Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia worldwide. This condition occurs when there is not enough iron in the body. Your bone marrow needs iron to make hemoglobin. Without adequate iron, your body can’t produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells to perform their function of carrying oxygen throughout the body.
What Iron Deficiency Anemia Does the Body
When an individual becomes iron deficient, the body can go into survival mode. Hair follicles are unnecessary when it comes to the overall health of the body. At first hair strands will seem to become thinner. If the condition is not treated, hair will start to fall out in a non-patterned way. This type of hair loss is known as telogen effluvium.
Anemia and Medications
Some lupus medications also inhibit the production of bone marrow. Drugs such as azathioprine or cyclophosphamide can drastically lower the levels of bone marrow produced. The result on hair, unfortunately, is the same.
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Stress, Shock, and Telogen Effluvium
Stress can be a major part of a #LupusWarrior’s journey. Unfortunately, stress can have tremendous impacts on our physiology—not just our emotions. Stress is the generic term for when cortisol – the stress hormone – is released within the body.
When a stressful situation occurs, cortisol is supposed to tap into our blood glucose reserves to give the energy for flight or fight. When bodies don’t complete this process, the system thinks it is in shock. Nervous shock can cause telogen effluvium (TE) or temporary hair loss in a non-patterned way.
Typically, hair grows in three stages:
- Anagen
- Hair growth stage where individual strands may grow roughly half an inch per month
- Catagen
- Following the anagen phase, the catagen is the end of hair growth and lasts about 10 days
- Telogen
- This is a resting phase where the hair is released and falls out. After falling out, the hair follicle remains inactive for 3 months and then the process will repeat.
The problem is when too many hair follicles go into the telogen phase especially at the same time and for an extended period of time.
More needs to be understood about how stress can impact skin. However, a great number of anecdotes can confirm stress can wreak havoc on the skin. The scalp is skin, and one of the most sensitive parts of the whole organ.
Scalp Care and Treatment
Microcirculation
Scalp care is essential for people experiencing hair loss or brittle hair. There’s a delicate balance between pulling on the hair and stimulating the hair follicles. Cosmeceutical and haircare experts claim that stimulating hair follicles brings blood to the follicles—which is a good thing.
A couple of ways to stimulate hair follicles is to get a brush with wide or thick bristles. Bristles that are wider reduce the risk of pulling out hair. The wide bristles gently massage the scalp, increase circulation, and gently exfoliate dead skin or build-up from hair products away to let new strands grow.
Light Therapy
Light therapy is an up and coming treatment for hair loss. The best type of phototherapy is low-level light therapy (LLLT). Studies have shown that LLLT stimulates hair follicles and shifts them from the telogen phase (dormant) into anagen phase (active growth.)
Supplements
Some nutraceuticals claim to target common causes of hair loss (oxidative stress and free radical damage) with plant-powered ingredients. If a #LupusWarrior has true iron/vitamin deficiency anemia, looking into supplements like this might be worth the effor—but this needs to be combined with a vitamin- and mineral-rich diet.
As always, talk to you lupus treatment team to help decide what options are best suited for you.
The Good News
The good news is many #LupusWarriors experience telogen effluvium due to stress, low-iron levels, and medication side-effects. Telogen effluvium is 100% reversible. If in this stage, try to diminish stress, talk to a doctor about supplements, and take care of the scalp. Brittle hair and thinning hair can grow back.
Best to have iron levels done before taking iron supplements. In iron deficiency anemia you need iron but in hemolytic anemia where your blood cells break down and therefore release iron, your iron levels could be normal or even above normal. Ideally talk with your doctor.
This is a brilliant & enlightening article. For the last 6 months I have had continuous scabby sores on the crown section of my scalp in an approximate 15cm radius. I have been applying Betadine to the after showering. As one heals another one pops up. I am also losing hair on a constant basis. I have asked a few GPs and Radiologists. None of them had answers except saying its just a Lupus thing! Do you have any advice on managing this scalp problem. I am 61, have had LUPUS for 28 years and this is a new symptom. Thank you. Kind regards Carole Young
I have Discoid lupus which affects the skin & hair. These doctors don’t have any answers for hair loss. It is part of the symptom. My hair loss began in 2001 at 51 years old. I am now 60. I had a lot of hair and it has fallen gradually but now it’s at the point that I may have to shave my head. It is one of the hardest thing I have been faced with. I have tried everything. Everyone is different in their journey. Lupus sucks big time!
Carole- I’m 50 and have also had Lupus for 30 years. I went through major hair loss with large bald patches(the size of a golf ball) all over my head and what was left thinned out. I was traumatized having this happen in my early 20’s, I did have a great Dermatologist who would give me steroid injections right into my scalp to promote growth. My hair eventually grew back in the bald spots but is still very thin, I’ve even tried the expensive hair growth shampoos. As to the sores and your scalp I have issues as well currently. My Dr. gave me Fluocinonide 0.05% Solution 60ml(squeezable bottle) it does relieve the discomfort. It won’t be gone forever and I might have to treat it for a few days, you don’t need much because it will run down your scalp and cover other areas.
74 and now have scalp lupus due to being given the pharmaceutical drug Remicade for Crohn’s Disease. No more pharmaceuticals ! Using a new shampoo and conditioner that I purchased at Publix or Walgreens. Love snd Planet. Softens hair and controls itchy scalp. Diet of Fresh Veggies and fish, and seafood are helpful. Use organic vegetables or clean in vinegar water to remove chemicals. All the food chemicals and lack of liquid vitamins cause us many problems. Make sure your vitamins are pure and not from China. D3 – B-12 is a must.