Have you experienced hair loss?
By LanaPA
June 13 at 3:12 pm
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People with RA and other autoimmune diseases experience hair loss for two reasons. Once of those is because hair loss can be a symptom and the other is because of the medications used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Methotrexate is one of the biggest culprits to hair loss in RA patients. One to three percent of the people that take it lose their hair. The reason is because the medication actually does what is supposed to do. It stops cells from growing and among those cells are the ones that produce inflammation and hair follicles. Many patients who take methotrexate also take folic acid to lessen the side effects and folic acid contains a B complex vitamin which can help to keep hair healthy.
Has hair loss been an issue for you? Is the hair loss a side effect of one of your medications or is your hair loss a symptom of RA?
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Replies (3 replies)
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SuSewSew July 24 at 1:09 am1 LikeOh yes. Thankfully I had Uber amounts of hair at the beginning. After 3 years of Methotrexate a calculation revealed a 45% hairloss/thinning. YIKES! The rheumatologist switched me to Arava (I am on Remicade for almost 8 years). I then went to a half dose and things are looking much hairier these days! There is a great upside to hair loss - - no shaving of the legs and rarely under the arms! It hasn't slowed down the fine hairs on my face though! Truthfully, I'd rather be walking around with my cane AND BALD than in a wheelchair with a full head of hair.
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Brandy1280 July 23 at 12:55 pm1 LikeI take methotrexate and folic acid so luckily i have not had any hair loss problems yet. I have been on them for about 8-10 months now.
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