Retin-A for Hair Loss

Some baldness cures were actually designed for other disorders. Minoxidil was an oral low blood pressure treatment, and finasteride 5mg was a prostate treatment. When I got an email from one of my blog’s readers asking about Retin-A I was happy to add another product to the list of baldness cures – which was and still is not designed for baldness.

Retin-A (also known as Tretinoin) is a topical acne medication. It is also used for certain severe skin disorders. It is a topical cream or ointment, not approved by any health authority to be used for hair loss, or to be applied on the scalp for hair disorders.

I assume that Retin-A was notices once few guys with acne applied Retin A on their hairline or scalp where acne was shown and had hair regrowth in these areas. Maybe the fact that acne is usually driven from high DHT levels brought men to try it on their scalp as an anti-DHT treatment. No one really knows how it all began but at some point it was tested and studies were made, that showed that Retin-A helps to regrow hair – in women as well…

Retin-A Ingredients

Chemicals / Active ingredients: Tretinoin BP 0.025%, 0.05% or 0.1% cream.
Other ingredients / excipients: Decyl oleate, isopropyl myristrate, glyceryl monostearate, acetyl lanolin alcohol, ceteareth-30, cetyl alcohol, proline, monostearate of polyethylene glycol 400, urea, collagen, methylparaben, propylparaben, lactic acid, sodium citrate, sodium hydroxide, vitamin E, aroma, and purified water.
Description: Tretinoin or vitamin A acid, the single active ingredient, is a cellular stimulant which is effective in the treatment of common acne.

How Retin-A Helps With Hair Loss

Retin-A works by ensuring that your sebaceous glands are functioning properly. Sebaceous glands are what control the sebum levels in the skin; and also contain DHT… the hormone which causes damage to the follicles. Retin-A balances sebaceous glands, keeping sebum and DHT levels low, thus minimizing hair loss.

Retin-A is a prescription drug, but you also get it over the counter in many courtiers or on in the internet without prescription. It comes in a cream and you can also get it in a liquid version

Retin-A Works Best with minoxidil, you can even find online some minoxidil solutions that contain Retin-A pre-mixed (just that you know, minoxidil works great with almost any treatment). If you use Retin-A solely, it may not improve your hair loss condition, however there are studies that shows that it can still help regrow hair on its own, especially in women.

Retin-A Side Effects

Retin-A is classified as a “Skin-Peel” so it may cause dandruff and skin irritation when applied on the scalp. More is not better when it comes to Retin-A, you should use low quantity, test your skin reaction, and stop if you have side effects of peeling and redness. Too much of Retin-A may actually harm your scalp, so be careful, and use it wisely.

Retin-A as Hair Loss Treatment, Bottom Line

I know of few men who use Retin-A together with other hair loss treatment. Some claim it helps. I guess it can help in some cases to improve the minoxidil effect but I find it hard to believe it can work alone. It seems like a weak baldness cure, that helps to reduce DHT levels in the scalp a little bit, and balance the serum levels in the scalp (if you have high levels). Still it can dry the scalp and end up with irritation, so if you decide to try it – do it slowly. Retin-A requires prescription but you can get it online here.