This article describes the effects of autoimmune disease and AD therapies on hair along with treatment recommendations
Hair changes, including thinning, color loss, dryness, changes in texture, and hair loss, are common features of autoimmune disease. Of these, hair loss can be the most devastating. Overall, hair loss can have many medical causes including hormonal imbalances, medication effects, and autoimmune diseases. Among the autoimmune diseases that cause hair loss or baldness, aleopcia areata is the most common. Alopecia areata may affect small localized scalp patches (alopecia areata molocularis) or it may affect the entire body (alopecia areata universalis). Treatment is available for alopecia areata although, in general, the more hair lost, the less successful the treatment will be.
Other autoimmune conditions in which localized or diffuse hair loss (cicatricial alopecia) can occur include: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, and postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopesia. In systemic lupus malar rash can cause scarring of the scalp that leads to permanent hair loss. Hashimoto's thyroiditis causes hair to coarsen and become dry, contributing to hair loss, which is seen in more than 50 percent of patients. In Graves' disease, hair tends to become fine and brittle with a reluctance to hold curl and a tendency towards hair loss. Hair loss is reported in 20-40 percent of patients with Graves' disease.
Besides the abovementioned conditions, hair loss can occur in nearly every autoimmune disease, especially conditions in which oral corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment. Hair loss is one of the undesirable side effects associated with the use of prednisone. Chemotherapeutic agents, such as methotrexate, used in many of the systemic rheumatic conditions, can also cause hair loss. Hair loss is also caused by the following drugs: cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), coumadin, heparin, allopurinol for gout, penicillamine, indomethacin, naproxen, isotretinoin, trimethadione, tricyclic antidepressants, atenolol, metoprolol, naldolol, propranolol, timolol, levodopa, and clofibrate.
In vitiligo, autoantibodies that destroy melanin cause pigment loss in both the skin and hair. Conditions affecting hair usually affect the skin in a similar fashion. For instance, the skin in hypothyroidism tends to become thick and dry, and in hyperthyroidism it becomes thin and moist. In patients with relapsing polychronditis, antibodies to cartilage proteins may contribute to hair loss and well as joint damage.
Cartilage hair hypoplasia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder causing short-limbed dwarfism and fine fragile hair, with a tendency toward hair loss. Cartilage hair hypoplasia has been reported in conditions of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
TREATMENT
In endocrine disorders, correcting the hormone imbalance helps restore hair growth and improve its texture. Hair growth also responds to dietary changes. In particular, adding high quality protein to the diet can help restore hair growth. When hair loss suddenly increases it can reflect inadequate dietary protein or malabsorption, a condition of poor nutrient absorption from dietary sources. Malabsorption is common in thyroid disorders, Crohn's disease, pernicious anemia, and celiac disease.
A nutrient-rich diet with adequate protein and dietary supplements, particularly vitamin B complex, can help promote hair growth. Biotin promotes hair and scalp health and can help prevent hair loss. Excellent sources of biotin include nuts, brown rice, brewer's yeast and oats. Iron deficiency (confirmed by blood tests) can also cause hair loss and restoring iron levels can reverse hair loss. Foods rich in iron include green leafy vegetables, leeks, cashews, berries, dried fruits and figs. Vitamin C is necessary for iron absorption. Eating citrus foods after an iron-rich meal helps absorption. Vitamin E, zinc, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), and essential fatty acids, such as flaxseed and fish oils, are also important for hair growth. A greens formula containing chlorella, spirulina, barley and wheatgrass also promotes hair growth.
The drugs minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride (Proscar) promote hair growth in some patients. Proscar is also reported to stop hair loss. Rogaine is applied topically and finasteride is taken orally, using 1 mg daily. Other topical hair stimulators include the oxygen radical scavenger, superoxide dismustase (SOD) Surgical procedures include hair transplantation and scalp reduction. Dr. Peter Proctor's Hair Regrowth Shampoo is reported in Life Extension to be superior to Rogaine and the only FDA-approved hair-treatment product on the market. A world-renowned expert on balding, Dr. Proctor has developed several preparations for restoring hair growth. Rosemary essential oil used as a scalp massage ingredient or added to shampoo can help hair growth by improving the scalp circulation.
Antibiotics such as co-trimoxazole and sulfasalazine help restore autoimmune hair loss in alopecia by inhibiting nuclear factor beta signaling activation, which contributes to anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects.
In his book on Natural Healing, Gary Null reports experiencing regrowth of hair following the use of colonics. He attributes this to increased absorption of nutrients including chlorophyll in green juices. Other recommendations for hair growth include aromatherapy, Bach flower remedies, homeopathic preparations, particularly Natrum muriaticum and silicea, and stress reduction techniques.
Resources:
Alopecia Areata, National Institutes of Health Topics, www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/alopecia/alopecia.htm.
Baldness, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alopecia
Chantal Bolduc, Alopecia Areata, eMedicine, June 21, 2006.
Hairloss Information Center, Rogaine: Does It Really Work?, 1998 www.hairloss.com/rogaine.htm
