Has anyone had problems or changes with hair, tee... - ICUsteps

ICUsteps

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Has anyone had problems or changes with hair, teeth or nails.

hoofman54 profile image
8 Replies
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hoofman54
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8 Replies
barbs58 profile image
barbs58

Yes, me too, I was 8 days in ICU. and 5 weeks in hospital. There is a common problem where your nails get ridges. The ridges on all my toe nails, they are called Beau’s lines, are where the nails had stopped growing when I was in ICU. I also had hair loss for months after and the skin peeling off my back, and it had got very dry all over my body. I didn't find out until ages after that these things were caused by ICU. I hope the new ICU booklet will help people to realise that these sorts of problems are 'normal'.

Offcut profile image
Offcut

I was in ICU 32 days and had huge ridges in my nails and did lose some of my hair along with 3.5 stone in weight I also got thrush in my mouth

Mystery profile image
Mystery

I had same problems, take hair,skin and nails tablets from holland and barretts

They do work, I have been taking since Icu nearly 4 years ago, it took about 2 years to notice but they do work, I am convinced,

I also have to take flucloxacillin regularly as I have ecxema and psoriasis which I did not have before Icu, I had terrible Mrsa , I am told even after all this time your body still concentrates on major organs and leaves skin etc till last, my lungs do not function correctly so I can well believe this

hoofman54 profile image
hoofman54 in reply toMystery

Thanks for your response Mystery. Didnt realise that the tablets you mentioned were even available, do they have a name or are they called as you stated?

Mystery profile image
Mystery

Hi

They are called skin hair and nails, really cheap from holland and Barrett good luck x

Kulta profile image
Kulta

I lost about a third of my hair when the PTSD set in about three months from discharge. My body was concentrating on repairing my liver. Sadly I still had to remove the hair growing in places I didn't want it! Although interestingly my underarm hair didn't grow and need shaving during my seven week stay! Nails were fine. I'd rather have had the manky nails than hair loss. Thankfully I didn't heed two doctors advice to shave my whole head! It grew back slightly fuller with a slight wave initially and sadly had to cut my long hair short but two years on, it looks ok.

Skysie profile image
Skysie

I spent 2 months in ICU, lost a lot of hair which like Kulta initially grew in with a slight wave :-) My finger/toe nails came back double (ie the new nail grew behind the old and had to wait till old nail got to the top for it to fall off) it took over a year. Hair and nails are good now. I also still have lung problems - chronic cough for 3 years with no obvious cause. Teeth have become almost chalky and now get lots of decay. Very fast growing cataracts needed to be treated when I left hospital after 8 months. Obviously all caused by drugs that were needed. A small price to pay for being alive :-)

costablanca2015 profile image
costablanca2015

I have loose teeth I am a female pensioner of 74 are there any natural remedies?

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