A mother was adviced to stop breastfeeding because since some years she is
suffering from a strong hair-loss due to alopecia androgenetica which is
rapidly getting worse. She should start as soon as possible to use, besides
other drugs, a lotion which contains progesterone and tricoxidil. She called
an institute of Milan (Italy) who gives informations about the compatibility
of medications with breastfeeding, (I gave her the number which I knew from
an Italian LLLL). They said to her that the other drugs are OK, but that for
the lotion they cannot give her a 100% guarantee that it is safe with
breastfeeding, as a part of it enter into the blood). Dr. Newman writes in
one of his handouts that drugs which are used on the skin are normally safe
and I told her so, but as this institute gave her the above answer, the
mother prefers not to start the treatment yet, with the hope that her
hairloss will not get worse in the meantime. I also told her, that the MD
who said that she must stop breastfeeding should proof that this lotion can
harm the baby, as Jack would say.

A cousin of mine lost all her hairs, perhaps due to the same condition, so I
would like to be able to tell to this mother that she can start this
treatment and continue to breastfeed.

Somebody could give me an advice? Thank you very much in advance!

Greetings from Italy
Ulrike

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