June 21 2006, 9:35 am PT | Posted in: Drugs (Cause Hair Loss) + Hair Loss Causes
Hello Dr. Rassman last you told me to go to a doctor in ny, I went to see him but he stated that he just didn’t know. I a 3rd round of accutane over 2 years ago, and have experienced hair thinning since.. I am very distraught since I thought the ny doctor could give me more answers and explanations as to how accutane could possibly damage hair follicles forever. I’ve been researching but its all about people like me complaining aobut the accutane induced hair loss, but no reason how it could do this damage. I was told that accutane works by reducing your sebacous gland. I had no idea that sebum would play a role in thinning or damaging hair.. I don’t know why doctors are saying it can be permanent, when in the past they said its only temporary.. and its been over a year, my hair is so thin. I’m taking biotin and I’m not even sure if that will work. I have no one to turn too. Can you explain to me what needs to be done, or how it can damage the hair follicles, if accutane only effects the sebacaus glands. thanks.
Medical clinical science is as much a descriptive science as a biological science. That means we describe what we see, possibly more than we understand what we see. Do not be too hard on the doctor, because I am sure he told you what he knows. As for scholarly doctors, that doctor is as scholarly as they come. We know that Accutane does, at times, cause permanent hair loss (that is what we see) but if we really knew why, then we could surround the cause of it and maybe fix it. I do not have the answers you are looking for, nor do others I have asked. Sorry!
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My son took Accutane for only six months when he was 17, yet his hair has started to thin since then. He is now 24. I went to a doctor who said if it was Accutane, when it finally came out of his liver, he would not experience any more loss. However, you say in your blog that it is sometimes permanent.It is thinning along the front, and he is becoming increasingly bald and is extremely distressed. He has been using Rogain for years to no avail. Also, our family does not have MPB, so is there ANY information concerning Accutane baldness that we can count on?
I was Accutane for only a few weeks 11 years ago and I can attest that the hairloss is permanent. I have tried everything(Biotin, Rogaine, Propecia) and nothing has helped. Prior to taking Accutane, I didn’t have any hairloss and has thick hair. My hairloss began (2) weeks after starting Accutane. I stopped taking it shortly after but the hairloss has never stopped. It’s very frustrating talking to doctors about this because everyone plays stupid and says it’s not Accutane but MPB which doesn’t run in my family. I think it’s a big cover-up. For those of you that have bad acne, make a decision if you want zits or want hair on your head.
I can also attest to the hairline recession. Although, at 27 years of age,I still have a good bit of hair, I have noticed over the years a recession in my hair line and also a small bit of thinning in the back “crown”. My father has the crown, so I was expecting that, but I took accutane 10 years ago and started to notice the hairline recession about 2 years after taking the drug… I would choose, hands down, the drug over some thinning because I had severe acne and people now can’t even tell I had it. It was a life-changing drug for me.
Took Accutane when I was 18. Began to lose my hair in diffusion pattern RAPIDLY and am now very bald at 27. Does it sensitize the hair to androgens? Does it damage sebaceous glands? Doctors don’t give straight answers, and my hair is long gone.
I TOOK ACCUTANE 2 YEARS AGO AND I STILL HAVE THINNING HAIR. iT USED TO BE LONG AND BEAUTIFUL, NOW I CAN’T EVEN WEAR IT DOWN ANYMORE…SO SAD! I WISH THERE WERE A CURE
I can attest to the baldness after accutane. Three of our sons who are now in their twenties are going very bald. They literally had a very, very thick “carpet” of hair which everyone always commented on…Extremely thick…Now at ages 26,24 and 19 they have less than half their hair to about 1/3 only. They each started accutane in the 11th grade and within two months of stopping (six months they took it) they lost vast amounts of hair.
they would have rather had the scars and kept their hair at this point…it is very very sad..our oldest wears a cap most of the time and has lost much confidence.
I also can attest to Accutane-related hair loss. I started taking the drug in 1995 when it was still very new. I was a high school senior with very bad skin - nothing else had worked - and I couldn’t imagine going to college with a face that made me not want to look anyone in the eye. I took 3 courses of Accutane, and I started noticing hair loss after 1 year. Mind you, my hair was so long, curly, and thick in high school that I wanted to get it thinned! Makes me so sick now to think about it. My hair has steadily fallen out since, especially in the hairline and crown. I am devastated. I have tried Rogaine and gotten a hair transplant but it seems pretty useless since all the hair around the transplants is falling out now. For all the women out there (we are an underserved market), check out the PK Walsh Salon in Needham, MA - it is a dream come true for me.
