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hi electroshocky
I apologize if I come off as really negative, but just like SClippers, this drug has taken a huge emotional toll on both of us. Unless you've been in a situation where you have ultra thick hair, only to have it reduced to almost a bald scalp, then you shouldn't really try to brush it off as no biggie. People take Accutane why? Because they want to improve their self-esteem through the elimination of acne. It's kind of ironic how a drug that's supposed to do that for me ends up making it worse by causing hair loss.
Anyway I've taken Accutane for 10 months total now, I've taken Minoxidil 5% for about 6 months, it caused some regrowth, but then I've lost even more hair. I've lost about 70% hair volume. No family has MPB history.
Drug tests all came back negative last week, so I don't have poor iron, hormone, thyroid, or lupus. 2 weeks ago I had a scalp biopsy done, and my derm told me this biopsy will be the final straw, that we will know 100% what is causing my hair loss. For me personally, I'd rather just figure out 100% what's wrong with me and just learn to accept it if it's MPB by shaving my head and learn to move on, or if it's CTE, then I'll just live happy and wait it out.
In fact, I'm supposed to meet up with my derm tomorrow and he'll have the results. I just pray pray it's not MPB. I'll let you know tomorrow what happened.
Say Biotin causes your acne to return, would this mean that by having your acne return the effects of Accutane would wear off? For example, the hair loss? I know what I'm suggesting doesn't make sense but it's something I'm wondering about.
If there was a way to reverse the effects of Accutane and bring back the acne to reverse the effects of hair loss.
Alright so I went to my derm this afternoon for my scalp biopsy results, and THANK GOD. He says I have telogen effluvium, there is no sign of male pattern baldness. My blood results all came back negative as well.
He told me from now on, I just have to wait it out.
Now I can finally focus on moving on with my life.
Everyone else I highly recommend you get a blood test and scalp biopsy, even if it turns out you have MPB, at least you know exactly what your condition is and can move on with your life from there. Peace of mind is a great thing.
Yeah he says it should grow back within a year's time, two years tops.
I haven't really noticed the regrowth, my current remaining hair does appear thicker, so I'm remaining optimistic I guess.
But no MPB, thank goodness, maybe with the less stress I'm getting, my hair will shed less.
I hope all works out for you, I'm beyond saving at this point. My depression has worsened and has my hair, I'm on the verge of quitting work+school and just giving up altogether. How can I live with myself if I can't look at myself in the mirror?
This is so depressing.
Did you at least get a blood test and biopsy done? You only lost 20% hair from what I've heard, that's not too bad compared to the 70% or so I lost. If you get your test results back, I think you'd be more at ease with yourself because you'd know how to move on with your life right?
I think one other reason my hair wasn't growing back as fast was that during this whole 10 month ordeal, I was washing my hair with Nizoral only (no other shampoos with essential oils) and instead of rubbing my scalp, I was patting my head with the shampoo instead. I did this because I feared pulling out more hair by rubbing the scalp. I did this for 10 months straight, so maybe my follicles are so clogged up with sebum, the hair can't grow.
CSMike
My point was that you and everyone will recover, just give it time, and don't make worrying about your hair into an obsession. I've been down that road, its not good. I used to go look in the mirror for new growth every 30 minutes and would count every hair that fell out.
Not everyone reacts the same or cares as much about their hair as others, but I think its still important to stay positive.
I'm not sure getting all kinds of tests are of value and having a scalp biopsy which leaves a small scar is important either.
The reason I say this is because your body just needs time to recover, and it will eventually.
To date I have not seen one form of treatment that expedites the process, I wish there was. I have lost about 70% of the hair on the top of my head, hair density has descreased to the point where my scalp is clearly visible even with my hair 6 inches long.
Its depressing, I avoid the mirror at all costs and I wear my hat to make me feel better.
For now its just a matter of coping until everything improves.
I've noticed improvement in my hair, my temples are slowly beginning to regrow after a 18 months, and the density on the upper sides of my head is improving.
I am confident that its just a waiting game, and one day we can put the feelings associated with our hair loss behind us as we recover.
