Accutane Hair Loss

lazerking · Post by **lazerking** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:27 am

Hey Guys
I was on accutane for a around 6 months and during my treatment and before that I did not have any signs of hair loss, but about 3-4 months after stopping the treatment, My hair started to shed very rapidly, all over my head. I would say I have lost about 25% of what I had on 2 months. I've been looking around the net and it kind of seems like I have telogen effluvium.
Does anyone know of a way to find out if it is telogen effluvium or not?

Also, has anyone else had this happen to them, and did your hair come back?

Post by **HairLossFight.com** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:04 pm

Hello lazerking and welcome,

It is possible that hair loss from Telogen Effluvium will grow back if the underlying cause of the TE is eliminated. As to whether you have it or not, typically you can get an idea of whether you have it from the suddenness of the hair loss, and the increased quantity, but that is not a conclusive way of determining it. Ultimately you're going to have to see a specialist if you're really concerned about it.

Since you've stopped the accutane, I would give it some time to see if the hair loss stops. Are you seeing any indication that it has stopped or slowed since you stopped the accutane?

Sam

lazerking · Post by **lazerking** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:18 pm

Hi again,
Well I can't really say if it's less than while on accutane, since I didn't actually start seeing this happen until 2-3 months after i finished the medication. which would make sense from what I've read about telogen effluvium. I don't believe its MPB since no one in my family is bald and considering that the only thing that's changed with me was the accutane, I'm pretty sure it was the cause.
I'm going to see my derm in a week so I'll see what he thinks.

Has anyone else gone through this?

Post by **HairLossFight.com** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 5:21 pm

Let us know what you derm says. I'm definitely very curious as to whether a delayed reaction of TE can occur after 2 to 3 months after one stops a potential causative agent.

lazerking · Post by **lazerking** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 6:34 pm

I'll be sure to post here once I talk to the derm. But from what I read about TE, it's common for the effect (hair loss) to occur a few months after the stress that caused it, but I'll pretty much know for sure after I talk to the derm.

Tricia · Post by **Tricia** » Mon Feb 06, 2006 6:50 am

I did one course of Accutane several years ago. I did not notice any hair loss at the time, but my picture was taken for a driver's license photo a few months after I stopped Accutane. My hair was THIN. I did not even notice it at the time. I was so happy about my clear skin.

My hair recovered from that (have pictures to prove it). But, I did get AGA about 5 years later.

I would say that it is possible to have TE. It is also possible that you have MPB, even though no one else in your family does. Your derm can tell you more.

Young and Balding · Post by **Young and Balding** » Sat Feb 11, 2006 6:45 pm

Hi lazerking,

My experience was similar to Tricia's - I did one course of Accutane, had no hair loss at all during the procedure (in fact I thought my hair actually grew better) but two months after I stopped, I noticed a big increase in shedding. Coincidentally, the increase in shedding came when my skin returned to producing more oil. My hair did grow back, but I started to suffer from MPB about 4 years later.