Restasis - Hair loss or thinning

[desm0nd]

27/M - So my hair has started to recently thin at the front, and started right around when I started Restasis 3 months ago. Has anyone noticed hair loss / hair thinning while using Restasis. Obviously it's hard to say that Restasis is the cause, could be many things.

[BigApple24]

there are a lot of 27 year Olds, and many who are younger, experiencing hair thinning. it's not the Restasis.

[desm0nd]

there are a lot of 27 year Olds, and many who are younger, experiencing hair thinning. it's not the Restasis.

It doesn't really run in my family so I don't see what else it could be.

[Angela810]

Restasis is like chemotherapy for your eyes. So if absorbed I guess it could have systemic effects.

In the UK we have Ikervis which is the same as restasis but slightly stronger. On the instructions it says that you should press down on the place between the inner bit of your eye and nose - it's called nasolacrimal obstruction, to prevent it being absorbed and 'undesirable side effects'. Also close your eyes after applying restasis which should make it more effective.

I hope that helps.

[grant555]

it's not the restasis. cyclosporine, if anything, causes increased hair growth. there are even studies about it. even if it did cause hair loss, it seems highly unlikely that eye drops could be sufficiently absorbed systemically to cause such a reaction. you are probably just going bald like the rest of us.

[deep_dry_eye]

Correlation does not imply causation. Restasis is unlikely to have caused your hair loss. You may however want to get your hormones checked, dry eyes is known to be caused by hormone imbalance.

[Guest]

Correlation does not imply causation. Restasis is unlikely to have caused your hair loss. You may however want to get your hormones checked, dry eyes is known to be caused by hormone imbalance.

I'm going to agree, most likely a hormonal issue. Testosterone gets converted to estrogen and DHT mainly. Finasteride blocks the aromatization of testosterone into DHT. Same as letrozole stops aromatization of testosterone into estrogen.

[RichardParker]

Hair loss can be related to heredity, Hormonal changes and medical conditions, Medications and supplements, or Certain hairstyles and treatments and many more. Avoid medications and supplements that could cause hair loss, tight hairstyles and take preventive measures during chemotherapy. continue reading .

[gilles]

As everyone here is giving you possible paths and causes to dive into, I will share mine:
If I am not mistaken, cyclosporine is used to supress the autoimmune reaction of your body, so inflammation of the eye lids or ocular rosacea. A popular example of people who are prone for (ocular) rosacea and inflammation of the glands (e.g. acne), are people with an oily skin. The oily skin is a fertile breeding ground for e.g. bacteria and yeast. Seborrheic dermatitis is something people with an oily skin are prone for, and can lead to hair loss. You would use anti-dandruff shampoo and for example Diprosone (to supress your bodies' natural inflammation reaction to the fungi/yeast that feed on the oily skin, just as cyclosporine does supress it on the eyes part). Now we get to the point which is relevant to this topic: there is a link between seborrheic dermatitis and hair loss (check out figure 2, the 37 your old man with hair loss). So, you might be using cyclosporine, like a lot of use here, because you have a skin type that is prone for inflammation and thus resulting in acne, meibomitis (which is why you would use cyclosporine eyedrops), sebor. dermatitis (which could lead to temporary hair loss). This is also why a lot of people on this forum might be accusing long time Roaccutane (Isotretinoin) use - which is used in the battle against acne - as the cause of their MGD, but in fact it might be just the skin type being the source (do not mistake: Roaccutane still has influence in dry eyes).

Also very important, and tended to be forgotten, is what you can do against sebor. derm. (if that is the reason): anti-dandruff shampoo (e.g. Ducray IPO or head and shoulders shampoo), wash your face with ph neutral soap (e.g. sebamed)

I am not a doctor, and I am sure some things should be explained by a specialist as I have not studied the subject, but this sharing of my experience might help you find the source of your problem. You should still consult a doctor, which could help you out even better.