Accutane Hair Loss is Permanent?
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!
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 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
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’ve used Roaccutane and Zoretanin (they both are same witm Accutane) for totally 6 months. Now after 7 months my hair thin. Everybody told me that I’ve lost hair. I don’t know what will happen next. If I knew that such thing will happen I would not use acne pills. And, yea, my hair was very good about 1.5 year ago.
I really feel for the people here who are suffering with hair loss from accutane.
I took 80mg/day for 6 months (accutane and generic sotret). The only side effects I had were dry eyes, lips, skin, scalp, etc, and a rash on the backs of my hands.
I do still have problems wearing contact lenses during even a short nap. I sometimes fall asleep with them in and wake up with bloodshot dry eyes.
Other than that, I was pretty happy with my ‘tane experience. I wish everyone good luck and hope they find a good treatment for the hair loss. :)
I was on accutane for 5 months n didn’t notice any hair loss but after I stopped using it I started noticing hair loss n it kept getting worse day by day. My scalp burns n it’s really dry. I stopped using accutane 1 1/2 now n I’m still losing hair.. I used to have thick beautiful hair.. I notice the hair thats growing back is thin n brittle n also a lighter color.. Some ppl say that the hair will grow back some say it wont… Is there anyone that experienced hair loss from that their hair actually grew back??
Your dermatologist will downplay the side effect of thinning hair. Do not let them pretend it does not exist. It happened to me and my hair was really really thick. It just thinned on the top in no pattern whatsoever.
Took roaccutane since december 2009, it was a six months course. I recently took the pain in counting the strands of hair that fell out each day. And believe me when i say the count was more than 70. This may seem nothing as it is general knowledge that a person sheds between 50 to 100 hairs a day. But for someone who barely sheds more than 10 per day, it was definitely shocking to me. And recently i went for rebonding treatment, on top of my hairs, i see a LOT of new hairs.. I sincerely hope it means they’re growing back, and good luck to you all.
I am still suffering hair loss – head hair and brow hair – I only took the drug for 2 weeks – if this is what it can do – it shouldn’t be on the market.
Was wondering how Danielle was getting on these days?
Suicidal, I feel your pain, like I said I only took the drug for a very short period and yet a year and a half on still experiencing the aftermath! It is poison! Hang in there, have you tried hair pieces or extensions?
I’ve been on Accutane for about 3 months now. I noticed my hair falling out about a month into the treatment. So I started doing coconut oil treatments, olive oil treatments, protein treatments, and so far my hair thinning has stopped. Whether or not it’s actually stopped my hair from thinning I will find out.
But quite honestly I haven’t had any hair thinning since I started doing those hair treatments.
Can anyone tell me if that’s stupid?
:/
I took Accutane for about a year at 17 years old and another course at 20 years old. I noticed a very slight hair loss and attributed it to the beta blocker I was taking at the time. My hairloss accelerated within that time, but not to anything horrible, just an annoyance. I had some small regrowth hairs at all times, not so many that it bothered me. I was off the accutane for 3 years, and during those 3 years my hairloss accelerated. I constantly had all these tiny regrowth hairs on the top of my head that stuck up. At 23 I started another course of Accutane and completed 2.5 courses. My hairloss became TERRIBLE. Luckily my hair grows very very fast so I didn’t have any bald patches (except thinning around my hairline), but TONS of regrowth that stood up all over the place. It was very embarassing, always looked like I didn’t brush my hair, even my 1 and 2″ little hairs were falling out, and my hair was growing in very VERY thin in the width of the strand, brittle, and curly! Previously I have always had stick straight hair. I stopped the half cycle of Accutane in January 2011 and have been off of it for 4 months now. I also stopped my birth control The Nuva Ring which had androgens in it. Both the accutane and the nuva ring together have really done a number on my hair. I can’t wear my hair down because of all the kinky curly regrowth..it’s not pretty curly, it’s literally zig zag kinked. I have hundreds of short 1/2″ to 1″ hairs on the top of my head that stand straight up. I am concerned this will never get better. When i was off the accutane for 3 years, my hairloss continued and got worse instead of getting better. I had beautiful hair before, long past my waste, and while I had good skin from the accutane, I worked as a fashion model. Now I am embarrassed to wear my hair down as I look like a scar crow and have my hair chopped off at a shoulder length cut because it is thin. I always wear it pulled back because I CAN’T wear it down because of the short hairs on top. I don’t have bald spots, and my hair DOES grow in quickly (it has always grown very quickly), but the regrowth is a CONSTANT problem and I look unkempt no matter what I do. Hairspray does nothing. Worse yet, accutane didn’t solve my acne after going off of it. Due to my hairloss continuing and worsening during those 3 years off of accutane, I don’t feel that this will get any better or resolve. I wish i had drawn the connection between the two sooner.
