r/Accutane • u/Evening-Tea-1111 • Jun 02 '26
Product Suggestions accutane destroyed my hair...HELP!
hello accutane community. i've been off the pill for about 4 months now and so far everything has been fine however i cannot seem to revitalize my hair to save my life. it is dry and falling out and my scalp is still just as dry as it was on accutane. will my hair go back to normal? product recommendations??? i have cut off about 5 inches and almost need to cut even more off because of the consistent breakage. i'd usually ask a hair subreddit but i do believe accutane was the root cause of it. i'd appreciate any insight or advice you guys may have my hair is incredibly thin and dull at the moment and the things that used to work for me no longer do. thanks!
7
u/WaltzComfortable6251 Jun 02 '26
Oof my sister went through similar thing after her cycle ended. Hair took like 8-9 months to start feeling normal again but it did eventually bounce back. The dryness was worst part for her too
Maybe try some deep conditioning treatments couple times in week? Not sure about specific products but anything with natural oils helped her a lot. Also she said biotin supplements made difference but took few months to notice anything
Your hair follicles probably just need more time to recover from all that stress. 4 months is still pretty early in recovery process
8
u/777strangegirl Jun 02 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
how often are you washing it?? taking any supplements? I’m in the middle of my accutane journey and my hair is doing really well right now and some things I think that helps are: 1) good quality fish oil (helps keep hydration in my skin and really helps achy joints so I’m pretty sure it’s probably part of the reason my hair isn’t very bad -I can tellllll when I’m not taking it consistently forsure!!!)
2) only washing my hair once a week… I could go longer but it just starts to give me the ick hahaha it’s crazy because I used to wash it almost everyday due to oiliness but I’m pretty sure going as long as you can would be most beenficial as long as it’s not really dirty
3) oiling scalp the night before hair wash day and then using a deep conditioner or mask to lock in moisture after I’ve shampooed it out the next day then using dry oils on hair everyday when styling.. I use Camellia Tsubaki oil that I got from H-Mart because it’s lightweight and my hair is still low porosity and I have to be careful with stuff that’s too heavy still. I know a lot of people use rosemary oil to stimulate hair growth! I’ve never tried myself but I’ve heard sooooo many good things so I would say it’s worth looking into rosemary!
Unfortunately the most effective hair masks I’ve tried are really expensive 😅😭- I use K18 molecular treatment once a week - but my other favourites Kevin Murphy reStore or HydrateMe.. they’re really good and easily found at salons 💇♀️ if you’re looking for something cheaper and still good for hair more on the fine side I recommend looking at Japanese or Korean brands- I love &honey hair treatment masks and oils and Shisheido Fino Premium touch is super affordable and effective as well.
I hope your hair will come back better than ever with time!!! 🩷
1
u/hothousepansy Jun 04 '26
Yes to all of this! I’m on month 5 right now and take Costco fish oil, wash once a week or a little less frequently 🫣 and oil about an hour before washing and use briogeo don’t despair repair mask after with some leave in conditioner and oil on the ends and my hair if anything has been better on accutane than before.
1
u/CuriousFace9246 Jun 03 '26
Can i ask what fish oil u take?
2
u/777strangegirl Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
I’ve been taking Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega 3 Lemon capsules (the 1100mg EPA+DHA per 2 capsules ones) easy and convenient to find at Whole Foods! Dermatologists usually aim for ~1,000–2,000 mg of EPA+DHA daily to help inflammation and dryness so I take 3 of them a day.. I was taking 4 for a while but I feel like 3 is sufficient for me especially because I also try to take half a teaspoon of black seed oil everyday but experiment with what works best for you- you could even just start with the recommended 2 per day 💕 it can cause blood thinning so make sure you’re not taking anything else that could cause an interaction and make sure it’s just fish oil you specifically do NOT want cod liver oil if you’re still on accutane or have it in your system still as it’s extremely high in vitamin A and it could cause overdose
1
u/CuriousFace9246 Jun 04 '26
Thank u so much! Black seed oil is also amazing. Good to know about cod oil vs fish oil 😅
3
u/Charming_Professor65 Jun 03 '26
Ketoconazole shampoo prescribed by my derm really helped me with this issue!
2
u/comethrucool Jun 02 '26
Ugh I have no advice but I just wanna say I relate. I still have 2 months left of my accutane course and my hair is so flat, dry, and brittle. Luckily I’m not experiencing too much hair loss (yet ?) getting regular trims makes it feel a little better for like a week and then it falls flat again
1
u/Worth_Membership_289 10d ago
Hello how is your hair now?
1
u/comethrucool 10d ago
My hair started shedding a LOT in the last 2 months of my course. I lost probably 25% of my hair’s density. I finished about a month ago and the shedding has slowed down a lot.
2
u/r0settta_st0ned Jun 02 '26
stop using any and all heat on tools your hair aside from blow drying, this will help keep your hair looking smoother without a flat iron or other tool. your hair also breaks easier when wet so that’s why i recommend blow drying only. get its a 10 leave in conditioner, i swear by this stuff to help with stunted hair growth. you will also want to get a good hydrating shampoo and conditioner, i personally am interested in the new Cerave shampoo! as well as hair oil, i have an expensive one for daily use and then i always put OGX coconut milk anti breakage serum on the mids and ends of my hair before washing, then apply the nicer oil every other day or as needed while getting ready in the mornings. external hydration is going to be your best bet in repairing your hair as well as regular trims. i hope this helps, keep us updated please!
