Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...
i've only been on mtx for two weeks, and i know that some hair loss can be a side effect. i haven't really noticed any thinning of my hair - which is great because i would prefer my hair to stay on my head. especially because my brother is getting married in a year.
(however, i have a plan if i lose it: if i lose enough hair, i will shave my head and tattoo it. i haven't decided what it will be a tattoo of yet, but my tattoo artist and i have talked about tattooing the sides of our heads for years. we just both have hair.)
now, i am married and have no one to impress. plus short season is over, so i'm back to shaving my legs and underarms once a week (friday, just in case you were wondering). i was in the shower yesterday and was preparing to shave and realized there is like NO HAIR on my legs or underarms. well, a little on my underarms but about 15% of what is usually there after a week. when dh came home, i asked him to feel my legs and he's like, 'yeah, okay so you shaved today'. and i told him i did not. so it's not just me being crazy like OMFG MY HAIR. my legs are smoothy smooth and stubble free on day 8 since shaving.
i *think* understand how the mtx makes you 'lose' hair: it's really just not growing any more. when the really dead hair falls out of a follicle, it's not replaced because mtx kills those types of cells, right? my concern/question is that if my body hair has stopped growing in certain places, it's logical to think that will happen on my head soon too, right? i should probably be freaking out more about my joints deteriorating, my inability to stay awake all day without napping, the burning pains in my ribcage.... but listen, my hair.
my hair is one of my favorite things about me, even though it's fine and thin. it used to be pink, once it was pink and orange like sherbet. i had a horrible perm for my engagement party and was dark strawberry blonde for my wedding. with curls, it was really pretty. my future sis-in-law is a hairdresser and we've been working on making me a redhead again. i've developed more grey than i care to admit over the last year, but i specifically didn't dye my hair for weeks and weeks before my 30th birthday for the explicit reason of grey-hair-hunting (i found one and promptly died it pink). i know it's silly, and i know i sound like a little brat. but what am i looking for re: hair falling out? am i supposed to just wait until i have bald spots? is there anything i can do?
tia.
(however, i have a plan if i lose it: if i lose enough hair, i will shave my head and tattoo it. i haven't decided what it will be a tattoo of yet, but my tattoo artist and i have talked about tattooing the sides of our heads for years. we just both have hair.)
now, i am married and have no one to impress. plus short season is over, so i'm back to shaving my legs and underarms once a week (friday, just in case you were wondering). i was in the shower yesterday and was preparing to shave and realized there is like NO HAIR on my legs or underarms. well, a little on my underarms but about 15% of what is usually there after a week. when dh came home, i asked him to feel my legs and he's like, 'yeah, okay so you shaved today'. and i told him i did not. so it's not just me being crazy like OMFG MY HAIR. my legs are smoothy smooth and stubble free on day 8 since shaving.
i *think* understand how the mtx makes you 'lose' hair: it's really just not growing any more. when the really dead hair falls out of a follicle, it's not replaced because mtx kills those types of cells, right? my concern/question is that if my body hair has stopped growing in certain places, it's logical to think that will happen on my head soon too, right? i should probably be freaking out more about my joints deteriorating, my inability to stay awake all day without napping, the burning pains in my ribcage.... but listen, my hair.
my hair is one of my favorite things about me, even though it's fine and thin. it used to be pink, once it was pink and orange like sherbet. i had a horrible perm for my engagement party and was dark strawberry blonde for my wedding. with curls, it was really pretty. my future sis-in-law is a hairdresser and we've been working on making me a redhead again. i've developed more grey than i care to admit over the last year, but i specifically didn't dye my hair for weeks and weeks before my 30th birthday for the explicit reason of grey-hair-hunting (i found one and promptly died it pink). i know it's silly, and i know i sound like a little brat. but what am i looking for re: hair falling out? am i supposed to just wait until i have bald spots? is there anything i can do?
tia.
even so, my hair is not growing back on parts of my body, even though i'm taking less mtx than cancer patients. i would think it would be safe to assume that it's because of the mtx because that's the only thing that's changed. in the summer, i have to shave three or four times a week and now i don't even have any stubble.
there's just so many things changing and i don't know why or how to stop things. my face has also broken out (i'm going to assume that's from stress) and most of my body hurts so much. i feel like i did after a major car accident a few years ago, just without the herniated discs and broken foot. of course, instead i have ten painful toes, two painful feet, and a ton of other hurty places.
also, i don't need to go bald bald to get a head tattoo. if it thins out enough that i chop it off, i'll shave the sides and get one. how many times in my life will i have little enough hair to warrant shaving it? ;)
There may be a silver lining to all this though. I'm thinking little to no hair on legs and under arms is an awesome thing! If only we could pick an choose where the hair loss is. Also, no hair on legs and under arms is a blessing when you are stiff and sore and just can't manage to shave them.
Good luck to you and if you end up with a head tattoo please share a picture with us! Lori
@lori - it would depend how much is 'lost'. if i can just cut it short and get away with it, i might do that. and there's always the small (very small) chance that i might look AWESOME bald. if not, a wig will be in order. red. with a bit of a wave.
of course, my other concern is my eyelashes. i already have my eyebrows tattooed on because my hair is so thin and fine. but i have long, luscious eyelashes. when i use the right mascara, people think i'm wearing falsies or extensions. i kind of freaked out on dh last night about my eyelashes. he's getting better at handling RA freak outs (he's had 16+years of dealing with depression/anxiety freak outs from me) and is figuring out what to say to make me feel better.
yes ! would love to see the photo of your head tattoo ...i had cut my hair short , it was pretty long and full and thick and shiny ..now its short dull and very thin..im more worried about my joints being deformed now , so hair is on teh back burner in my 'worry list "
goodluck to you Stephgas .