I’ll post a picture tomorrow via a photobucket link of what this has done to my hair and the stand-up hairs on top. I know it’s only hair, but hair can be a big deal…you’re supposed to have it!
I took accutane at 14!! This was in 1991.As I remember I often forget to take it and never took the full dosage but it cleared acne ok. I had long hair at the time thick blonde longish hair.I noticed it started to thin then when I stopped taking it then it kind of thickened a bit.But never the same.When I went to the barber at 17 he told me ive got thinning hair.But at 14 same barber he liked my hair and commented how thick it was.I never thought anything about it.I then got my hair cut short at 18.Then in my 20’s I noticed slight receding.Then at 28 I started to go bald.But ever since taking it at 14 although my hair didn’t fall out it thinned my scalp and it never repaired.I am now 35 and believe this drug caused irreversible damage to my scalp that although with age I still may have had slight thinning hair, no where near this much.As no one in my family ever had slight baldness until late 50’s.This has destroyed my life and even the acne clearing up didn’t improve it any at the time it didn’t even really matter.
Hi everyone!
I started taking accutane 40mg a day beginning of December 2011. Within the first three weeks my hair started falling out quite a bit. It’s now a little more than 8 weeks into it and the hair shedding has gone down to about 15 hairs a day( tolerable) but my eyelashes are alot thinner as with my eyebrows.
I have now stocked up on my vitamins: biotin, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, iron and a multivitamin. When I feel my scalp is dry I massage it with extra pure virgin olive oil and live in it over night. Use a moisturing shampoo and conditioner. I can actually go now about a week without washing my hair and dont wash it unless its somewhat oily. lol.
Make sure you have your supplements on hand and take it early into the treatment to prevent hair loss. It
Opps. I was cut off.
I was saying that this combination really works! Another thing is scalp treatments when your scalp is dry. I use nioxin level 4. So far, its working. A healthy scalp means healthy hair. You can combat these awful hair loss side effects! I refuse to lose anymore hair!
Good luck to you all!
Caros, Canada.
Hi..I’m a 20 yrs old female. I took accutane last year for 6 months (20 mg daily for first 3 months, then 40 mg daily for next 3 months). I experienced hair loss during the fifth month of the treatment. The hair loss was diffuse. I didn’t get any bald patches, just noticed hair loss on my pillow and when I washed my hair. It’s now been around 7 months since I stopped taking accutane and hair loss has stopped. I did not experience any thinning, only hair loss. My hair is now back to normal and didn’t stop growing since last year. Like you, I have been reading A LOT of horror stories about how some people didn’t get their hair back, but I promised myself to let people know if my hair eventually gets back to normal because many people don’t return to the forums when the hair loss stops. I haven’t taken any vitamins or supplements. I just waited. :)
when i was 17 i took accutane for almost a year.
Today 22 i have a serious hair loss problem which i am trying to solve with minoxidil but i can tell you this drug made me happy for a couple of years but probably sad my whole life.
Artificial medicine such as ‘accutane/isostretinoin’ destroys millions of lives due to its damaging long term side effects – hair loss, hair thinning, split ends, hair dryness. Yes it did treat acne (temporarily) but is not safe to say it treat acne, healthy diet and herbal medicine is actually the right path to healthy skin. Shortcut is not always a good choice, it comes with a risk.
