Hair loss

[Charlotte.]

I'm having quite severe hair loss (for what I've had so far) for a week now and my hair looks so thin already, I'm quite worried. Does someone have suggestions of vitamins or minerals which are effective?
I already take B12 (sublingual) and Vitamin D, what about biotin?
Does someone have similar problems with active Crohn's and hair loss? Once I had hair loss, elemental diet helped me within a few days also with the hair loss, but my current gastroenterologist does not think that it would be helpful.
I also lost 3 kg of body weight in 6 weeks, unfortunately.

 

[Layla]

My hair is thinning badly around the sides of my head - like the opposite to male baldness
My dermatologist prescribed Finasteride, one fifth of the male dose, and zinc in a rather high dose; 50mg elemental.
The combo does seem to be helping somewhat, I have obvious re-growth in some places, but I've also added biotin just in case. Not sure that the biotin is doing anything yet, I'll continue until the bottle is finished I guess.

 

[Charlotte.]

Thank you Layla! Zinc might be a very good idea, I took it for a few months on and off, but stopped it a while ago. I also restarted taking my calcium citrate and will add in magnesium citrate or orotate as well, hopefully that makes a difference soon.

 

[DEmberton]

Are you anaemic? Mine thinned a lot in the year I was waiting for diagnosis, which I thought might be the inevitable, but came back a lot thicker a few months after surgery. I'd become quite anaemic in that time.

 

[Charlotte.]

Oh, no! Thank you DEmberton, yes, I was, hopefully I am not anaemic again, but I feel quite as bad as I did when I was anaemic. So tired and exhausted, can't focus on anything etc., which improved after my iron deficiency anaemia was treated with iron infusions.

 

[shamrock15]

Some meds can cause this. I remember it being one of the side effects of rabeprazole and it appears that you are on a related med. Check into those and maybe see if it is worth changing meds out. It is happening to me, however, I am male and am also fighting family history on this.

 

[Wilmawilfred]

Iron deficiency is the main source of iron. Spinach is not only rich in iron and it also contains sebum which acts as a natural conditioner for hair. Carrots and sweet potatoes are also good for lustrous hair. There are many diet programs that help in hair loss recovery. And even if nothing works you can go for a hair transplant solution at CHTC.

 

[Charlotte.]

Thank you Shamrock and Wilma, I don't take any medication that could cause hair loss, should have said that. I didn't know that sweet potatoes and carrots should be good for your hair. That shows even more that I don't seem to be absorbing much of what I eat because I eat both of it in huge amounts, so my hair should be strong and healthy though.

Seems as if hair loss is one of my personal indicators for active Crohn's (not a surprise, it's still active since diagnosis) and vitamin or mineral deficiency. I added plenty, plenty of certain supplements and at least one or more seems to be helping and the number of hair that I am losing seems to be slowly decreasing.

 

[Scipio]

You are on prednisone? Some members report hair loss when on and/or tapering from prednisone:

https://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=30180

 

[Charlotte.]

I was on and off i.v. prednisolone which might have triggered that reaction as well. I will never know what exactly it was or is but knowing how to overcome it is the more effective way than thinking about the reason for me now. I think, it's quite impressive that last time my hair loss stopped when I switched to exclusive elemental diet and this time it slowly decreases as I added certain supplements. Hopefully one day - when I am in remission - my small intestine is able to do his job more efficiently.

 

[JMC]

It's interesting, hair loss and unhealthy looking hair is common in Johne's disease in cattle. I wonder if in human's with Crohn's this is more evidence of MAP infection? I certainly have a bald patch around my right temple, which has been there as long as I have had Crohn's. It seems to be yet another common symptom, like nasal sores, which is rarely talked about by the medical profession.

 

[Charlotte.]

Sorry for your hair loss JMC. That sounds interesting. One of the things I can't really deal with is the fact that we can't fully understand all the mechanisms and the causes of Crohn's, that's why I sometimes "have" to read on pubmed for hours but don't feel much better afterwards. ;-)

 

[Layla]

My hair loss started before I was on any Crohn medications.
I'm not sure whether my hair loss is related Crohn or just luck of the draw. I was in a simmering flare when it started so it could be.
I do think it got worse when I had bad anaemia but can't really relate it to any other medications. I'm just glad the finasteride/zinc combo is working somewhat!

 

[Lvdrsp]

I'm having quite severe hair loss (for what I've had so far) for a week now and my hair looks so thin already, I'm quite worried. Does someone have suggestions of vitamins or minerals which are effective?
I already take B12 (sublingual) and Vitamin D, what about biotin?
Does someone have similar problems with active Crohn's and hair loss? Once I had hair loss, elemental diet helped me within a few days also with the hair loss, but my current gastroenterologist does not think that it would be helpful.
I also lost 3 kg of body weight in 6 weeks, unfortunately.

Hey Charlotte!

I have this problem since a week and i already lost half of my hair. They diagnosed this as alopecia areata.
In my case vitamines Will not help.
Has your doctor searched for the cause of the hair loss? I would advice you to let your hair be investigated! They just take Some hair and put it under a microscope! By identifying the cause, you can find a treatment that Will really work! Good luck!!

 

[Charlotte.]

Hey Charlotte!

I have this problem since a week and i already lost half of my hair. They diagnosed this as alopecia areata.
In my case vitamines Will not help.
Has your doctor searched for the cause of the hair loss? I would advice you to let your hair be investigated! They just take Some hair and put it under a microscope! By identifying the cause, you can find a treatment that Will really work! Good luck!!

I'm so sorry for you, that's really severe hair loss what you describe. Glad they know what it is, so you have bald spots without hair on your head then?
My hair just got thinner, much hair in my hair brush, no visible bald spots or something, just thinning out, no signs for autoimmune disease though.
It has definitely decreased now, the supplements are effective for me.

 

[Lvdrsp]

I'm so sorry for you, that's really severe hair loss what you describe. Glad they know what it is, so you have bald spots without hair on your head then?
My hair just got thinner, much hair in my hair brush, no visible bald spots or something, just thinning out, no signs for autoimmune disease though.
It has definitely decreased now, the supplements are effective for me.

i am happy that they are working for you!!