Powered By
Continue with Facebook
Sign up with your email
Are you treating your psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis and experiencing hair loss? You’re not alone. Several members of MyPsoriasisTeam have reported lost or thinning hair after they started psoriasis treatments.
One member asked the team if anyone else had experienced hair loss while taking methotrexate. One member replied, “I lost a lot of hair from that med. What used to be a very thick ponytail is now a thinned-out ponytail.” A second chimed in: “It works great! Just taking it for five weeks, and my skin is almost clear, but my hair is falling out like crazy.”
Hair loss can be a symptom of psoriasis, and it’s also a possible side effect of treatments. Thankfully, hair loss from psoriasis treatments is often temporary. Here, we’ll explore hair loss as a treatment side effect, its causes, and ways you can move forward confidently while living with your psoriasis.
Psoriasis — scalp psoriasis, in particular — can lead to an uncomfortable, dry, itchy, flaky, and irritated scalp. Members may find themselves scratching or picking at their lesions and scales. This picking can damage your hair follicles and lead to hair loss. Psoriasis-related inflammation on your scalp can also lead to hair loss if it damages your hair follicles.
Hair loss can have negative physical, emotional, and mental impacts on those with psoriasis. The loss may be accompanied by worry or lowered self-esteem. “If I keep losing hair, I’m afraid that I will need a wig,” one MyPsoriasisTeam member wrote. Another posted, “I love the wonderful stares I get, like I’m contagious. And the fact that my hair is thinning is just killing me.”
Some treatments for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis may cause you to lose hair as a side effect. Keep in mind that everyone is different, so not everyone will experience the same side effects. Some people may experience very minimal side effects from a drug.
Immunosuppressant drugs work by reducing your immune system’s activity to keep it from attacking itself. This helps control psoriasis symptoms, but some of these medications may affect hair growth.
This drug is used to relieve symptoms of psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases. Hair loss occurs in 1 percent to 3 percent of people who take the drug. This is because it can affect rapidly dividing cells (including hair follicle cells), which causes hair shedding.
Folic acid is commonly prescribed with methotrexate to alleviate some of its side effects. Taking this synthetic form of folate, a B-complex vitamin, can help keep your hair healthy, but it has not been found to promote hair growth.
Cyclosporine is often prescribed to individuals who don’t respond well to other types of treatment. While excessive hair growth is a more common side effect of cyclosporine, some studies have found that it can cause hair loss in some individuals as well.
Other immunosuppressant medications like azathioprine (Imuran) and mycophenolate mofetil are sometimes used for severe psoriasis and may also contribute to hair loss or thinning in rare cases.
Biologic medications target specific parts of the immune system involved in psoriasis. While generally well tolerated, some biologics may cause hair loss as a side effect.
Ustekinumab (Stelara) is a biologic approved to treat psoriasis. In clinical trials, hair loss wasn’t among the common side effects, but 1 percent of participants did experience it. Sometimes ustekinumab is prescribed alongside other drugs such as methotrexate, which could be the culprit behind hair loss.
Some MyPsoriasisTeam members have also reported hair loss due to ustekinumab. One member added, “I just started Stelara and am experiencing a lot of sudden hair loss. I have psoriasis but not on my scalp. I have been on other medications over the past 10 years prior to Stelara and had no significant hair loss from those. It’s just my opinion, but I believe this medication should have hair loss as one of the side effects.”
Adalimumab (Humira) is another type of biologic, which is classified as a tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) inhibitor. Hair loss isn’t usually common while on adalimumab, but members have shared their own experiences with taking the drug. “I’m having terrible hair loss again,” one member wrote. “Taking Humira. Anyone else have that side effect?”
Another member related, adding, “I had to go off Humira because it was causing my hair to fall out. I’ve been off it for two months now and it’s still falling out.”
Other TNF-alpha inhibitor biologics like etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade) may also rarely cause hair loss.
If you are troubled by hair loss or other unwanted side effects, always talk to your dermatologist before stopping any of your prescribed psoriasis treatments. Your doctor will help you weigh the benefits versus the risks of changing course.
Other factors unrelated to psoriasis or its treatments can also play into hair loss. Potential causes include the following:
Certain medical treatments, most notably drugs used to treat cancer, can also cause hair loss. Even certain hair care routines — wearing your hair in too-tight styles (braids, ponytails, or buns) or overusing chemicals or heat — can result in hair loss.
There are several ways of preventing, managing, or treating your hair loss if it’s associated with your psoriasis treatments. As always, be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your current treatment plan.
If you have scalp psoriasis, one of the best ways to prevent or manage related hair loss is to treat your psoriasis. You and your dermatologist can work together to find the best treatment option — or combination of treatments — that will both manage your psoriasis and pose minimal side effects.
If you find that treating your psoriasis comes with hair loss as a side effect, tell your dermatologist. They may be able to suggest a different treatment that can effectively treat your psoriasis while minimizing (or eliminating) hair loss.
Another approach to managing your psoriasis-related dry, itchy, and irritated scalp and hair loss is to try over-the-counter hair health products. MyPsoriasisTeam members have given many recommendations. One posted their regimen: “Baby oil on my scalp, massage it in, then cover it up with a shower cap for 10 to 15 minutes.” That approach, they said, eased the tightness and itching on their scalp. Moisturizing oils (and conditioners) work by alleviating scalp dryness. That reduces itching, which, in turn, leads to less scratching and inflammation. Cutting down on them can help cut down your hair loss.
The American Academy of Dermatology has shared ways people with plaque psoriasis care for their scalps and prevent hair loss. Those include:
And, as a member also advised, “Don’t pick any plaques!”
People with psoriasis and long hair are advised to avoid tight hairstyles, as they can increase scalp irritation and tension on the hair follicles and contribute to hair loss. Instead, consider looser styles, like loose ponytails and braids, especially if your goal is to camouflage your psoriasis or hair loss without aggravating your scalp further.
A MyPsoriasisTeam member shared, “I experienced hair loss on methotrexate, so I had to switch medications. I still lose a bit of hair daily, so I have it styled short.”
It’s important to remember that more often than not, hair loss related to psoriasis is not usually scarring, so it’s not permanent. As one member wrote, “Hair regrowth starts within three months. Depending on age, health, genetics, et cetera, your hair will grow one-eighth to one-quarter inch each month.”
Even if you only have temporary hair loss, it can be hard to deal with. If you’re experiencing low self-esteem or a poor body image because of it, you may want to consider therapy or other forms of emotional support. Keep in mind that you don’t have to go through this alone, and getting support can help you cope with your feelings.
On MyPsoriasisTeam, people share their experiences with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
If you’ve experienced hair loss from psoriasis treatment, how have you managed it? Let others know in the comments below.
Get updates directly to your inbox.
My Dermatologist Said She Didn't See Psoriasis On My Scalp. What Else Could Be Causing My Symptoms?
Continue with Facebook
Sign up with your email
Become a member to get even more
Join
A MyPsoriasisTeam Visitor
Just started Stelara and experiencing a lot of sudden hair loss. I have psoriasis but not on my scalp. I have been on Embrel, Humira and Cosentyx over the past 10 years prior to Stelara and no… read more
We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.
You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.