[Marshmellow]

Hello all

Just wondered if anyone could help-can Plaquenil cause hairloss?
My hair has got really thin recently and it seems to coincide with the doc increasing my dose to 400mg

Thanks for any info or personal experience
Love Rachel

 

[suebehar]

Hi Rachel,

I too was confused as to whether my extreme hair thinning was a result of medication or my lupus. I stopped plaquenil for a while and not only did my hair thinning continue, but my other symptoms went wild. I am back on plaquenil now. My doctor feels it is the lupus and some of the other meds I'm on (methx) that is causing my hair thinning.

I have heard that once your lupus is under control, your hair will return. My hair loss and regrowth seem to go in cycles. My hair sheds and then returns, but has remained much thinner than before my lupus diagnosis.

Take care,

Susan

 

[lazylegs]

Hi Rachel,

Plaquenil can cause hair loss. However like Susan said it is difficult to say whether the hair loss is due to Lupus or Plaquenil. Once the Lupus is under control you will have a better idea of which it is.

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[Marshmellow]

thanks for those replies-i have CTD rather than lupus and it seems like it's never under complete control-just one thing after another !!!!

any tips on caring for/thickening up thin hair in meantime?

thanks again

Rachel

 

[suebehar]

Hi Rachel,

I use a host of products, but the two that work the best are:
Redken Thickening lotion 06, and a product I purchased from Home Shopping called TruLift. The TruLift is expensive (about 30 dollars US for two small bottles), so I use it for "special" times.

 

[Lily]

Hi Rachel,

A lot of people use Nioxin shampoo and say that it helps.

love
Lily

 

[KarolH]

I was having issues of hair loss before I started plaquenil.

Hard to say if it is the CTD or the drugs to treat it.

The shampoo Lily mentions does work well.

It is pricey but worth it.

Let us know how you get along.:wink2:

 

[Jesse88]

Methotrexate is known to cause hair loss. Taking folic acid with it can help. My RD switched me from folic acid to leucovorin, which seemed to work better. I also read on another board that some people swear by the supplement biotin to help with their hair loss. I've been on it myself for about one month but I can't tell if it's helping yet or not.

 

[Marshmellow]

just been to hairdressers and had it cut into a short layered bob so it looks thicker and healthier now-fingers crossed it doesn't get too much thinner

thanks for all your advice

have a good weekend

rachel