Has anyone experienced good results for hair growth with biotin

[arvine]

hair s been thinning for a while now, could years of prednisone, aging etc but now on methotrexate noticing bit more thinning, been reading up on biotin, effectiveness, side affects, etc, apparently science claims wont necessarily help hair loss, and like various other vitamins not FDA approved

[piglette]

I have never taken methotrexate, but a friend with PMR took it and she said her hair suffered really badly and started falling out. I tried everything I could find for my hair, including biotin, to help, but it was still like straw. On higher levels of pred though my hair looked like dry straw, but it has improved at lower levels. Even my hairdresser comments on the improvement.

[arvine in reply to piglette]

Ok thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Are you also on folic acid alongside your methotrexate? You need it to counteract the effect on hair. Some doctors only give 1x5mg a weeks - but some patients need up to 6x 5mg per week, every day except MTX day.

[arvine in reply to PMRpro]

Yes am on 5 mgs 6 days a week, hoping that helps thinning hair, what s your opinion on biotin then?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to arvine]

I wouldn't waste money on it but that is me. Scientifically, I can't see how biotin would improve hair loss resulting from MTX.

[arvine in reply to PMRpro]

Ok thank you

[Winnee in reply to arvine]

Hi Arvine my name is Winnee I am a new member to this great group of people. Regarding your hair loss/thinning I had the same problem with the pred. You do not realise how important your hair is till it starts coming out. Anyway I found a great website called Champo. You answer the questions and they recommend the product for you. I use Pitta shampoo and Conditioner, also I apply the serum every night. They say you should see an improvement in approx 3 months. My hair has taken almost 8 months to return to normal. It you read all the reviews you will find it is well recommended. My hairdresser cannot believe the way it has worked on my hair. I did take Biotin vitamins at first, but as the very knowledgeable and helpful Ambassador has said a waste of time. I do hope this is helpful.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Winnee]

Hair loss with pred and hair loss due to MTX have very different underlying causes though. Often pred gets blamed when in fact it is the illness itself - I had considerable hair loss but not due to pred, I'd not been given it. Your hair often reflects your health status - but not for a few months and you may have started pred in the meantime and so pred - as so often - gets the blame.

[arvine in reply to Winnee]

Thank you but sorry what is the actual website address pleade

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to arvine]

See here - pricey but good -

champohaircare.com

[Tappo in reply to Winnee]

What dose of steroids were you on when you started taking Champo and did the improvement happen as you lowered the steroids? Just wondering if the lowering of the steroids was what helped with thinning, as opposed to the Champo??

[Winnee in reply to Tappo]

Hi Tappo, I had finished taking my preds in the April. I had seen the Rheumy and my GP . In May my hair starting shedding and getting really thin. I googled products, biotin being one of them. For me it was a waste of time and money. I found Champo and they had excellent reviews, so I answered the questions they asked. There are 3 types but for me Pitta was the best for thinning hair. You need to use the serum also every day. It has worked for me. Good Luck. X

[arvine in reply to Winnee]

Im not familiar with the product champo, and Im in Canada, did you buy on line

[Winnee in reply to arvine]

Yes I purchased on line, they are based in the UK but they do ship abroad.

[arvine in reply to Winnee]

Thanknyou

[Lopera]

Hi Arvine

As well as PMR, I have the misfortune to suffer from osteoporosis with 6 recently discovered spinal fractures. I am throwing every supplement I have seen recommended, to try to help my bone density. Amongst them, I am taking bovine collagen, silica (this capsule also contains some biotin) and NMN. I have been taking these for 2 months now and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that there is a positive effect on my bones, however my thinning hair has improved and I am less grey at the roots. Of all the supplements I am taking, I think the improvement to my hair involves these three supplements. If you try any or all of them, I would suggest you give it at least 2 months. Good Luck.

[marionofnorwich in reply to Lopera]

What is NMN?

[Lopera in reply to marionofnorwich]

Nicotinamide mononucleotide

[arvine in reply to Lopera]

Thank you, no matter the reason for hair loss I think especially for us women it s very troubling to us

[agingfeminist]

for osteoporosis you need some good clinical advice...throwing a random handful of supplements of unproven value is not the answer...with pred it is generally recommended to take vit D# and K2 and make sure that you get plenty of calcium in your diet...There are other things that you should take if you are osteoporotic...please speak to your bone doctor for advice...

[Lopera in reply to agingfeminist]

I take my condition very seriously. My reply did not need to specify everything I do to help my osteoporosis. The questioner was asking about hair and does not need to know about what I do to increase calcium in my diet. I can assure you I do not want to risk another fracture. Everything I take has been recommended by a professional and not thrown at my condition.

[agingfeminist in reply to Lopera]

sorry...I missed the point....do hope your hair growth improves

[Lopera]

I am not looking for hair growth, I am hoping to improve my bone density. I would rather be bald than have spinal fractures. The improvements to my hair is a side benefit.

[Estellemac]

ebay.co.uk/itm/266959498095...

My sister and I use this. She had chemo I just have thinning hair. Took a while 6 months but seems to have either worked well.

