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Permalink Reply by Scott James on February 3, 2012 at 4:59pm

My dermatologist prescribed Cyclosporine to help treat my AA. Whilst taking this drug my hair started thinning dramatically and within 3 months I was AU. I noticed no unplesant side effects whilst on the drug, other than all my remaining hair falling out of course.

However, alopecia seems to play by its own rules so whether the Cyclosporine had anything to do with the transition from AA to AU I will never know.

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Permalink Reply by Plumeria on February 6, 2012 at 12:01am

Are you still on this prescription?

I just recently saw a dermatologist who told me if I went on Cyclosporine my hair would grow back, but the side effects out weight the results. If I stop the prescription, my hair will fall out, in the mean time, I could have kidney and liver failure - we both agreed, I am healthy other than no hair, so it wasn't a risk I was willing to take.

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Permalink Reply by Scott James on February 6, 2012 at 2:30pm

No, I stopped taking the Cyclosporine as soon as I noticed the dramatic thinning of my hair, maybe about 3 weeks into the course.

Recently I came across the following study which looks interesting :

"The use of methotrexate alone or in combination with low doses of oral corticosteroids in the treatment of alopecia totalis or universalis " > Link to the study

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Permalink Reply by Karen Smith on February 9, 2012 at 6:48am

Thanks for posting this study.

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Permalink Reply by Vanessa on February 12, 2012 at 6:05pm

Hello all,

I was offered the opportunity to participate in a trial with prednisone and methotrexate a few years ago but I declined. Just last week I went back to visit this doctor (dermatologist in Vancouver) to inquire about how the study had gone. He said "the drugs didn't work for us". He said they tried on 6 or 7 people, and just a couple of people grew eyelashes and eyebrows. He couldn't explain why the french study had such good results.

He did mention cyclosporine, saying he'd tried it on a few people and a couple did grow their hair back but had to stop using the drug because of kidney problems. I think the risks really do outweigh the benefits!! I was only back to inquire because now I have a dry eye problem (also likely auto-immune) and I might consider such drugs if I could address both issues... I am taking the cyclosporine eyedrop actually, but this is much less risky than taking the drug systemically.

In any case I should let people know that I think I have discovered a natural supplement that has helped me to keep (most of ) my eyelashes: PLANT STEROLS AND STEROLINS. the theory is that they balance the immune system. My eyelashes came back while pregnant. Two years later they started falling out again. I began taking this supplement and the loss stopped (though most of my lashes were gone)and the regrowth began. I now have most lashes on the top and some on the bottom again. About six weeks ago I ran out of the supplement for a couple of weeks and noticed I was losing lashes again. Started taking the sterols and sterolins again and loss seems to have halted. Best of luck to anyone who may try! Here is info on the brand I'm using: http://www.newrootsherbal.com/product/view/id/221

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