IBD and Male Pattern Baldness?

[Nomis1234]

Hi.

I have Crohns Disease and in the last few months I have experienced very rapid hair loss. The hair around my hairline has got shorter, thinner and isn't growing at all.

A hair expert told me that it is the early stages of male pattern baldness and said the causes are normally genetic. However, in my case it is definitely not genetic- I have an identical twin brother who is not experiencing hair loss (but also doesn't have crohns). As I am in my early 20's so this development is concerning to me.

My doctor told me that remicade can cause hair loss but not in the form of Male Pattern Baldness.

My question; does anyone know anything of a link between crohns and Male Pattern Baldness or had a similar experience?


Other notes; I had surgery a few months ago and the only drug I am currently on is remicade.

 

[ronroush7]

My hair is thinning some but I believe it is from imuran.

 

[Nomis1234]

With me it's not general hair thinning- it's male pattern baldness caused by DHT. I am just wondering if there is a connection between crohns/crohsn meds and the triggering of MPB.

 

[ronroush7]

I had a lesion in my scalp caused by Remicade. My dermatologist said she had another patient with Crohns Disease who was taking Humira. The Humira caused her hair to fall out completely.

 

[Layla]

Yes, I have the same! Even though I'm female and my hair was thinning badly on the sides rather than the top my dermatologist diagnosed it as male(female?) pattern hairloss.

I was not on medication at the time so I certainly think it was caused by the Crohn's itself. Probably, in part at least, due to having vitamin deficiencies caused by malabsorbtion. I'm now on a high dose of zinc and that has done wonders for my skin and probably my hair.
Please go and see a dermatologist as something can be done and the sooner you start the better.
I'm on Finasteride (aka Propecia I think) which together with the zinc has reversed the damage somewhat. I have a lot of obvious regrowth so a major improvement although I'm kicking myself for not going to the dermatologist much much sooner!

Let us know how you get on, hth

 

[DEmberton]

When I was ill, underweight and anaemic my hair thinned quite a lot and that made the receding hair line a lot more obvious. But since surgery and getting healthy again it came back thicker and that mostly hides it again. Mine's following exactly the same pattern as my Father so it obviously is simply genetic.

I suppose it stands to reason that being generally unhealthy could accelerate the decline.

 

[DougUte]

My father and all but 1 of his brothers had male pattern baldness. None of them had Crohn's. I have Crohn's, but not male pattern baldness. My hair has thinned some and that may be a result of being sick, but I don't think the Crohn's is causing male pattern baldness in my case.