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you guys still shedding? This is what I found, from Keratin.com, referenced study:"This form of hair loss [i.e., Chronic Telogen Effluvium] is not permanent although Whiting reports it can last up to 72 months."
That's SIX YEARS! I am currently at mark 4 years STILL SHEDDING, but REGREW NEW HAIR!!! My center hair line went down and form new hair wow, but my temples are still receding and hair strands are so spaced out and less dense than what I originally had.
Edit: Quote is from http://www.keratin.com/ao/ao018.shtml
FML!!!!!!!
you guys still shedding? This is what I found, from Keratin.com, referenced study:"This form of hair loss [i.e., Chronic Telogen Effluvium] is not permanent although Whiting reports it can last up to 72 months."
That's SIX YEARS! I am currently at mark 4 years STILL SHEDDING, but REGREW NEW HAIR!!! My center hair line went down and form new hair wow, but my temples are still receding and hair strands are so spaced out and less dense than what I originally had.
Edit: Quote is from http://www.keratin.com/ao/ao018.shtml
FML!!!!!!!
i know. and im trying to get a job at a retail store. 
any tips? Im like scarred and losing hair. you can't get any worse than that. sigh.
BTW i am using grape seed extract, nizoral shampoo, and l-carnitine tartrate. The GSE and carnitine are taken both orally and applied topically. That's how I got good results. still doing em 
BTW I already have hair growing on my temple area.
FYI: Hair Follicles DO NOT DIE. Cotsarelis research 2006 (or circa). They just go DORMANT.
This thread has given me some hope, I've been depressed for 5 years now and I appreciate all the uplifting comments on this forum.
Dormant = SLEEPING. It just needs to be awaken.
Right now I only use Nizoral shampoo as opposed to Nizoral ointment, leave it on my temples overnight (not rinse). Beware, if you try to do it every night, it will peel off new skin and make it itchy.
Other creams I use:
GSE is grape seed extract. L-Carnitine Tartrate is the protein used for losing unwanted fat but Germans found out that it regrows hair in 2006! PDF file: [Edited link out]
Notice new strands growing between the original hair strands / rods which now became thicker (B) after 6 months, that's HALFWAY done. wait 12 months and see greater results. I have just been using this for about 3 months!
You have to use the TARTRATE form of Carnitine. Acetyl Carnitine will make you lose more hair and cause migraines. This is what I get: http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-L-Carnitine...MOL199&at=0
Basically, I mix it with DMSO then to a base cream. Google DMSO.
The base cream i use is JASON! Great brand, doesn't clog pores very cheap for a HUGE bottle! http://www.iherb.com/Jason-Natural-Ultra-C...113-g/6234?at=0
Then for GSE (Grape Seed Extract), same thing, you mix the powder with cream. I buy mine off Beyond-A-Century (BAC) or sometimes at PureBulk (purebulk's item is currently expired so use BAC): [Edited link out]
In summary..
Carnitine Tart. [Edited link out]
GSE [Edited link out]
Base Cream Jason Moisturizer [Edited link out]
and DMSO
Use Dermaroller when applying GSE. Do not use it when you mixed DMSO with either the Carnitine or GSE.
OH and Taurine protein powder regrows hair too! I forgot about it... Will add it to my cream...
How is everyone holding up?? I know its hard people but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE STAY POSITIVE! it doesn't do anybody any good if your constantly down and depressed about your hair. its alot easier said than done i know. but everyone on this forum who is feeling down remember it not the end of the world. SClippers can i ask y u dont just shave your head?! shaved head looks good on most guys. i would love to shave my hair all off again like i did a month ago but i have recurring folliculitus on the back on my scalp which is quite painful. as soon as it gets better i might just shave my hair all off again. SClippers i really advise you to shave ALL your hair off, sideburns and all! you will look good unless yo have a funy shaped head or summin or wierd facial features lol but assuming you dont then BE A MAN AND GO FOR IT!
can anybody out there give me some POSITIVE advise please. like i said before my hair is not shedding but the hair on the top of my head has significantly reduced than to what it was pre-tane. i dint notice any shedding ie no hairs on pillow etc but my Dr assumes i probably lost most hair in the shower. Since my hair is not shedding and my scalp feels normal should i be worrying? Do i need to do something? Im thinking about buying some minoxidil to get the hairs back but iv only been off accutane for 6 or 7 weeks. any advise out there?
i do have hope my hair will come back because most people on this forum have stopped posting after their hair has grown back. either that or they have realised hair loss is not such a big deal. keep your head up people and dont lose faith!
