Roaccutane and hair loss

I am an 18 year old female with thinning hair. I have seen a local Derm who said there was no scarring on my scalp and no real skin issues associated with my hair loss. In 2004 I took a course of Roaccutane for acne and noticed some thinning after the course finished. I was told that this was a known side effect, but that the hair would grow back. It has been over four years!!! My hair is uniformly thinned out across the entire scalp. I have seen an Endocrinologist who says that there are no hormonal issues - my Testosterone levels are in the low end of the acceptability range. The hair loss is a BIG HUGE issue for me. What do I do to generate regrowth in the follicles obviously damaged by Roaccutane.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Hair loss caused by thinning hair cannot be cured, but several non-surgical treatment options are available. Rogaine brand hair treatment products, containing a minoxidil liquid solution, are available over-the-counter in versions formulated for both men and women. Men who suffer from thinning hair may have suitable results with the prescription medication finasteride, sold under the brand name Propecia. Corticosteroids injections, pills, or creams are sometimes prescribed for patients suffering from persistent hair loss that has not responded to other alternative treatments. These treatment methods require a commitment to continual use, however, since any improvement in thinning hair will be reversed after treatment is discontinued.

While the type of hair care products you use can make it easier to style your hair, products can’t slow or stop the hair loss process. However, poor quality shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids may cause hair breakage that can sometimes be mistaken for hair loss. If you’re bothered by thinning hair, switching to salon quality hair care products might be a worthwhile investment.

Hair transplants and scalp reduction surgery can be used to treat thinning hair. However, these treatments are expensive, painful, and carry serious risks. Most experts will only recommend surgery if other treatment methods have failed and you feel your thinning hair is having a substantial impact on your quality of life.

Regards.

[Kanar]

Im 23 year old male.... I used Roaccutane to treat my acne which was on my back only (they were like red spots)....(my face was clear,only oily).... so i used the product priscribed (prescribed) by a dermatologist.....and the disaster began...i lost half of my hair.....and that was within weeks....coz when i noticed that i stopped it immediatly...... i use it for one month only....now its been a year and till now  my hair is thin and no more thick....i used to have a nice long semi thick hair,that all my friends envy me....now i hate looking to the mirror.....i tried many natural products but with no benifet......really im so sad and dissapointed....and deppresed....it has affected my life and my self confidence.....though it stopped falling now.....but i have a dead hair....i feel its sick......so really this drug is ****...i hate it....and plz dont rush and use it unless u really had a bad degree of acne and the benefit of using it is much more than its side effect!!!!!!!!

[loiloi]

Roaccutane is a strong drug with many potential side effects, but this must be balanced agianst the fact that it your best hope of a long term remission from acne, when standard treatments have failed or relapse has occured when treatment is discontinued.
It is usually only prescribed for severe acne +++/++++ at risk of permanent scarring. It is usually only prescribed after the patient has tried two different oral antibiotics, and an anti-androgen contraceptive pill if the patient is female.
Accutane works by shrinking the sebaceous glands responsible for producing oil (sebum). Because hairs grow from the sebaceous glands they may also be effected. In the vast majority of cases this is only a temporary effect. Hair loss (alopecia) has been reported and more rarely a temporary increase in hair growth (hirsutism) can occur.
I have taken Accutane twice if anyone would like further information, please visit the acne forum.
Eloise.