Life would be perfect if artificial medicine has no side effects, should do the job as stated. Unfortunately after many years living the life with accutane side effects I hate to admit, life is just really unfair.
Most people say ‘everything happens for a reason’ no it doesn’t have to be that way, we are not destined, this is not fate, this is not punishment from god. This was in fact an impulsive decision. I made a silly regretful choice. We can’t go the past, we learn to accept what we have and now it is up to us to fix it.
I learnt to live with it, learnt to conquer depression, learnt to be in control and not let the body drain the mind.
I feel the pain for those who had taken accutane, especially for the girls, hair loss is not something you would like to have as a negative side effect.
The good news is present and about: Lots of people is talking about natural biotin has helped their hair regrow and repair the damages. I havn’t taken it yet as I am drinking herbal medicine to detox my liver first. My internal body feels dry let alone my hair. There’s herbal pills if taken over period of time can help fix hair loss.
See a herbalist, give that a try, its worth trying than giving up, your not the only one, many thousands are suffering so stay strong, eat healthily, learn about vitamins, minerals, herbs, and health related subject very handy. If you were reading this, I hope this have helped you broaden your knowledge and increase your self esteem.
I am still experiencing hair loss / thinning. I only took the drug for a very short time compared to how long I was prescribed it for. It’s now 2.5 years on and I am stil suffering. My eyelashes and eyebrow hairs still fall out lots – I often have missing patches in my eyeborws. My advice is to all of you who are considering going on this drug – DON’T. My acne cleared up itself but it has taken years. I still get the occasional spot but I’m very careful with my skin these days so breakouts are rare. I don’t think it’s fair for people to blame themselves for going onto this medication. I blame the physicians for not considering the pros V the cons. I was not told about hair loss as a side effect. When I mentioned it on a later occasion after doing my own research I was told it was rare and that hair would recover! A BIG LIE!!! Now I have to deal with the consequences everyday,it’s mentally draining!
Hi everyone.
Firstly, I think it’s terrible that Sarah took this for just 2 weeks and ended up getting the long-term side effects of this drug. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard of it happeneing though.
I took Roaccutane in 2005 and over the last six years have watched my health decline. The latest is (about 10-15)grey/white hairs and receding gums. I’m 21. This is mental.
I am actually taking part in a documentary about Acne and Accutane. It will be a BBC3 documentary. Meeting up with a couple of people from a TV company on Thursday. I will do everything I can to ruin the reputation of this drug. I will also provide us with a cry for help, and if at all possible start an organisation.
Hair loss is terrible – I have it too.
But I have countless other health problems because of this drug. Depression and anxiety (that I used to think were something I could control, but clearly accutane messes you up in all sorts of ways), sexual dysfunction, digestive problems, dry eyes and mouth, feeling dehydrated in general, lack of energy.. Loads of stuff.
I have a youtube channel (www.youtube.com/FireYourDoctor) and am doing videos about Accutane. I really want to get other people on board. This drug and it’s makers are terrible. The FDA approved a chemotherapy drug for acne. Some of you may not even know that. Accutane was invented for cancer – not acne. Some cancer patients’ acne cleared up while on the drug. They claim it stops sebum production. Clearly, it wasn’t designed to do that. Sebum is meant to be there. This drug seems to be capable of anything and it’s worrying that it can carry on affecting someone after treatment. Some people don’t get hit with the side effects until a year or so after stopping this drug.
I know things like Receding Gums sound irrelevant, but I take very good care of my teeth, eat the right things, only drink water… And also, I know other people have had this problem after accutane.
I have tried so many things, including Biotin (though not at 5000mcg+ a day).
You can follow me on https://accutaned.wordpress.com as I will be documenting any progress there. I’ve recently tried using an infrared sauna daily for 3 weeks, in the hope that it’d detox accutane from my body (as many believe it is fat soluble and stored in the fat)… Well, unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be helping. I am quite close to giving up on my life, except I don’t want these B*stards (FDA/Roche/The greedy medical industry) taking EVERYTHING from me.
If you guys go over to the acne.org forums and find the Accutane threads, you’ll see a popular topic ‘Repairing the long-term damage from accutane’ which I started last year. There is no cure yet… I started a conversation to find a cure. Some of you may want to join in over there.. It’s getting a fair few comments and has some interesting thoughts.
I’m pretty sure we ALL (myself for sure, because I’ve had tests) have a problem with our adrenals and thyroid. This can lead to hair-loss too. I may try the adrenal supplement Phytisone to help. For now, I don’t have any spare money though, and I said to myself ‘I’ll lay off supplements for a while’ because I’ve spent thousands of pounds and got nowhere for it.
Anyway, hope this gives you some food for thoughts. The fact that this drug can cause problems after treatment is very interesting. 2 weeks leading to long-term hair loss (and other issues) proves how dangerous this drug is.
Help me expose it, and maybe make your own Youtube videos about this?
Stefan
HI Everyone,
Im in Australia.
I came off the drug 1.5 years ago,I was on it for 9 months approx. About 3 months after finishing it, I started losing hair like crazy.
I saw another derm who said – yes, it was TE triggered by Roaccutane, but it would most definetly lessen as my body adjusted back to normal, but here I am in May 2012 1.5 years down the road still waiting for it to stop. I had a long thick head of hair and now it is a limp, lifless mop I cant hardly bare to look at it, Ive been tying it up the whole time and am absolutely devestated. As a woman you value your appearance more than anything, which is exactly why I went on the drug in the first place, my acne was never bad – just a few breakouts now & then. Roaccutane seemed like the magic pill that would give me the perfect skin I desired & I have never regretted any decision Ive made more than this.
I have been patient, and proactive have taken – and continue to take a huge variety of supplements, drink massive amount of water and looked at every possibility iron deficiency, thyroid etc and still no closer to an answer.
It seems this is just a waiting game- either way we all lose, we chose this to increase our confidence in our appearance only to trade it for ( in my opinion) a far worse cosmetic issue and for others a life long battle with chronic ilness.
I am depserate to find an answer but on each blog, or thread or forum it only appears we are all crying out for help from each other. Stefan – I recognise you from Ance.org, your youtube vids and a few other places, I am glad you are such a loud voice amongst this community of sufferers, I am not a member of any of these sites- I considered it like giving in instead of fighting to regain myself and my identity, but I just wanted to speak out and let you all know that I am yet another life thats been affected ( hopefully not for too long!!) by this awful poison,I cant believe the medical community still dispenses this poision, readily placing it in the hands of those who otherwise would have grown out of hormonal acne or sought another ( much less permanatley scarring) avenue of treating it.
Stay Strong.
I am writing this because after the gut-wrenching months I have experienced I thought maybe someone else may benefit from this ordeal. Every time I went online all I saw were HORROR stories. Even though my doctor assured me this was reversible and temporary, no one was posting solutions or follow-ups indicating that the hair loss had been resolved. I found this scary and disheartening. So, I tried to be hopeful that my hair would get back to normal and vowed that if it did, I would post the information so that others can read it, maybe use it, but above all, find a ray of hope. I hope it helps! And, please remember to consult with your physician before trying anything you read here.
Facts:
1) My hair is close to African-American hair. It is very curly and fine, and it is very dry. Just a bit less coarse and more manageable. I had a lot, lot of hair and it was pretty long (waist-length). I’m Puerto Rican, if that helps. My hair was pretty healthy; I do not color and only use a very mild (olive oil) relaxer in roots for about 10 minutes, every 3 months. I do not use hair dryers or tools.
2) I am 5’8 and approximately 133 lbs. I am a 38 year old female. I have a pretty healthy diet. Eat fruits, veggies, meat, etc, regularly, but definitely do not follow the “2 servings of these or that per day.” I am not a health nut, I eat what I want, but do try to have a good balance per week. I also exercise 4-5 days a week.
3) My acne was fairly mild before I started accutane. However, I had some recurring, cystic acne that was not going away and seemed to be getting worse.
4) I had tried pretty much everything on the market, prescribed medication from dermatologists and natural remedies, such as apple-cider vinegar, etc.
5) Was on accutane for 8 months starting at a 10mg dose for the first 2 months, and then increasing it gradually up to 60mg/day, which is my recommended dose. I was due to reach my cumulative dose on October 30th.
6) Some time towards the end of September, about a week after I went to 60mg (from 40mg), I started noticing a lot of breakage. Since I was never told that hair loss was a potential side effect, I did not correlate it to the accutane until weeks later.
Story:
About 3 weeks into this mess it occurred to me that it may be related to the accutane. So, I went online and started reading all the HORROR stories. I freaked out! The more I read the more upset I got, and then every time I washed my hair, clumps came out. Also, the texture of my hair changed considerably. My hair became coarser and brittle. In between the first two major episodes, the hair loss was slightly more than normal. But in the second episode I had enough hair to fill up my palm. And, I had several small bald spots where you could see my scalp. I was horrified! My hair was pretty healthy and I have never had an issue with hair loss in my entire life. I spoke with my doctor and she indicated that yes, this was a possible side-effect of the accutane. She explained that it is completely reversible, but that it takes about 3-6 months for the hair loss to stop, based on normal hair-growth cycle; and, another 3 months for the hair to begin growing normally. I was horrified. I thought, in 3 months all my hair will be gone! I will spare you the gory details on how upset I got. I actually believe I had my first anxiety attack ever! I was pretty depressed and terrified. I also felt stupid! For putting myself through this when my acne wasn’t that bad in the first place. So, I started searching for options/solutions online hoping to come up with something that would speed up the entire process. And, that would restore me to my actual, real self… hair and all.
What I purchased:
I tried various products including NuHair Regrowth kit and various other options for a couple of weeks. Could not tell if they were working or not, but ultimately, I decided to got with as little as possible as described below. Most of these items I have used regularly in the past few years.
1) Conair Shower Comb (wide-tooth with almost ¼ inch space between)
Has wider teeth than my regular comb and I thought it would help minimize the breakage/pulling during detangling
2) Pantene Restore Beautiful Lengths Shampoo
3) Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recover Hair Mask
4) Infusion 23 (Repair & Renew) Leave-in Treatment
5) Organic Jojoba Oil
I purchased a few months prior after reading about it from acne.org when (ironically) preparing for my post-accutane days. It was mentioned as helpful for acne and I then found out it was great for skin, hair, scalp, etc.
6) Organic Virgin Coconut Oil (mostly for curly to kinky hair)
7) Horsetail capsules (400m)
8) Biotin capsules (5000 mcg per day)
9) silk scarf
What I did:
The regimen below is what I did from month 2 through 8.
1) I washed my hair only once a week at the beginning. Then, only once every 2 weeks because the stress of the hair washing was taking a severe emotional toll on me. I was very gentle with the shampoo and used warm/cool water. I did not dry my hair with a towel. I just squeezed out excess water and soaked it in Infusion 23. Applied the Neutrogena conditioner. Then detangled with comb slowly and gently and let it air dry.
2) Took 5000 mcg (5mg) of biotin daily. And, 2 or 3 capsules of Horsetail daily.
3) I tried very hard not to touch my hair or put it up or pull it in any way. Was careful when putting sweaters on and taking them off, etc. Because my hair is long I used an octopus clip or pins to keep my hair up when cooking, going to gym, etc. Putting it up in pony tail or bun pulled. At home, I usually had it down or pulled back from my face using light headbands.
4) I used the silk scarf when sleeping, but I found it easier to wrap it around my pillow than to sleep with it on my head.
5) The coconut oil I purchased because I have curly hair and once the new growth started coming in, it was coming in curlier and kinkier than usual. So, I sometimes used a tiny bit to try and tame the kink. In month 3, I started applying a bit of coconut oil to the scalp the night before hair-washing because I read it helps strengthen new hair. I used the jojoba oil on my hair and scalp and hair once every few weeks.
6) After the initial month or so of depression, I tried to get back to my normal routine. Started going to gym again, meditating, and trying to rise above this mess. Believe me, I know it’s hard. I felt, “If one more person says don’t stress about it, I am going to slap them!” I am not a patient person, so this waiting game did take a toll on me.
