Female Hair Loss After Steroid Shots to Scalp

Hi Doctor,

I see that you replied to another curious Jane that steriod shots to the scalp exacerbated hair loss in one of your patients. I have recently had such shots injected and have noticed an abnormal influx in hair loss near injection sites. Will this loss be potentially recovered or is it permanent?

Thank you!

Injection of steroids is not one of the proven treatment methods for treatment of male or female pattern baldness. The only indication for treating hair loss with steroid injections is in the treatment of autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata, in which the patient has patchy hair loss in the scalp and other hairy areas of the body. I have seen too many patients that lost hair in and around the area of steroid injections. Hair loss could be permanent in some of these cases.