New here: accutane causing me hair loss?

[Native]

Hello everyone. I’m new here my friend recommended me to come here. Hopefully I’m posting this in the correct section to get help for what I need? Anyways I think I have telogen effluvium.

Started accutane about 5 months ago, started at a dose of 60mg for maybe a month, then 40mg for two months, then 20mg for a month and I’ve been off for maybe a month as well.

I noticed about a month ago my hair just seemed to be thinner than normal? In the shower I recently started counting hairs and I got 40 hairs to come out. Keep in mind my temples haven’t receded at all.

Pictures below of my hair. I have no idea what’s wrong with me. Can anyone help me out? Thank you!

 

[Native]

The 40 hairs that came out weren’t all at once keep in mind but rather in the duration of the entire shower for like 10 minutes. I don’t know if i have telogen effluvium or what. f***.

 

[Gunnersup]

@Selb @ChemHead

 

[Pls_NW-1]

@Gunnersup lol

 

[Pls_NW-1]

@Selb @ChemHead

oh there you are XD

 

[Gunnersup]

oh there you are XD

Accutane holds no prisoners

 

[Selb]

This can happen after accutane, I’m sorry you have to go through this. It could be Telogen Effluvium, but some of us who have taken accutane and stopped it experience a long term diffuse thinning. I’m on year 2 personally. Our best guess is that this is an immune system related hair loss. Some other symptoms that can help you determine this: you have an inflamed, burning or itchy scalp. A lot of hair shedding. Your hair might become curlier. That’s called pili torti and it implies a large amount of inflammation near the hair follicles.

I’ve personally been treating it with topical steroids and doxycycline. Just recently I stated this though. Minoxidil helps too.

Another thing is that this could also speed up genetic hair loss if you have it in your genes. But typically those with that susceptibility also go through patterned hair loss. If it’s diffuse with no hair line recession you may be safe

 

[Gunnersup]

This can happen after accutane, I’m sorry you have to go through this. It could be Telogen Effluvium, but some of us who have taken accutane and stopped it experience a long term diffuse thinning. I’m on year 2 personally. Our best guess is that this is an immune system related hair loss. Some other symptoms that can help you determine this: you have an inflamed, burning or itchy scalp. A lot of hair shedding. Your hair might become curlier. That’s called pili torti and it implies a large amount of inflammation near the hair follicles.

I’ve personally been treating it with topical steroids and doxycycline. Just recently I stated this though. Minoxidil helps too.

Another thing is that this could also speed up genetic hair loss if you have it in your genes. But typically those with that susceptibility also go through patterned hair loss. If it’s diffuse with no hair line recession you may be safe

How many hairs are you still shedding, or did it stop at all? Also, is your scalp noticably thinner yet?

 

[Gunnersup]

I have Pilli Torti also just like @Selb said, it's beyond f*****g wierd. This hair just came out of my scalp right now and looks deformed and fucked lmao

My hair was giga straight before all this

 

[Selb]

How many hairs are you still shedding, or did it stop at all? Also, is your scalp noticably thinner yet?

I was shedding a lot recently because of minoxidil. But that’s stopped a few days ago. That could be my new steroid and antibiotic regimen. Let’s see if it picks back up.

 

[Selb]

I have Pilli Torti also just like @Selb said, it's beyond f*****g wierd. This hair just came out of my scalp right now and looks deformed and fucked lmaoView attachment 158874

My hair was giga straight before all this

Note that oral retinoids like accutane can cause Pilli torti too. So accutane can directly damage the hair follicle or distort it to cause hair changes

 

[Gunnersup]

Note that oral retinoids like accutane can cause Pilli torti too. So accutane can directly damage the hair follicle or distort it to cause hair changes

My original theory was that accutane can cause so much distortion to the hair follicle that the immune systems starts to see it as something not apart of the body. So it begins attacking it. Still might hold true tbh. I think that's why tofacitinib is working, or seems to be working

 

[deathdiss]

Taeian warning to avoid vitamin A at all costs if suffering from accutane

 

[Native]

This can happen after accutane, I’m sorry you have to go through this. It could be Telogen Effluvium, but some of us who have taken accutane and stopped it experience a long term diffuse thinning. I’m on year 2 personally. Our best guess is that this is an immune system related hair loss. Some other symptoms that can help you determine this: you have an inflamed, burning or itchy scalp. A lot of hair shedding. Your hair might become curlier. That’s called pili torti and it implies a large amount of inflammation near the hair follicles.

