Bosley Hair Loss Blog

Goodbye Stitches!

Today I feel much better physically and emotionally.  I had the stitches removed, which was a much better experience than it was when I had the first procedure.  I am guessing that because my hair is longer this time around, less of it was tied into the knots of the stitches. I went to my primary care physician to have them removed because I was having some irritation in the area and wasn’t sure if it was because of the stitches, or if they were simply not ready to come out yet.  My doctor said the area did look a little inflamed, but that was because they were definitely ready to come out. Other than that, the area looks great and the scar should be minimal! 

Of course, me being who I am, I wanted to take a picture of the stitches once they were removed. It’s so strange to see what was holding my scalp in place on a piece of medical cloth for the last 10 days.  Honestly, I was really dreading having those stitches removed.  According to Bosley, I should now be able to go back to regular activities and exercise. I think I’ll give it another week though, just because it still feels very tender.  I’d rather be on the safe side than to try something too soon.  I’ll be going back to my Sunday bowling league this weekend, and that I’m looking forward to!

- Michael

Is Your Hair Psyched Out?

We know genetics play a role in hair loss. Environmental factors can have an impact as well. But what about your emotions? People who are feeling stress, have had a traumatic experience, or deal with psychological issues like depression may be suffering from hair loss as a result of those factors. Sometimes this hair loss is temporary and will return when the source of stress subsides, but other times it can be an ongoing battle. Watch this video for more information on how neurology can affect you body's ability to maintain healthy hair growth.

Getting Back to Normal

I went back to work yesterday after being off for a week.  Since everyone I work with remembered when I had the first hair restoration procedure, this time it was no surprise that I didn’t get a lot of questions about the process.

I’m itching more than I’d like, but again, the spray that I’ve been applying is helping. However, I’m almost out of it and am wondering if there’s anything else I could use that wouldn’t damage the follicles. On the plus side, I was able to massage my scalp today for the first time since the surgery. That was amazing – 10 days of lathering shampoo and patting it on my hair and scalp got old pretty fast. I am in desperate need of a haircut, but I'm not comfortable having anything done until the stitches are removed and everything is mostly healed and back to normal.  So the haircut will have to wait!

– Michael

Welcome to the Second Barber’s Poll!

If you are bald or have thinning hair, chances are at some point you’ve received advice or comments from a friend who has a thick, full head of hair. “What if you brush it like this.” “It doesn’t make you look that old.” “I’ve heard if you drink special smoothies every day…”. People with hair love to share their thoughts with those who are less fortunate in the follicle department. But what about fellow hair loss peers? How does baldness make them feel? How do they handle public perceptions? Answer the questions in our second Barber’s Poll so your voice can be heard.

We’ll be conducting 2 more surveys throughout 2012. The results of all 4 quarterly surveys will be shared in a comprehensive report at the beginning of 2013, so you can see for yourself how your opinions stack up against others who are fighting the battle against bald.

 

• Who else in your family is balding?*
  My father My grandfather My mother My child
  
• How many hats do you own?*
  None 1 2-5 6-9 10+
• Before your hair started to thin, what was your favorite hairstyle?*
  Short and clean cut Medium length and slicked back Medium and messy Long and free flowing A mullet
  
• Where on your body do you wish you could lose hair?*
  My back My knuckles Inside my ears My chest
  
• Which hereditary condition do you think is the worst?*
  Alcoholism Baldness Obesity Cystic fibrosis
  
• What assumptions do people make based on baldness?*
  That I’m genetically weak That I’m older than I really am That I don’t take care of my body
  
• What scares you the most about a hair restoration procedure?*
  People will be able to tell I have had a procedure People will judge me I don’t know enough about it to be comfortable going through with a procedure The procedure will cause pain or discomfort The costs associated with a procedure Having a procedure and my hair possibly not growing
  
• If you could have anyone’s hair, whose would you choose?*
  Fabio Patrick Dempsey Conan O’Brien Rod Stewart Sean Penn David Beckham Johnny Depp Justin Bieber
  
• If money were not an issue, what would keep you from getting a hair restoration procedure?*
  Concern about bad results Preference for non-surgical treatments Fear of undergoing the procedure Public perception Pain or discomfort
  
• What U.S. city has the highest percentage of bald men?*
  Fort Lauderdale, FL Corpus Christi, TX Akron, OH Syracuse, NY Oakland, CA
• Submit Form
• Should be Empty:

Embrace Your Baldness

AskMen.com is making it easy for men to embrace their baldness. From assessment to acceptance to styling, the popular magazine has laid out the steps they think are necessary to take in order for men to own their baldness.

But don’t worry, if you read through the 5-step process and still aren’t ready to pin a hair loss badge of honor on your jacket, Battle Against Bald will be here to give you all the updated news and information on combating thinning hairlines.

Feeling Pent Up

I woke up feeling a little bummed out today. Not only do I go back to work tomorrow (I must admit, the week off has been nice) but Sundays are a day I usually look forward to because I’m in a Sunday afternoon bowling league. Since I’m still healing from my procedure, it’s probably not a good idea to bowl today so I decided to skip it.

I’m starting to get a little stir crazy just sitting around the house— it’s time to get out and do something.  Although I did meet some coworkers for lunch on Thursday, that hour and a half just wasn’t enough.  There’s only so much TV a person can watch and seriously, daytime TV is not entertaining at all! 

I’ve had a little swelling in my forehead the last couple of days, so I’ve been icing it off-and-on  to reduce it.  Looking back, I don’t think I did enough of that in the beginning.  My scalp is beginning to itch a little, which is normal, but thankfully the spray solution helps calm the itch so I don’t feel like I need to scratch it all the time.  All of this may sound kind of annoying, but I know it will be worth it in the end when I am completely healed and the hair is growing nicely.

