Lupus Hair Loss Treatment
If you have lupus non-specific alopecia, your hair will grow back once the underlying cause is under control. In case of a few non-scarring forms like lupus hair, alopecia areata, telogen/anagen effluvium, the hair may grow back once the exact cause is eliminated.
Drug-induced lupus hair loss can be minimized, and hair may grow back once the medication effects and lupus is under control.
Discoid lupus lesions may cause severe and permanent damage to the scalp and hair follicles, and the hair loss is irreversible. Hair transplantation and using the punch graft method may repair the damage caused by discoid lupus . However, the results may vary.
Your doctor can diagnose the exact cause of hair loss and suggest treatment accordingly. Identifying the cause is the best way to manage hair fall.
You can follow the doctors instructions and take care of your scalp to manage lupus hair loss while undergoing treatment. Here are some tips.
If I Have Lupus Will I Pass It On To My Children
There can be a genetic factor to lupus. Your risk of having lupus increases if you have other family members with the condition. A mother with lupus can pass it on to her child. However, this doesnt always happen, nor does it happen often. Some women with lupus deliver a baby with the condition, while others do not. If you have a family history of lupus or have lupus yourself and are thinking about getting pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider.
Who Is Affected By Lupus
Anyone can have lupus. It can happen to women, men, children and even newborns. Its much more commonly seen in women than men, with about 90% of diagnosed cases being women of reproductive age. Experts have a difficult time estimating how many people in the United States have lupus because it is difficult to diagnose. Lupus has a wide variety of symptoms that can also be signs of other medical conditions. Because of this, there may be people with lupus who go undiagnosed throughout their lives.
Lupus is also more prominent in certain ethnicities. African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American women are all more likely to develop the condition than Caucasian women.
Your risk of having lupus is also increased if you have a family member with lupus or another autoimmune disease.
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Limit Uv Light Exposure
Lupus can cause you to be more sensitive to light. This can lead to additional hair loss as the hair and scalp are damaged. There are several ways to limit exposure to UV light.
- Limit your exposure to the sun with layers of clothing. One MyLupusTeam member listed their many accessories for protecting their skin: I have a face mask, scarf, hat, summer jacket that is like wearing air, gloves and sleeves I keep in the car.
- Wear sunblock of SPF 50 or greater on any exposed skin including on your scalp.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat or carry an umbrella.
- Stick to the shade outside whenever possible.
- Replace or remove any home lights that emit UV light.
What Is Lupus Erythematosus Systemic
Lupus Erythematosus Systemic is the most common type of Lupus. Other types of Lupus include:
- Cutaneous Lupus: This form of Lupus only affects the skin
- Drug-induced Lupus: This form of Lupus is caused by certain types of prescription medications.
- Neonatal Lupus: This is a form of Lupus that affects infants born from women who have Lupus. This condition is very rare.
I absolutely love these vitamins! I have Lupus and it took most of my hair. Taking these helped fill in my bald spots and my hair has grown a lot! Ill continue taking these! The results are amazing!!!
– Cathey M
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When To See A Doctor For Hair Loss
If youve already been diagnosed with lupus, your alopecia may or may not be caused by the disease, so its important to have a doctor diagnose the underlying cause and undergo the most appropriate treatment.
Bottom line? Hair loss may be an early sign of lupus before the disease is diagnosed,”said Dr. Ailynne Marie Vergara-Wijangco, board-certified dermatologist and medical advisor at Thank Your Skin. “But many other disorders can cause hair loss, so consult with your doctor if you notice unusual hair thinning or hair loss.
Medications Cause Lupus Hair Loss
Many medications like NSAIDs, antidepressants and anti-blood-clotting drugs can cause hair loss, but there are a few common ones that Ill discuss how they cause hair loss. Even though they do affect our hair growth, my treatment plan is still effective at stopping this and able to promote your hair to grow faster by counteracting it.
Prednisone
Prednisone causes hair loss because its a synthetic version of the steroid hormone that is naturally produced in your adrenal gland. So, as it takes over your natural balance of hormones, it throws off the balance in hormones that affect the cycle of hair growth.
