Acitretin hair loss: how common, and does it grow back?

Also searched as: acitretin hair lossSoriatane hair lossNeotigason hair loss

The Soriatane label places alopecia in the 50%–75% band of 525 psoriasis trial subjects and says most patients have some hair loss; in a prospective study, more than 63% (42/66) on 50 mg or more daily for 6 months or longer had alopecia that reversed when treatment ended.

No consistent week-by-week window is published for this, so it is not on the calculator.

The timeline

Stage	When (typically)	What's happening
Typical drug-shed onset	2–4 months after a start or dose change	DermNet: with telogen effluvium from drugs, hair loss usually becomes evident after 2–4 months. [DermNet]
Dose link	Dose and duration dependent	Retinoid hair loss is dose and duration dependent. [Cutis]

Acitretin vs isotretinoin

	Acitretin	Isotretinoin
Hair loss in data	50–75% of 525 trial subjects [U.S.]	3.2%–5.7% in a systematic review [Cutis]
Brow and lash loss	5% of 329 examined [U.S.]	—
DermNet ranking	Acitretin > isotretinoin [DermNet]

Key facts

The label's patient information says no one can tell if you will lose hair, how much, or if and when it may grow back. [U.S.]

Normal vs. warning signs

Commonly normal

Diffuse thinning while on treatment
Change in hair texture

Warning signs — get checked

Patches or smooth bald spots
Scalp pain, redness, burning or scaling
Loss of eyebrows, eyelashes or body hair
Vision changes, severe headache or nausea — contact your prescriber promptly

Find a trichologist →

What may help

Never stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own — raise hair changes with your prescriber, who can weigh them against why you take it.
Ask whether your dose is in the range where hair loss is more common.
Use gentle hair care while on treatment.

Related triggers

Medications

Valproate (Depakote)

Frequently asked questions

How common is hair loss on acitretin?

Very common: the Soriatane label lists alopecia in the 50–75% band of trial subjects.

Does acitretin hair loss grow back?

In a prospective study it reversed after discontinuation, but the label says regrowth cannot be predicted for every person.

Is acitretin worse for hair than Accutane?

On the data, yes — DermNet ranks acitretin above isotretinoin for hair loss.

Sources

U.S. FDA. SORIATANE (acitretin) prescribing information
Cutis / MDedge. Culprits of Medication-Induced Telogen Effluvium, Part 1
DermNet. Alopecia from drugs