Enough to make your hair curl!

[spiritofhilary]

i have been on pred (for PMR) for just over a year (down to 7mg). About 4 or 5 weeks ago I noticed my usually straight hair was developing a 'wave'. It is now extremely curly. My hairdresser, who has been tending my tresses for about 20 years, says she can't understand it and has never seen the like before. Could it be PMR? Or pred? Anyone throw any light on it? I'm not complaining as I quite like the look but I do find it strange and maybe, with the wealth of experience on this forum, someone will have come across it before.

[Patricia157]

Yes I have this type of hair now having PMR and been on Pred for two years. I am on 5 mg. My hair is a bit like fine straw!

Having had short hair for many years I decided to grow the short lengths out and try a different style. My hairdresser likes doing my hair now but suggested I use a cream serum on it to control the frizz. You just need a very little on your hands and then smear it over your hair. You can apply it to wet or dry hair.

I hope this helps but I don't really know whether it is the PMR or the Pred causing it.

[tgca in reply to Patricia157]

Haha.. my barnet resembles tumble dried wire wool ... it began to fall out at 15 mgs, is regrowing at 10 and I'm left with a wavy uncontrolable wind swept mess!!!

[piglette]

Initially my hair started to resemble a haystack. I then had it cut very short and it was curly, I always wanted curly hair. It used to be fine, greasy and straight. It had become dry, frizzy and curly. I tried everything to improve it. As I cut down I am losing the dry haystack look thank goodness and my hairdresser says the condition has improved no end. I am now down to around 4mg and I think it is becoming straight again sadly.

[30048]

Yes...my hair turned curly after a lifetime of straight hair. I think it is the prednisone.

[dinhal in reply to 30048]

I'm excited about this side effect.

I'm going to start looking for anything resembling a wave, curl, twitch , or any other creeping new look

With my fine straight hair it would be a miracle

I would prefer a perm and feel like my old self again

[Joyful13]

I ha very curly hair growing up and as a young adult. After 2 pregnancies, my hair was slightly wavy for years. Since being on Prednisone for GCA/ PMR, my hair is as curly now as when I was a teenager! I will be 70 in April.

I find your postings fascinating about experiencing the curly hair. I am not complaining either, as I did when I was a teen. ❤😍👍

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Joyful13]

I know! At sixteen I wanted straight hair like the model Jean Shrimpton - shows my age! Never did achieve it, but have now settled for the curls again.

[Megams]

~How lovely for you all - I was blessed with waves and curls when entering this world and whilst I take Hydrocortisone for my PMR can not shed any interesting light on the phenomena you have all experienced.

I am still wavy & encourage my curls when my hair becomes lifeless at times, use a light serum oil on the ends for the dryish tendencies and make sure my hair is well conditioned when washing. I do leave in another conditioner when blow drying it.

May you all keep your waves and curls, its far softer on the face as we age

[Anna135]

It's definitely the Prednisone as I have the curly hair now too after always having had straight hair, and I don't have PMR, I have GCA.

[Pamela60]

I have GCA and now down to 5.5 mg pred - initially my hair went very thin but now I have a full head of lovely curly hair. Everyone comments on it, asking what I've done to it.

[spiritofhilary in reply to Pamela60]

Thanks Pamela60. My hair just seems to have done the curling bit without, luckily, thinning or falling out which some have experienced. I shall count my blessings and continue enjoying positive comments - after all, there aren't too many positives to PMR or pred!!

[RoxyvanHeuven]

I had a similar experience but I was on Methotrexate. This caused a lot of my hair to fall out but when it grew back it grew back curly. All my life my hair was dead straight and now I have bouncy curls. Quite like it really.

[Toenti]

Yes,this has happened to me as well. I have lost an awful lot of hair and had to get a wig to look half decent. Then my hair went brittle,wavy and curly. I have had straight hair all my life. I have been on Pred. For 15 months. At the moment on 14 mg. Don't know how my hair will be in the future. I hope it will go straight again.

[Slowdown]

Looking in the mirror is quite a surprise as my formerly straight, thinning hair( coming out in alarming amounts when brushing) has morphed into riotous curls. It's still dry, but I give it an olive oil all-over condition once in a while, just wrap your head in a towel for 15 minutes while the oil does its stuff and shower it out. I noticed it when I was at 7mg, now had to go back up to 8mg and am crossing fingers it doesn't go into reverse!

[DDKRM]

Exactly the same thing has happened to my hair. Previously fairly straight and manageable it has turned into a curly frizzy mess. I can't do anything with it myself. Only the ministrations of the hairdresser work. It's like suddenly having someone else's mop. Compared to some of the more serious effects of the steroids it's not as dire. But it's one I really really hate and it upsets me. I'm praying that as I reduce the pred it might get back to normal.

[Janll in reply to DDKRM]

It will go back to normal, once the Steroids are no longer needed. This is my second time round for PMR. I'd forgotten how unmanageable my hair was before. The frizz and damp weather are not good companions either. Good conditioner and a serum helps after each wash. Blow drying seems to aggravate.

[violetsnowdrop]

It does not appear to have affected my hair (singular) on top but it seems to dry my scalp quicker than I remember! Not so much frizzy as frazzled.