It causes you to enter the telogen effluvium phase of your hair growth earlier than normal. This is one of the phases that I talked about earlier.
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Immunosuppressive drugs
These types of drugs affect the anagen effluvium phase where the hair stops growing. It causes the loss of body hair too. these drugs do this by damaging the healthy matrix of cells. Although this is usually unavoidable, there are other options to consider before having to resort to this sometimes. Low dose naltrexone is a very reliable off-label use drug that contains and balances your immune system. The best part about it is the high success rate and no crazy long or short term side effects.
If you want to take a deep dive into LDN for Lupus, check out: A Beginners Guide To Natural Treatment For Lupus
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Tips To Prevent Hair Loss In Lupus Patients
Many lupus patients suffer from hair loss. Sometimes its very mild and unnoticeable but for some, it can be quite severe and cause considerable anguish. To help you prevent lupus hair loss, weve put together a list of tips using information from Daily Health.
Lupus or Medication?
Establish the reason for your hair loss. Is it lupus or could the hair loss be due to the medication youre taking? If its medication-related, then speak to your doctor about changing medications.
Start Lupus Treatment as Soon as Possible
The sooner you start lupus treatment, the better and the less likely you are to suffer from hair loss. Speak to your doctors and push to get a diagnosis as quickly as possible if you suspect you have lupus.
Follow Your Medication Instructions
Ensure you always take your medication as directed, at the right time. Dont skip your medication for any reason unless directed to do so by your doctor.
Be Aware of the Medication Youre Taking
Do your homework. Is the medication known to cause side effects like hair loss? Speak to your doctor about alternatives if this is the case.
Take Note of Any Rashes or Scaliness
Any rashes or scaliness on the skin could also be happening on your scalp and contributing towards hair loss. If you spot any rashes or scaliness, contact your doctor.
Keep Stress Levels Low
Stress can lead to hair loss for lupus patients so its important to try and avoid stress as much as you can.
Get Plenty of Rest
Avoid Sun Exposure
A Full Range Of Hair Restoration Options
As Dr. Grays practice evolved, he expanded treatment beyond surgical restoration to offer a comprehensive range of the latest innovations in emerging for those who need them. Methods such as , , and are resources for those who dont require hair restoration surgery. Dr. Gray has partnered with Cesare Regazzi to offer custom hair prosthesis systems for those who are not a candidate for hair transplant surgery, making HT& RC the only resource in Georgia for the revolutionary , well as all other surgical and non-surgical treatments.
If you’re looking to resolve hair loss issues related to Lupus or any other condition please don’t hesitate to .
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How Is Lupus Diagnosed
Lupus is a disease that is known for being difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are different from person to person. Sometimes, the symptoms may mimic those of another disease. Often, lupus symptoms come and go. It can sometimes take several years to receive an official diagnosis.
Getting an early, accurate lupus diagnosis can reduce its long-term effects.
There is not just one test doctors can use to tell if you have lupus. Doctors must consider many different sources of information. Your doctor will look at:
- Your symptoms.
- Results from lab tests .
Your doctor may also order blood and urine tests, such as:
- Antinuclear antibody test. This test checks for antibodies to the nucleus of your cells. A positive result means that your immune system may be attacking healthy cells. This does not always mean that you have lupus. Your doctor may recommend you see a specialist for more testing.
- Complete blood count. Lupus often affects a persons red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet count. This test checks for anemia or the presence of certain proteins in your blood.
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein tests. Results from these tests will show if there is inflammation in your body.
- Urinalysis. Extra protein in the urine may show up in a lab test if lupus affects your kidneys.
Depending on your symptoms and test results, your doctor also may order a skin or kidney biopsy.
What Can I Do To Prevent Lupus Flare
While lupus itself cant be prevented, you can make changes to your daily life to help avoid flare-ups of your symptoms. A few things to try can include:
- Avoiding sun exposure: For many with lupus, sun exposure can be an issue. Try avoiding going outside during peak hours when the sun is out, wearing protective clothing and wearing sunscreen.
- Staying in motion: Joint pain can make you want to sit down and rest, but doing low-impact exercises can actually help.
