Accutane Induced Hair Loss and Hair Transplant Surgery

Question:

I've read a few of your blogs from doing searches on Google, and you seem to be an expert. I'm actually suffering from accutane hair loss, but have a question for you about hair transplants. I thought since hair was taken from DHT resitent areas, the transplanted hair is also DHT resistent. If that is the case, how come patients still use non-surgical hair loss treatments?

Answer:

In my research, it has been said that accutane (typically used as a treatment for acne) may be the cause of temporary or permanent hair loss in both men and women. Degrees of hair loss from accutane will also vary from mild to severe (almost completely bald).

Hair on the sides and back of the scalp is DHT resistant, but not necessarily resistant to hair loss due to non-genetic causes, such as accutane induced telogen effluvium (thinning hair). Typically patients on accutane do not make good candidates for hair transplants since accutane can actually destroy hair follicles all over the scalp, including "safe" donor hair on the sides and back of your scalp.

If accutane is the cause of your balding condition, stopping the medication might reverse the hair loss process within the period of a year however, there is no guarantee.

Hair transplant patients do sometimes continue using non-surgical treatments such as Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) to help stop pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia) from progressing further. Though hair on the sides and back of the scalp are DHT resistant, many patients still have remaining natural hair up top that they'd like to keep. Non-surgical solutions for baldness can help prevent the need for subsequent hair transplant procedures later down the road.

In my opinion, talk to your physician about alternative treatments to accutane that won't be as detrimental to precious hair follicles.

Bill Seemiller (Falceros) - Associate Publisher of the Hair Transplant Network, the Coalition Hair Loss Learning Center, and the Hair Loss Q & A Blog. To share ideas with other hair loss sufferers visit our Hair Restoration Discussion Forum.



Article Source: hairlosslearningcenter.org