Dr. Rassman,

I have relatively dense brown hair. I am using minoxidil to restore a hairline that is visibly receeding. However, whenever I lightly scratch my scalp after having used product containing minoxidil, I notice little hairs attached to my fingernail. They are normally about a half inch in lenghth, fine, and clear.

I thought, perhaps, that it was an anomaly. However, with repeated runs of my fingernails over my scalp, I continually pick up one or two of these strange, small hairs. This has been occurring as long as I have been using minoxidil (a year or two.)

Are these vellus hairs that are falling out? Is this a sign of an unhealthy scalp?

I don’t know what these little hairs are. If I looked at them under the microscope, I might know, but in the meantime you should just stop scratching them. Leave them alone! Let’s see what happens when they grow out.

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