Question about Vivelle

[Jen]

Hi Dr. Redmond,
I read your book from cover to cover. Thank you for the honest information for sensitive women like myself. I wish all doctors were as knowledgable. My question is that Vivelle carries a warning that hairloss can be a possible side effect. This scares me to death. If estrogen is good for the hair then why this warning?

[Geoffrey Redmond, MD, FACE]

Hi Dr. Redmond,
I read your book from cover to cover. Thank you for the honest information for sensitive women like myself. I wish all doctors were as knowledgable. My question is that Vivelle carries a warning that hairloss can be a possible side effect. This scares me to death. If estrogen is good for the hair then why this warning?

This warning is what is called "class labeling." The FDA requires the same warnings in any medication that has been reported with others in the same category. While some warnings are appropriate, many are not. For various reasons, many incorrect warnings creep into the package insert. Properly prescribed Vivelle helps hair, it does not cause if to fall out.