Hair Loss

[KathyT1311]

Has anyone had a problem with extreame hair loss since being on PD? I fear I will go bald in a few months at this rate!

[carson]

funny you should ask...I"m SURE my hair is getting thinner now that I'm on HD

[okarol]

Here are some related threads:

Just the Facts: Skin and Hair Problems on Dialysis http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=6983.0

Hair Loss http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=352.0

[jeannea]

When I first went on dialysis I lost almost all my hair over time. I was shedding constantly. But that was because I had been so sick and my albumin was really really low. Now that I've been on PD for 9 months my hair is coming back and it's as thick as ever and for some reason now it's curlier. There's hope! Eat your protein.

[Mimi]

Hi Kathy I am a former hairdresser and through the years many of my customers would lose hair for various reasons.  Our hair and nails are made of a substance called keraitin (which is protein) and it feeds off of our blood.  So of course when you have kidney trouble
it affects our hair because of all the toxins running around our bloodstream.  It could be caused by meds.  Anything that runs in our bloodstream affects our hair and naills.  One of the best things to do iis eats lots of protein since our hair is protein.  You may not
 be getting good clearance of the toxins if you are on PD.  I would talk to my neph, social worker, and nurse.  There are many good things on the market now that help restore hair, ask all of them
to recomend something.  God Bless and good luck.

Love Mimi

[KathyT1311]

Thanks all and thanks for the links Okarol! I think it may be because my protien is low but also my parathyroid number has been high too.

[paul.karen]

Certain medications can also cause hair loss.  Read the side effects of medicines, generaly side effects dont occour.  But one should know what to look for just in case..

[Marina]

Has anyone had a problem with extreame hair loss since being on PD? I fear I will go bald in a few months at this rate!

Kathy,

I  was  having  extreme  hair loss.   I  told  my  neph  and  she  decided  to  check  my  thyroid  and  all kinds of  other  tests.   Everything  came  back  fine.
She  then  asked  which  multi-vitamin  was  I  taking.   She  had  given  me  an  RX  for  some  type  of  renal  tabs,  but  weren't  covered  by  insurance.
anyways  to  make  a  longer  story  short,  she  told  me  I  could  take  OTC  stress  tabs  (similar  to  renalcaps).   My  hair  stopped  falling out.

[casper2636]

When I started dialysis, I had very thick, hair. It was beautiful. My hair, in time - 1 month- started to come out by the hand full, I just couldn't watch it anymore, so I shaved my head and bought a wig. Now it is starting to grow back, but it is so much thinner than it used to be. I can see through it to my skull. I heard this is very common. I'm told it is one of the effects of dialysis. They say protein. does do wonders for it growing back, and I'm working on that.
Casper2636

[Zach]

How's your iron?

[Ojam]

I had some hair loss when I started hemo, it really seemed like a lot actually, but it seems to have slowed down or stopped recently. I do have hair loss in my family too though.

[carson]

I went out and got myself some protein powder, been drinking one or two each day and now my hairloss has stopped!! YAY!! Now I have to be patient and watch it come back in. My hubby is so upset as he was hoping a variety of wigs would be the solution!

[KathyT1311]

Thanks everyone!! My hair finally has stopped falling out  I just wish it would grow in as fast as it fell out. My albumin was very low and I go see someone about my thyroid in two weeks. Now I have the new problem of having to lose 40 lbs before I can get a transplant. It was only 20 but I was eating every kind of protein and not watching calorie intake that I gained 20lbs in one month. Very sad...but at least my hair isn't falling out into our dinner anymore!

[Jean]

Good Job girl!!! I was going to suggest you try Nioxin shampp and rinse. It helps my hair look "hairier"

[Riki]

My hair was always really thick, but over the years I was on PD, it slowly fell out.  It was very long, and started to look scraggily, so I cut it.  Then, I started HD, and it started coming out in clumps.  After talking to doctors and doing a bit of research, we figured that the anesthetic from the surgeries I'd been having (removal of PD cath, and exploratory to see if I could get another PD cath in) and the amounts of heparin that was being used, both on the HD machine and in the lines, was causing it to come out so much.  They lowered the amount of heparin they were using, and it seemed to slow.  It's still really thin, and it falls out a little bit, but not in the clumps that it was.  I started using Pantene shampoo and conditioner for thin hair, and it seems to be helping.

[jbeany]

I used Nioxin when mine first started growing back in.  I really think it helped encourage the growth.  Now I use Matrix Biolage, which does wonders for the frizzy fly aways that come with having hair in a million different lengths as it finishes growing back.