Is hair loss on Pentasa normal?

[Herd12]

I have been put on Pentasa, 2 pills four times a day. I have noticed a huge increase in my hair falling out....is this normal?? I have very think hair and here recently i've been able to notice it thinning out. Any advice would be helpful!

 

[LittleChloe]

I'm a hairstylist and i run a studio specializing in hair regrowth. While i can't specifically tell you what is going on with you personally i can tell you a couple general things. First of all hair does go through 3 cycles, growing, resting and shedding. The growing cycle can last 7 or more years before a hair will shed and be replaced by another. Periods of stress or malnutrition can cause hair to shift from a growing or resting phase to the shedding phase ( called telogen phase). Some medications can also cause this although i don't know if pentasa is one of them. When my 15 year old daughter spent 2 weeks in the hospital following her crohns diagnosis she lost a lot of hair. I suspect it was the prednisone that caused it but it also could have been the trauma she went through. Typically the follicles on a persons scalp are divided up in thirds. In other words 1/3 of your hair is in a growing phase, 1/3 in a resting and up to 1/3 can be shedding. Thankfully they are evenly dispersed on your head. If 1/3 of your hair suddenly shifts into a shedding phase it can be dramatic and scary, that's thousands of hairs! The good news is another hair will likely soon grow from that same follicle.
A few things to consider: electrolyte balance can affect hair growth. Minerals like potassium, magnesium, selenium and zinc can get deficient in crohns patients and contribute to thinning. Use a sulfate free shampoo. There is some evidence that sulfates are not good for open, exposed follicles. If you've shed a lot of hair lately you probably have some exposed follicles. Pay attention to whether there are patches of thinning or whether its all over. Patchy thinning could indicate other issues. If you think you're really losing too much or you can start to see your scalp then maybe see a dermatologist.

 

[parentnj]

Unfortunately hair loss is a possible side effect of Pentasa and hopefully will moderate as your body becomes used to the medication.

http://www.drugs.com/cons/pentasa.html

 

[lisakuney]

Yes, mine thinned out. But, it started growing back again. I had lots of short hairs sticking straight up all over. It seems to be back to more or less it's normal thickness now. I've been on Pentasa for about 18 months now.