[Hidden]

My hair started thinning at the front especially when I was on high doses of Prednisolone & I was started on Methotrexate which enabled me to reduce from 18mg to 7mg & l could feel the new hair growing back, but it retained its wave/slight curl.

Sadly Breast Cancer & Chemo made short work of my hair & it's still struggling to grow back; I'd say l have about about 50% of regrowth. l'm now on 6.5mg Prednisolone & back on Methotrexate so l actually think that's impending the regrowth.

But, I've got some fabulous wigs & I don't have to do battle with my curls every morning 💁🏻

Best Wishes 🌺

Mrs N

[granny-b]

Same here. However I have had a lot of compliments on my new hairstyle. It also is a style that needs no effort to care for....

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It's pred - lots of us had the pleasure of curls while on pred!

I had curly hair, or at least a decided bounce to my hair when it was cut properly pre-PMR. It went straighter with PMR and was far more difficult to manage. On pred the wave came back and for a while I had really definite curls. Now it is just a slight wave which makes it difficult to cut...

[sondya in reply to PMRpro]

Aw no. Does it go away? I like my curls though brushing it is like raking through barbed wire!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to sondya]

Mine is a lot less wavy now because it is much longer - except the hair at the nape of my neck and that is a bit frizzy.

[Greensleeves]

Hi my hair has also become curly , frizzy and fine . It's shoulder land I wanted to have it cut short but I don't think I'll be able to manage it . I just put it up in a French pleat and smooth it with Argon oil . It must be the Prednisolone, just shows how it affects every part of our bodies .

We've all become curly wurleys

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Greensleeves]

Mine was actually easier to manage in many ways when it was short - I washed and went! Just had to run my fingers through it as it was drying. It does need a REALLY good hairdresser though - anyone can cut hair to blow-dry, it takes a good hairdresser to get it right otherwise!

[MARION7]

Mine is curly and frizzy now, looks like I've had a bad perm when the weather is damp. It's also so many different lengths because of the hair loss over the past two years, nice! My Mum used to say I had hair like a yard of pump water, not now.

[Sandradsn]

My hair is frizzy after a year on pred.I had a lovely new short haircut done ,it was trendy .....then the moon face came so have grown it again to cover some of it up!

[alice1940]

I have PMR for 2 years now when in my first year my normally wavy hair went to really curly l am now down to 1,5mg and it is back to its normal self a bit thinner though so it must be the pred ,keep well Alice x

[Dobermanlover]

My previously very greasy hair has become much more manageable, never get that horrible lank look any more. It is wavy rather than curly and instead of being really grey, has some nice shades of colour into it now! My hairdresser thought I had gone to someone else to have it done! I thought it was just my imagination, but maybe not. I have had Pmr for 20 months and from a starting point of 30 mg, am now down to 11.5 mg. (I also lost my eczema which I had had for 30+ years). Got to be some up sides of steroids besides the obvious!

[sealine30]

I have been on varying doses of pred for nearly 2 years now managing on 6mg. I now have curly hair for probably the last year. which apart from one annoying kink has been ram rod straight since childhood. My hairdresser was also baffled and my consultant rheumatoid made a note of it but didn't comment further. I like the curls and just wash and add mousse and leave it to nature. Trying to straighten it is a wasted effort!

[patdencass]

Embrace the curls - it's definitely the preds. I'm well into retirement and always had poker straight hair but I developed lots of curls. It feels very wooly still but now I'm on 1mg it's improving and almost straight again. The curls were nice when plenty of them but can be annoying now they are growing out. Still much preferable than the pain. Good luck and take care

[violetsnowdrop]

It's ironic to say the least (if not a little insensitive!)--is it not? All the talk of hair and wigs and what do Healthunlocked.com add as a logo for today? An offcut of woven material (rug)!

[Kay60]

Not fair I always have wanted wavelength hair but no it's still straight 😳

[Susieblu]

My normally straight hair has gone very wavy . I have been going to the same hairdresser about 40 years. He is very amused by it and says it is down to my medication which is the prednisone .

I think he finds that other types of medication affects people's hair as well. He has quite an elderly clientele these days , so plenty of experience .

[sondya]

Mine was thick, spiky, straight. Now it is curly. Very nice, say all my friends!

Just home from the Rheumatology Clinic. Doctor said pred-induced curls are seen frequently in lupus but this is the first time he's seen it in GCA. My friends want me to share my drugs!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to sondya]

He must have led a sheltered life...

[sondya in reply to PMRpro]

Ha ha. He's young. And forgivable.

[Woodiesmum]

Oh I am in same boat my hair is so curly xx

It use to grow down in length and now it’s like a bush lol

Xx

[Judioz]

I was diagnosed with PMR seven years ago (in July this year) and am now on 2mg of Prednisolone to take the edge off the remaining pain in my shoulders/upper arms/neck. Compared to how I was when diagnosed, I am good now. My hair is also now very curly. Just had a bit of a kink before - wan't dead straight - but is now very curly. I only wash in conditioner and that keeps it soft and manageable. My two girls have very curly hair, so i is all good for me!

[Deneez99]

I have been on predicted for PMR for 10 months am on 7mg and my hair has also developed a wave trouble is I don't like it. Have to use straighteners. Is there no end to all these side effects.😬

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Deneez99]

Having been unable to go to a hairdresser for so long I have given up the smooth look and embraced my waves And for some reason it is getting thicker and thicker!