Acitretin-Induced Repigmentation of Gray Hair: A Case Report

April 2024 in “ Curēus ”

Eunice Chow, Thomas G. Salopek

acitretin oral retinoid alopecia hair repigmentation hair pigmentation

TLDR Acitretin treatment unexpectedly darkened a patient's gray hair.

A case report from April 2024 describes an unusual instance of hair repigmentation following the administration of acitretin, an oral retinoid typically associated with alopecia as a side effect. The patient experienced a darkening of hair color after undergoing treatment with acitretin, a phenomenon that is not well-documented in medical literature. This case highlights a potential, albeit rare, effect of acitretin on hair pigmentation.

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Research cited in this study

5 / 5 results

research Reversing Gray Hair: Inspiring the Development of New Therapies Through Research on Hair Pigmentation and Repigmentation Progress

2 citations, January 2023 in “International journal of biological sciences”

Gray hair can potentially be reversed, leading to new treatments.

research Medication-Induced Repigmentation of Gray Hair: A Systematic Review

28 citations, December 2019 in “Skin appendage disorders”

Some medications might reverse gray hair, especially those that reduce inflammation or stimulate pigment production, and vitamin B might help.

research Histopathology of Aging of the Hair Follicle

31 citations, April 2019 in “Journal of Cutaneous Pathology”

Hair becomes gray and thin as we age, and while most hair loss in older people is due to genetics, there's a chance for gray hair to regain color under certain conditions.

research Manifest Hair Repigmentation Associated with Etretinate Therapy

9 citations, July 2016 in “The Journal of Dermatology”

An 82-year-old man's white hair regained color after taking etretinate for psoriasis.

research A Case of Repigmentation and Curling of Hair on Acitretin Therapy

17 citations, November 2013 in “Clinical and experimental dermatology”

Acitretin therapy may cause hair to repigment and curl.

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research Development of Folliculitis in a Patient with Recalcitrant Pustular Psoriasis Following Acitretin Treatment: A Case Report

June 2017 in “Journal of Clinical and Health Sciences”

A woman developed folliculitis after long-term acitretin treatment for pustular psoriasis.

research Development of Folliculitis in a Patient with Recalcitrant Pustular Psoriasis Following Acitretin Treatment: A Case Report

June 2017

A woman developed folliculitis after taking acitretin for psoriasis, which was treated with skin dressing and antibiotics.

Acitretin-Induced Repigmentation of Gray Hair: A Case Report

Research cited in this study

research Reversing Gray Hair: Inspiring the Development of New Therapies Through Research on Hair Pigmentation and Repigmentation Progress

research Medication-Induced Repigmentation of Gray Hair: A Systematic Review

research Histopathology of Aging of the Hair Follicle

research Manifest Hair Repigmentation Associated with Etretinate Therapy

research A Case of Repigmentation and Curling of Hair on Acitretin Therapy

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Related Research

research Development of Folliculitis in a Patient with Recalcitrant Pustular Psoriasis Following Acitretin Treatment: A Case Report

research Development of Folliculitis in a Patient with Recalcitrant Pustular Psoriasis Following Acitretin Treatment: A Case Report