- Maintaining healthy habits: A few habits to keep in mind include making healthy choices when it comes to your food, getting plenty of sleep and cutting back on the stress in your life. There is also a strong link between lupus and heart disease. Make sure you are working with your healthcare team to reduce your risk of heart issues.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
If you are experiencing the symptoms of lupus, reach out to your healthcare provider. Lupus can take a long time to diagnose because of the wide range of symptoms and the way symptoms slowly build over time. Getting diagnosed is the first step to managing the condition and improving your quality of life.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/19/2021.
References
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What Causes Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease. This means that your immune system mistakenly attacks a part of your body.
When you have alopecia areata, cells in your immune system surround and attack your hair follicles . This attack on a hair follicle causes the attached hair to fall out.
The more hair follicles that your immune system attacks, the more hair loss you will have.
Its important to know that while this attack causes hair loss, the attack rarely destroys the hair follicles. This means that your hair can regrow. The less hair loss you have, the more likely it is that your hair will regrow on its own.
Subacute Cutaneous Erythematosus Or Skin Lupus
Rashes on the skin can cause the hair to fall out. If the hair loss is not treated aggressively the disease can sometimes cause round, thick, scaly lesions on the scalp called discoids or Discoid Lupus Erythematosus. In these cases, the discoids cause scar tissue to form on the hair follicles, which can lead to permanent hair loss. Early and aggressive treatment of hair loss in patients with Discoid Lupus Erythematosus can often lead to some degree of hair regrowth.
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How Does Lupus Cause Hair Loss
Not all who have lupus may experience hair loss. You may experience hair fall or loss if you have cutaneous lupus. However, cutaneous lupus is often diagnosed in those who have systemic lupus erythematosus.
Lupus may cause scarring or non-scarring alopecia. In scarring alopecia, inflammatory cells affect the follicular bulge at the outer root sheath. This affects the bottom portion of hair follicles and epidermis hair stem cells, preventing sebum regulation. As a result, the hair shaft perforates the root bulb, forming lesions. This causes permanent and irreversible hair loss . Itching and rubbing may further spread the lesions, affecting the entire scalp.
Non-scarring alopecia is caused due to inflammation a primary symptom of lupus. The inflammation may cause round patches on the scalp, affecting the hair follicles and causing hair loss .
While hair loss and alopecia are common in lupus, their causes may not be specific to lupus. In other words, alopecia can be inherent to lupus or just coincidental . These are called non-specific lupus or non-specific skin lesions that may appear during the active phase of systemic lupus erythematosus but are caused due to other diseases or conditions like alopecia areata and telogen or anagen effluvium. Keep scrolling to understand this in detail.
Systemic Lupus Hair Loss Non
- Systematic lupus If the hair loss is caused due to systematic lupus, then it is known as telogen effluvium. It is basically caused due to severe illness that flares up the inflammation on the scalp and face.
- In systematic lupus, you may see hair loss to be most pronounced in the frontal area of the scalp. But, it can happen in different areas.
- This is preventable, treatable, and your hair tends to grow back, but it never grows back the same unless you do what Lupus warriors find so very helpful. Ill get into those details shortly.
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Case Report: Reversal Of Long
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Shenzhen Peoples Hospital , The Second Clinical Medical College of Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
The Janus kinases are intracellular tyrosine kinases involved in a broad variety of inflammatory cascades participating in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus . Diffuse non-scarring alopecia is one of the most frequent cutaneous manifestations in SLE, resulting in devastating psychosocial consequences. Although recent studies have shown promising outcomes of the JAK inhibitors in SLE treatment, the efficacy of tofacitinib in diffuse non-scarring alopecia due to SLE has never been reported. Here we present a 29-year-old SLE patient with a 10-year history of refractory severe diffuse non-scarring alopecia who experienced dramatic hair regrowth with tofacitinib. Furthermore, we have made a systematic review regarding the potential effectiveness of tofacitinib in systemic and cutaneous lupus erythematosus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case study depicting an SLE patient with refractory alopecia who experienced impressive hair regrowth with the JAK1/3 inhibitor tofacitinib therapy, which contributes to expanding the field of possible uses of tofacitinib in SLE patients with difficult-to-treat cutaneous involvement, including severe alopecia.