accutane stop hair loss?
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betz
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I have actually been wondering if the opposite is true. I took 2 courses Accutane treatment about 20 year ago and wondering if this has anything to do with my diffused thinning that has just begun. I remember among the long list of side effects that hair loss / thinning was among them.
Here are a couple studies regarding accutane, acne, hormones and sebum.
Effect of oral isotretinoin treatment on skin androgen receptor levels in male acneic patients
P Boudou, H Soliman, M Chivot, JM Villette, P Vexiau, A Belanger and J Fiet
Department of Hormonal Biology, St. Louis University Hospital, Paris, France.
An oral daily dose (mean +/- SD, 0.75 +/- 0.05 mg/kg) of isotretinoin was administered for 3 months to six male patients with acne (scores of 4 and 5 according to Rosenfield). The therapy resulted in complete resolution of acne in four patients and improved acne significantly (score 1) in two patients. In accordance with recent findings, no change in serum testosterone and significant decreases in 5 alpha- dihydrotestosterone, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucosiduronate, and androsterone glucosiduronate levels were observed after treatment. Androgen receptor status was investigated in back skin biopsies obtained in acne areas before and after 3 months of isotretinoin treatment. The treatment did not modify the binding affinity constant of skin androgen receptor (0.44 vs. 0.32 nmol/L), but it did induce a 2.6-fold decrease in its binding capacity constant (62 vs. 24 fmol/mg cytosolic protein), as assessed by Scatchard plot and confirmed immunologically by Western blot analysis. These data clearly showed that skin androgen receptor was sensitive to oral isotretinoin administration in acneic patients. The decrease in skin androgen receptor levels (this study) and the recently reported suppression of skin 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone production by isotretinoin treatment appeared consistent with the involvement of androgen receptor and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in the pathogenesis of acne. Indeed, sebum production is under androgen control, and an abnormal response of the pilosebaceous unit to androgens appears to be implicated in the pathogenesis of acne. These observations were consistent with the absence of sebum in complete androgen-insensitive patients and normal sebum production in male pseudohermaphrodites.
Androgens stimulate sebum production which is necessary for the development of acne. Acne in women may thus be considered as a manifestation of cutaneous androgenization. Most of acnes may be related to an idiopathic skin hyperandrogenism due to in situ enzyme activity and androgen receptor hypersensitivity, as also noted in idiopathic hirsutism. Some acne may correspond to elevated ovarian or adrenal androgen secretion. The presence of acne in women may lead to a diagnosis of functional hyperandrogenism, either polycysticovary syndrome or nonclassical 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Plasma level assays for testosterone, delta 4 androstenedione and 17-OH progesterone and ovarian echography are necessary to determine the possibility for an ovarian or adrenal hyperandrogenism, but not to better treat acne. The goal of hormonal therapy in acne is to oppose the effects of androgens on the sebaceous gland. Hormones may be used in female acne in the absence of endocrine abnormalities. Antiandrogens (cyproterone acetate or aldactone) may be useful in severe acne, hormonal contraceptives with cyproterone acetate or non androgenic progestins in mild or common acne often in association with other anti-acneic drugs. Glucocorticoids have to be administered in acne fulminans and other forms of acute, severe, inflammatory acne, for their anti-inflammatory properties.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12053793
Unfortunately I think the problem is that they don't want to admit that androgens is THE cause. Of course nothing is ever 100% certain, but they have known about the connection for over 30 or 40 years now. For woman, no problem they'll give us a variety of anti-androgens, but for males....good luck! What I've noticed is that males hardly ever see an endocrinoligist let alone will get their hormones tested despite insisting on it, and I think it's because of the fear of becoming demasculinized as androgens is a "male hormone". Usually what happens is males will use androgen antagnonists, such as Accutane (Isotretinion, 13-Cis retinoic acid) or select topicals, that don't emit much, if any, action on total serum androgen production, but mainly affect the skin. Granted there's a few males here that have managed to go on Spironolactone (antiandrogen) and cleared, but yes...something else was altered as result.
None the less, for males the sign of a hormonal imbalance, will be the acne or eventual androgenic alopecia (male patterned baldness) or prostate BPH or cancer (see below). So there really isn't a big push to announce that it's androgens because males don't really show it as easily as women do. Therefore from what I've noticed, if you guys don't use dietary changes to balance your hormones & thus inflammation, you tend to do very well on drugs/supplements that are generally anti-inflammatory (B5, Nicomide, Glucocorticoids, Boswellic Acid, Fish Oil, Guggulipids, Zinc), but some are also androgen antagonists. After all, if you can reduce the inflammation, most acne formation probably wouldn't result...but whatever we do use for this, antibiotics are NOT the solution.
Effect of oral isotretinoin treatment on skin androgen receptor levels in male acneic patients
P Boudou, H Soliman, M Chivot, JM Villette, P Vexiau, A Belanger and J Fiet
Department of Hormonal Biology, St. Louis University Hospital, Paris, France.
