Lupus: Can it cause hair loss?

Can lupus cause hair loss?

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Answer

Hair loss (alopecia) occurs in up to 54 percent of people with lupus at some time during the course of the disease. Although distressing, hair loss associated with lupus is almost always temporary. Most often the hair loss is from all over the scalp, but hair may also fall out in patches. Hair usually grows back with treatment of the lupus. Sometimes lupus causes a rash in the scalp — called a discoid rash — that causes scarring of the hair follicles. This hair loss due to scarring (cicatricial, or scarring, alopecia) is usually permanent. In addition, medications used to treat lupus, such as prednisone and immunosuppressive therapies, may cause reversible hair loss.

Lupus is only one cause of hair loss. But hair loss can also occur for many reasons that are unrelated to lupus, such as:

• Family history of male-pattern baldness
• Thyroid disorders
• Hormone changes associated with pregnancy or menopause
• A side effect of certain medications, such as chemotherapy drugs or oral contraceptives
• Stress, both physical and emotional
• Iron deficiency (anemia)
• Malnutrition

If you have lupus and experience hair loss, consult your doctor about treatment options.

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