Pred Hair (male) Head & Facial

[Nuff1]

I would like to point out to the Mods and others, that my post of OH's Christmas Beard was in no way a "Holiday Photo" and was posted some hours before the mods made the request re Decamber 22nd.

In Aunty Bee's post I replied

"No Christmas juper but OH is cultivating a Christmas Beard - obviouly not suffering from Pred hair- loss, ha always grown stronger on chin than on top of head,which was bare well befor PMR/GCA." and the photo was attached in the draft - but not in the actual post - therefore I posted it separately with the text "As mentioned".

Before replies were turned off B had posted

"It's actually a really interesting question I wonder wether any of our Male sufferers of PMR or GCA would help us with.

We talk alot about how the condition and medication affects the growth of hair on our head but does it make growing a beard or moustache easier or harder to grow ?

And does it change the texture?"

This pic shows OH's hair and beard from 1970 upto present day (Apologies for the blurred ones - cut from small photos)

197 shows hair starting to recede; 2008 shows little difference from 2019. (Difficult to find photos of him without a baseball/truckers' cap)

Diagnosed PMR/GCA June/July 2018 and commenced 40mg pd Pred. currently 5mg daily.

Head hair has always been fine texture and loss over the years; no difference now on Pred but he says it is "sort of fuzzy".

Beard has always been substantially more robust than head hair and texture;while on Pred has not changed significantly.

[Blearyeyed]

That's interesting , love seeing the difference in the collage.

It would be good to see some more replies from Men on the forum , or other ladies on the forum passing on the experiences of the Men they Care for , on the matter of Male Hair Growth and Beards with PMR or GCA.

I hope some men add to your replies , even though they can't add the photos into it , the description of the Hair Growth experiences will add to our knowledge on these side effects for Both Sexes.

Out of interest too, I have noticed that my hair on my legs and arms has disappeared , does that happen to Men too , is it common for other women ?

Or is it just Hair today Gone tomorrow for Aunty Bee ?!!😋

[Nuff1 in reply to Blearyeyed]

He's never had much hair on his legs - no real difference but there does seem to be more or thicker hair on his back

[Blearyeyed in reply to Nuff1]

Good to know , other Men may have found that too , hope they all send in answers to you.

Just thought , Men get more ear and nose hair with age , did that get affected ?

I bet your OH is hating me now , I can just picture him trying to settle down for a good night's sleep and you are their peering down his earholes and up his nose with a torch !

So apologise for Me to him , and tell him it's all in the air of Medical Science xx

[Hollyseden in reply to Blearyeyed]

🤣 picturing the torch

[Nuff1 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Doesn't seem to have had much efect on ear and nose hairs - eears are rarely visible anyway and tash starts immediately below nostril opening; I've not noticed any hairs sprouting out of nostrils.

[Marilyn1959 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Hair today gone tomorrow 😂😂😂😂

[Koalajane in reply to Blearyeyed]

I have no hair on my legs now since PMR. They are really smooth so no need to shave them or anything. But my chin is another matter

[Yellowbluebell]

I hope the males on the forum join in and let you know if or how they are affected.Ybb

[Blearyeyed]

I was the other way around but the effect on my self esteem was the same.

In our Family I was always the one striding ahead of the team , I'm the tallest and have a long stride , but Pain meant I couldn't walk at a slower pace for years to stay by my OH whom is not a natural walker.

If I walked too slowly I got more Pain then. Now , the Exercise intolerance from my Dysautonomia issues I have had to reduce to a very slow pace to stop other symptoms.

It was a shock for my Eldest Daughter whom had been away working for six months to come home and see Mummy asking everybody else to slow down , and asking for an arm for support from her Father. After years of being the most active and strongest in the House , despite my other Health Issues , it's been not just a Physical Shock but a big Mental Adjustment to come to terms with.

So , I know exactly were you are coming from .

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blearyeyed]

Interesting you find walking slower more painful - so so I, or at least, more uncomfortable. Which doesn't go down well these days!!

[Blearyeyed in reply to PMRpro]

Yes , definitely , you are being forced to change your natural gait and slowing down forces you to put more pressure into your back and hips.

Like doing that awful old exercise when you lie down but hold your feet just off the ground but you are forcing yourself to do it standing up.

[carolBF]

I can really relate DadCue to the pace at which you walk.

My husband is disabled with spine problems due to bike accidents, I have all ways waited for him now on bad days I say can you slow down.

[Noosat]

I am female and have noticed that the hair on my legs no longer grows. Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? I have been taking prednisone for the past year, now down to 5mg per day.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

As a woman I find that abdominal and underarm hair has disappeared and some leg hair - but not all.

In terms of steroid influence - with prednisolone and prednisone I have had no problems at all except some very fine facial hair at 15mg but with methyl prednisolone I had a superb black beard which really wasn't nice! So it does depend on the form of corticosteroid too.

[Blearyeyed]

I've looked at your post now a few times since it was put up , and I am desperate to ask , was your OH a member of a 70's band , he looks so familiar?!!

[Nuff1]

No - wonder who he's reminding you of from his 70' pics