Opioids Strange Side Effect?

[Healgasm]

Ok, so I am a 22 year old male who was experiencing some hair loss the past few years. Upon seeing a dermatologist, I was told that I had higher than normal Testosterone levels(explains why I am covered in hair on the rest of my body), and that the excess Testosterone was being converted into DHT, which is the substance that causes male pattern baldness. I was given the choice to go on drugs like propecia and the like, but opted not to due to the side effects and being so young.

A year from last June I had a back injury and have been on Norco 7.5's since. During this time I have seen marked increases in new hairs growing in the spots where I had lost hair. Its to the point where others are noticing.

I read that chronic opiate abuse can affect(lower) testosterone levels. Is it possible that my Norco use is reversing or at least slowing my hair loss? Obviously I don't want my levels to get too low, but for the time being this is a bit of an unexpected, but beneficial side effect.

 

[suckmydrugs]

Wow, I've def never heard of hair loss as a side effect before when talking about painkillers. Yea, you def wanna check with ur doctor on that one. Sounds serious!

 

[Healgasm]

Wow, I've def never heard of hair loss as a side effect before when talking about painkillers. Yea, you def wanna check with ur doctor on that one. Sounds serious!

You read that wrong, I was losing hair UNTIL I started the painkillers.

 

[Healgasm]

Guess no one knows, maybe this would do better in advanced drug?

 

[Xynthetic]

You answered your own question. Yes, opiates do lower testosterone levels and it seems as if they are being lowered enough to help your condition.

 

[Racecar]

I'm around the same age, but i have a rollercoaster style heroin addiciton and I'm losing hair. I don't know what to think, maybe my extreme addiction leads to this, maybe its just my time for losing hair.

 

[Racecar]

also, i have an opiate addict friend that is now prescribed testosterone with his suboxone after a blood test revealed low t

 

[Xynthetic]

I'm around the same age, but i have a rollercoaster style heroin addiciton and I'm losing hair. I don't know what to think, maybe my extreme addiction leads to this, maybe its just my time for losing hair.

Is it safe to assume that if you're having problems with heroin, then you personally aren't eating as well as you'd like to? I could see that as being a contributor to hair loss.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Guess no one knows, maybe this would do better in advanced drug?

Your intuition is correct, taking opiates can lower endogenous testosterone production, and if you had excessive testosterone being converted to DHT, then it would stand to reason that a moderate opiate habit could really help you out here.

There's not much else I have to add/say, I am still relatively young and haven't experienced hair loss whatsoever. The alive males in my family still have hair, and I wouldn't mind shaving my head regularly either.

Wow, I've def never heard of hair loss as a side effect before when talking about painkillers. Yea, you def wanna check with ur doctor on that one. Sounds serious!

Work on your reading comprehension.

 

[Healgasm]

Your intuition is correct, taking opiates can lower endogenous testosterone production, and if you had excessive testosterone being converted to DHT, then it would stand to reason that a moderate opiate habit could really help you out here.

Thanks for the reply, do the testosterone levels rebound when opiate use ends?

 

[ech0s85]

wow thats awesome. Yes i believe when you stop using youll have an initial spike to above normal and then level back to baseline preopiate levels.

 

[Moredopamine]

It's certainly a possibility.

I'm 18 and already am going through the early stages of MPB (note that it's not too rare of a condition for <21 year olds--1/4 people who get MPB start the process before 21). I use opioids semi-regularly (and also do lots of running which also happens to lower testosterone) but this has resulted in no regrowth of hair.

I'm around the same age, but i have a rollercoaster style heroin addiciton and I'm losing hair. I don't know what to think, maybe my extreme addiction leads to this, maybe its just my time for losing hair.

Opioid use almost certainly doesn't cause hair loss by itself. Maybe if you neglect nutrition and the like then one might be able to say it's a secondary side-effect.

edit: it's also important to differentiate hair loss as male pattern baldness induced hair loss (normally you start with a receding hair line and/or thinning hair at the vertex) or hair that indiscriminately falls out.