- Michael

What's Snake Gourd? I Thought You'd Never Ask

There have always been a lot of stories and speculation about different plants that help regrow hair or slow down hair loss. Now, a new one has been added to the mix — and it’s not an everyday item you might find at the local nursery.

The leaves of snake gourd, a plant found in rural Nigerian villages, is said to promote hair growth, according to recent studies. In fact, those who used snake gourd extract experienced results similar to the well-known hair growth treatment Minoxidil.

More research is needed, so don’t book your next Nigerian vacation just yet. But do keep an eye on this new treatment, and we’ll do the same here at Battle Against Bald.

FDA Orders Warning Label for Propecia

We’ve written in the past about the hair loss drug finasteride (sold under the name Propecia), and its potential link to sexual dysfunction.

At the end of April, the FDA announced that finasteride must carry new labels warning users of potential sexual side effects, including decreased libido and orgasm disorders. While a definitive link between these side effects and the use of finasteride have not been established, the range of potential side effects is wider than previously thought, and therefore patients must be made aware of the risks. You can read the full press release for more information.

As anyone who has ever listened to a drug commercial on TV knows, the list of potential side effects for any medication can be long and daunting. So how seriously do you think these warnings should be taken? Does this change whether or not you’d consider using Propecia?

Feeling Cautious, But Good

It’s been a few days since I had the surgery. I’m done with the medicated pads, but have been instructed to continue cleaning the stitches and applying the gel to them twice per day, and also use the spray on my scalp every hour. I’ll do both of those things until I run out of each product. 

I’m still sleeping propped up on a pillow. According to the after-care instructions I can sleep lying down at this point, but I have a fear that I will toss and turn in the night and either pull out some of the transplanted follicles or pull the stitches in some way. I don’t want to mess anything up so I’m being extra cautious. It’s probably not necessary, but I’ll continue to sleep this way until I feel comfortable returning to a reclining position.

I’ve had a couple friends stop by to check on me and see how I am doing. They wanted to hear all about the surgery and see how I was healing.  It’s been a nice couple of days considering all that’s happened.

- Michael

Scientists Regrow Hair… on a Mouse

It may be just a small mouse, but it represents a big advancement in the field of hair loss. A group of scientists in Japan were able to regrow hair on a bald mouse, signifying a major leap in bioengineering technology. Not only did they successfully cultivate the follicles and transplant them on the mouse, they were also able to control the density and color of the hair. These transplanted follicles followed a normal hair growth cycle, and continued to regenerate.

This breakthrough could mean a second chance at a full head of hair for millions of men and women who suffer from hair loss. Stay tuned for more details, and in the meantime, check out  how this mouse looks with his new hair!

Watch Michael's Second Hair Restoration

Michael has been sharing his thoughts on his second hair restoration procedure. But now, you can see the surgery with your own eyes. Take a look at the video below to get Michael's first hand account of his trip to Dr. Winans' office in Seattle, and see for yourself how the hair follicles are removed from the donor patch and transplanted to enhance the hairline.

And as always, feel free to use the comment box to add your comments or questions.

Day Two and Feeling Good!

Two days after the surgery and I’m feeling pretty good, all things considered. My neck is a little sore since I’ve been sleeping basically in a sitting up position. There’s a little bit of soreness on my scalp but thankfully the pain medication helps with that. 

I find myself wondering if I should have gone through with a second surgery, only because I was really happy with the results of my first. Compared to the first restoration, I have more spots on my head this time where it continues to bleed just a little, though I’m sure this will stop soon. My list of instructions for today includes treating my scalp with medicated pads twice for 20-40 minutes each time and making sure the stitches are clean. I also have a medicated gel that I have to apply to the stitches that will help the donor area heal quickly and with minimal scarring. Finally, they told me to spray a medicated solution onto my scalp approximately every hour to help the transplanted follicles heal properly. All of these treatments have copper peptides in them that are intended for skin grafts/hair transplants.  I’ll continue this tomorrow as well.

- Michael

Toupee, or Not Toupee

The first time you notice your hair loss can be a memorable day. It may make you feel old. You may wonder how much hair you’ll lose, and how fast. And for this student from San Diego State University, it spurred one important question: will his friends and family tell him if he looks stupid in a toupee?

To read more about his plunge into toupees, goatees and other attempts to minimize the effects of his impending baldness, check out his blog.

Michael's Post-Op Checkup

The day after the procedure, I woke up feeling pretty good, all things considered.  I slept with 3 or 4 pillows propping me up and then one of those u-shaped travel pillows around my neck for support and to keep my head elevated. The elevation is supposed to reduce swelling and prevent bleeding, as well as minimize the possibility of damaging any of the newly transplanted follicles.  Luckily, Bosley sent me home with some good pain pills and a sleep aid for the first few nights.

I was pretty excited to go in for the post-op checkup.  I was really looking forward to have my hair shampooed!  For the first week, I can’t massage my scalp anywhere that there are new implants, but I need to gently massage the area with the stitches to keep it clean.  During the post-op appointment, they said everything looked good and would heal up nicely. After the shampoo and a rundown of the instructions for the next 10 days, I was on my way home.  I am taking the entire week off of work— I figured it was a good excuse to relax and not worry about every day stresses!

Hair Loss as a Symptom, Not a Disease

We often think of balding as an affliction in and of itself. In this Fox News segment, an expert from the Cleveland Clinic discusses hair loss and how it can be a sign of other more serious illnesses. From autoimmune diseases to stress to nutritional deficiencies, Dr. Kyei, talks about common causes of hair loss and what treatment plans may be recommended based on the diagnosis. Watch the video to learn more.