Anyway, like Mike said in his comment, make sure you decide whether you want acne or hair — that is the choice you are making when you are thinking about taking Accutane.
I was on a 5 month course of Accutane in 2004. My skin looked great afterwards, but at the expense of my hair. I barely have any density across my head. My hair line is about 85% bald.
2 days ago I took a chance and went to a salon to get a rollerset. I felt like crying when I saw the stylist struggling to style my hair. It was so thin. It looks like I’m sick.
I have had this problem for 4 years and I am praying that the problem eventually reverses. I recently started eating 2 eggs daily , taking iron supplements, and rubbing a mixture of essential oils on my scalp. I really hope this helps. I am also going to start applying Miconazole Nitrate 2% to my entire scalp.
hi all,
I also took this drug. Wish I hadn’t… although i had very very bad acne. And since then my hair has suffered, since i was 19. That’s a bit early. And nothing has helped, though i’ve tried everything. Here are my symptoms:
1. woke up one morning, to find a large patch of hair had disappeared from the corners of my frontal hairline.
2. over time hair growing thinner, hair receding.
3. over time hair growth slows, and cycle shortens. I’m unable to grow longer hair than around 2-3 inches long. even the back of the head hairs (although to a lesser extent).
4. This process has continued to worsen over the years, since only a month or so since i stopped taking Accutane. I took this drug first without problems, then a year later as I noticed more acne appear again and grew worried of a reoccurrance of my acne, for only a few weeks. It is after these few weeks, having stopped, that I first noticed problems with my hair.
It began at around age of 19, and now I am 32. I still have a full head of hair although now noticeable recession at the temple, and unable to grow longer hair.
5. I have tried minoxodil for many months without success.
Also tried finesteride products without success (also for many months). And now I use caffeine hair loss products, such as shampoos and hair lotions. No noticeable success, of course there is the psychological addition now, with the idea that perhaps without using this stuff, the hair loss would be faster!
If Accutate really did trigger my hair problem, as i believe it did, and have believed this for years, It is a terrible thing. I only took it in the first place because my self-esteem was very low due to my very severe acne. And so now i have exchanged one physical appearance problem for another.
I just thought i would let you guys know what you are suffering from… Alot of derms keep this covered up as the actual treatment of the type of hairloss accutane induces is very hard to manage….
But anyway the type of hairloss that you are all suffering from is diffuse alopecia areata. I have had it for two years since i stopped accutane, it began one month after finishing.
I shed hair over my entire head and at one point was losing alot of body hair eyelashes, eyebrows etc.
my dermatologist is the top in the UK he has me using topical steroids to supress the inflammation. My hair has held up well, i only have about 3/4 of an inch of recession at the temples and about 30% less density than i used to have, maybe 40% less.
I personally can’t use minoxidil but if you combine minoxidil with the topical steroids the results are very impressive, i used the combo for a few months and regrew alot of hair on the hairline. I had to stop the minoxidil though.
There are other options such as sulfazaline, other systemic potent anti inflammatories and even things such as cyclosporin which will likely restore most of your hair, which can then be maintained with the topical steroids as i do.
Anyway you have options, do your research.
I DEFINITELy started losing my hair immediately after taking the accutane treatment (which I took when I was 15)…I struggled with hair loss resulting from the accutane for 4 1/2 years after that—tried Rogaine, which didn’t do much.
FINALLY, when I was a freshman in college and my hairloss was getting EXCESSIVELY WORSE, I went and saw a Physician/doctor who specializes in diets. He put me on:
*SAW PALMETTO EXTRACT, a good multivitamin, grapenol extract, fish oil pills, and *ADRENAL SUPPLEMENTS phytisone (the * ones are the supplements that I think are most responsible for regrowth)
I have experienced results like NO OTHER! I have been on this combination of supplements for about 4 1/2 months and I am almost back to a normal looking hairline! And before this, my hairline had been about 40% lost
I know now FOR SURE that at least SOME Accutane hair-loss sufferers out there can regrow at LEAST SOME of their hair, so I’m just praying that it continues the way it has been.
So another option is to try talking to a physician about those two supplements in particular:
SAW PALMETTO extract, PHYTISONE Adrenal Supplements (Thorne is the company that makes mine)
in addition to:
Fish Oil extract pills, a good multivitamin, zinc vitamin, grapenol extract
Especially for those without MPB (which my family never gets until their late 50’s), this might be a combination to at least try for 6 months.
i took accutane for about six months and during that time my hairline receded in the corners of the hairline only…..now the remaining hair in my hairline is all dry and crispy when i touch it….no doubt is that due to accutane as it stops your hair making oil i heard????? ive been off it for about a year now and i dont think its got any worse, or better for that matter, and i have my dads thick curly black hair and he is not bald or receding! GUTTED! scribble back! x
It’s a scam. The acne comes back. They should be telling people to stop drinking milk.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acne
Wish I’d known it as a teenager. Still have long thin hair at 39 but my dad had hair this thick in his 60’s.