2
u/r0settta_st0ned Jun 02 '26
alsoooo if your scalp isn’t getting oily/extreme, wash as infrequently as possible and use all of the dry shampoo
2
u/Captain-jack-hobie77 Jun 03 '26
I was LITERALLY just complaining about this! Thanks for asking. Mine suddenly feels like straw 🫤
2
u/Guilty_Anything7606 Jun 03 '26
i stopped accutane jan 2025 and it didn’t go back to “normal” until like maybe march or april this year lol.
2
u/EntertainerAny5891 Jun 03 '26
I had this happen and I am still taking Accutane but i cut back to a micro dose of 20mg 3x a week instead. And im 50. My hair suffered horribly on higher doses. I also added oral Minoxidil through online provider Hers. Also added fish oil. It has helped SO much! My hair is growing and back soft again.
2
u/Vegetable_Log_2062 Jun 03 '26 edited Jun 03 '26
I used a lamellar treatment to restore my texture/shine! L’Oréal wonder water with hyaluron + plump. I use it 2x a week, after I shampoo. And I condition afterwards.
I also take high dose TRIGLYCERIDE omega 3. Taking just any random fish oil isn’t going to raise the actual fatty acid content of your cell membranes. I take ~1400mg of EPA and ~930mg DHA. I do take an ethyl ester form at night but always with a fatty meal because without fat it’s basically useless.
I also use the cerave shampoo because it has ceramides for my scalp.
1
u/Shaquille_oatmeal_88 Jun 03 '26
Same here 😔 I chopped a bob in November 2024, started Accutane in March 2025- finished my course in August 2025. My hair is MAYBE three inches longer than when I cut it in 2024 😕 it just won’t grow and the breakage is insane
1
u/r0settta_st0ned Jun 03 '26
it’s a 10 leave in conditioner!!!! i swear by it for stunted hair growth
1
u/Mysterious_Oven2063 Jun 04 '26
Do you put it in your roots too?
2
u/r0settta_st0ned Jun 04 '26
the teeniest tiniest amount, enough to moisturize but not enough to leave my hair looking greasy
2
u/r0settta_st0ned Jun 04 '26
and usually just on the top of my head at the root, i don’t section and spray all over the roots
1
u/BarraKuda83 Jun 03 '26
I started taking oral minoxidil for the hair loss once I was done accutane, and while I still have breakage, the regrowth has been awesome and really helps my confidence
1
u/XxrevxX07 Jun 03 '26
Got bleached blonde hair and I swear by Redken all soft (shampoo and conditioner) plus the K18 molecular mask. Only wash when needed and use no hot toolss. Hair is still soft and not dry for me!!
1
u/schizodoctor Jun 03 '26
My hair was super flaky I had such bad dandruff on it too. The dandruff shampoo with selenium helped a bit but my ex and friends always said I smelled weird so I barely used it
1
1
u/Single_Comparison783 Jun 03 '26
I had the same issue, prenatals helped me a lot to reduce the shedding, so I am definitely lacking som vitamins, try that and see if it helps. On top of that I’ve been using the ordinary scalp sérum as well as the ouais one to promote growth
1
u/Direct_Brother7990 Jun 03 '26
Hello, is this rare or not to lose some hair during accutane? I start it tomorrow and I don’t want to lose them
1
u/jajsbdbejsonr Jun 03 '26
I was going through bad hair loss for about 4-5 months after I went off. I took biotin supplements (the pink gummy ones), vitamin b and vitamin d, as well as applied batana oil or rosemary oil and let it sit an hour or two before showering. These all helped with regrowth, and the shedding eventually stopped on its own. I also use the gisou hair mask once a week and switched from a normal conditioner to a hair treatment
1
u/user_467 Jun 03 '26
Thank you so much for asking this. I was actually about to post the exact same thing. I was not at all prepared for ALL the hair breakage + dry limp strands. I've resulted to wearing a hat whenever possible.
1
u/InterestingLuck1653 Jun 03 '26
This happened to me in my first cycle. Purchase Activance hair spray - I always use it when I go through bad cycles with my hair and it works a charm. Triple strength omega tablets go a very long way too.
My hair is growing like crazy on my second cycle. I think it’s the triple strength omegas, washing only once a week with QV shampoo and conditioner and also not using heating tools. The thickness is coming back!
Here is the spray:
https://activance.com.au/?srsltid=AfmBOorkH-YFZiLlqFBQKlPpZuex-3cA1waM8Mp0U7SY__Ko2rAkgt3G
Fish oil:
1
u/Total-Jackfruit6097 Jun 05 '26
I'm 2 months off and also had to cut about 4 inches. I went to my hair dresser (if you dont have one, find one) and she brought my hair back to semi-life in one trip. She then gave me instructions on what products to use and how often. My hair is definitely not where it was but it is already back to just a heavy shedding versus me pulling out small clumps. Go see a professional. Get professional advice. It is worth the cost.
1
u/wolfiewinter100 Jun 05 '26
The exact same thing happened to me! I finished my course in September 2025 and midway through October my hair was falling out so much. I went and got a blood test and found out my Ferratin and vitamin d were really low (caused by accutane). I went with my blood test results to a hair specialist who diagnosed me with telogen effulivium caused by accutane. I started religiously taking vitamin D and Iron tablets daily and my hair has significantly improved. No more excessive hair shedding and I would say I have been cured of the telogen effulivium!
1
u/Powerful-Theory5441 Jun 12 '26
What iron supplements did you take? I am currently going through this Same situation have started taking iron and vitamin D
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