I’ve personally been treating it with topical steroids and doxycycline. Just recently I stated this though. Minoxidil helps too.

Another thing is that this could also speed up genetic hair loss if you have it in your genes. But typically those with that susceptibility also go through patterned hair loss. If it’s diffuse with no hair line recession you may be safe

I have no burning scalp, no hair curliness, and seemingly no inflammation. What the heck? Male pattern balding or Telogen Effluvium?

 

[Native]

Note that oral retinoids like accutane can cause Pilli torti too. So accutane can directly damage the hair follicle or distort it to cause hair changes

My hairs seem normal man I don’t get it. So FAR AT LEAST my hairs don’t seem to be getting all f*****g weird. Why the hell is hair loss so scary. I really hope I don’t go bald from this. Wish I had a nice shaped skull so I could rock almost shaved head and not give a f***. Unfortunately though I don’t. f*** me.

 

[Native]

This can happen after accutane, I’m sorry you have to go through this. It could be Telogen Effluvium, but some of us who have taken accutane and stopped it experience a long term diffuse thinning. I’m on year 2 personally. Our best guess is that this is an immune system related hair loss. Some other symptoms that can help you determine this: you have an inflamed, burning or itchy scalp. A lot of hair shedding. Your hair might become curlier. That’s called pili torti and it implies a large amount of inflammation near the hair follicles.

I’ve personally been treating it with topical steroids and doxycycline. Just recently I stated this though. Minoxidil helps too.

Another thing is that this could also speed up genetic hair loss if you have it in your genes. But typically those with that susceptibility also go through patterned hair loss. If it’s diffuse with no hair line recession you may be safe

It seems to just be on the top though. And my dad is fully bald NW7 but he said it was a slow recession like normal male pattern balding starting at the temples going back. I don’t get it. Shouldn’t I be balding from the temples if it’s male pattern baldness that sped up? Man I’m 20 years old and gotta worry about hair loss. Luckily it’s not THAT bad yet but I’m just afraid it’s going to get worse in the coming few months. Hopefully I don’t have to hop on finasteride, or even worse, hopefully it’s nothing worse than Telogen Effluvium and it will go away on its own with time.

 

[Selb]

It seems to just be on the top though. And my dad is fully bald NW7 but he said it was a slow recession like normal male pattern balding starting at the temples going back. I don’t get it. Shouldn’t I be balding from the temples if it’s male pattern baldness that sped up? Man I’m 20 years old and gotta worry about hair loss. Luckily it’s not THAT bad yet but I’m just afraid it’s going to get worse in the coming few months. Hopefully I don’t have to hop on finasteride, or even worse, hopefully it’s nothing worse than Telogen Effluvium and it will go away on its own with time.

Since your scalp seems to be fine and it’s just shedding it may be Telogen Effluvium. But Telogen Effluvium can speed up male pattern baldness. Watch your hair carefully and see if it gets worse/better, especially since it’s in your family history.

 

[Native]

Since your scalp seems to be fine and it’s just shedding it may be Telogen Effluvium. But Telogen Effluvium can speed up male pattern baldness. Watch your hair carefully and see if it gets worse/better, especially since it’s in your family history.

Is it entirely possible that this is diffused male pattern balding? I’m just trying to eliminate all options. I seem to have all symptoms of Telogen Effluvium however.

 

[Selb]

Is it entirely possible that this is diffused male pattern balding? I’m just trying to eliminate all options. I seem to have all symptoms of Telogen Effluvium however.

Yes it is possible. Accutane unfortunately muddied the waters so I can’t just recommend finasteride and min. That’s why it’s important to watch it closely.

 

[Native]

Yes it is possible. Accutane unfortunately muddied the waters so I can’t just recommend finasteride and min. That’s why it’s important to watch it closely.

What should I be looking for? And how could I possibly even tell the difference between male pattern diffuse thinning on the top of my scalp and telogen effluvium? Like what the hell should I even do. Wouldn’t I be able to see miniaturization or something if it was male pattern balding. I really don’t like knowing if I could just take finasteride or it’s just temporary Telogen Effluvium.