An oral daily dose (mean +/- SD, 0.75 +/- 0.05 mg/kg) of isotretinoin was administered for 3 months to six male patients with acne (scores of 4 and 5 according to Rosenfield). The therapy resulted in complete resolution of acne in four patients and improved acne significantly (score 1) in two patients. In accordance with recent findings, no change in serum testosterone and significant decreases in 5 alpha- dihydrotestosterone, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol glucosiduronate, and androsterone glucosiduronate levels were observed after treatment. Androgen receptor status was investigated in back skin biopsies obtained in acne areas before and after 3 months of isotretinoin treatment. The treatment did not modify the binding affinity constant of skin androgen receptor (0.44 vs. 0.32 nmol/L), but it did induce a 2.6-fold decrease in its binding capacity constant (62 vs. 24 fmol/mg cytosolic protein), as assessed by Scatchard plot and confirmed immunologically by Western blot analysis. These data clearly showed that skin androgen receptor was sensitive to oral isotretinoin administration in acneic patients. The decrease in skin androgen receptor levels (this study) and the recently reported suppression of skin 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone production by isotretinoin treatment appeared consistent with the involvement of androgen receptor and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in the pathogenesis of acne. Indeed, sebum production is under androgen control, and an abnormal response of the pilosebaceous unit to androgens appears to be implicated in the pathogenesis of acne. These observations were consistent with the absence of sebum in complete androgen-insensitive patients and normal sebum production in male pseudohermaphrodites.
Androgens stimulate sebum production which is necessary for the development of acne. Acne in women may thus be considered as a manifestation of cutaneous androgenization. Most of acnes may be related to an idiopathic skin hyperandrogenism due to in situ enzyme activity and androgen receptor hypersensitivity, as also noted in idiopathic hirsutism. Some acne may correspond to elevated ovarian or adrenal androgen secretion. The presence of acne in women may lead to a diagnosis of functional hyperandrogenism, either polycysticovary syndrome or nonclassical 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Plasma level assays for testosterone, delta 4 androstenedione and 17-OH progesterone and ovarian echography are necessary to determine the possibility for an ovarian or adrenal hyperandrogenism, but not to better treat acne. The goal of hormonal therapy in acne is to oppose the effects of androgens on the sebaceous gland. Hormones may be used in female acne in the absence of endocrine abnormalities. Antiandrogens (cyproterone acetate or aldactone) may be useful in severe acne, hormonal contraceptives with cyproterone acetate or non androgenic progestins in mild or common acne often in association with other anti-acneic drugs. Glucocorticoids have to be administered in acne fulminans and other forms of acute, severe, inflammatory acne, for their anti-inflammatory properties.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12053793
Unfortunately I think the problem is that they don't want to admit that androgens is THE cause. Of course nothing is ever 100% certain, but they have known about the connection for over 30 or 40 years now. For woman, no problem they'll give us a variety of anti-androgens, but for males....good luck! What I've noticed is that males hardly ever see an endocrinoligist let alone will get their hormones tested despite insisting on it, and I think it's because of the fear of becoming demasculinized as androgens is a "male hormone". Usually what happens is males will use androgen antagnonists, such as Accutane (Isotretinion, 13-Cis retinoic acid) or select topicals, that don't emit much, if any, action on total serum androgen production, but mainly affect the skin. Granted there's a few males here that have managed to go on Spironolactone (antiandrogen) and cleared, but yes...something else was altered as result.
None the less, for males the sign of a hormonal imbalance, will be the acne or eventual androgenic alopecia (male patterned baldness) or prostate BPH or cancer (see below). So there really isn't a big push to announce that it's androgens because males don't really show it as easily as women do. Therefore from what I've noticed, if you guys don't use dietary changes to balance your hormones & thus inflammation, you tend to do very well on drugs/supplements that are generally anti-inflammatory (B5, Nicomide, Glucocorticoids, Boswellic Acid, Fish Oil, Guggulipids, Zinc), but some are also androgen antagonists. After all, if you can reduce the inflammation, most acne formation probably wouldn't result...but whatever we do use for this, antibiotics are NOT the solution.
billythekid
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accutane makes some people go a bit crazy. i'm sure it's because of the effect it has on androgens. probably why some people on finasteride get brain fog.
"The decrease in skin androgen receptor levels (this study) and the recently reported suppression of skin 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone production by isotretinoin treatment appeared consistent with the involvement of androgen receptor and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone in the pathogenesis of acne."
So wouldn't this mean that it would suppress hair loss too since dihydrotestosterone is what causes hair loss in the first place?
So wouldn't this mean that it would suppress hair loss too since dihydrotestosterone is what causes hair loss in the first place?
High dose accutane at toxic levels has a side effect of hair loss. To treat hairloss via accutane you take a very low dose consistently to reduce the sebum. The idea is that sebum causes inflammation in the hair follicle which leads to hair loss, reduce sebum, reduce inflammation and hair can grow.
The fact that high dose accutane causes hair loss is not the issue here. High dose vitamin A also causes side effects - but without it we die. The reduction of sebum does not cause any hair loss, the stress to the body of such a high dose does.
The fact that high dose accutane causes hair loss is not the issue here. High dose vitamin A also causes side effects - but without it we die. The reduction of sebum does not cause any hair loss, the stress to the body of such a high dose does.
