I have always had a very thick head of hair. I was diagnosed with Acromegaly in 2012, had surgery in January of 2013 to remove the tumor on my pituitary gland and was put on hydrocortisone ~ 35 mg ~ which I am being weaned off of. As of today I am on 15 mg a day. I have noticed since the surgery and the addition of hydrocortisone the loss of hair when I wash it, brush it & style it. I used to kid around that I would never lose my hair and if anyone needed hair to see me. Well, I've been losing it rapidly and lately when I run my fingers through it it is feeling very sparse. My godchild who is also my hairdresser confirmed today that yes, it has thinned out considerably. Has anyone else had this problem on hydrocortisone and will it grow back after I am completely off of the steroid?
Going through same thing unfortunately. The last thing I thought of would be loosing all the hair i had. Hoping it does grow back.
***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use
Technically, hydrocortisone causes excess hair growth as a side-effect, especially areas like the face. Hydrocortisone reduces your testosterone, which in turn reduces a substance called dihydrotestosterone (DHT, the main substance that causes hair loss in men). Some people even use hydrocortisone topically as a hair loss product (but it's not recommended due the lack of studies and side effects).
That being said, there are sources that state scalp hair loss as a less common side effect of oral hydrocortisone. I think it's better to ask your doctor's opinion on this. If it is the case, then your hair will grow back probably within a few months after your medication ends. Your hair loss can also be due to other medications.
One of the more likely reason for hair loss is genetic factors, which tends to occur in older men. You can treat it yourself with medication. The only 2 FDA approved ones are topical minoxidil and oral finasteride. Minoxidil will be safer for you as it is external, and less likely to interact with your medication. You'll need at least 3 months for visible effect, and you'll need to keep using for as long as you'd like your hair to be full.
True enough, after 34 years on HC, the only hair on my body is the one on my head. It was falling fast, some 30 years ago. That's when I stopped shampooing (shampoo & soap 's main ingredient is oil or fat), so, I have been using Conditioner only, ever since. It does the trick. I still have hair, true, not a thick mane, but I haven't lost any hair since. Also, I've reduced the standard dose or 30 mg to 15 mg, still have the moon face. Good luck!
I thought prednisone was bad, but the hydrocortisone was worse. I was emotionaly unstable, the hair loss was insane and I had more cellulite on my legs then w the pred. Sorry, tmi?
Premature aging of my skin thanks to steroids. Anyone else have these problems????????????????
Have heart paps so Norpace for that. Tired in bed 14 hours a day. No life. Lots of hair loss. Wearing wigs alot now.