Prednisone and hair

[Darcy2000]

Sorry this is certainly not an important issue but since being on prednisone for the past 18 months my hair has become dry brittle and definitely not like it used to be . Anyone experience this and does it change when you go off the prednisone?

[piglette]

Mine was absolutely dreadful. I had it cut very short which improved my look no end. I tried absolutely everything to improve it. As I reduced the pred it did get better.

[celia81 in reply to piglette]

Yes dry hair a problem like all the rest of the stuff that comes with PMR However I have found lower dosage did help a bit still trying to find something to get my hair back to normal

[Rache]

Yes - have been on Pred for around the same time and now my hair is also dry and brittle. It also has strange wavy areas and straight areas which makes it even harder to manage. I don’t wash it as often as I used to and when I do, I use a conditioning shampoo and a good conditioner which I don’t totally rinse out sometimes. I have to blow dry it straight, using yet another conditioning cream. Also use straighteners if necessary in between washes. It doesn’t matter so much in these isolating times but it makes me feel better to look after myself. I imagine it will improve as and when I reduce my Pred dose.

[maria40 in reply to Rache]

I agree about the strange areas. I have a curious patch - unfortunately right in front of my fringe- which is much darker than the rest and also very coarse with a tendency to stick out unless well plastered down. I had my first post lockdown haircut yesterday and the hairdresser was as mystified as I am about what's causing this - so it probably is the Pred.

[cmgarner]

Yes, the hair thing is a real issue for me. Every one’s response is slightly different, falling out, dry, brittle, new curls, straight, frizzy, you name it.

I always say there are 97 side effects to prednisone, and I have 98 of them.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to cmgarner]

well, that's just being greedy 🤣😂🤣

[KellyInTexas]

My hair is wrecked....

[pamela4215]

My hairdresser recommended using any shampoo and conditioner containing Keratin. I now use these twice a week and my hair has improved a lot. It is now quite soft and shiny and, incidentally, curly which it never was before Pred. I hope this helps.

[Daffodilia]

Mine improved on lower dose of pred

[whitefishbay]

Yes. Mine was like straw but it is back to normal now (@1 mg.)

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Mine has varied. Prednisolone and prednisone weren't too bad - it was already strange because of PMR, the reliable swing/bounce had gone, it fell out and wouldn't behave. Starting pred coincided with hairdresser problems as we moved here to Italy - the biggest regret was leaving my guy in Consett! But it recovered in quality after a while on pred. Then I had to switch to methyl prednisolone and it turned into a brillo pad! It was dry and frizzy and thin. Some months later I switched to prednisone in the form of Lodotra and over time it had settled down and hairdressers commented on how thick it is. But it is a bit like Rache describes - mixture of wavy, especially when it got wet whether in rain or sweating in 30+C temperatures, and straighter bits where longer on top.

Unfortunately I have had hairdresser problems again - one started to ignore my request not to use a particular technique I assume she had learned at some training course and which shouldn't be used on naturally curly hair as mine is. I gave her several chances but then voted with my feet. Still trying to train this one - was just getting there when Covid happened! Here they have been open again for ages but getting my act together to actually go is another matter!!!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

I went last week for first time - all a bit strange!

[sheerness]

I have the same problem with my hair still on 3mg pred so will have to wait and see what happens when I get off pred . After being on pred for about 5 month my hair seemed to break but is growing again but not the same. Take care

[FRnina]

For me it got better with lower doses. Mine fell out, went wispy and dry and hopeless. It's all grown back and is thick and full again now (I'm now on 1.5mg pred at 3.5years PMR/GCA). Patience!

[MrsChips]

It’s good to read that I’m not the only one. Mine was always fast growing , thick and needed washing twice a week. It went to being dry, brittle and looking like candy floss. The good thing was I only needed to wash It once a week or even less. I have, however, been using Plantur 39 shampoo and tonic. These have done wonders and it’s much improved. What was weird though, I had some blonde highlights put in to tone down the grey, and the hair has lost its porosity. The hairdresser said that this does happen with steroids and that after a few weeks, the colour should begin to show through more. I’m not totally convinced about this. Anyone else had similar issues with hair colour?

