Hey guys, I’ve seen a study that confirmed that Retin-A (Tretinoin) stimulates hairgrowth and also read several threads of women saying that they felt whenever they used Tretinoin that their facial hair grows faster.
I’m getting Electrolysis treatment on my face and I’m wondering if I can still use it after my hair has been cleared or will it stimulate back some hair growth and roots? I’m very confused, thank you.
The study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3771854
Discuss this with your dermatologist.
The study you linked, as far as I understand, was performed on people who have androgenetic alopecia, and the hair growth is presumably measured on top of the head rather than on the face or body. It’s difficult to know the methodology and the discussion of results (whether there is a strong case for causality) since that study is not freely available. People who are using tretinoin more often seem to claim (temporary) hair loss along with other tenuous side effects that have yet to be scientifically proven.
Assuming that it is even possible and likely for tretinoin to stimulate new hair growth from follicles not treated by electrolysis, whether you take tretinoin during the treatment period of after treatment has been completed, any hair that may grow will need to be treated either way. If tretinoin is a necessity for you, then that’s just how it will be. Your dermatologist will be able to discuss this with you.
I should add that taking tretinoin while actively receiving electrolysis treatments is not encouraged. Some people won’t experience adverse effects, but others may.
This has me confused. Why would the study claim it was from the scalp hairs, did these test subjects apply the retin a to their scalp? Can retin a areas of the body or head that it has not been physically applied to?
The methodology of the study isn’t easily accessible, so I can only assume the details.
Since tretinoin was applied topically, I doubt it can influence hair growth in areas where it wasn’t applied. In any case, I don’t believe that causality has been proved here. Even if it had been proved, it’s not reasonable to assume that the general population will experience regrowth to the same degree as someone with a specific medical condition.
Ultimately, it’s not highly relevant to a vast majority of people seeking electrolysis treatments.
I use retin a that’s why it concerned me lol but I haven’t used it on areas I’ve gotten electrolysis