As far as your advice for Sclippers- I'm not so sure shaving your head is the best route to go here. For one, when it grows back in it will more than likely look and feel thinner than before. It might aid for temporary relief if you don't mind a shaved head look, but once it starts growing again it could be difficult. I hate haircuts personally, and I've held out cutting my hair for months and months, and now I am even more frightened to see what my hair looks like short because the length gives a good illusion of thickness and little sign of receding, etc.
For you SM90- If your hair on top of your head has reduced significantly there must be some shedding that you're not noticing. If you have a buzz cut or fairly short hair it's harder to notice the hair loss. Don't bother trying anything for months after you stop Accutane. The drug is probably still flushing the last hints of Accutane out, and a lot of the effects can last months after you stop the medication. I've been off for 6 months now, and I am still having loss. It's getting closer to the time I need to start investigating some possibilities, but you should wait at least 3 more months to see if things improve.
Best of luck.
i just realized that if i pull at my armpit hair, 4-5 hairs will come out. this is in addition to my shedding on my head. another sign of definite TE? what makes it regular TE and not chronic TE? i have been shedding since november 09
I can pull my arm pit hairs out too lol. Could be a sign of alopecia.
i just realized that if i pull at my armpit hair, 4-5 hairs will come out. this is in addition to my shedding on my head. another sign of definite TE? what makes it regular TE and not chronic TE? i have been shedding since november 09
I can pull my arm pit hairs out too lol. Could be a sign of alopecia.
i have all that. it's Chronic TE if more than a month. acute TE otherwise. these are all under the alopecia umbrella
With respect to topical steroids, they most certainly can induce hair growth, it just happens to be one of their nasty side effects "Excessive hair growth".
However you have to use the correct topical steroid, some can cause hair loss!
There are a number of them out there that have positive results (up to 100% success rate in regrowing hair.)
Minoxidil works differently than a topical steroid and the efficacy of Minoxidil is highly variable (it did not work for me.)
I can only speak for what I am currently using, which is 0.1% betamethasone dipropionate in an alcohol base (available by prescription.)
My scalp pain and burning have gone away and the itchiness has also gone away (I'm also using an anti-histamine every day as well.)
The only thing I can say is apply the solution scarcely, and keep it away from your eyes, getting it in your eyes can lead to cataracs.
I am 4 months short of 2 years post-Accutane and I am confident that although I am still shedding and quite thin, that the steroid will have its desired effect within the next couple months.
The steroid not only induces hair growth, but it protects your immune system from attacking your hair follicles by neutralizing T-cells in the Dermis layer of your skin.
You have to apply the steroid every morning and night, and let it stay on your scalp to absorb into the dermis of your skin in order to have any effect.
I don't recommend that everyone go out and start applying a steroid to their scalp, I'd like to be sure this works first before I tell everyone that it is an effective option.
Remember, for most folks the problem just goes away on its own eventually, but for those of you who don't want to wait for it to resolve itself and are paranoid about going bald (which won't happen), then this might be a good option for active involvement in recovery.
I will keep everyone posted as to my success or failure.
Cheers,
Matt
TE is not supposed to affect the hairline for the most part, yes? Atleast that is what I read. I dont know why mine has been affected though
Minor hair line changes are seen, this means that the temples can recede and the hair line can become jagged or move back a little.
MPB will have your hairline move back significantly, in terms of inches.
It seems for most people that the temples are hardest hit, for both women and men. This could be because this hair is most especially sensitive or because it is usually where we have the thinnest hair (hairs are usually vellus baby hairs and not big thick terminal hairs.)
Looking at past photos of myself, my temples were always a bit thinner than the rest of the hair on the top of my head. Not thin as in going bald but just less dense, and this goes back to me being about 10 years old, so its a rather expected result and nothing to get paranoid about into thinking you have MPB or FPB.
Temple recession is not even a reflection of Female Patterned Baldness, but it is an outcome of Accutane induced hair loss, so they seem hardly related.
