Facial hair growth with steroids?

[Merryfield]

I have a hairy face but now I seem to have a lot of new black hair on my face, including practically on my eyelids. Is it steroids? Anybody else experienced this? Thx.

[Seacat30]

I haven't had too much extra facial hair growth. (I had a one sided moustache already.) I understand that a furry face is quite a typical prednisolone side effect though.

[Merryfield in reply to Seacat30]

I had no idea until I looked closely in the mirror. Thank you.

[SnazzyD]

yes, it’s quite common. I practically had sideburns but it does reduce as the dose goes down. I just grew my hair longer also to hide my rounder face which also reduces over time.

[Merryfield in reply to SnazzyD]

This is good news, Snazzy. I have round face now, as well.

[SnazzyD in reply to Merryfield]

You have been on 40mg but still on 20mg so you’re still on a hefty dose. The hair and face tend to reduce without you noticing until one day you look in the mirror and don’t see a full hamster face and a 5 o’clock shadow. You can help the puffiness by reducing salt quite a lot because Pred makes you retain sodium. But most of all cutting carbohydrates because that also helps stop weight gain, bloating and raised blood glucose leading to blood glucose swings and possibly diabetes later.

[Merryfield in reply to SnazzyD]

thx. really need to cut out white stuff.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

What corticosteroid are you on? How much and how long?

I get very fine peach fluff on prednisolone and prednisone when above about 10mg/day, it goes below 10mg. When I was switched to Medrol/methyl prednisolone when I moved here, within a short time I developed black fluff that formed a very impressive beard!!! I can't say I noticed it on my eyelids though! But since my head hair has been white since I was 40 I wasn't impressed!

When I stopped the Medrol it disappeared within a few months. I dealt with it using my epilator - bit nippy but very effective.

[Merryfield in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you, Pro. I tweezed but not efficient. May get waxed today.

[SnazzyD in reply to PMRpro]

A reply later on says was 40mg Medrol now 20mg.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to SnazzyD]

I'd say that could account for the beard!!!!

[Merryfield in reply to PMRpro]

well there ya go. and i am a little symptomatic in shoulders.

[nallufl24]

that’s the prednisone. I had new hair growth over my sides of face. Besides everything else that was one more insult to add. It went away on lower doses of prednisone

[Merryfield in reply to nallufl24]

Yed, talk about adding insult to injury. Hair on head is white. New facial hair-black.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Merryfield]

Same as me!

[Dochaz]

I have to say, I didn't get this side effet. Actually I found that growth of body hair on legs and underarms stopped completely. And weirdly, my head hair has gone frizzy-ish and thicker. The condition or Pred... can't say. The mysteries of life 😏

PS: full disclosure... nether regions, no perceptible change!

[Merryfield in reply to Dochaz]

Ok Dochaz. Well. Haven’t looked down until after your post but hair most places is sparse except for my face🤣

[tempusfugi in reply to Dochaz]

Thanks, Dochaz, you gave me a laugh!

[Dochaz in reply to tempusfugi]

A laugh a day keeps the doctor away 😅

[Sharitone]

I found that the darkening of peachy hair at the sides of my face went away again somewhere between 12mg and 15mg.

[Merryfield in reply to Sharitone]

Good to know that lower doses of steroids helps hairy face and chipmunk cheeks. Have been between 40 mgs of pred and down to 20 mgs of medrol, so pretty high.

[Sharitone in reply to Merryfield]

Don't worry: it'll all disappear as if by magic!

[Merryfield in reply to Sharitone]

just saw gp. Gotta stay at 20 mgs medrol for a while. sed rate back up. and goodie, now i have diabetes. can wax off facial hair. diabetes not sp much.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Merryfield]

Cut your carbs - drastically! It helps with the weight gain with pred and with the pred-induced diabetes.

[Merryfield in reply to PMRpro]

Yep, Pro. Husband is on board. Have to think of sweets and margaritas as poison.

[Orangecakes]

Hi Merryfield, Yes, I too have experienced facial hair with prednisolone, as I reduce so do the fine hairs. However, I have had a few coarse hairs that are persistent and I resort to having electrolysis, it takes care of them. Take care. x

[Merryfield in reply to Orangecakes]

Thanks, Orange. Had face waxed and feel better. This pmr thing is clearly a long haul to getting to a low steroid dose.

[Orangecakes in reply to Merryfield]

Hi Merryfield, I am happy to hear that you feel better about yourself. Keep positive, smiling and laughing. Take care.

[Merryfield in reply to Orangecakes]

Thanks, Orange. Have a good evening. It’s almost noon in So Cal.

[Missus835]

I have a lot of peach fuzz (all over my face) and use a derma plane razor to remove it. Also a few more black hairs. I'm getting a lot more pepper in with the silver salt. More hair on my arms, which is a ginger colour (never was a ginger). I also have the much touted moon face and round neck. These are just a couple of the "easier to manage" side effects. Weird or what?

[Merryfield in reply to Missus835]

How lovely that we have a disease that does funky things to us.

[Missus835 in reply to Merryfield]

😆

[Margaret1951 in reply to Merryfield]

that’s the upside to it 🤣🤣🤣🤣 ordinary people would die to get our rare side effects , like thick hair on face, a face lift gone wrong, nose hairs, 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Flivoless]

I didn't notice additional hair growth (already had a beard) but my once silken locks took on a more wire-like look and feel. In fact at times it seemed stiffer that the hairbrush! Happily I'm pleased to report that once I got below 10mg Pred the silkiness began to return and now at 5mg it's just about back to being the envy of the barber shop. So there is light at the end of the tunnel.

