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Summer
is in full swing and it's important that hair loss sufferers
take special precautions to cover up those bald spots and
thinning areas. There is not only a risk of skin cancer, but
there is the possibility of experiencing additional hair loss,
especially if you are using a Retin-A/Minoxidil solution.
Researchers
at the Department of Medical-Surgical Dermatology and Venereology
at the Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena in Sevilla,
Spain, previously reported that some patients under treatment
with 3% minoxidil and 0.01% tretinoin (Retin-A) developed
sunburns following sun exposure. They related these to the
effects of UV radiation on the scalp previously irritated
by tretinoin, so the treatment was stopped for 15 to 20 days.
About 3 to 4 months later these patients suffered increased
hair loss, which was first misinterpreted as a consequence
of having temporarily stopped the medication.
In
another case a young woman had begun to notice a great loss
of hair 4 months after an episode of quite severe sunburns
on the scalp during the summer. At that time she had worn
a plaited Afro-look hairstyle, which left great areas of her
scalp uncovered. After 6 hours of sun exposure she suffered
sunburns with inflammation, redness, blistering, itching,
pain and peeling skin, and she was unable to stay at the seaside
for a whole month. Three months later she noticed a significant
hair loss that did not coincide with the seasonal hair shedding
period. The hair appeared unruled in the frontal region and
the trichogram revealed 40% telogen and 30% dystrophic hairs.
 Once
the relationship of UV rays, sunburn, and telogen effluvium
was established, they reviewed their files and verified the
presence of this kind of alopecia in 17 male patients treated
with a combination of minoxidil and tretinoin who developed
sunburns on the scalp. In addition, they also observed 5 healthy
women with female androgenetic alopecia who were being treated
with 2% minoxidil without tretinoin. All of them had worn
special hairstyles that left large areas of scalp uncovered
during prolonged sun exposure. The consequence was redness,
itching, and scaling, and in 2 cases there were blisters that
required the treatment of their more or less severe sunburns.
All women showed a telogen effluvium 3 to 4 months after the
episode described.
The
clinical features of Alopecia caused by excessive sun exposure
in males always shows as increased frontovertical hair shedding,
along with a trichogram that discloses at least 20% more telogen
hairs compared with those present at the initial stage of
the treatment. In women, the hairs on the frontal region appear
unruled and show increasing frontovertical alopecia with loss
of the frontal hair implantation line.
The
doctors have now recommended to their patients that they avoid
using Retin-A in the morning of sunny days, and especially
if they plan to go to the beach. To play it safe we recommend
that you also use both a sun block and a hat to prevent any
problems like this from occurring.
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