Accutane and Minoxidil

[Camwest]

Hey guys,

I thought I owed it to you who frequent this forum to post my story about hair-loss. I visited here often about two years ago, and found this site to be one of the better sources of support/information about hair-loss. My experience is a bit unconventional, but it may help someone who's looking for an alternative solution to their balding woes.

The background:
I noticed the onset of rapid hair-loss when I was 16-17. At the time I was convinced I'd be chronically bald by my early twenties, and totally shaved by 25. I am 20 now, and my hair looks perfectly normal with no bald spots or receding patches. If things continue the way they are (and the universe does not frown upon me lol) I can see having normal/fine hair while I'm still young.

What I did:
Looking back I basically did two things: one deliberate and obvious, and the other accidental and unconventional. The first is that I went on minoxidil, which I have been using daily for the past two years. I'd compare using minoxidil to brushing your teeth or shaving. Just think, you can do something that takes less than a minute per day to prevent hair-loss. I don't understand why anyone who has hairloss (and who doesn't have side effects) would not be on minoxidil. The second was that I went on accutane. I originally went on the drug for acne, but I had the unexpected effect of helping with hairloss. The drug completely dried up the waxy sebum that had been plauging my scalp, and I believe permenently changed the mechanism of action that DHT poisoned my hair. I've also read that isotretinoin (i.e, synthetic vitamin A, marketed as the anti acne drug accutane) lowers DHT and raises free testosterone indefinitely, which I believe this to be true.. Of course, the drug can have serious side effects including hairloss (which I experienced slightly when I started, and then only improvements afterward), dry skin, and a host of other more serious things that should not be taken lightly.

Anyways, that's my brief story. Minoxidil + accutane = success. By no means do I believe to have permanently beaten hereditary hair loss, but having normal hair for the time being has been amazing. I am now mentally prepared to lose it, however, which I suppose is the silver lining of having had severe premature hairloss.

Regards,

Cam

 

[psyhotria]

The isotretinoin thing does not come as a surprise - the idea has been around for long; and in fact it's likely a smart one. But most people do not understand and yes, there is the problem of hair loss from isotretinoin - I believe due to too high too long application.

 

[Hair101]

I am so glad another Accutane thread appeared. I posted a while ago about my experience with Accutane, but I am really surprised there isn't much information on this, and considering it's quite a well known drug, I'm even more surprised that using Accutane as an alternative to hairloss solution isn't more well known.

I have some questions though... How long have you been on Accutane, and is the reduction in sebum permanent? Did you notice regrowth, or just simply a reduction in hairloss from Accutane?

From my own experience with Accutane (also orginally taken to treat acne), my sebum production became almost non-existent, and the effect was apparent in less than 3 days. Once the scalp sebum production was completely eliminated, my hairloss also completely stopped...there was no hair on my pillows, shower drains, floor, anywhere...the change was so dramatic I felt like I found some magical cure for hairloss... My hair became healthier, and although I wasn't on any other hairloss products, there was a slight regrowth, but not much. After I went off Accutane, my hair was still looking good, but the effect of Accutane started to wear off after about 6 months...and slowly the sebum production and hairloss began.

I went on a second course of Accutane a year later, and once again hairloss COMPLETELY stopped, it's just ridiculously how immediate of an effect it has on my scalp, yet there's almost no information or testimony that I was able to find online that talked about this experience. Hair was thicker, healthier, and I can style it and do all kinds of stuff I wasn't able to do while I was off Accutane, but sadly the drug is so potent it can not be taken for an extended period, so once I was off the drug, hairloss slowly crept back...

Hopefully someone else can share their experience with Accutane, and maybe someone would have a possible solution such as applying topical isotretnoin, low dose Accutane...etc?

 

[dehoha]

I am not the op, but I will share my stories with Accutane.

I am a 25 year old male, suffering from hair loss since I was 19 due to severe weight loss. When I say severe, it is really severe.
Since I have lost weight, my hair thinned incredibly, to the point where you can see the white scalp.
I have a very oily skin due to genetics, which caused a lot of acne on my face, neck, and even back.
So I went to a dermatologist and they prescribed Accutane for me.
I was on Accutane for about 6 months, and I believe I took 10 mg twice a day, which was 20 mg per day.
It literally dried every bit of oil from my skin. The acne was all gone and even rashes on my head was all gone.
I took about 300 pills for the first time, which made everything normal.

However, after about a year, my oily skin returned. So I got on another 200 pills.
That was last year, and I stopped using Accutane after December of 2012.

Currently, my sebum production is massive as noted by a hair stylist, which is causing incredible amount of shedding.
I plan to go back on Accutane in a week or two to see if it will stop my shedding.
I am currently on finasteride and lipogaine (5% minoxidil + 5% azelaic acid), but they are just worsening my hair day by day.

I believe that for a person like me who have excess sebum, controlling the sebum is the key to treating hair loss.
I hope my frontal and temporal hairs will come back. I will post my result (hopefully in the success story section) when I get some results.

 

[diehunnen123]

what exactly is the point of these threads if you dont provide pictures. i really dont get it

 

[galil]

I'd like to try accutane since excess sebum is one issue i have and noticed how before 14 y/o didn't have any or a lot less and had great hair. I think you should start with a low dose maybe 5mg a day or less if possible, ppl are taking doses intended for severe acne and this probably leading to side effects (hair loss), 5mg or less 3X week could work long time. Do you still have to go trough iPledge to get isotretinoin or are there any pharmacies who carry it? any one knows?

 

[Soviet Youth]

Accutane is a terrible drug, I do not recommend it for excess sebum only, it should only be used for severe cases of what it is made for, acne.

 

[Goldee Lox]

I took one 6 month cycle of Accutane for severe acne when I was 20.. While on it and for awhile after it made me shed hair like crazy. I was already worried about balding before I ever took Accutane and while on it I was sure I'd be fairly bald by 24/25. My hair has maintained well though, I'm 27 now. I've never used any treatments for hair loss until very recently. I wonder if Accutane helped in maintaining in the long run? I know I was losing hair like crazy whilst on it.

I wouldn't recommend it to anyone though.. I feel it hurt my intestines. I would wake up with them feeling cramped every morning. This lasted for years after taking the drug. Recently I haven't noticed it all though.