Cancer patients' grey hair unexpectedly darkens in drug study

[helvella]

I know most of the forum discussion about hair centres on loss, rather than greyness, but I am quite sure this somewhat odd story will be of interest to many.

It might also be seen to pick up on the mention the other day of using immunosuppressive medicines against Hashimoto's.

Cancer patients' grey hair unexpectedly darkens in drug study

Spanish study suggests side effects of new immunotherapy drugs may include restoring hair pigment

A group of cancer patients’ grey hair has unexpectedly darkened after they took new types of drugs, researchers have revealed.

Chemotherapy is known to make patients’ hair fall out, but the 14 people involved were all being treated with new immunotherapy drugs that work differently and have different side effects from chemotherapy. A Spanish study suggests those may include restoring hair pigment, at least in patients with lung cancer.

More at link:

theguardian.com/science/201...

Link to abstract in JAMA Dermatology:

jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...

[TSH110]

Very interesting. Mine seems a tad darker since treatment but I don't mind being a snow bird. It is still normal colour at the ends but very white at the scalp looks really strange if I wear it up like it is someone elses hair! Is the mechanism for hypothyroidism causing premature greying known?

[pplover]

I have other hypothyroid symptoms and do have prematurely grey hair from my late 20s. My head doesn't look white. But there are at least dozens of white strands. My older sis has none. My mom and dad didn't grey this early.

Will report if ndt makes any change.

[Hidden]

I've had Hashimoto's since 1986 but my hair in my late 60s is still predominantly mousey brown. Yes, there's some white strands of course and my hair has thinned out from being hypothyroid. Some people wrongly presume I use hair dye. My siblings all went grey at a young age.

Another thing to do with medication - my hubby had PMR and was on steroids. During that time his thinning hair improved and darkened. I might add since being off the steroids for a couple of years his hair has gone back to how it was pre PMR.

Very interesting subject Helvella, thank you.

GG

[hellybaybee]

Before her death to beast cancer, my auntie's jet black hair went completely grey... when she died it was jet black again. She volunteered for all manner of drug trials once she knew her condition was terminal as she thought it may help someone else in the future. I wonder if she trialed something similar?

I have started getting a few greys... I'm in my thirties so I guess it's not unusual, but I expected it a lot later given that I have the same hair as my father who is 65 and only just starting to grey now. Can't say that I've noticed any difference with NDT but it's great for those who have.

[silverfox7]

I started going grey at around 25 and read am article in a local paper suggesting early grey hair was linked with osteoporosis so I entvfor a private check as thought at least it would give me a base line for possible later years. We now know we are often low in Vit D so sounds like some sort of link.