Don't get caught up trying to hypothesis or speculate on what is transpiring with your hair loss, you will only get depressed and caught up in something that you cannot easily solve and cannot solve quickly.
The best thing to do is to be patient and get out and enjoy life. Every moment spent thinking and worrying about your hair is another moment lost out of your life.
Spend time with your friends and family and let it slip away from your thoughts. Then one day you will look in the mirror and realize that its all over with and you will be better off for it.
Sorry for another long winded reply.
Good luck all
Matt
i just realized that if i pull at my armpit hair, 4-5 hairs will come out. this is in addition to my shedding on my head. another sign of definite TE? what makes it regular TE and not chronic TE? i have been shedding since november 09
I can pull my arm pit hairs out too lol. Could be a sign of alopecia.
i have all that. it's Chronic TE if more than a month. acute TE otherwise. these are all under the alopecia umbrella
I can pull hairs out anywhere on my body, but it doesn't mean I have Alopecia Universalis.
Pulling out your hair is a disorder in itself (Trichotillomania), which I had before all this started. I used to pull out (and sometimes still do) my eye brows and eye lashes to the point where I have bald patches. Don't do this, and keep mindful of yourself doing it.
Since experiencing hair loss from Accutane I've resorted to pulling out hairs on my head instead of my eyebrows and eye lashes, which is just making recovery even more difficult. This disorder is automatic and you do it most often without knowing.
Anyways, "testing" whether you can pull out hairs is a bad idea, because you will always be able to, hairs are not cemented into your follicles and even if you don't get a hair when you pull on your hair, you will loosen up hairs you pulled and cause them to break free and fall out later on.
Point is... DON'T PULL YOUR HAIR!!!
i have all that. it's Chronic TE if more than a month. acute TE otherwise. these are all under the alopecia umbrella
Alopecia just means hair loss, so TE, Alopecia Areata, Androgenic Alopecia, etc... all just forms of hair loss.
One thing though, TE also just really means mass hair loss (Telogen Effluvium).
TE is a general category for any type of non-defined hair loss.
Accute would mean you experience the hair loss then recover after initial loss.
Chronic just means it persists, but obviously you can recover.
I would say 1 month is pretty unreasonable to assume that it is Accute. Bouts of TE are not uncommon, many pregnant women experience it, and it usually takes 3 to 6 months to notice recovery and years after that for hair to regrow to its former thickness.
Hair falls out fast, but it grows back slllooowwwwllyyyy.
Give it 6 to 18 months to see how you recover. If you recover in that time, it was just a bout of TE. If after a year and a half you still have re-occuring hair loss (shedding) then you have Chronic TE, Alopecia Areata (or possibly Androgenic Alopecia.)
At any rate, give your body the time it needs to recover and your hair the time it needs to regrow.
The effects of Accutane are severe and the hair loss it brings about is not cut and dry, it can affect the immune system and it can affect the individual folicles and sabaceous glands so all of these have an impact on hair growth.
I tell you, the person who figures all this out and comes up with a cure will be a very rich person!
Matt
The best thing to do is to be patient and get out and enjoy life. Every moment spent thinking and worrying about your hair is another moment lost out of your life.
Spend time with your friends and family and let it slip away from your thoughts. Then one day you will look in the mirror and realize that its all over with and you will be better off for it.
Sorry for another long winded reply.
Good luck all
Matt
Actually I have to disagree with you just a little. The best thing to do would be to actually first get to the bottom of the hair loss cause. First thing would be to do a blood test check for iron levels, thyroid issues, lupus antibodies, and hormone levels. If those come back negative, then the next thing would be to do a scalp biopsy to determine if you have telogen effluvium, anagen effluvium, or male pattern baldness.
I think most people would be more at ease if they knew exactly what was causing their hair loss and then either take steps to control it, or just learning to accept it, rather than going in blind and trying to stay positive in life without knowing what is wrong with their hair.
The problem with steroid use is edema, a potential puffiness of the face (almost cushing) and gynecomastia in men.
What if I buy the GSE and every thing else you recommended in pill form? I wish I had one site to buy it all off of. I can't afford paying the shipping for each seperate item.
How much mg Biotin should I Take?
