psoriasis: what does it do to hair growth?

[africa]

I have psoriasis in my hairline, at the bottom from where the lowest head hair grow. The hair that grows there looks like baby hair and remains in poor, nay shocking condition, with splits and all the rest of it. If I don't comb and braid it as carefully as I do, it would dreadlock daily. The rest of my head of hair is in great shiny condition.

What does the condition of psoriasis do to the hair growth of that affected area? (hope someone can get scientific about it too :))

[pepperminttea]

I actually haven't noticed it making a huge difference. I have it on my scalp, worst around the front hairline, and the back centre of my head just above the nape (where a low bun sits). My nape hairs have trouble growing and sound a lot yours; they fairy-knot a lot, curl and tangle more, split more easily, and are much finer than the rest of my hair. That said, the hair around my hairline is a mix - baby hairs that I've had for as far back as my memory goes, and my usual, longer hairs. I don't think it's the psoriasis in my case though, since I've heard the same about nape hairs from several others.

[africa]

thanks for your quick reply.

mmm, maybe hair growth is not affected, but the quality is compromised, your hairs on psoriasis areas sound exactly like mine!

[ktani]

Welcome to LHC!

I have psoriasis to some degree. However, I have no hair growth problems. My hair and nails "grow like weeds!"

This 1988 study, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2590431/pdf/yjbm00077-0087.pdf, suggests that psoriasis has a stimulating effect on the hair growth or anagen phase.
"Based on striking parallels between the epithelial cell kinetics in the psoriatic epidermal lesion and anagen hair growth, we have proposed the hypothesis that both states of increased epithelial proliferation may share a common "switch-on" mechanism. This conclusion is supported by distinct clinical and experimental evidence."

© American Academy of Dermatology, 2010, http://www.skincarephysicians.com/psoriasisnet/scalp_psoriasis.html
"When psoriasis develops on the scalp, hair loss sometimes follows. What surprises most people is that the root cause of this hair loss is not the psoriasis. ..."

[Capybara]

I have psoraisis at the nape of my neck, but the hair there isn't all that different that the rest of my hair. It is a tad finer than the rest of my hair, but I think that's just because of genetics (my sisters nape hair is finer than her canopy as well, and she doesn't have psoraisis.) I think it's okay :)

[africa]

Thanks guys,

Ktani, thank you for the scientific references, I'm going to check them out. I would logically think that, since the condition of psoriasis indicates a cell growth four times faster than normal skin cell growth, the hair in that area should also grow four times faster? but maybe the hair follicle and the skin cells don't affect each other in that way...

I've purposefully decided not to medicate the area. I am an all-natural girl so it's out of the question to put steroid or cortisone cream on the area. Some people recommend Tea Tree Oil shampoo but I would like to advise against it because no-one told me that prolonged use causes overdrying of the hair oils. Fortunately years past that experience now.

[ktani]

Thanks guys,

Ktani, thank you for the scientific references, I'm going to check them out. I would logically think that, since the condition of psoriasis indicates a cell growth four times faster than normal skin cell growth, the hair in that area should also grow four times faster? but maybe the hair follicle and the skin cells don't affect each other in that way...

I've purposefully decided not to medicate the area. I am an all-natural girl so it's out of the question to put steroid or cortisone cream on the area. Some people recommend Tea Tree Oil shampoo but I would like to advise against it because no-one told me that prolonged use causes overdrying of the hair oils. Fortunately years past that experience now.

You are most welcome!

I do not aware of any scientific results supporting 4 x the growth rate of hair. That study suggests that the anagen or growth phase of hair can be stimulated and "switched-on" by psoriasis.

[Dragon]

I get out breaks any were on the scalp. I havent noticed any difference with my hair but when I use to have it on my whole scalp I did experience a lot of shedding. My black shorts would be mostly white whith flakes every morning by the time I finshed brushing it.

[Sunsailing]

I had some bad psoriasis on my scalp back in college. I had it in various areas on my scalp. It would cause the skin to get so thick in some areas, that hair shafts would break off. My hair would come out in clumps. The hair shaft doesn't like trying to push up through extra layers of skin cells.

The only thing that worked for me is Fluocinolone Acetonide topical solution.
I have the rare case every few years wear I notice some build up (when I'm stressed.) I use the Fluocinolone Acetonide on it at night, shampoo in the morning, and the psoriasis scales are gone. Then I might go a few years before noticing anything again.

It is a prescription. You can find research supporting the positive affects of Fluocinolone Acetonide on psoriasis.

I wish you luck.





[About the word "natural"....
What are in "natural" products? Answer: chemicals

Where do we get a lot of our chemicals and medications? Answer: plants]

[Nymphie]

I have psoriasis, mostly breaking out when I'm stressed, or when I have growed my hair long since I was a teenager. It was all over my scalp; The hairline, behind my ears (I still can't wear sunglasses or diadems for more than an hour) and random places in my hair. The only thing I noticed what that it got worse when I had long hair.

I tried cortisone after gotten it from the doctor, but it just made it worse, and it was frikkin painful. Head and Shoulders, which I got recommended when I was younger due to my "dandruff" problem (which was the psoriasis in the making probably) gave me 38-39°C fever and my scalp actually started to bleed once, which I didn't notice until my mum asked me if I had put redish pink highlights in my hair.

But since I stopped using schampoo, only using conditioner, and rinsing with ACV afterwards, all sighs of psoriasis are gone! Yäy for AVC rinses!:cheer: