Adrenal Gland and Hair Cycling

I have a follow-up question to your Dec. 5th entry entitled “Olux Foam and Dandruff”. I was wondering if the use of the topical steroids to treat psoriasis affects your hair loss. Like, does impacting your adrenal gland as you describe change the way your hair cycles? Can these foams do anything to your hair follicles?

Steroids can get absorbed through skin if being used on a large area of body surface, or if they are used with occlusive dressings. In these situations, the blood steroid level may go up and it will cause suppression of the adrenal gland. Steroids that are being used for autoimmune diseases like psoriasis shouldn’t affect the hair growth cycle if used conservatively and topically. On the other hand, anabolic steroids (another group of steroids), which are being used for muscle building, will increase speed of male pattern baldness. When too much of the steroids are used, hair loss might occur.