Best of luck to all.
Matt
Thank you for your kind words Matt.
Actually i was more relieved that I didn't test positive for lupus (which can cause hair loss) rather than MPB, because my mom was diagnosed with lupus 2 years ago and it's a genetic disesae.
But yeah it's definitely time for me to move on with my life and start enjoying myself for a change, now just praying that my hair grows back by the time I go for vacation next year.
CSMike, are you still going through shedding even though the cause was TE and not MPB? Also, does having a scalp biopsy leave a noticeable scar and if so, how big is it? Last question haha, but has your hairline receded at all? I have noticed that mine has receded quite a bit, especially around the temples since i started the diffuse shedding back in november that is still persisting. Thanks
also, to electroshock, has your hairline receded any at all? and how long have you been experiencing hair loss for? mine is going on 9 months now and still shows no signs of stopping in the near future
CSMike, are you still going through shedding even though the cause was TE and not MPB? Also, does having a scalp biopsy leave a noticeable scar and if so, how big is it? Last question haha, but has your hairline receded at all? I have noticed that mine has receded quite a bit, especially around the temples since i started the diffuse shedding back in november that is still persisting. Thanks
also, to electroshock, has your hairline receded any at all? and how long have you been experiencing hair loss for? mine is going on 9 months now and still shows no signs of stopping in the near future
The shedding is gradually dying down, however, the existing hair that is on my head is getting thicker. Yes the scalp biopsy does leave a tiny scar (only 4mm in diameter), but your hair would be covering most of it, so it's not really noticeable.
Yeah the hair line has receded just a tiny bit, but my derm says the hairline and crown usually lose hair first regardless of MPB or TE. But I didn't just lose hair on those areas, I lost hair almost everywhere.
Like I said before, when I first noticed shedding, I was in panic mode and I was washing my hair by patting my scalp with the shampoo rather than massaging for fear of washing away more hair (which I later realized is not true), which may be causing a lot of sebum clogging my follicles, and stopping hair growth. So after I was cleared of MPB, I'm starting to massage my scalp more while shampooing, and to be honest, my hair feels a lot cleaner and less oily, hopefully that'll translate to quicker recovery.
If you're worried about shedding, I suggest meeting up with your derm and asking for a blood test for iron, thyroid, testosterone, and lupus. If those come back negative, get a biopsy done so that they'll know EXACTLY what's wrong, and you can proceed from there.
Oh hi volcom!
Were you able to determine the cause of your hair loss yet? Or from what I gather, you're still in the early stages of your hair loss correct? So maybe you should wait it out a bit longer?
I wouldn't say early stages. I noticed the hair loss probably last september. I've been off Accutane for over 6 months. I haven't determined the actual cause yet, because I'm still holding out for maybe another month or two in hopes of seeing some improvement.
So far no improvement.
also, to electroshock, has your hairline receded any at all? and how long have you been experiencing hair loss for? mine is going on 9 months now and still shows no signs of stopping in the near future
Hi Texas boy
I have lost density at my temples, mostly on the left side, which has left one temple essentially bald. Its actually where I first noticed the hair loss. My hair behind that temple is the thinnest, while on the other side of my head its not so thin. My hair line is diffused, along with the rest of the top of my head, so it doesn't look receded so much as it looks jagged and diffused.
I'm still shedding a lot, but at the same time I always have regrowth, I see mostly long terminal hairs falling out, and the occasional short terminal hairs, vellus hairs and some funky looking dog hairs (squiggly and deformed.)
It's pretty much a constant cycle of growth and shedding, but my shedding hairs outnumber the pace at which my hairs grow back, so I'm at about 70% of the hair on the top of my head is gone, which does not make me feel too good. Some days I feel worse than others, so I just wear my hat to block it out of my mind.
I'm into 20 months since my shedding began and 23 months since I took accutane for 3 weeks. 
I am noticing that my hair at the sides of the top of my scalp (if that makes sense) are starting to get thicker, seems like its mostly shedding from the very top of my head now.
