Does Lupus Cause Hair Loss? Causes & Treatments

An autoimmune condition called lupus may have internal, external, or combined effects on your body. But does lupus cause hair loss?

Lupus can cause hair loss, but there are ways to reduce it. Changing a person’s medications, hair care routine, or sun protection measures may be helpful depending on the reason for the hair loss.

Find out more about the causes, symptoms, care, and prevention of lupus hair loss.

Does Lupus Cause Hair Loss?

Unfortunately, inflammation from lupus may cause your hair to fall out in clumps. You might have a discoid, which is a., round) lesions on your scalp in the bald spots. Your follicles may be permanently scarred by discoid lesions, making it impossible for them to ever grow hair.

You may have discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), which is indicated by the discoid lesions. The good news is that DLE typically only affects parts of your skin that are exposed to sunlight, excluding your internal organs.

DLE is also referred to as CCLE, or chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus. Subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE) and tumid lupus are other forms of skin-only lupus.

Comparatively, the more prevalent type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), also has an impact on your internal organs, skin, and hair. A red rash in the form of a butterfly that spreads across your nose and cheeks may also appear if you have SLE.

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Why Does Lupus Cause Hair Loss?

Not everyone with lupus experiences hair loss. But many individuals with this condition observe a gradual thinning or breakage along their hairline.

The hair will sometimes regrow and sometimes it won’t. There are different reasons for this hair loss.

Inflammation

According to research, there are two types of hair loss related to lupus: scarring and non-scarring. Inflammation leads to non-scarring hair loss.

There is frequently widespread inflammation, which is a defining symptom of lupus. Hair loss may occur when it forms around the scalp and hair follicles.

It’s crucial to understand that lupus-related inflammation doesn’t just affect scalp hair. Eyelashes, beards, and eyebrows may also fall out as a result.

If you can successfully treat lupus and the condition enters remission, hair loss brought on by inflammation may be recoverable.

Discoid Sores/lesions

Sometimes, lupus causes discoid sores or lesions. These lesions, which can develop anywhere on the body, can leave behind permanent scarring.

Hair follicles are frequently harmed by lesions that develop and leave scars on the scalp, leading to permanent hair loss.

Medication

Hair loss can also be a side effect of the medications used to treat lupus.

An immunosuppressant may also be prescribed to you. These medications work by reducing your immune response and assisting with remission.

Treatments for Lupus Hair Loss

Treatment for lupus-related hair loss can vary depending on the cause. It may include:

Lupus Management

If a person has lupus and has not yet sought treatment or if their current therapies are not working, they may be losing their hair.

Different therapies are used to treat various forms of lupus. For discoid lupus, these includeTrusted Source:

• protecting the scalp from the sun
• topical or oral corticosteroids
• topical calcineurin inhibitors, which are immunosuppressants

Alternative treatments a doctor may recommend for other types of lupus includeTrusted Source antimalarial drugs and methotrexate. Depending on a patient’s symptoms and treatment objectives, a doctor may suggest cyclophosphamide, rituximab, and other drugs if these are ineffective.

When a patient’s lupus flares while they are still receiving treatment and they are stable, a doctor may recommend short-term, high-dose corticosteroids to lessen inflammation.

Medication Adjustments

A side effect of lupus medication might also be hair loss. Telogen effluvium (TE), a type of hair loss brought on by some lupus medications, can occur. Hair grows faster than it can replace itself when exposed to TE, which prolongs the shedding phase of the hair cycle.

The dosage of a patient’s medication or trying a different medication may be advised by a doctor if medications are thought to be the problem. Before altering their lupus treatment plan, patients should speak with a healthcare provider.

Iron Supplementation

Whether a person has lupus or not, certain nutritional deficiencies, such as iron deficiency anemia, can result in hair loss.

In contrast, for a variety of reasons, iron deficiency anemia is particularly prevalent in lupus patients who are actively ill. If a doctor suspects that this may be the cause of hair loss, they may order an iron level check and suggest an iron supplement.

Hair Loss Medications

In some cases, hair loss medications may be appropriate for those with lupus. In a paper published in 2022, it was suggested that the hair loss medication minoxidil could treat both TE-related and lupus-related hair loss.

Along with a patient’s other prescriptions, a doctor might advise this course of treatment.

Conclusion: Does Lupus Cause Hair Loss

Lupus can cause hair loss in several ways. Some causes can directly harm hair follicles because they leave scars. Some types, which are reversible and nonscarring, are not permanent.

Lupus hair loss treatment will depend on the cause. For instance, a doctor might advise changing your medication, trying an iron supplement, or using minoxidil as a hair loss treatment.

Although no studies have looked into the effects of various hair care products for hair loss caused by lupus, avoiding the sun and minimizing breakage may lessen this symptom.

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