[Groda]

Hi Arvine.

I have had GCA now for 1.5 years. I am on 9 mg of pred. I lost about 1/3 of my hair. I have now been taking collagen with biotin in liquid form daily and my hair has now grown back and is thicker than it ever was. I used to have 3 very visible cowlicks on the back of my head and now they are no longer noticeable due to hair growth. My husband is now taking it too.

As a bonus my fingernails have become much stronger and grow quickly. I will take this collagen with biotin long term. It comes in fruit flavor and is very pleasant to take rather than the pill form. Hope that helps.

Groda

[arvine in reply to Groda]

Thank you

[GML19]

I was on steroids for 18 months and two years on Methotrexate for GCA. and have been free of all medication for the condition for over 14 months. I lost a lot of hair whilst on methotrexate but my hair is now as thick as it was originally . I am sorry that my reply does nothing to help you now. At my most bald I considered wigs but invested instead in relatively/very outrageous hats instead!

My husband , a retired medic and not a rheumatologist thinks that the treatment only contains the disease until the condition has run its natural course. I would be grateful if PMR Pro could comment on this.

Good luck with your journey.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to GML19]

Which disease? There is new evidence it isn't much use for PMR - discussed on another thread in the last week or so - but arvine's doctor suspects there may be some inflammatory arthritis and she also has OA and recent work has shown that MTX can be helpful for pain relief there.

MTX does work very well for a small cohort of patients with PMR and they get off pred - which it seems is the main aim of many doctors in the UK and USA! Your husband is quite right - there is nothing that does anything more than manage the inflammation until the actual underlying disease burns out - even the new wonder drugs, the biologics tocilizumab and sarilumab are just very expensive steroid sparers as they do nothing to modify the actual disease process. And they only work for half of GCA patients since they only work on one mechanism for the inflammation and there are at least 3 in GCA and also probably for PMR. But they do save a lot of pred.

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

[GML19 in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your reply. I read it out to my husband who was astonished that I had brought him into the conversation. I have no idea how much steroid I have absorbed after 18 months of steroid use: probably a great deal as I have had high steroid infusions with each eye episode; however, my eyesight is now good after cataract removal. I absolutely hated Methotrexate but possibly it enabled me to ‘get off’ steroids? It has been to me a long journey, helped tremendously by the forum and your help. Thank you again.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to GML19]

Hehe - nothing like what I have absorbed in 16 years even though at rather lower doses!!!! I managed a month on MTX and it was not a nice experience. But not being in the UK I have been given tocilizumab - a big consideration when considering a return to the UK.

[Nextoneplease]

Hi all

My hair is so thin and sparse now that I despair of ever looking even passably good. I’ve invested in some make up for ‘mature skin’ which is good, but somehow manages to emphasise the awful state of my hair 🥹

I am considering taking biotin supplements but as I take 20+ prescribed medications a day, plus vitamin D, C, and AREDS2 vitamins for macular degeneration, and magnesium for cramp, I’m concerned about whether yet more meds/supplements would be harmful. Does anyone have any advice on this? GP’s don’t seem bothered about this kind of thing!

Hoping someone can help x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nextoneplease]

If you want multiple answers then you need to post a new thread, As someone said today - even supplements can interfere with medications so my view is the safe answer is no.

[Nextoneplease in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you Pro 😊

I think you could guess I’d take the safe option! So, no more pills for me unless essential. Feeling a bit low about it tonight but I’ll have a little weep and then get on with life .

Thanks again 😊 x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Nextoneplease]

Instead of the supplements, spend the money on nice scarves if you don't want to consider a wig. But I have a friend here who has had really thin hair for years - her hairdresser makes it look well cared for and she just gets on with it. She doesn't often even wear a hat - even with our bitter winter weather which often doesn;t get to freezing never mind above it.

[Nextoneplease in reply to PMRpro]

I might wear scarves but I can’t lift my right arm up to tie them properly (because of arthritis more than PMR). Have looked at wigs tonight, not sure, might try to find somewhere I could try them on before buying. Generally however, like your friend I just get on with it 🧘‍♀️

Thanks again x

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Nextoneplease]

I struggle with getting one arm above my head at times to do my hair - rotator cuff issues…so on bad days have adapted my position to sort my topknot out … like laying on the bed to get it in a scrunchie, or bending forward ..🤨…

You have to do what you can do!

[Nextoneplease in reply to DorsetLady]

lol well done Dorset Lady 🙌

I can’t blow dry my hair (using brush and dryer takes two hands ) so somehow get an old set of rollers in my hair with just my left hand 😂No wonder my hair looks dreadful, with being so thin as well ….🙄x

[Timek]

Hi. My hair went thin and started shedding quite badly. I've been on biotin for 6 months and the improvement has been staggering! It defo works for me..my hair is thicker, growing and no shedding. My nails that were splitting are much better too. Worth a try.

[arvine in reply to Timek]

Thank you, can you tell me what brand and strength of biotin??and was hair loss due to methotrexate?

[Timek in reply to arvine]

I take Purolabs biotin. 1 daily. I've never taken meth. It was caused by the pred.