My acne came back in a few years but the hair never did.
Just don’t take it.
I took accutane 16 years ago when I was 23 and lost my hair in gobs. It has gotten worse throughout the years. I slso suffer from really dry skin and dry eyes from this horrible medication. It has aged me quite a bit. I wish I had never taken it!!! It’s really depressing and no one can help you get your hair back!!! I wonder if people like me who have been on the medication, don’t feel that the company of Accutane should compensate us for our health??? Does anyone else feel that way? If so, shouldn’t we do something about it?
Please send me your comments.
Was prescribed roaccutane when I was around 20-21 years old, I a now 33 years old.
Within 1 year my hair had started thinning quite noticeable, within 2 years I was shaving off my hair.
To make matters worse, I think I was mis-prescribed accutane, as I suffered from Pytorosporum Folliculitis and if I remember correctly, it made no difference at all.
Luckily I have accepted it from day one and it does not bother me too much, although I do wonder what it would be like to have a full head of hair.
What makes me mad is the above, that I have suffered this when really I don’t think I should have been given this drug.
I was hoping that there was some way that they could start the growth again in those that it wasn’t hereditary (which I am not, as no one in my family is bald), but doesn’t look like it.
I was prescribed roaccutane too. I was completely unaware about its side effects related to permanent hair loss. I only took it for 2 weeks. Within 10 days of taking it I noticed increased hair shedding from the scalp. I also noted increased shedding of my eyebrows and eyelashes! I called up the dermatologist and was told that this was only a temporary effect and that my hair would recover, so I carried on taking it. Day 14 I had had enough! I couldn’t watch it destroy my body anymore. I decided to stop taking it. I am still feeling the aftermath of this horrible medication! My acne flared up BADLY post treatment and the hair loss has continued. My once beautiful hair now just sheds and sheds on a daily basis, I really think it’s just all going to disappear soon. I’m only 30 and I can honestly say I believe this drug has destroyed my life! I am not the same person. I have awful skin AND now thinning hair too. Eyebrows and eyelashes still haven’t recovered either! It’s been nearly 7 months. I think I will look into the SAW PALMETTO extract…
Any other sugestions anyone? Please help!
sara..I have experienced the same exact thing. I was only on accutane for only a week and half. Hair started coming out everywere. My eyebrow and eyelashes the most. The nurse told me it was impossible for it to be coming out from being on the medicine for only such a short period. I continued for only one more day and stoped becasue i could not take the hair just falling out. I have been off of it for a week and a half and my eyebrows are thinning and thinning. It just wont stop. I am so scared that i is not going to stop and no one can give me an answer. I need help!!
Danielle,
I am so sorry to hear about your hair loss. Unfortunately, the medical profession refuses to acknowledge that roaccutane can have such devastating consequences. I have been off it now 9 months and I am still experiencing the hair loss. With respect to hair loss from the eyebrows and eyelashes, it has continued although I am informed by many that is is not noticable. However, for a person to be losing up to 5-8 eyelash hairs from one eye each day is not normal! My eyebrows have thinned, yes so I am forced to pencil them in from time to time.
I am seeing a hair specialist next week to address the scalp hair loss issue. Will keep you posted.
Also, I’m seeing the dermatologist nexk week, I’m going to give him a right mouthful - up until now I’ve kept my cool but now I’m sick of him taking me for a fool!
Sara, glad you wrote back. I am continuing to have the same hair loss. I got cortisone shots in my eyebrows by my derm. Seemed to help a little but they are still falling out. Still 4-5 eyebrow hairs a falling out a day. Do you notice the ones that fall out grow back?? Its to early for me to tell. Also i have been told by other people that it is not noticable. I also have to pencil them in as well. I just started taking latisse so well see how that goes. I have been using it on my eyebrows too. I got refered to a specialist and waiting to hear when my appointment will be. Keep in touch. Hope your app. goes well
Hi Danielle,
Yes, they do grow back, at least they do for me. I hope they do for you too. Let me know how the Latisse goes. The derm has had another complaint from a patient with similar hair loss issues. The department have reported roaccutane to the medicines complaint board / commision. I have been told to use minoxidil for my scalp, am not sure if I will pursue this route yet. Looking into taking saw palmetto first.
Had more blood tests today - usual stuff, iron, thyroid, zinc, testosterone etc etc
Looking into White Cliffs hair replacement therapy - sounds positive.
