Hair Thinning

[heardd]

The hair on my head seems to be thinning. I have had psoriasis for about four years, but this year has been the worst. My whole body is covered when usually its just my groin area and once while on my scalp. I have been using Dell Ray shampoo and Denorax (1 to 2 times a week). I'm not sure if it is the psoriasis or the shampoos. Has anybody with psoriasis on their scalp notice this?

[PTener]

Hi there!

I just went through a bout of hair thinning due to a medication. I did quite a bit of research and found that clogged hair follicles are a cause. My hair stylist said that no matter what started it, daily shampooing, scalp massage (do it yourself), and the use of certain shampoos can help. Apparently there are shampoos designed to specifically help this problem. I would contact a dermatologist and someone who has been in the hair care busines a long time.

I sincerely hope you find an answer, as hair loss is extremely upseting. My hair is coming back in, but coming in gray, but that's okay by me.

Peggy

[rosee_posey]

Hello Heardd,

You say "my whole body is covered"? That sounds much more serious than thinning hair...and you're only using Over the counter (OTC) topical treatments?

Hmmm. If it's truly "all over your body", I'd print out the NPF Educational Pamphlet "Overview of Psoriasis Treatments" to give yourself a better idea of the options you have available to you. Make an appointment with your Dermy today!

Good Luck,
- rose

[fitzy]

As a youngster my worst area for ps was the scalp. Now it seems to wander around and the scalp is not affected.(My hair has thinned but normal for my age) I have never experienced any abnormal hair loss from ps (My dad was bald at my age) I have noticed that my ps is always worst in hairy areas which leads me to my wacky theory about ps may be caused by the same mechanism that triggers winter hair growth in all mammals, and misdirected growth hormones go to the skin in hairy areas instead.

[Angel]

Try Neutrogena T/SAL. NOT T/GEL or other coal tar solution. Use a gentle brush during shampoo to loosen the plaque.Leave T/SAL on for 3 mins, rinse, and always repeat. Do this every other day. Find a good conditioner. Gheri Redding makes a good conditioner (I buy mine at Sally Beauty Supply) called Thickening Conditioner. I use this and Paul Mitchell products. Rogaine helps too. Good Luck

[rhop]

Hi, Heardd - You didn't mention your age or gender, and please don't shoot the messenger if you don't care for the message, but us "older" people have natural hair thinning, esp. if female and menopausal, or males with family hx. of male pattern baldness. Us menopausal women take estrogen replacement for other reasons, but it also helps delay the onset of thinning hair. I wholeheartedly agree with Rose that if you have p. over your whole body, you need to be seeing a dermatologist and be using more than over the counter products. Good Luck, and keep us posted. Rosemary

[Neesybird]

Angel,

Forgive my ignorance, but's what's wrong with T Gel and other tar shampoos?

Neesy

[LottieBay]

Hi Neesybird, and welcome!
There is nothing wrong with T-Gel it works for a lot of people. T-Sal has salicitic acid as it's active ingredient and T-Gel uses coal tar. The T-Sal sometimes works when the coal tar shampoos don't and one big plus is that it doesn't smell bad. I think Angel just didn't want someone to get the T-Sal confused with the coal tar products.

Margaret

[LottieBay]

I really meant to welcome all of you, actually..............Heardd, Fitzy, Angel, and Neesybird

Margaret

[chefess]

When my p flare started this summer, I had wiaste lenght THICK hair...in a pony tail it was the size of a quarter around...now it's rapidly approaching the size of a dime! I loose so much hair everyday that even my hubby is worried about it. My bathroom floor is a mess, tons of flakes and wads of hair, have to clean it daily. I was a licensed cosmotologisst and I know that clogged folicals cause hair lose, and right now my entire head is full of clogged folicles! I think I'm going to try the T-sal...used T-gel, not much help, may t-sal will work...I need to clear up my head before I have to cut my hair!
WFIFD
Bonnie

[PTener]

It is my understanding that the acid in T-Sal helps to remove scales, wheras T-Gel doesn't do so well.

I cannot use T-Sal as it burns me. I have lived with the smell of coal tar for so long, it doesn't bother me.

About the hair thinning; I experienced another huge bout of hair loss when my thyroid took a dive last year. All my hair has grown back now

Peggy

[Neesybird]

I've used T-Gel ever since I was a kid . . . and while it has more or less kept my flakes under control, I have noticed within the past couple of years a definite thinning in my hair as well. Not that I had that thick of hair to begin with, but lately there's a lot more hair in my brush and the floor and the drain and . . . When I was a teen I had long semi-thick hair. Now hairdressers comment on how fine and thin my hair is. I never connected it to P before . . . but clogged follicles makes a certain sense . . . I think I might try switching to T-Sal and see if I notice a difference.

Gee I'm glad I read this thread . . .

laters,
Neesy

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