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medication effects on hair

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Posted 10/8/2009 9:47 PM (GMT 0)
I guess it could just be insanely coincidental, but the timing has convinced me of otherwise. I have had dark brown hair all of my life, but after I was diagnosed with UC and put on imuran, pred, and apriso in March, my hair turned reddish orange with bleach blond highlights. I also started losing a lot of hair. I bought non-permanent dye to dye it back brown (its more me) but I am concerned the chemicals may cause more to fall out. Has anyone dyed their hair while on these same medications?
Posted 10/8/2009 9:59 PM (GMT 0)
I still dye my hair regularly, and haven't really noticed any of the ill effects you're talking about. My hair has changed since I've been on the various meds, mostly it's thinned out. Not that I'm losing my hair, but the hairs themselves have become thinner, which makes it more lank. Also, the hair on most of my body has pretty much ceased to grow, while my face has become quite a bit more hairy. Both annoying and delightful at the same time.
Posted 10/8/2009 10:02 PM (GMT 0)
When my son was first put on Pred and Imuran over 2 years ago, he lost over half his hair and what was left did take on a kind of orange hue. I think it was the prednisone that did it, because he eventually weaned off the pred, but stayed on and even increased his dose of Imuran over the last 2 years and not had that problem again until this summer when he had to go on prednisone again. This time we only noticed the hair loss and not the color change, but he was on it a much shorter amount of time.

He takes biotin to help his hair grow back nice and thick like it was before prednisone.

No experience with hair dye in this case, but I would imagine as long and you used a gentle formula where you just add color but without bleach or peroxide it would be okay. Check with a beauty supply place and see what they recommend.

Good luck!
Posted 10/8/2009 10:13 PM (GMT 0)
It's not your imagination. Medicines and illnesses affect the hair.

I used to dye my hair all the time. I never noticed any negative effects.

I've stopped dying my hair. I'm getting new hairs and they are black. I have made a few changes in my diet and lifestyle (doing headstands, eating berries, taking more kinds of vitamins,...); so I'm not sure what is the exact cause. I didn't even know it was possible.
Posted 10/9/2009 4:16 AM (GMT 0)
I noticed changes while on 6-mp. My hair is straight as a board but when I was taking 6-mp it somehow turned wavy/curly. Weirdest thing ever.
Posted 10/9/2009 6:41 AM (GMT 0)
The hair that's out of the scalp won't be changed by meds regarding colour. There's something else going on that externally is changing it. Could be products,(certain herbals or ingredients will lighten the colour), or severe dryness, swimming to name a few.

Regarding hair falling out...that would be the combination of all of the meds...pred and Imuran will actually speed up the growth rate/shedding rate of certain areas of hair.

One thing many might not realise is that we inherit different colours from different genes..and can have a combo in our heads. I have black hair that is quite course...have NO idea who was in the woodpile.

Some have certain hair that falls out while others don't..that's the colour/baldness connection from whomever.
Some meds will accelerate that process as well.

Once you are off the pred and have your UC better controlled, you should even out regarding hairloss.

Are you on any other meds?

q
Posted 10/9/2009 6:45 AM (GMT 0)
I remember a while back Red34 (sherry) had posted that her hair had changed colour from brown to red from those meds as well (at least, that's the best I can remember what she had written). I think she (or possibly someone else) said their hair also went from being straight (naturally) to curly from meds as well.

:)
Posted 10/9/2009 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
I color my hair but am on Asacol, off prednisone around 6 months.  Since stopping the pred, my hair seems thicker and has gone from stick-straight to wavy.   I actually look good coming in from the rain.  (Trying to find that silver lining anywhere)!
Posted 10/10/2009 8:29 AM (GMT 0)
That's very interesting. I have straight hair. It used to be that I could not wrap my hair into a bun without using any hair ties to hold it in place and that my hair would not hold a curl. After prednisone, I can now wrap my hair into a bun without using any hair ties and then later unwrap it and it will be curled. I thought the hair was due to my age, that my hair must be less oily and that's why it can hold a curl. But my hair, although not as oily as it used to be, is still a bit on the oily side. I never thought it had anything to do with the prednisone. Now, I'm not so sure.
Posted 10/10/2009 1:21 PM (GMT 0)
No, my hair color has never changed color from the meds (I think) but it had gone from poker straight to somewhat curly wavish. Pb if you can find that post that would be great because I am beginning to think I am losing my mind! LOL I believe my eye color is changing though because they used to be a dark brown (almost black) and now they are a hazelish color - meds or age not sure.

My hair is very unruly at the moment and driving me nuts. I have not heard of these meds causing the hair to change color so I agree that maybe it's something else. If you are in doubt whether or not your hair can handle it, you should see a stylist to test your hair. Or you can do your own testing at home. Cut a small portion of hair, along your neck and put the chemicals on it. If it doesn't fry it then you should be good to go.
Posted 10/10/2009 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Honestly Red, I'm likely the one that's confused on it being you, but I know someone at some support group had mentioned their hair had gone from dark brown to very redish from using Asascol...and I've read others mention their texture changing too, straight to curly.

:)
Posted 10/10/2009 7:42 PM (GMT 0)
I agree, Prednisone is deadly to hair. My stylist flatly refused to perm my hair after I started on steroids. It was thin, dry and very brittle, and I had to be very gentle with it. The color didn't change, but since my color comes out of a bottle, I guess it wouldn't have.

The good news is that when I went off the Pred, my hair went back to it's normal state.
Posted 10/11/2009 3:38 AM (GMT 0)
In my early yrs with UC I had to use a good bit of hydrocortisone to get severe flares under control, which would thin my hair after a couple months. Pred also caused some loss, but, luckily, I only had to take it during one 3-month period of time. Colazal thins it, too-- with heavier loss than usual at about 3-4 month intervals. In the last couple of yrs the sides (above my ears) seem to be thinning more than they used to, possibly due to aging more than to med. (Should I laugh or cry dept.!!!!!) The texture has pretty much stayed the same, TG. / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC ... [etc.])
Posted 10/11/2009 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
Pb, ok I thought I lost my mind. No it wasn't me because my hair, for as long as I remember, has been red and only until this past month I went back to my natural hair color which is a dark brown.
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