Although things are a little rough right now, I think that this topical steroid will induce growth in dormant follicles in the next few months (I'm hoping anyways.)
I question of the Minoxidil I took for 8 months might have made my recovery longer or my shedding worse... I sort of wish I never took it, because I've been told by others that it made their shedding worse (not just initially when they took it which is normal, but all the way through and for some months after they used it.)
Anyways, I'm convinced that patience is the only cure to this problem, waiting can be the hardest thing to do...
Good luck everyone
Matt
For those who have suffered hair loss, how rapid was the onset? In other words, how long from the time you first noticed minimal hair loss to the time of maximum hair loss?
Maximum hair loss for me was in the first year, pretty consistent and profuse, in the past few months it has slowed down and my hair density appears to be slowly recovering.
I'm far from recovering, if the shedding would stop I would guess at my current rate of regrowth I could recover in about a year.
Good thing is that my once bald temple is now regrowing hair... it's the little things that keep you hopeful! 
What exactly is diffused as opposed to a receding hairline. It seems like my left temple has lost more hair than my right and I am in the same boat as you (hairline looks jagged, etc). But doesnt that mean that my hairline has receded also? I am just confused on whether or not TE would cause major hairline recession, especially around the temples
What exactly is diffused as opposed to a receding hairline. It seems like my left temple has lost more hair than my right and I am in the same boat as you (hairline looks jagged, etc). But doesnt that mean that my hairline has receded also? I am just confused on whether or not TE would cause major hairline recession, especially around the temples
Diffused shedding is when you're losing hair all over, not just in one particular spot. TE can cause shedding anywhere on the head, even the hairline area, but it usually causes shedding to happen all over your head instead of on just one spot.
And yes, my hair line recedded just a little bit, and I have TE as my derm indicated to me.
What exactly is diffused as opposed to a receding hairline. It seems like my left temple has lost more hair than my right and I am in the same boat as you (hairline looks jagged, etc). But doesnt that mean that my hairline has receded also? I am just confused on whether or not TE would cause major hairline recession, especially around the temples
Diffused shedding is when you're losing hair all over, not just in one particular spot. TE can cause shedding anywhere on the head, even the hairline area, but it usually causes shedding to happen all over your head instead of on just one spot.
And yes, my hair line recedded just a little bit, and I have TE as my derm indicated to me.
how long has it been shedding for and did your derm say when it "should" subside or slow down? im going on 9 months now shedding and shows no signs or slowing down. i have a derm appointment in 2 weeks
SClippers, fun fact for you. Before my bout with TE, people compared my looks to that of Christian Bale. I had the flowing type hair he had in American Psycho. I just recognized your profile pic and thought id share. Christian Bale hair I have no more, and I guarantee my looks have gone down atleast 4 points on the 10 point scale because of my shitty ass hair and receding hairline
how long has it been shedding for and did your derm say when it "should" subside or slow down? im going on 9 months now shedding and shows no signs or slowing down. i have a derm appointment in 2 weeks
I stopped taking Accutane 10 months ago, and to this day, my hair still remains thin and I've lost about 70% of volume. However, the shedding has slowed down and my existing hair feels thicker than before, so I think maybe right now the hair situation may be getting better.
My derm said it shouldn't be more than 2 years tops for all my hair to grow back, but noted it was a bit unusual for me to not start seeing regrowth after 6 months, but he says some people need 2 years.
Best of luck to you with your derm, if I were you, I'd ask him to do a blood test on you for iron, thyroid, and lupus first so we can rule out those things.
hey guys. i'm fairly new to this forum. i noticed that most of the posts on this thread come from guys. is it less common for women??
i just finished a 5-month course of accutane last week. i didn't have hairloss until i started my 5th month. and i lose like handfuls of hair in the shower, as well as when i brush it. i'm having to pick up hair from my bathroom twice a week because the floor gets covered with hair so quickly (before i usually picked up my hair only every 2 weeks). i'm freaking out, guys!!!! i used to have really thick hair.. and now when i put my hair up on a ponytail, i feel the difference! it's ridiculous.
does anyone have any advice to at least prevent loss? or promote growth?