Accutane or Pantene Shampoo caused hair loss

[BrassMonkey]

Ughhh, I'm so frustrated! I have been on Accutane for 1 year and about 3 months, but I have not been on this medication since the beginning of August because it cured my acne. At the same time I stopped taking Accutane, I had also tried using a Pantene shampoo for smooth hair. Ever since that time, I have been losing more hair than I usually do. I mean, I know you lose hair randomly, but then I would wash my hair and I would just have hair all caught up in my fingers, and sometimes I would get like a freaking hair ball caught in the drain. I researched about pantene causing hair loss, and I thought it was just the shampoo so I switched back to Herbal Essence. I have been on Herbal Essence for a while, and I still have hair coming out more than what it used to be. Now, I have also heard of accutane causing hair loss. While on the medication, I never had this problem, until around the same time I stopped taking it. Before, I have asked my dermatologist about hair loss way before any of this happened, and he said that he has never really heard of it happening before. So, I brushed it off my shoulders. Now, I don't know if I am experiencing a little bit of hair loss due to the fact I used Pantene shampoo for a short time, or if accutane caused the hair loss. What are your thoughts about this, and what do you think I should do???

[Noirtier]

I would definitely chalk it up to the Accutane, possibly due to the fact that you suddenly stopped taking it. As I did a little research, I found out that accutane is also used as a chemotherapy treatment, or an aid to a chemotherapy treatment. Now, typically, accutane prescribed by a dermatologist for acne is perfectly safe, although there may be a few mild but common side effects. That's true for any medication. Also true for any medication is the existence of more adverse side effects, hair loss being one of them for accutane. Now this is a rare side effect, but it still occurs. I would go talk to your dermatologist about it and see what he thinks. Since you stopped taking it, I would also guess that the hair loss would eventually cease over time. Still something to talk to your doctor about though.

[Jdawg91]

Accutane is one of the very potent medicines for acne and from experience its not good,so many negatives for only one positive. If you feel accutane is making you loose your hair then consult your doctor . I changed from accutane to anti-biotics used for treating malaria and they work the same minus all the side effects carried with accutane.

[BrassMonkey]

Well, It could be then. I mean, my cousin is the first person who told me that when he took it, that he had hair loss, and so did another cousin of his. Now, before anyone says anything about genetics, he is from my moms side of the family, and my mom is adopted. So, I do not share the same blood as the cousin who told me this. So, thats when I asked my dermatologist about accutane causing hair loss. He basically said that he has never heard of that happening to any of his patients, or really hearing about it happening. So, thats when I brushed it off my shoulders... I stopped taking accutane for a few weeks when I started using the Pantene shampoo. After going through about half the bottle of pantene, thats when I noticed my hair starting to fall out more the what it usually does. So, I thought it was the shampoo and stopped using it immediately. I used the rest of another shampoo and then got some Herbal Essence, but my hair loss still hasnt decreased any. I researched the shampoo, and its been known to cause hair loss too. So, I really didnt want to blame accutane, because the only side effects I had was dry skin and lips. I just dont know what to do, or to wait it out too see if it will decrease any.