Hair loss frequent in acne patients treated with low dose isotretinoin vs high dose

Canada: Findings from a systematic review suggetsed that in few patients with acne vulgaris treated with low-dose isotretinoin suffered hair loss than patients on a higher dose. The study was published in the Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology International.

The researchers wrote, "<0.5-mg/kg/day isotretinoin dosing results in hair loss at a frequency of 3.2% but ≥0.5-mg/kg/day isotretinoin dosing yields hair loss at a frequency of 5.7%." "Dose reduction role in hair loss frequency is critical to establish because it would allow patients with acne and distressing levels of hair loss to still receive effective therapy." 

In the US, over 1 million isotretinoin prescriptions are authorized per year. An understanding of the frequency, dose dependency, timing, and reversibility of hair loss associated with isotretinoin treatment for acne vulgaris could be helpful for guiding dosing regimens and patient counseling. The study was conducted by Katherine McDonald, Department of Dermatology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues with an objective to assess the frequency of hair loss in patients with acne vulgaris on <0.5 mg/kg/d daily doses of isotretinoin compared to the frequency of hair loss in patients with acne vulgaris on ≥0.5 mg/kg/d daily doses of isotretinoin.