I lost at least 50% of my hair while on Plaquenil but I went off after 6 years and it grew back...wavy...now that mention it.

I've been taking biotin and zinc to help it grow better as female baldness runs in my family and that has helped...and it's still wavy.

Never connected it to Plaquenil so thanks!

hugs.......Jen

I have had stick straight hair for all my life. Went on Plaquenil and now it is wavy. I also quit coloring my hair, mainly because the color just didn't take anymore. I also lost some hair. I am on Plaquenil, Sulfasalazine and Arava. I am going to take Jen's advice and try the biotin and zinc.

Peggy

I take Biotin and Zinc now also because of Jen. That's probably why my beautician sees the new hair growth.

I am taking Hydroxychloroquine for past 15 days. I feel my hair texture is changed, slightly curly. Even noticed by my family members. Thickness of hair is reduced. I am not sure if it is because of Hydroxychloroquine as i just started using it, but definitely I feel the texture difference

I never took Plaquenil, but have been on MTX since diagnosed over 20 years ago.

My hair thinned......but also sharing the blame for the thinning was my Hashimoto's [notorious for thinning hair]........and getting older and naturally losing hair.

I do want to clarify that it was a gradual loss. It was certainly never like hair loss experience by cancer patients.

My naturally wavy hair went a little straighter, which I was happy for.

I chose to see the hair thinning in a positive light. No longer does it take forever to dry my hair. :-)

@ dd24

YESSSSSS!!!! I actually couldn't stand Plaq after about 6mos. I too color my hair, I started premature graying or greying, ehhh oh well. Noticed that anytime I colored my hair, major, major itching, not only on the scalp but when washing the color out, if it drips onto my face then of course my face would get itchy too. For me Plaq was just horrible on my skin.

But now I wonder if all the skin issues were ALL RA related & not necessarily Plaquenil related. What if even my premature gray hair was just from having the RA in my system?? What if my sebhorric Dermititis is actually RA?? I mean dandruff & Sebhorric Derm is an overproduction of skin sluffing away right? Isn't over production another form of "inflammation"?

Oh well, maybe I'm reaching to far but I can't help but wonder how my skin issues would be if all the "inflammation" was gone?

I started Plaquenil almost a month ago and haven't colored my hair in a bit longer than that. I'm definitely due. I don't know what to attribute to medication or RA or life, but I know after I took methotrexate, Enbrel, and/or Humira, my hair stopped holding reds (which was my shade of choice damn it). I hadn't changed my diet or shampoo or anything. My hairdresser couldn't figure it out and during those months, the medications were the only thing that changed. But even though I'm no longer on those meds, I still can't do red.

I haven't noticed any changes in my hair yet with Plaquenil - no significant loss, change in texture, anything. Well, more greys that that's life.

Interesting about the Plaquenil causing itching. I was using Nioxin last year to stop my hair falling out, and I got to the point, where I was so itchy, I couldn't stand it. It even itched where the Nioxin hit my body when I was washing it out in the shower. But that was also when I was on Plaquenil.

Prednisone harmed my hair the most of anything. I probably lost 2/3rds of my hair on it. Mthx did nothing, although I did quit colouring my hair after being on it for 5 years. But it was time, I was getting old. And my colour was dark brown, which was a terrible contrast with the light gray. I like my gray - I am very fair, and it is weird to look at my pictures when I was younger, and I am so fair, and blue eyed, and my hair was so dark.

As far as wavy hair, I've always had that. So not much change that way. And Biotin has really stopped my hair from falling it. I was so worried I was going to end up bald. But I had been taking zinc since my 20's, so that wasn't a change.

I started taking Plaquenil this week again, because it is supposed to help Restless Legs Syndrome. Something has helped, but I did change a lot of things. So maybe I will rethink Plaquenil. My RD wanted me to stay on it, but it did zero for my RA. At least I wouldn't get malaria if I went somewhere tropical! LOL Like that is going to happen.

I used to have very thick hair but not so much. I find it all over the bathroom every day. I hate it! I started on plaquenil and was on it for almost 2 years but now I am on Orencia by infusion. I just started with the biotin but haven't added zinc. Should I take them both? I also am having problems with my fingernails just peeling off. Hoping the biotin helps with this problem.
Wendy

Oceans11,

Please have your rheumatologist check you for Psoriatic Arthritis. Many people, including me, have this without having the skin component. In my case, in the beginning, I suddenly acquired dandruff. The cortisone topical ointments [Rx] didn't work. I have a family history of PsA, and my joints were suddenly problematic.....and so MTX was the treatment [20+ years ago].

If you test positive for HLA-B27, it presents the POSSIBILITY of having PsA.

Here's the good news: treatment for PsA and RA is the same.

My hair changed big time. Perhaps in part to RA & Sjogrens but meds do cause changes as you've read from others here.
Mine has become very dry & thinned. Thank god it was thick so it's not as noticeable as some. Now Enbrel caused more wavy hair & bordered on curling. Very noticeable.
I do take hair skin & nails supplement. Skins a lot more on the dry side.
It's best to let the doc know of changes such as itching & skin issues just so any other possibilities can be ruled out.
Sammy

RASally - I'll look at my bottles when I get home tonight. I don't think it's a high dose tho. But it is suppose to be of good quality.

Will let you know tonight. Have a great day!

So now that I've been taking Plaquenil for almost six weeks, DH has noticed more hair in the drain (I never clean out drains. It's a thing I have). I think my hair is starting to thin :( Going to bulk up on the biotin.