“Damaged Hair Follicles”

[Marjorie237]

Hope this doesn’t come through twice, lost the first post on this! Have had PMR going up two years now. On 2.5 pred and coping ok. Cannot walk too far and sometimes have gip with fingers on both hands.

My hairdresser told me yesterday I have ‘damaged’ hair follicles. During past month or so have started to sprout oddly patches of hair starting to grow in the opposite direction to normal. Some at the side, some at the back and one annoying section on top of my forehead, as modelled by Gladys below! In addition I have another section just grows from my scalp and is very frizzy/tight curly.

Could be trauma to my head although not too much of being hit on the head, cornrow hair do’s, tight pigtails etc. More likely PMR, medication....steroids? Anyone else has these irritating side effects? Would love to know. Thank you.

[Hidden]

Hi, 🤣🤣🤣 to photo. Re hair...my hair has gone through several changes...going grey, menopause, hypothyroidism, pmr and pred. All have contribution to frizzy hair, curly hair, dry hair, hair loss. I am just about back to my fine hair but with more curls than I used to have. If I had them all together I would have resembled Gladys... But not so Cute.

[scats in reply to Hidden]

Aw come on I bet your cute too!

My hair went from dead straight to looking pubic to quite nice waves. I was grey from a very early age, children!

[Hidden in reply to scats]

😂😂😂 I had a mallen streak for years but now totally grey.... I think.

[Blearyeyed in reply to scats]

I didn't realise I'd given a snapshot of Me on a good day to Marjorie237! 😋😂😂😂😂

I have receding patches like Count Dracula if I put my hair back and it's even thinner than it was when I was young . Although it started to improve with the scalp finger massaging and vitamins , and virgin hair products I started since Christmas.

[Hidden in reply to Blearyeyed]

I have a receding hairline. I don't think anyone else would notice but I can see its changed.

[piglette]

My hair was dreadful due to steroids, dry, haystack like, curly in a bad way. My hairdresser used to be quite rude! I tried everything. I then had my hair cut very short so it stuck out at angles but looked quite funky!

[SnazzyD]

Yes I can see you’re having a few problems with your whiskers. Throughout this three year journey my hair has fallen out one and a half times, grown back ok then went mad and wispy then lovely and curly. Now it is a bit more lank with a kink that just makes it unruly. It is quite patchy in that the back will grow thick and fast while the sides can’t keep up. I end up having to have more frequent cuts than my wallet would like just to avoid having a mullet. What I’m trying to say is that it can keep changing so don’t despair.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Nothing as bad as Gladys' My husband does though - appeared in the last year or so, and definitely not pred. How strange.

[Highlandtiger]

I can’t really help as I think my hair has stayed the same throughout my pred journey (touching wood and not wanting to tempt fate etc etc.......) but I wanted to say I really appreciated your sense of humour in your post which made me laugh. Love the pic!

[agingfeminist]

I am slowly tapering but still average 40mg a day over the past two months. I notice my hair has completely stopped falling out...which makes me think that one day, when I get to a lower level of pred, all the follicles will give up in unison. Has this happened to anyone else?

I always cut my own hair and have started cutting it much shorter in preparation of the no hair days. BTW cutting your own hair is much easier than you expect...do a little at first so the mistakes are not too obvious.

I have also decided that if/when I go bald I won't hide it...I have so many friends going through chemo who find wigs uncomfortable etc. I think some us just have to make a big bold/bald statement! Anyway my moonface (more like a setting sun...because of the redness) means no one recognises me!

Big hugs to you all...

[Hollyseden]

My already fine hair has definitely got thinner. The condition has changed too and not in a good way 🙄 I feel that it is much thinner on my right side and wonder if sleeping on that side doesn't help? Can't sleep on the other side because my left shoulder objects. Such fun. Maybe I need one of those silk or satin pillowcases that are supposed to help.

[Galloping in reply to Hollyseden]

I've been using a silk pillowcase for some years and I find that my hair doesn't get all tangled up and knotted as it used to with a cotton one. That's got to be kinder on your hair. I also don't get pillow creases on my face anymore.

Regarding hair loss, I take marine collegen and a B Complex supplement every day and so far, touch wood I haven't had any hair loss.

Been on Pred since last Aug and currently at 5mg.

[Hollyseden in reply to Galloping]

Yes my daughters both used them when they were at home years ago. I never needed to with my poker straight hair but thinking about one now 🙆

[Smokygirl in reply to Hollyseden]

I’ve used a silk/satin pillowcase for the last 20 years. My fine hair started to thin and fall out eight weeks ago —- I’ve lost half of it 😩 I have been on Pred for 7 months Tapering from 15 to 11 at the moment . I am devastated at my hair loss. My hair was my best feature!

I take so many vits & mins for hair and nails—- nails are rock hard! Went to show my GP yesterday who took bloods. Don’t have much hope though.

Going to buy some marine collagen. Worth a try! Hugs xxx

[Daffodilia]

I think it might be PMR thing - my hair stopped falling out after 10 mg pred - also had folliculitis all over - itchy and burning - had anti histamine from gp and betnovate cream - now using Avenocream only

[Spanky2019]

Ditto to all the above. Had very thick, long white hair. Went white very young. Losing hair like crazy the past few months. At least I don't have to see it if I don't make the effort to look. 😁 I'm short and most of our mirrors are high, and we're keeping them high.

[remission]

my hair started thinning and then went very dry and sticking up in all different directions, several people on this forum offered suggestions, two of which I started, one taking 5 mg of folic acid and the other one was a scoop of collagen, not sure which one has made the difference or the combination, but hasn't stopped the thinning, but my hiar is back to normal, texture wise.

[PMRCanada]

My hair has thinned and it much drier. The texture at the nape of my neck is much more frizzy. I take biotin daily and that has helped with growth and a bit with restoring more thick hair.

I also only wash it once a week (or sometimes longer between washing), don’t style with a blow dryer and brush, just natural air dry, and I use a wide tooth pic to get out any tangles.

My hairdresser is a dream and continues to make great suggestions and provide a great cut, which helps.

[Jackoh]

Love the picture!! Mine is just thinner and now wavy.