Howdy Dr. R!

As a faithful reader of your excellent blog, I wanted to pass along some (hopefully) useful information to your readers. I have been taking Propecia for 6 months now and have been VERY pleased with the results. It has strengthened and increased the hairs on my crown and even some in the front hairline! About a month ago I noticed that my hair was becoming thinner, and I was seeing more hair come out in the shower, and seeing more scalp than normal. After looking into what might be causing this change, I realized that I had been taking Lorazepam on an almost nightly basis during this period. After realizing this, I stopped taking Lorazepam completely and saw an almost immediate return to healthier, thicker hair. I understand that many factors vary from one individual to the next, but I think people should be aware of the negative effects that I experienced with Lorazepam.

Thanks for your comments. Perhaps other people will have had similar results to report. Lorazepam (also known as Ativan) does list hair loss as a possible side effect. I’m not suggesting that readers discontinue any medication without consulting their prescribing doctor first.

Hi Dr.,
I have acne & a dermatologist keeps recommending accutane in a low dose (10mg) for about 20 weeks. I have rejected the idea cause Ive read enough to believe that it can cause hair loss, but Im wondering if the dosage matters, will taking a low dose like 10mg lessen the possibility of hair loss?

Thanks

Firstly, you need to discuss these issues with your doctor. How can you simply reject the plan set up by a doctor who has (1) seen you, (2) examined you, (3) established a relationship with you, and (4) recommended a treatment plan with you — and then expect me to advise otherwise?

Accutane (isotretinoin) can cause hair loss, just as other medications can cause hair loss. The most common cause of hair loss in men is genetic balding. You and your doctor should decide what is the cause of your hair loss and if Accutane is the focus of that cause, then you have decisions to make with your doctor under his/her guidance. You also need to consider why you are taking the medication and think of the risks versus the benefits.

I can’t answer your question, because I simply don’t know. I don’t prescribe Accutane and from what I’ve researched on it, there isn’t one certain amount of Accutane that can cause hair loss. Accutane doesn’t cause hair loss for everyone that uses it.

Hi Dr. Rassman,

Thank you for spending time answering many young mens’ questions about hair loss. This website shows how dedicated you are to your profession, as well as your ability to give advice. I was interested in your opinion on how often to use clobetasol propionate for my sebborheic dermatitis. I have had breakouts off and on for 6 years now, with recent flareups being particularly bad.

My dermatologist, who is very well-regarded, said that as long as I use the corticosteroid every other and NOT everyday that I will avoid hair loss from the drug, even if I use it for several weeks and months in a row. After using the corticosteriod for 10 weeks every other day, the scale has retreated, but my hair has thinned extensively in these places. I also have excessive hair loss when the scales flake off; usually there is a lot of hair attached in the scale, both long and small. My question basically is: Am I, in your opinion, using the potent corticosteroid too much, and since I generally lose a lot of hair from places that I get scalp scales, is this hair loss from the corticosteroid or from the dermatitis?

I am a 24 year old male with a Norwood Class 3V hair progression and have also been taking propecia for the last six months. In the last month my hair has thinned excessively in places where I had scale even though I have not used the corticosteroid much at all. The last month I used it everyday was November, and it began to thin excessively in March.

The chronic use of strong topical steroids (such as clobetasol) will cause hair loss. I wonder if your have psoriasis instead of sebborheic dermatitis, as that is what it sounds like to me, so ask your dermatologist about psoriasis. What you are asking me here is to render an opinion on your care for your treatment, something I can not do over the Internet.