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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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