I don’t know how much of this helped or how much was my natural hair growth cycle. If nothing else it will give you an idea of what worked for me. And, like I said at the start, it will present an alternate outcome to all the discouraging horror stories online.
I am now at 7 months since stopping accutane and my hair is on its way to normalcy. Re-growing is hard because the hair is growing kinkier and curlier than it was before, so I am just trying to let it grow a bit longer and stronger before I try anything else. But, the shedding is minimal and it is growing back (approx. 5 inches) and getting stronger. I’m looking forward to the one year mark when I hope my hair will be completely back to normal.
*** I also found out later via blogs that L-arginine supplements and black tea hair rinses can be of great help. I am using them now, but my hair was already on its way back when I started them.
There are other products out there with great reviews such as NuHair, but I stuck with what I described above.
Best of luck!!
*** Important Note: I did find that the 2 times I had major hair loss, I had just introduced a new conditioner or shampoo in an attempt to contain the problem. I am not sure if it was the actual product or my hair reacting to something different. Either way, I went back to what had always worked for me. So, if you have routine products for strengthening/moisturizing your hair, you may want to stick with those.
My 2 cents worth – not a great prognosis for the long term!! I took Roaccutane for the first time in 1995 and a second course in 2000. I never really experienced a drastic hair-loss as some of the stories on this forum.
Over the last 7 years I have noticed a steady thinning in my hair, and have tried to figure out what the possible cause could be. I had my gal-bladder removed, I had a couple of pregnancies and health issues related to the pregnancies, but none of these could explain the gradual loss of hair – diffuse thinning all over the scalp, and texture that has become brittle. I have had to get used to the “scare-crow” look! I have had a full battery of tests done recently (thyroid, hormones etc) and all came back normal.
So seems that Roaccutane is indeed to blame!! I am now 38 years old, and have tried everything and every product under the sun to try and regain the hair that I have lost – to no avail. Wish I was a guy so that I could just shave off what I have left! Can not ever wear hair extensions as my hair is too thin to keep the clips in place :(
I’ve been on Accutane 3 times and am about to go on a 4th dosage. This is actually the first time I’m hearing about possible hair loss with Accutane. I never experienced any, and if I did it certainly wasn’t noticeable enough for me to realize.
I do feel really awful for those of you that have experienced hair loss, but I wanted to put in my story as well. I have suffered from acne for 14 years. I tried absolutely everything before going on Accutane. Accutane was the only medication that got rid of it, unfortunately the effects seemed to wear off, so my doctor has put me on a maintenance dose starting at 10mg/day and hopefully ending at about 10mg per week, which I will maintain indefinitely.
The only side effects I experienced was dry skin, hair, eyes and lips. My cholesterol also went up. I was able to easily manage my side effects by using a heavy duty moisturizer and watching my diet, which had the added benefit of losing a few pounds!
I just wanted to put this out there to let people know that not everyone experiences hair loss, and sometimes Accutane really does pay off. I love it when my skin is clear and beautiful. I just started on my 10mg/day dosage not long ago and already I see the benefits.
Hi I am a 31 year old male who went in accutane at 22. Like most people here I had the thickest curliest hair imagineable and took it for granted. Accutane was the miracle pill that would cure what destroying my confidance and therefore life. About 4 months into my treatment when my dosage had been upped to 80mg day, for the first time I could see my scalp when I gelled my hair. It continually got worse even after I stopped a month later a few weeks early due to other side effects such as severly thinned skin, fatigue, bad ingrown finger and toe nails from such thin skin, sore joints to name a few. Funny thing is all those things subsided and eventually went away within a year, the hairloss of course didn’t. Went to my derm about 6 months later freaking out, he very casually said not to worry, it will grow back within a year. I got on flaxseed oil and that seemed to help for quite a while and my hair even seemed for a few months to getting better, but it didn’t last. It was really noticeably thin at the front and the temples, also down the bottom at the back and sides, it stayed like this for 3 to 4 years, over the last 4 years it has spread all over and now has the classic horse shoe pattern, very thin on top. can’t imagine what women must go through with this as I keep it very short, down to a number 1. No one in my family is bald, my father is 65 and has a full head of hair. I’ve got friends who went on accutane and haven’t lost any hair and others who have gone more bald naturally by now. It was really hard in my early to mid 20s as a I was the odd man out in my group, but now past 30 at least half of my friends have the same or less hair than me. The reason why I’m writing this is that I’m upset with my younger naive, appearence obsessed self making a rash, impulsive decision, instead of fixing my diet which was poor and just growing out of the acne. I’m going to try some saw palmetto and biotin after reading this forum, but its probably too late. To any males under 30 getting depressed and sad for the loss of your hair, it does get a bit easier when your friends start loosing it naturally and your are the norm and not the exception. It does anger me knowing 100% that i would still have my hair and if I could go back I never would have touched the stuff. Its poison!
