thinning hair

Posts Tagged ‘total revealed alopecia’

Hair Thinning and Interferon

Why Does Interferon Cause Hair Thinning and Hair Loss? I was wondering about the effects that an Interferon course had on the head hair thinning and loss and came across this explanation and recommendation for hair care. I can’t remember where I found it originally, just that I stored it on my hard drive… I think the source is in the references at the bottom. “Interferon affects the hair follicles and changes the texture of the hair, thereby making it more sensitive to breakage. Hair loss, which has been described as a possible side effect of treatment with interferons,(1) occurs by one of two mechanisms. First, loss via a shearing or friction effect at the scalp level (often during sleep as the hair moves across a pillow) is caused by the weak, brittle nature of hair changes. ” “Second, loss can occur via a spontaneous release of the hair from the follicle, leaving the follicle empty, which is usually seen with vigorous shampooing or brushing. Alopecia is frequently observed when therapy is continued for longer than 3 to 4 months, and is characterized by thinning and slight-to-mild hair loss. It appears to be the most common cutaneous reaction associated with interferon alfa treatment.(2) Alopecia may become more pronounced when interferon is discontinued and may continue for 1 to 3 months.(3) In general, alopecia associated with interferon is reversible. In some patients, hair regrowth occurs during treatment continuation.(1)” “Total revealed alopecia is seen more often with high-dose interferon or long-term interferon [...]

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