If you have active discoid lesions on your scalp, or you are suffering from hair loss as a result of lupus, I would be cautious about using hair dyes. Chemicals in the dye can act as irritants, (although nothing has been proven to link them with lupus), further damaging your hair follicles.
Will dying my hair cause autoimmune disease? At this point, the results are inconclusive. Studies implicate hair dye products as toxic agents that may trigger autoimmune disease, like lupus. Hair dye contains ingredients that can indeed be harmful, especially when ingested or absorbed through the skin.
How does lupus affect hair? Many people with lupus have skin problems, like rashes or sores on the scalp, that can cause hair loss. Hair loss and thinning hair can also be side effects of certain medicines used to treat lupus, like steroids and immunosuppressives.
Mild irritation
If you're mildly irritated by PPD, you may find that your scalp, neck, forehead, ears or eyelids become irritated and inflamed after using hair dye. The skin exposed to the PPD may become red, swollen, blistered, dry, thickened and cracked. You may feel a burning or stinging sensation.
Coffee. For those looking to go darker, cover greys, or add dimension. All you do is brew a strong coffee (espresso works well), let it cool, and then mix one cup with a bit of leave-in conditioner and 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds. Apply on clean hair and allow to sit for about an hour.
“Olaplex shampoo, conditioner and hair perfecter are absolute must-haves! My hair was thin, brittle, falling out and would not grow… two and a half months later, it's grown two inches and it's thicker, fuller and healthier than it's ever been!” said Tara Jay.
With age, symptom activity with lupus often declines, but symptoms you already have may grow more severe. The accumulation of damage over years may result in the need for joint replacements or other treatments.
Along with dryness, brittle hair can be dull, showing spit ends and frizzing. Short, broken and brittle hair around the edges of the scalp are common signs of lupus hair. It is important to note that brittle hair is not the same as having true hair loss – a condition called alopecia.
Hair loss, thinning hair, and nail changes are common in people who have different types of lupus. The most common type of lupus, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), can cause dry, coarse hair to develop along the hairline. These dry, coarse hairs break off easily, causing the sparse-looking hair known as lupus hair.
Vitamin E, zinc, vitamin A, and the B vitamins are all beneficial in a lupus diet. Vitamin C can increase your ability to absorb iron and is a good source of antioxidants.
Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are autoantibodies to the nuclei of your cells. 98% of all people with systemic lupus have a positive ANA test, making it the most sensitive diagnostic test for confirming diagnosis of the disease.
Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus.
The cause of lupus is unknown, and researchers are still trying to learn what may trigger or lead to the disease. Doctors know that it is a complex autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks the person's tissues and organs.
With close follow-up and treatment, 80-90% of people with lupus can expect to live a normal life span. It is true that medical science has not yet developed a method for curing lupus, and some people do die from the disease. However, for the majority of people living with the disease today, it will not be fatal.
Try low-impact exercises like walking, biking, yoga, and swimming. If you're new to exercise, start slow and work your way up over time. Make sleep a priority. Fatigue is one of the most common lupus symptoms that may affect your day-to-day quality of life.
Apple cider vinegar
Health practitioners believe that lupus patients suffer from a deficiency of hydrochloric acid and, one way of adding it to your body is by using apple cider vinegar. It increases hydrochloric acid production in the body. It aids detoxification and enhances nutrient absorption.
Our best overall pick is Biolage Haircolor, a henna dye that's free from harmful chemicals including ammonia and PPD. We also love Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit, which is free of ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PDD, phthalates, and gluten, plus the added benefit of being packed with hydrating ingredients.
Rainbow Henna Hair Color Research
If you want to go completely natural, henna-based color is the only way to go. This recipe contains nothing but henna, which comes in nine different colors.
“Colouring your hair can emphasize texture and add luster to bring back your hair's shine due to overexposure,” says Pacheco. Achieve extra volume with the thickening agents found in some hair dyes, but always get the full look that comes with a change in hair colour.