Wild Woman!

[PMR2011]

Hi all, as my hair grows on after the trials and tribulations of the past year (GCA, hyperthyroid) it is wiry crazy (especially in the hot humid weather we are experiencing!). I look like a Yeti. Any recommendations for something to “tame the beast”? I tend to prefer natural products, but any suggestions for managing this nest on the top of my head would be welcome!

[jinasc]

Paul Mitchell Conditioner. Only use no more than a 5 penny piece blob, spread on palm of hands and then on hair. You can use it everyday and it never looks greasy.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to jinasc]

I love Paul Mitchell products. Do you use the conditioner on your skin? It’s marvellous as an after-sun and general daily moisturiser. On my recent holiday, my girlfriends ditched their after-sun products in favour of my PM conditioner! They couldn’t believe how good their skin felt.

I’ve also used it on my dogs, great for their skin too. And it’s not tested on animals, which is important for me.

[Soraya_PMR in reply to Soraya_PMR]

PM also do the ‘Detangler’ which is an apply then rinse out conditioner. That helped to tame mine when I had long-prone-to-frizz hair.

[jinasc in reply to Soraya_PMR]

Nope, I always use Double Base Gel, as I don't use soap, shower gel etc.

I was recommended the DBG when I first started on 60mg of pred. Little or no skin thinning.

[nevagivup in reply to jinasc]

Is there more than one Paul Mitchell conditioner, as in one for normal hair, one for dry, one for thin hair and so on?

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to nevagivup]

Take your pick

amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss...

Other sites are available!

[nevagivup in reply to DorsetLady]

I see what you mean!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to nevagivup]

🤔 what happened to one shampoo for all the family? Need bigger bathroom shelves!

[nevagivup in reply to DorsetLady]

One bathroom per person, all the shelves for the myriad of hair products.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to nevagivup]

Unfortunately I’ve only got one bathroom!

18year old grandson staying at moment, he seems to have a lot more “stuff’ than my son did at the same age. Or maybe it’s just me. 😉

Despite the name, I don’t actually live in a castle- sorry to disappoint!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DorsetLady]

Once when skiing the nephew on his own in an en-suite room had more in the bathroom than the 3 girls in the other room!!!! He did "come out" some years later - to no-one's surprise except his own...

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

That’s definitely not the case with this one! Much too untidy for one thing 😏......

[nevagivup in reply to DorsetLady]

Metrosexual 18 year old? They are quite skin care savvy these days.

[Angiejnz]

Red???? I've test tried it with only positive outcomes 😎

[yogabonnie]

I'll bet it looks wonderful just like it is!!! wiry crazy sound great!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Totally agree with jinasc - mine naturally curly so needs a lot of taming. John Frieda also has good products - you just need to look and see what’s best for you. There was a recent discussion about this. If I can find I’ll send link

[Slowdown]

Every now and then I treat my equally haywire mop with olive oil, wrap head in towel for a bit and then shampoo. Another easy treatment (thanks to HeronNS for suggesting this earlier) use conditioner first, then shampoo - it does seem to put a sheen on it!

[PMR2011]

Thanks all for your prompt replies. I believe my hairdresser sells Paul Mitchell products. Will inquire at next apt. In the mean time will dry conditioner before shampoo (or run from air conditioned space to air conditioned space!).

[Mstiles in reply to PMR2011]

Glad to hear a story of hair growing back! A note of encouragement.

When did it start to grow back again?

I used to use John Freida Blond Spotlight gel, just a little on dry hair to tame dryness and bring curls back, but the product was discontinued. Loved it, it was light, not greasy, and made my hair shine. Used to source some on eBay before GCA/PMR ruined my hair.

[PMR2011]

Can the blond spotlight be used on brunette hair?

Yes, hair started growing back when I was below 10 mg and feeling “better” as far as disease symptoms. Can almost stop doing the “comb over” on the bald spots in the back 🙂

[piglette]

I had my out of control, fuzzy, dry shoulder length hair cut really short. In fact it looked quite funky and made life a lot easier.

[NanJean]

Two months into high dose Prednisone my hair began to fall out endlessly as other than the autoimmune spots of alopecia areata I had thick hair which could be frizzy around my face. I used to use Sebastian Laminates for the frizzy. Then I got "Bioshine" Silk Polish from Sally's. When they stopped carrying, I bought it at Ebony online.

When my hair got thinner & thinner & straw-like, It helped some. But, the hair wasn't really growing too much. So, the straw-like wiry hair around my face can stick out like Bozo the clown. I was using wide pretty cloth headbands as it holds this these down & hides the biopsy scars. (I'm going to tell the Rheumatologist to send people to plastic surgeons for biopsies. I believe they know their facial nerves & facial and scalp blood vessel anatomy better than the vascular surgeon who took out mine & nearly left my right eye unable to lift.)

I now use 3 plastic headbands with teeth so they don't slip around. After I wash my hair I comb it back and apply one headband at a time. The I flip the rest over with my head down to blow dry it upside down. I've already applied the Bioshine. I've always seen people with very sparse hair tease their hair. By blow drying it upside down, no teasing is necessary. I then look at the top & back of my head & there is no scalp visible. I have a better comb over than Trump. I use a hair clip or coated hairband to hold the rest back. I've always want to be able to wear my hair back on my job anyway.

This leaves the longer "pony-tail" to be dealt with. I put one roller to curl it together neatly. I never wore my hair short.

It used to take so long to dry my hair. Now it's as quick as a man's hair. Prednisone gives us male pattern baldness. Recently, I read that it doesn't really make our hair fall out, but makes the hair so thin & weak that any pull will make it fall out. I know I wash my hair a lot less often.

My Rheum says that 5 mg & less the hair may grow back. I've weaned down to 11 mg. & see less hair falling out.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to NanJean]

It doesn’t make hair fall out - that’s more likely because you are/have been ill. But as you say it does/can make it weaker

My mother, who was a hairdresser could always tell if one of her clients had been ill. It takes about 6 months for it to show in your hair, which is why a lot blame it on the Pred after they’ve been taking it for a few months.

I’ve alternated between long and short hair (naturally curly) since I was about 15, and I find longer is better, it goes up if it’s unruly and/or hot, down at other times. Apart from pre diagnosis when arms/shoulders made it impossible to look after so it went short.

Now going for the longer look!

[Purplecrow]

Hi, how about a short sexy haircut that will really show off your new hair.

I have always been a simple- is -best- type person, and long nair seemed so troublesome, while short was definitely easier.

[SheffieldJane]

Coconut oil seems to help my tangled mess of tendrils. This is the hair I wanted in the 70’s, think Marc Bolan. Scrunch drying shapes it a bit and a good cut is essential.

[S4ndy]

I've gone short and textured. However with the hot weather its been impossible to keep styled. No point as soon as I style it, I get a head sweat and it all sticks back to my head. So yesterday I left it wet after showering and let it dry naturally. So fluffy short pixie hair was the result. I met a friend for coffee who asked me if I had had my hair done as it really suited me! He's not the most observant friend so was surprised he even noticed. Made me think whether I was wasting my time on styling and expensive hair products