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Posted 1/28/2010 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone! I've been experiencing very dry skin on my cheeks with redness and flaking along with very dry hair that is now prone to breakage. It started happening within the last month and nothing changed in my lifestyle, no change in meds or my diet. I did get a stomach virus a few weeks back but I'm not sure if it's related. Could it be a side effect of azathioprine? It's unusaul that this side effect of the azathioprine would come up suddenly.. Do you have any tips for dry skin but mostly hair? Thank you!
Posted 1/28/2010 7:16 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, but often when I tell people what I use they think I'm nuts, though a few people jumped on my bandwagon and gave it a try and were quite pleased with results.

I use extra virgine olive oil as a skin and hair moisturizer, I also consume it everyday. It abosrbs fairly quickly into the skin/scalp and I like to rub it through my hair and leave it in for a few hours (while working out or cleaning the house) and it does wonders.


:)
Posted 1/28/2010 4:35 PM (GMT 0)
HI invisible reflections,
I too have this.. Really only over the past few months. My Doc told me it was the Asacol, although ive been on that years.. Confused!..
I am on Azathioprine just like you, maybe this is the problem?!.. I have been on it almost a year. I might try pb4's answer if things get progressively worse, nothing to lose eh?!..

I did read some nasty side affects for Azathioprine before I started using it, but thankfully ive been 100%.. Hope you are too..

All the best..
Posted 1/28/2010 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Dry skin has always been a problem.  The hair has never been a problem untill the asocol and now it is dry and falling out.   It's very dishearting...

Posted 1/28/2010 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
How quickly does the asacol do this? I wasn't sure if I was just dehydrated from D or what but my hair feels like straw and my skin is awful. I've only been on it a week!
Posted 1/28/2010 4:49 PM (GMT 0)
Try the Aveeno lotion for babies. 1 of my son's has dry patch's on his cheeks as well & b/c it's so close to his eyes,
I wanted the most sensitive w/least amount of ingredients as possible. I tried sooo many other things but this one works
(& I am using it also now!)
Posted 1/28/2010 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
Ive been on Asacol for nearly 10 years and my hair is fine (Albeit short! as I shave it).. but I still have all mine, and No sign of losing it..
Posted 1/28/2010 6:32 PM (GMT 0)
The dryness of the hair took about 6 months to show up. It's not the new growth. It's the older growth. I am not sure when it started to fall out, becuse pred will also make it fall out. but it's been 6 months since I ve been on pred so that's no longer a factor. Get some good leave in conditioner and maybe see a stylist more often for frequent trims. That helps.
Posted 1/28/2010 6:38 PM (GMT 0)
olive oil, overripe bananas, avacados, shae butter, cocoa butter, eggs (for the hair, crack a couple and work though your hair. leave on for an hour and then shampoo like a couple of times in COOL water, or you'll end up with scrambled eggs. not pleasant but very effective). all of this stuff works and it is very cheap...
Posted 1/28/2010 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Have you had your thyroid checked as of late, as well as your iron, B levels and D as well as liver enzymes?

What exactly are you using for your hair cleansing/conditioning/styling regimen?

How often are you washing it?

Do you use a flat iron or curling iron?

Is your hair long or short?

Is it normally fine, straight, curly, coarse?

Do you shower or bath? What do you use to wash with?

Do you wash your entire body or just the necessary areas?

Lots of questions, but it will help regarding some changes on the external aspect.

quincy
Posted 1/28/2010 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
I'm going to Occam's razor this and use the most simple explanation: winter weather = dry skin and hair. I have this issue too, and have since I can remember (which means at least since high school). My skin on my face flakes and the skin on my hands literally cracks and starts bleeding. The hair breakage could also be due to weight/length.

For the skin, find a good moisturizer (a problem for me since I'm also acne-prone). For the hair, conditioner. I know a company called Lush that makes great natural cosmetics (and by cosmetics I mean skincare products, soaps, cleansers, haircare products and the like).
Posted 1/30/2010 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone. I started using aveeno calming face lotion and that's been helping a lot! It was the only facial moiturizer I used that didn't irritate my skin more and it is reducing the redness and flaking. Pb4, I tried the extra virgin olive oil once and I might try it again but I had to take 2 showers before the oild was completely out. I only put it on the 2nd half of my hair too. Oh well. I think this weekend I'm going to get a haircut because my hair is just awful.

I have straight, shoulder length hair. I shower every other day and I've been using Pantene Moisture Renewal Shampoo and Conditioner. I haven't used a hair straightener at all in the past 2 months but I do blow dry my hair. Right now it's just lifeless, flaky at times, dull, and just not how my hair used to be :(

Hopefully cutting my hair will be a new beginning for me!
Posted 1/30/2010 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
PS: Thanks for all of your help guys! This forum is wonderful: you guys understand what I'm going through!!!

Pb4, for the evoo, is your hair shorter? If short did you put it on your scalp as well and if longer did you avoid the scalp?
Posted 1/30/2010 8:20 PM (GMT 0)
No, my hair is long and I rub it gently through my scalp and all through my hair to the ends and it washes out (only shampooing once) completely, I use Ojon hair care so with it being an excellent quality shampoo/conditioner maybe that's why I found it to wash out so well...I also didn't use gobs of EVOO either, about tblsp amount and rub in in my hands first then throughout the scalp and hair.

:)
Posted 1/28/2017 4:37 AM (GMT 0)

invisible reflections said...
Hello everyone! I've been experiencing very dry skin on my cheeks with redness and flaking along with very dry hair that is now prone to breakage. It started happening within the last month and nothing changed in my lifestyle, no change in meds or my diet. I did get a stomach virus a few weeks back but I'm not sure if it's related. Could it be a side effect of azathioprine? It's unusaul that this side effect of the azathioprine would come up suddenly.. Do you have any tips for dry skin but mostly hair? Thank you!

Yes I started Imuran and Remicade in December and I have been getting peeling skin on my face and dry eyelid rim feeling. I didnt think it was Imuran, but dont know if it's Remicade or both. My dr had upped my Imuran to 3x a day with meals because of my bowel movements (Crohns by the way). But I moisturize and have acne prone skin so I was using retin a as well... I used coconut oil lightly on it but may be too oily. I saw someone post about olive oil and hear that EXCEPT if you have acne prone skin (from the Drs tv show). I tried Humira but it gave me itchy scalp and psoratic dandruff and eyebrown skin peeling. UGH. Not happy!
Posted 1/28/2017 5:04 AM (GMT 0)
Coconut oil for the damage hair!! Like the olive oil you keep it in your hair for a few hours or overnight.
You'll need to shampoo a few times in a row, for me it's like 2-3 times.

I recently begin to mix half coconot oil and half castor oil to make my hair grow back faster. I lost a lot of hair bc of pred and now it's growing back. Massage helps a lot too.

Oh and maybe try a high quality or more natural shampoo! I use salon hair products and my hair feel so different than it use to with Pantene
Posted 1/28/2017 5:24 PM (GMT 0)
Products such as castor oil or coconut oil put on the hair or scalp won't help hair grow faster. It might help prevent breakage from brittleness and weak hair. The process of growth happens within the follicle....waaaay within the scalp.

q
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