How is your hair now? My hair was so thick and 6 months off the accutane my hair is still so thin :(
Good day,
I was on Accutane in 2009, suffered severe hair loss, and started research. I found a great shampoo called “IHT9”, it is from an Indian Company called Lass Naturals. I started with the shampoo after being off Accutane for 4 months, 7 months later my hair looked great again. It is a bit expensive, but it is worth it!!!
did your hair ever go back to normal!!!
has anyone experience hair thinning for 8 months that returned to normal.
James
Hi
I am a female 21 yo and have had moderate acne until this last summer (2015), when i experienced severe cystic acne that got progressively worse. Since i had already been on antibiotics and topicals since 7th grade my derm put me on accutane. Ive been on it for 3 months, the first two months i was prescribed 30mg a day and this last month i went up to 60mg a day which i will stay at until im done with the course i have experienced just a small amount of thinning hair on top of my head in no particular pattern at to where it isnt worrisome. However i usually use a VERY good hair product and this last weekend I used regular dove shampoo/conditoner and a handful of hair fell out. Im posting on here to let you guys know what i do for my hair and what i will do in the future and i plan on writing back after my course of accutane is done regardless of hair loss progression or not.
I do not use ANY heat products on my hair
I use Shea Moisture hair products. They are sulfate free and all the ingredients are natural or organic. The ingredients are also readable if that makes sense. I have been using these products for a year now and my hair grew down to my waist which it never was able to do so before.Shea moisture is available at walmart, target, ulta, walgreens.
I use argan oil, sweet almond oil and coconut oil for moisture and nourishment.
I use a wide tooth comb to comb my hair and try to shower in cold/warm water.
I also reccommend a humidifier to help with moisture espeacially in winter.
I plan on using some of the supplements that have been listed in this blog and using
Natural eyelash remedy of Vitamin E, sweet almond oil, castor oil mixed. And natural eyebrow thickening remedy of rosemary oil, castor oil mixed. I also plan on putting 2 drops of rosemary oil into every 2 oz of my conditioner as i have read this helps hair regrowth.
I HIGHLY RECCOMMEND SHEA MOISTURE HAIR CARE PRODUCTS. so moisturizing for such dry times that accutane gives.
Ill write back with how well everything works!!
Wish the best for all of you
Vatricia
did anyone have their hair stop thinning eventually?
did anyone have post accutane hair thinning/loss for years that went away eventually?
The posts is rather important
I took Accutane for four months at age 22. My hair came out in clumps, like a cancer patient. It has NEVER come back. I am 38.
I have tried vitamins (even what I hoped would be the miracle cure listed above of a pre-natal, saw palmetto, zinc, grape seed, and Phytisone);shampoos; and laser therapy. Nothing worked.
I used to have a beautiful, thick MANE of hair, and ever since taking Accutane I have thin, stringy hair.
I MOURN the loss of my hair every single day. Still. As a woman, your hair is your crowning glory. To have beautiful hair and lose it is gut-wrenching. Like others have commented above, I would never have taken the Accutane had I known I’d lose my hair. I wouldn’t have traded one cosmetic nightmare for another. And I really do consider it a NIGHTMARE. The hair loss is so much worse than the acne. It just breaks my heart.