In the last few weeks I've developed really dry flaky skin on my scalp -yellowish flakes - and along with it a lot of hair thinning, and a new small bald patch on top. Up until now I've had a full head of hair. It's happening disturbingly quickly and I'm worried about how extensive it may become, and whether it will be permanent.
I've been on Degarelix and Enzalutamide for 6 months now. I'm also 3 sessions into a 6 session course of RT to the prostate - Tomotherapy 36 gray delivered in 6 x 6 gray fractions.
Any ideas on how to alleviate? Thanks... and Happy New Year!
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Broccoli24
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I would estimate that I have lost 25-30% of the hair on my body since starting eligard 18 months ago. Chest, legs, head etc.... I have been bald for a long time so it does not affect me much.
I’ve always had a thick head of hair, so this is quite a shock… wasn’t expecting it. And the only visible thing saying there’s something wrong. How did it affect your beard growth?
I accidentally shaved mine off earlier this year, and hated it. So am hoping it doesn’t get too badly affected.
ADT can do that. I had been shaving my head since thinning advanced to the point of no hope at around 50. Surrendering the thinning crap I was sporting was a freeing experience. I don't mind at all.
However I can understand. If I had shaved my head in my thirties when I had all that luscious hair I'd have hated it too.
I’ve lost twice that on my body and surprisingly a fair amount on my head( it should be the opposite by my reckoning on the scalp due to a decrease in di hydro testosterone) weight gain and hair loss….wreaking havoc with my modeling career!😦
started ADT 8 years ago first on Lupron, they switched to Eligard. Chest/arm pits and most of pubic hair - gone. However, the hair on my head has gotten thicker ... ? Check with your Dr about side effects - maybe a Dermotologist ?
You might be right about it not being HT related, because testosterone suppression would usually actually increase head hair growth, at least that's what I experienced. That was the only positive side effect I can think of for PC treatment. Body hair, though, is a different story. 🦊
I noticed that for me, too. which surprised me. My haircutter also noticed that my hair became finer (which I liked). My RO had never heard about it, and I have never seen anything about it. Weird, huh? Of course, hormone therapy restores head hair, while removing body hair.
After awhile, my hair grew back as course and thick as ever. I use Vaseline on my hair everyday, which stops flaky scalp.
Hmmm, very strange isn’t it… but glad to hear yours came back as strong as ever… hoping mine will too.
It looks a bit like cradle cap… and I wondered if it might be a stress response. (Also wondered if vegan diet might be lacking some nutrients and contributing to it). Have made an appointment to see my GP, but Vaseline sounds like a good call. Have already started using olive oil.
So, it’s still a bit flaky I take it? Did your doc come to any conclusions as to the cause… or do you think RT was?
Not flaky. But My hair is thick, coarse, and somewhat long, so I use Vaseline to tame it, and shampoo maybe once a week. When I worked in an office, it was shorter and I shampooed everyday and had dandruff.
I think it was the RT, because of the timing. Maybe cytokines are released? I don't really know.
I’ve been on Eligard and Erleada for about 15 months… lost all chest hair, pubic hair and arm pits hair. Arm and leg hair thinned out… head hair is thick as ever… it’s sort of like puberty in reverse.
had a similar problem on adt and enzalutamide. Lost body hair and my thick eyebrows became a shadow of their normal self! Not the head though.
The only drugs I am aware of which help hair on the head are minoxidil and finasteride. Worth asking your doc about them.
And get your thyroid function checked. Scaly skin reaction is one manifestation of hypothyroidism - rarely associated with enzalutamide and apalutamide.
The reason for the dry skin is the loss of estradiol due to ADT. If you search "Google Scholar" for "estradiol and dry skin", you will find many papers supporting this statement. Here's an example:
If you can get a prescription for estradiol patches from your PCP or GP, you can reverse the dry skin problem. I've been using supplemental estradiol gel for 8 months, and my dry, flakey skin has disappeared.
Hair on my head as thick as ever. No hair under arms, arms, legs, chest, pubs, all gone. Eyebrows and even eyelashes almost gone. And almost no chin hair and basically no mustache any more. My name is John but might as well call me Joan.
I kinda noticed since on adt my hair on top whats left is growing. Maybe I am right reading the replies here. Never had much arm or leg hair so can't tell. Still have to shave my face every other day.
Sorry to hear of side effects but hopefully they stop here for you and don’t progress. It’s encouraging when reading about other men with similar challenges who don’t experience any or little side effects
. After RO, and recently seven weeks RT, 2.75 months Ofgovyx, strangely lost almost all my eye brows, pubic hair stopped growing , shaving every four days instead of every two, flaky itchy arms and shins, All of which hopefully reside soon after stopping ADT treatment-if not and lab results are favorable ill accept as payment in full for more years of life. Actually I’ll pay the piper double if all of this turns of the growth of my facial hair permanently and I never shave again; that side effect I’’d gladly stay the course.
It'll turn you into a pre pubescent boy, plus hair isn't the only thing that shrinks. Get used to it, nothing you can do to change it short of stopping the drugs.
I have also lost nearly all my pubes on prostap. Other body hair is thinner but no difference to the hair on my head, unfortunately. What I do get are split nails however. I've got the emery board out and filing my nails!
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