I was wondering if anyone has had a full blood count after taking the roaccutane? Could we be experiencing this random hair loss as a result of immunodeficiency??
Hi sara..I have been off accutane for 3 weeks. The only hair loss im really noticing is still my eyebrows a few a day. Still a few a day and no regrowth. My derm gave me cortosone shots in my eyebrows and said it would help hair grow back. Nothing really yet. My eyelashes seem to be fine. The latisse seems to be working already on them if it is possible. It has only been two weeks but it seems to be working. Not on my brows tho yet. My hair seems to be fine as well. Maybe a few extra here and there but for most part just my eyebrows. Very strange and fustrating. I would start taking Biotin. I take super streanth. I have noticed that everything else is growing besides my eyebrows so maybe it will work for you. I take 7500 mcg a day. It works wonders. I really hope you recover from your hair loss. It really is so sad that this medicine does this and no one has an answer for you. No one should even take this medicine. Keep im touch. Please let me know how it goes.
Hi Danielle,
Thanks for the info. I have read that accutane users can experience hair loss due to chronic biotin deficiency. And yes, only taking super strength can correct it. Biotin deficiency is known to cause hair loss and depression.
Have you consulted the derm about taking the biotin supplement you are on? Is it safe to take such high concentrations?
I have started taking saw palmetto and a B vitamin complex, wil give it a month or two to assess the results. I would like to start taking biotin in a higher dose given that you and others have experienced its positive effects, but am apprehensive given that it is such a high concentration. I imagine it’s fine given that biotin is water soluble so won’t stay in your body for long before it is excreted.
You stay in touch too - I hope both of us can put our heads together to crack this mystery!
Hi Dannielle,
Just wrote you an essay but the computer lost it!
Ok, in brief, I have read that accutane users can suffer from chronic Biotin deficiency, which in turn causes hair loss and depression. And yes, to correct for this, high concentrations of biotin need to be taken. Just a bit apprehensive about doing this given the dose you have to take. Have you consulted the derm about your intake?
I am glad it is working for you!
I have started taking saw palmetto and a b vitamin complex….will give it a month or two to assess its impact.
I would like to start taking biotin given the success you have had and am getting a professional to look into this.
You stay in touch too, together we have to crack this mystery!
Best wishes,
Sara
Hey Sara,
How are you doing. Yes I did talk to my doctor about taking the biotin and he said that it was fine. It is super strength but it is fine. I felt like i needed it after the accutane because the amount of hair that was falling out of my eyebrows. It seems to be working. Also the latisse seems to be working as well. I was so worried that my eyebrow hairs were not gonna grow back but there are some that are coming through so I feel better about that. I hope that the saw palmetto and the b vitamin works for you. My friend has alopecia and at one point he hardly had no hair on his head. He uses two kinds of oils one is jojoba oil and rosemary oil. Mix it in a bottle that you would apply on your roots of your hair and you leave it on over night. Massage into your scalp it will help promote growth. I also have tried it. I do it once or twice a week. My friend now has a full head of hair. I mean it could be a combinations of different things, but the oils promote growth so give it a try. Keep it touch . Good luck!!
Still losing sheds of hair - really think I’m going to go bald in a few months may be a year…..
Still losing eyelash and eyebrow hair also
I will say this again, Accutane / Roaccutane has destroyed me, and as a result my life! This is NOT a medicine, it’s poison!
Hello all,
I wanted to share my experience, but must warn that it does not come with a fairytale ending. It has been two years since I took Accutane and my hair loss is continuing. My once thick and beautiful hair is now cut short so that (I hope) the change in its texture will be less noticeable.
Accutane not only thinned my hair, but changed its texture and appearance. I too am using essential oils on the scalp (this is a recent endeavor so I cannot comment on its success/failure). I will be seeing a dermatologist soon and will certainly share her views. Unfortunately, my General Practicioner had very little to say about the problem and seemed to think it was something I would simply have to deal with.
I must say that I would never have traded one cosmetic nightmare for another….heartbroken about it.
I lost my hair, but it came back, thanks to Propecia.
I have a theory:
The sebaceous cells that produce sebum also metabolize androgens such as DHT. What if Accutane, by shrinking the sebaceous glands, eliminates the mechanism that eliminates DHT from the skin? What if Accutane hair loss is actually an acute and sudden onset of androgenetic alopecia? Maybe that’s why it looks like pattern baldness.
All I know is that I shed a lot of hair at the end of my fifth month of Accutane. And I spent a lot of time denying that it had to do with androgens. That was time wasted. I finally went on Propecia, and now - two years later - I have most of my hair back.