Hair Loss from Accutane?

[glitter423]

Has anyone had any success of hair loss after accutane? My hair started falling out in March and it has been 5 months and is still falling out. I finished accutane in April and was told to give it a few weeks. It has been mo nths have lost about half of my hair. I am taking Biotin, Stimulair, and I bought the laser max hair comb but nothing is even slowing it down. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated this is ruining my life.

 

[toocoolforhair]

"Accutane (isotretinoin) does work well for treating acne, but unfortunately one of its many side effects is hair loss. I suspect hair loss from Accutane is temporary, but it may accelerate the male pattern balding process. Only time will tell. I really do not have much experience with patients taking Accutane (nor do I prescribe it), so you should talk with your doctor as he/she may be a little more versed.

Weren’t you given all the warnings and waivers before a doctor prescribed you Accutane? I mean, have you read all the other side effects of Accutane? I know this isn’t doing much to boost your morale, but my point was to illustrate to all readers that things should be put into perspective and take medications with an informed decision. Always weigh the benefits with the risks of any drug you take."

http://www.baldingblog.com/2010/06/02/i ... permanent/

It sounds like it could be temporary, but it might also be an acceleration of male pattern baldness. You should post pictures of your hair so we can tell you if it looks like male pattern baldness.

 

[glitter423]

I was warned of the side effects and hair loss was not mentioned at any time. My dermatolgist even told me they do not mention it b.c then people will not take the drug.

 

[Nene]

I was warned of the side effects and hair loss was not mentioned at any time. My dermatolgist even told me they do not mention it b.c then people will not take the drug.

Look at my story. You can see I lost a lot of hair b/w 14 and 17. Take a guess what medication I took in that time period.

 

[Ori83]

i took acutane too at 17 and my hair loss started at 18

 

[Nene]

I had no idea it could accelerate male pattern baldness. I'm pretty sure it was NOT my destiny to start losing hair at 15/16 and be almost Norwood 3 by 23/25. My father has all his hair and my mother's father didn't go bald until later in life. Those of us who took accutane and had pre-mature male pattern baldness should sue the sh*t out of them.

 

[toocoolforhair]

Now I think of it there was a guy in my college (16 or 17 years old) who had severe acne, was taking medication for it and had a norwood 2.5.

 

[Nene]

Now I think of it there was a guy in my college (16 or 17 years old) who had severe acne, was taking medication for it and had a norwood 2.5.

It could be coincidence. Impossible to tell, but I really think thats what happened. Hair loss at such a young age just doesn't happen in my family. Anyone else start losing hair a year or less after taking accutane? I know Superfrankie took it and he's a norwood 5 at 23.

 

[Thickandthin]

Accutane hair loss is patchy in nature and resembles Telogen Effluvium, not male pattern baldness.

 

[Nene]

Accutane hair loss is patchy in nature and resembles Telogen Effluvium, not male pattern baldness.

Yes, but Dr. Rassman says it can initiate male pattern baldness or accelerate which is what I think happened to me as my hair loss doesn't follow the family pattern.

 

[Ori83]

Thats very interesting, i never linked the two :shock:

they really REALLY need to check whats going on with this, if accutane = Hair loss then the consumers most know! (by law!)

 

[glitter423]

I have one derm saying I now have. Female patter hairloss and one saying it will come back just takes time. Wish I knew

 

[the_dude]

Big bump, i know.

I also took accutane for 8 months at a dose of about 60mg a day in 2009. Last months i noticed extremely increased shedding. My derm said it had nothing to do with the accutane but i was just going bald (she based it on the fact my father is bald)... She never even warned me of this side effect and i certainly wouldn't have taken it had i known.
The extreme hairloss continued and i started taking minoxidil. Until by december last year it started slowing down noticeably. I was very surprised and took some photos and made a thread on another balding forum. They told me i had a juvenile hairline still, no minaturization at the temples and my hair looked fine overall. My hair had shed like crazy for 1.5 years and it still looks good and i even stopped minoxidil.

So, in my opinion accutane can accelerate or trigger male pattern baldness if you're genetically predisposed to get it (i read somewhere your hair skips a cycle so your hair is actually like 6 years older). If you are'nt and it causes hairloss i think it will recover almost to its old state. I do notice my hairstructure is a bit different and it looks a bit dead, but no receding or extreme tinning. (i guess i have my mothers genes, every man on her side of the family has a full had of hair). So it is possible your hairloss will stop.