[Merryfield in reply to Flivoless]

so glad to hear. keep it up! i have to stay at a high level for the next month. darn.

[Merryfield in reply to Flivoless]

yeah hair!

[S4ndy]

I have a face like a sift ripe peach Light fuzzy hair. I whip it off every now and again with a dermaplane razor. However, other parts of my body no longer grow hair at all. My legs, underarms and arms seem to have given up growing hair. Haven't had to shave them since 2016 when I first went on prednisolone! The hair on my head did initially fall out in patches but has grown back now. It's a different texture though I've gone from Morticia Addams to Wurzel Gummidge! All in all I can live with it though

[Merryfield in reply to S4ndy]

worse than facial hair, the steroids moved me from pre-diabetes to full-blown. two more pills a day and total change of diet.

[Hrblock57 in reply to Merryfield]

change of diet for sure will take care of the diabetes . Cut down sugar almost to none.

[Merryfield in reply to Hrblock57]

yup

[Meggsy in reply to Merryfield]

Also pasta, rice, potatoes and bread - makes a big difference.

[Merryfield in reply to Meggsy]

Oh, Meggsy, I know. But pasta! Hubby had rice tonight. My only contact with it was wiping it off the stove.

[Meggsy in reply to Merryfield]

😂 - Oh I do understand! We have a hard row to hoe. 🌻

[Hrblock57 in reply to S4ndy]

same here. Texture of my hair totally changed more frizzy

[Merryfield in reply to Hrblock57]

Things the docs don’t tell you.

[Shanghi]

Definitely a side effect of prednidone! I am not on any other meds. It was very disturbing hair falling out & hair growing on face! It sort of stopped when I got down to 3mg & tapered all the way off the pred. Hair was growing back on scalp but then I relapsed & went back to 10mg & have now tapered down to 4.5 , peach fuzz is back! Not happy!

[Merryfield in reply to Shanghi]

Will get face waxed today. Ouch!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Merryfield]

Well just make sure whoever is doing it is aware that Pred can make your skin more fragile than usual…

[Merryfield in reply to DorsetLady]

Good point. My facelift sagging like a silk pouch. Only a year and a half old.

[Merryfield in reply to Merryfield]

I am beginning to look like an old lady who had a facelift. Whoops, I am🤣

[caftan in reply to DorsetLady]

Thats oh so true Dorset Lady and I so wish my doctor had warned me about that when I was first diagnosed. During lockdown I tripped over a kerb and gashed my left lower leg. It cost me dear. The skin was ripped off. Abulance called by passers by, took over one hour. Paramedic gave me gas and air and 'repaired' the damage in the ambulance. It took 5 months of 2-3 times weekly trips to my surgery to have the dressings changed and I have a very ugly scar. I honestly thought it would never heal. Why oh why don't our GP's warn us. I am 83 this year.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to caftan]

Why don’t they tell us? Not sure really, one would hope they know, but I’m sure they do!

Mind age doesn’t help either [sorry] - but then you get a double whammy….

[Merryfield in reply to caftan]

you are out and about, it sounds like. yes things take longer to heal. tough gal!!

[Merryfield in reply to caftan]

keep up the spirit!

[Merryfield]

missus, love the eyeball!

[Groovykindoflove1992]

Yes, I had lots of peach fuzz. I kind of liked stroking it whilst watching telly at night 🤭 I first spotted it in my car whilst looking in my rear view mirror one sunny day and I nearly crashed the car with shock 😳 It's gone now. My hubby seemed to be having to empty out the hoover more often at one point 🤣

[Merryfield in reply to Groovykindoflove1992]

I keep re-reading this. You could be a stand-up comedian’.

[Merryfield]

Groovy, too funny.

[softekcom]

Aww... I experienced the same. I have always been hairy all over. The facial hair got a lot thicker along with hamster cheeks. I have reduced to 8 mg from a peak of 50 mg but I don't think any of the hairiness has reduced. unfortunately.

[Merryfield in reply to softekcom]

Hope the hair cries uncle.

[softekcom in reply to Merryfield]

I fear the epilator will break before that! 🤣

[Merryfield]

🤣

[Margaret1951]

I pluck the black hairs and and use my woman’s razor on bum fluff 🤣🤣🤣

[Merryfield in reply to Margaret1951]

I must admit, visualizing shaving facial bum fluff is disturbing🤣🤣

[Margaret1951 in reply to Merryfield]

fed up with it 😡😡 never ending and my eyebrows get thick 🤣🤣

[Merryfield in reply to Margaret1951]

I could easily grow a mustache. Actually, having thick eyebrows could be good. That is the only place NOT getting more hair.

[Margaret1951]

mine have white hairs in 😱😱😱 I have tried wax strips on my lips but never again so painful !!! They used to sell a paste for over the lips and you just brushed it on and can’t remember who made it, but was great and hairs just came off being wiped 😁😁😁 I can see the plastic bottle in my head and that’s all 🤬🤬🤬🤬

[Merryfield in reply to Margaret1951]

Dye my brows. Doesn’t last. Darn flare in right shoulder getting worse. CANNOT take any more steroid than already am. Instead of moon face, I am getting square face. And get shakes mid-afternoon almost every day. Any thoughts on reducing spot-specific flare besides more steroid?

[Merryfield]

Neet or Nair. Used it on my face in college.