[Jackoh in reply to MrsChips]

I am able to colour mine ok. My daughter has been doing my roots during lockdown. The amount of money I saved was “interesting .” I would say that there is a very small grey patch at the nape of my neck that doesn’t seem to take the colour very well but as you can’t see it it’s not a problem.

[powerwalk in reply to MrsChips]

Thats interesting re the colour. I cannot get mine to look right at all. My hairdresser does it). Looks incipid, kind of anaemic!!!! Its become sooooo much work between the dryness and losing it!!

[S4ndy]

Yes, mine's changed. It was straight and greasy. Now it's curly and dry! I lost a lot of hair at the beginning of Pred treatment so I cut my long hair and now wear a very short pixie cut which suits the new texture. It's weird not having to wash my hair every day, I can get away with once a week now! I have up dying it with permanent colours and if I want a change I use a wash out colour. I have salt and pepper hair so it looks quite cool with blue or purple semi permanent colour. Haven't tried any others yet but happy with my new hair texture and it's far easier to look after and style very short hair

[MrsChips in reply to S4ndy]

That’s a good idea. I used to put a pink semi permanent in parts of mine which looked great so I’ll do that again.

[9lives]

Yes my hair is very dry and getting thin since being on pred for 4 years.

It’s also got very curly and frizzy, my hairdresser puts a treatment on every visit now, which helps, but in the morning it looks like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards, as my mum used to say xx

Don’t know what the answer is but I think just regular hair trim and plenty of conditioner helpsx

Carole

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 9lives]

When mine needed cutting as a child, my mother (who was a hairdresser) said I looked like an owl looking out of a holly bush! I know it’s naturally curly, but really! Scarred for life.😳

🦉 🌳 !

[9lives in reply to DorsetLady]

Aww that did make me laugh ! My mum was a hairdresser too and after she washed our hairs, (big family those days) she would press her fingers on our fringes to make a wave. We really hated that . ☹️ We would run off after and rough up the hair. 👩‍🦱

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to 9lives]

Mums, huh 🤦🏻‍♀️

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

I currently have one of those sort of waves I can't do anything about right at the front ...

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Cowlick? Xx mum used to call it

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to 9lives]

No, the sort they used to do by wetting your hair and then pressing it into shape with their fingers. Sort of late 20s style maybe? Marcel waving????

[9lives in reply to PMRpro]

Aww that’s what my mum did . Hated it ha ha xx

[Rache in reply to PMRpro]

Mine seems similar to yours. I have what I call ‘ziggy zaggy’ areas underneath longer straight areas. These get more ziggy zaggy when I’m having head sweats (quite frequent) or out in damp weather. Yes, it is trivial compared to other worries we have to put up with, but a visit to a good hairdresser can certainly raise your spirits. I’m still reluctant to venture there so will have to live with my own amateur efforts for another while.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Rache]

Now me - I really don't like the hairdresser process ...

[Rache in reply to PMRpro]

I suppose I mean the afterwards feeling 😊

[jarn]

Misery loves company! Yes, love the expression "hair like a brillo pad". Exactly accurately and from having too much THICK heavy hair, now looking like the above. Looking fwd to new growth hopefully as have been off Pred for 5wks. Hair did break off as well as fell out. Spikey whisps. (thinking may have to go the bald route)

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

It’s not always the Pred, your illness has an effect on hair as well.

[Darcy2000 in reply to DorsetLady]

Could be .. have both PMR and GCA

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Darcy2000]

As I said my mum was hairdresser and she could always tell if someone had been ill.....it takes a long time to return to normal, but it will.

My hairdresser told me a couple of years ago (2years after GCA in remission & stopping Pred) that it was in better condition than it had been for about 15 years - stress of work, hubby’s illness and then mine.

[AussieMel]

My hair is definitely curlier since being diagnosed. And more "wiry" if that makes sense. I take a flavourless collagen supplment in my coffee (or any other drink) and a biotin supplement. My hair and skin have had some improvement.

I also find that hair dye doesn't take as well either.