You're not supposed to take them orally except for Biotin. You are going to concoct a cream or gel out of the Jason moisturizer or Jason Aloe Vera Gel using the GSE, Taurine, and Carnitine powders. If you buy the pill form, they will have FILLERS like Magnesium Stearate which are INSOLUBLE (unless you want to add tons of alcohol in the mixture).
The problem with buying GSE from iHerb is that it's VERY expensive and they don't do it in bulk. Beyond-A-Century's GSE is the cheapest even if you count the shipping. Search for GSE on iHerb it's a fortune. You can google for COUPON CODES for beyond-a-century to get a 10% discount or somthing... I'll find some later. The shipping for iherb is only about 2.44$ i think.
I took about 1000 - 5000 mcg (that's 5 mg) of Biotin, but I stopped it because it actually gave me acne. It's up to you. Also add Taurine to your cream I forgot. iHerb sells it in powder form very cheap.
@electroshock
The problem with steroid use is edema, a potential puffiness of the face (almost cushing) and gynecomastia in men.
Rentstuff, what steroid are you referring to? There are many steroids, it is a broad category for organics compounds with a specific molecular structure. Cholesterol is a steroid.
The steroids I have mentioned do not have those side effects, sounds like your are talking about Anabolic Steroids... nothing to do with the class of steroids I mentioned for treating this condition.
Anabolic Steroids cause Gynocamastia and accelerate MPB, they are converted to DHT in the body, DHT causes the miniaturization of hair follicles in those who have the genetic expression of MPB.
Matt
Actually I have to disagree with you just a little. The best thing to do would be to actually first get to the bottom of the hair loss cause. First thing would be to do a blood test check for iron levels, thyroid issues, lupus antibodies, and hormone levels. If those come back negative, then the next thing would be to do a scalp biopsy to determine if you have telogen effluvium, anagen effluvium, or male pattern baldness.
I think most people would be more at ease if they knew exactly what was causing their hair loss and then either take steps to control it, or just learning to accept it, rather than going in blind and trying to stay positive in life without knowing what is wrong with their hair.
Csmike,
You're more than welcome to disagree. It's your perspective, but honestly if you spend all your time trying to figure out what is wrong, and no answer exists to solve your problem, then it is a waste of time.
I've done all the blood tests you've mentioned, and my shedding persists, as does everyone's who has not yet recovered.
I would not recommend a scalp biopsy, you end up with a small scar just to have a doctor tell you something that won't change the outcome of your problem.
I don't want to come off like I have the answers for everything, but I went from wanting to commit suicide for 4 straight months and a horrible depression to dealing with this issue in a much more positive and optimistic light.
I came on this thread asking the same questions as everyone else does, looking for an answer, looking for a solution to my problem, wondering what was going on with my hair and how I could just solve the problem quickly so I could get on with my life.
Unfortunately it is not that easy, but I've spent countless hours researching to better understand the nature of my hair loss. I've spoken with many people who have recovered and those who are still dealing with their hair loss or those who are in that scary moment when they look in the mirror and notice that they've just lost a lot of hair and have thinned out.
I wish I had an answer not just for myself but for everyone else, so nobody would have to worry about their hair loss and could recover, but the answer I have right now is that the hair loss subsides and eventually full or near-full regrowth is realized.
A lot of people have different theories about the hair loss, and my own view is just that, a theory, which is why I've tried different recommendations and different treatments, all of which so far, are not effective.
Anything mentioned previously on this board I have done...
- Grape Seed Extract
- Biotin
- Minoxidil
- Topical Steroids
- Colon Cleanse
- Saw Palmetto
- Avoiding certain foods
- Avoiding vitamins and supplements
- Vitamin E
- Laser Treatment
- Blood Tests
- Poly Tar shampoo
- Emu Oil
- Nizoral
None of which have proven effective over the past 20 months (I still need 3 or 4 months more to see if the topical steroid will give the desired results.)
I've noticed that I have regrowth but I still have heavy shedding (200-300 hairs per day, yes, I've actually counted them.)
Anyways, I recommend living your life and enjoying it instead of spending time worrying about your hair.
I don't think the type of negativity you're portraying is helpful, but you are entitled to your opinion.
Let me ask you CSMike, have you gotten to the bottom of your hair loss and resolved it through those steps you recommended? If so, please share with the rest of us the cure, because we are all still dealing with it.
Best Regards,
Matt
