goals. For more information about hair loss in women, please see the Diagnosis of Hair Loss in Women page of the Bernstein Medical – Center for Hair Restoration website.

Can You Perform a Hair Transplant in a Hispanic Person with Wavy Hair?

January 28th, 2008

Q: I am Hispanic and I have thick, black coarse wavy hair. Do you transplant Hispanics and are there any difficulties in performing hair transplants in them? A: Yes, we treat Hispanic patients. There are no specific issues unique to Hispanics when performing hair restoration procedures. However, things to consider are: Hispanics have a slightly …

Can You Perform a Hair Transplant in a Hispanic Person with Wavy Hair? Read More »

Why is there a Different Consultation Fee for Diffuse Thinning versus Patterned Hair Loss?

January 21st, 2008

Q: Why is the consult fee more for diffuse thinning than for a regular visit? — B.F., Altherton, CA

A: Diffuse hair loss, more common in women, can be the result of a number of underlying medical conditions and therefore it usually requires an extended medical evaluation.

If you are a male or female with obvious diffuse thinning from androgenetic alopecia (common baldness), or if you have patterned hair loss where the diagnosis is straightforward, the fee is less because an extensive evaluation is not required.

Please visit our Hair Transplant Costs & Consultation Fees page for more information.

Does FUT Hair Transplant Use Sutures or Surgical Staples?

January 21st, 2008

Q: Do you currently prefer sutures or staples to close the donor area? — O.C., Dallas, TX

A: Staples, because they conserve more hair.

Traveling From Abroad: When Can I Fly Home After a Hair Transplant and Will I Need to Return?

January 14th, 2008

Q: I am traveling from England for the hair transplant. When can I fly home and will I have to return after the procedure? — T.W., London, UK

A: You can fly home the second day after the procedure. We usually remove staples 10 and 20 days post-op. Patients that travel can have this done in their home town. We provide instructions and a staple remover that is easy for any health care professional to use. There should be no other reason to return to the office other than an optional one-year follow up.

Dutasteride vs. Finasteride

January 1st, 2008

In the study, 416 men with male pattern hair loss (MPHL) ages 21 to 45 years old, were randomized to receive dutasteride 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 or 2.5 mg, finasteride 5 mg, or placebo daily for 24 weeks. The results of the study showed that dutasteride increased hair counts in a dose-dependent fashion and dutasteride 2.5 mg was superior to finasteride 5mg at 12 and 24 weeks.

[…]

Concerning possible sexual adverse events, there was no evidence in the present study that either dutasteride or finasteride was associated with impotence. However, 9 men in the 2.5-mg dutasteride group complained of decreased libido, compared with 1 man in the 0.5-mg dutasteride group and 3 men in the finasteride group. As with previous studies with finasteride, this adverse event was characterized as either mild or moderate in severity and often resolved with a continuation of the medication. In the 4-year follow-up of the phase III trials in BPH, dutasteride (0.5 mg) was well tolerated and the incidence of the most common sexual adverse events was low and tended to decrease over time.

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