Facial Hair growth due to Cyclosporine

[TheLostMonk]

H ello everyone,

I am a 25yr old female. It's been 3 months post my transplant and I'm on cyclosporine, prednisone & MMF. I have been. experience a lot of facial hair growth. My doctors told me it could due to steroid or cyclosporin but more likely due to cyclosporine. I have taken Steroids before and I know hair growth caused by it stops as it's s dose is tapered. I would like to know if anyone has experienced facial hair growth due to cyclosporine, if yes, does it last forever or does it stop as the dose is tapered. I know it might seeem silly to worry about something like this after going through a life altering procedure but I would feel better if I could have an idea about what's going to happen.?

TIA

[Lady1984]

hello i am 9 years post transplant and still going strong … i experienced the same thing with facial hair growth while on cyclo about a year into it the growth was still there.. i was moved onto tacrolimus and the hair growth went away… i didn’t want to wait around any longer to see if the growth slowed down as the facial hair was really bad for me … hope this helps

[TheLostMonk in reply to Lady1984]

Hello,Thank you for answering my question...it surely helps to know what to expect and what options I have.Thanks again for taking the time to answer. Hope you stay helathy

[hope1419 in reply to TheLostMonk]

I am on Tacrolimus, and this med has caused me some hairloss. I know neither hairloss or facial hairgrowth are good for us women, but you'll have to get your pick. They offered me a change of meds, but my dr. also told me Tacro is working really well with my new kidney and my function has been good. So, I decided to stay on it. She also says, it could stop when I reach a year after transplant. In the meantime, I've been looking at hairpieces and products to regrow hair, but there are some I can't use due to the condition that caused my kidney damage to begin with.

[PostivelyJo]

Don’t apologise for being upset by hair growth , it’s natural to want to feel ok about how you look and it doesn’t mean you don’t appreciate and have gratitude for your op.

I was on different drugs to you and suffered hair loss and it really really brought me down. It was a passing phase and everything is ok now. I’m sure this will be the case for you .

Best of luck

[TheLostMonk in reply to PostivelyJo]

Hi PostivelyJoThank you for answering...it helps to feel validated and I really hope that it turns out to be a passing phase for me too.

Hope you stay healthy.

[SOct91]

I was only five when I had my transplant but between the cyclosporine, prednisone (I was also on Imuran) I got a unibrow (and darker hair) and sideburns and arm hair. my mom took care of the unibrow for me. I was teased mercilessly at school. I know you’re older but It’s okay to care. Based on looking at pictures and my limited memory though it does go away when tapered. I was taken off cyclosporine at some point but on prednisone and MMF for many many years. My hair growth became what I assumed to be normal when I was switched off cyclosporine

[TheLostMonk in reply to SOct91]

Thank you for replying...I can't even begin to fathom how difficult it must have been to go through all this at the age of 6,though if you don't mind my asking..how many years has it been since your transplant now?

[SOct91 in reply to TheLostMonk]

32 years…I know it’s great but mentioning it always makes me really anxious like surely it’s just a matter of when…

[ShyeLoverDoctor]

I am four months post transplant.. Absolutely noticed very dark hair on arms and “peach fuzz” on my face. When I was younger, since I have polycystic ovary disease (hormone issue where woman have too much testosterone) I had a ton of black hair on my neck. I used electrolysis to remove it (they insert a needle into your skin and run electricity through it and kill the hair follicle ). Even with numbing cream it’s painful. I’m not sure it’s recommended for the face. I do mean to ask my dermatologist next month. Honestly I wear a mask everywhere so it doesn’t bother me as much but will definitely ask my nephrologist if anything can be done.

[TheLostMonk in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

HiThanks for replying....yes even I was considering electrolysis or laser hair removal if this issue continues for a longer time..please let me know what your doc says and even I had thought that I wouldn't be bothered by such things but turns out I am🫣.

Anyway thanks for taking the time to reply.

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to TheLostMonk]

Saw my doctor. I have very light skin on top of being Caucasian . Laser works best on light skinned people with dark hair. I’ve had laser on my arms, legs, armpits and been very happy . But for the very light “peach fuzz” on my face, laser will not help. However there is more than one type of laser and she said we could try that laser we use for darker skinned people. She didn’t sound very hopeful. Laser isn’t just one time! You have to go 3 to 6 times and will achieve perhaps 80% of unwanted hair gone. It’s expensive but worth every single penny. She yes I could wax. I have such thin skin I went to have my eyebrows waxed and they refused to because it might hurt me as in bleed. My cheeks are probably tougher than the eye area. I have had other areas waxed and if you’ve never done it before, yes it does hurt but you also do get used to. Then you have to keep doing it. Electrolysis just really hurts. It’s all about what you’re comfortable with. I suggest seeing a dermatologist. I am thrilled my eyebrows are darker and hairier! They’d gotten so light as I got older I had to pencil them in every single day or I looked sad and confused. Peach fuzz on my face? Not wild about it but seriously I have every intention of wearing a mask for possibly the rest of my life. Not wild about black arm hair but one arm has a fistula, and no one wants to wax that. I’ve had skin cancer twice so I usually wear a lightweight long sleeved “sun shirt” made with UV protection anyway. I just told you my experience. If you can afford it, really, see a dermatologist because skin is what they do. Money spent on yourself is the best place to spend it. You decide on what you can live with and what bothers you . There are options.

[March-31-09]

Hi there,

After many treatments & money that my parents didn’t really have I was free of unwanted facial hair. On my first transplant visit ( possible donors were there, pre & post transplant team, insurance people etc. ) I clearly recall someone saying that the drugs can cause hair growth.

In my case (transplant in 2009) they have & as far as I can tell will continue to do so.

As I have learned on this site many people experience hair loss on their head. No doubt that is upsetting.

I don’t think it’s at all silly to be upset or worried about something like this. Yes, we are lucky & true enough many people are waiting for a transplant. My transplant Dr once said to me that if someone’s leg is badly injured & your finger has an issue, it’s still your finger & it’s valid to be upset about it.

I’ve gone to professional waxing folks - an ongoing process. There are also products at drugstores that help with this issue. All the best & continued good health on your transplant journey. ☺️

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to March-31-09]

Um. Which expensive treatments, laser or electrolysis got it off your face? As I replied to someone above I’m not a great case for laser due to my coloring and I just don’t know if electrolysis is worth the pain. It got rid of black hair on my neck thank goodness.

[March-31-09 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

electrolysis. Not sure if even that would work with the meds.

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to March-31-09]

You insert a needle, they shoot electric current down it, kills the hair follicles. Not sure if the drug would cause new ones to form.

[March-31-09 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

I’d ask my transplant pharmacist

[ShyeLoverDoctor in reply to March-31-09]

That’s always a safe thing to do, to get the overall picture. I don’t have one that I know of, just a nephrologist. It is very clearly listed as a possible side effect. I don’t see how waxing or electrolosis or laser gets into the bloodstream. There is one drug that treats this, spirnoldactone, and I know we can’t have it, I think because it makes your immunosuppressant levels sky high, there might be a different reason.

[March-31-09 in reply to ShyeLoverDoctor]

Frustrating to be sure…….

[TheLostMonk]

Hi ,Thank you feels good to have my feelings validated,I had been feeling guilty and ungrateful..but thanks to you and everyone else here ...I feel much better...are you on cyclosporine too or is it some other drug that has caused your hair growth?

[March-31-09]

cyclosporine