Hair loss

[Daughters2]

Mum’s worried that her hair is shedding more than normal and my sister (who’s a hair dresser) says it is thinning. I’m sure I’ve seen hair loss mentioned before. Is it due to the Pred? As her dose reduces ( she’s steadily gone from 60g to 10 ) will her hair go back to ‘normal’ ? Thanks x and Happy Easter 🐣

[Devoid]

Hi is your mum just on pred? I have noticed a lot of hair loss but mine seemed to coincide with starting on methotrexate. I could have had it prior to then but just too poorly to notice. I try not to wash it too often and use a dry shampoo in between and have had it cut a bit shorter. It does still seem to be growing so no actual bald patches just thinning and a dryer texture

[Daughters2 in reply to Devoid]

She’s on s few other things but not metha.. calcium ones etc x

[SnazzyD]

Hello. This question comes up very often and it can be Pred or a response to systemic illness. Here is a link to one of the previous posts and if you look to the right of the screen you can see titles of related posts to click on.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

It usually grows back but to what is a bit of a wait and see.

[Daughters2 in reply to SnazzyD]

Thank you very much. I realised after I could do a search.

[Hidden]

Hi as others can attest, yes hair does thin partially due to the illnesses and partially pred. Your sister knows more than we do about cuts that make the hair look thicker. 🌻

[jinasc]

Your sister, as a hair dresser will be aware of Folic Acid..............this can be prescribed for hair loss. It can and does help, but not always.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Serious systemic illness can cause hairloss but it rarely shows at the time - becoming apparent a few months down the line. That is particularly the case with GCA - where the blood flow to the scalp may have been affected and that obviously doesn't do hair growth any good. Lots of people notice it - I lost a lot of hair, all over the house and it drove my husband up the wall, but it was very thick to start with and did get back to normal even though I am still on pred.

[Devoid in reply to PMRpro]

That’s good to know, I am sure mine is predominately from the left side and the Gca was on the left

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Devoid]

When the blood flow to the scalp is particularly badly affected it can actually cause really severe scarring and even necrosis. I won't post a link to a picture - it is really rather yuk!

[Devoid in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for saving me from that pleasure

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Devoid]

I would have provided a warning I'm not that nasty

[Daughters2 in reply to PMRpro]

I didn’t think of blood flow to scalp even though quite obvious now!

Mum had v sore scalp early days. Thank you. Happy Easter

[Daffodilia]

As I reduced (on 6 mg pred now) my hair stopped falling out and went wavy!

[Choco-Holic]

Happy Easter 🐣 yes, I also had quite a bit of hair thinning. I’ve been on high doses of prednisolone and I’m also on methotrexate. To be honest, I agree with others that it could be a combination of the illness and also the prednisolone. My rheumatologist gave me folic acid that i take 6 days a week and that has helped I would say. My hair is growing and is much courser and curly!!! It still sheds, but at a much more normal rate. I’m down to 3mg Pred now x

[doubtfully]

Good morning, I lots chunks of hair, it didn’t break but fell out from the roots, and temporarily had bald patches . I was shocked at the emotional impact I felt. I have a brilliant hairdresser who hid it well but eventually my husband suggested a wig.

The consultant dermatologist said it was most probably due to pressure on my system of illness plus the GCA made my scalp swell , opening the grip on hair follicles And thus the hair fell out. Most , in fact nearly all areas grew back thicker than before. My hair also went curly and texture changed.

Periodically I shed more hair than normal and an increase in Pred seems to stop it. I used the spray you get to cover grey hair regrow the between colour treatments. Instead of covering grey hair it covered pink scalp and made me less self conscious.

[Hidden in reply to doubtfully]

Hi, doubtfully. Do you think that it's a sign, your key sign, that you are flaring then?

I "just" have PMR but have noticed my hair starts to shed more as stiffness increases. I aim to get out of the denial phase and increase more promptly. My problem is discounting others health issues. You would think as I start my 5th year since dx in June that I would be more sure wouldn't you! The other problem is my flare signs seem to have changed over the years.

[doubtfully in reply to Hidden]

Yes, also, very strangely , my left eyebrow almost disappears. It’s the left side of my head where I get most of the pain. Over the last month I’ve had a bit of pain and increased my Pred slightly . Today for the first time in 3 weeks my left eyebrow is back,! Hoping this means flair has settled. It’s been more than 3 years and still I get surprises with this disease.

[Hidden in reply to doubtfully]

That is a weird one! I lose the ends of my eyebrows, right in particular, if I don't get hypothyroidism meds right but its really interesting. I have PMR but definitely had some other symptoms too. The gift that keeps giving!!