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Comment by Polly UK on December 6, 2013 at 1:11pm

Thank you April for the info about Cetirizine. I have 10mg tablets which I take for allergic reactions eg. Stings, mosquito bites, flu jabs etc and I have taken one when my scalp is inflamed and it definitely helps. 30mg seems quite a high dose dose and I would probably spend all day asleep as although it says it's non-drowsy, it makes me slightly drowsy. I think I will start taking one tablet every day in the evening and see what happens. Thank you x

Comment by April on December 6, 2013 at 1:05pm

I didn't realize Zyrtec was cetirizine!  Maddy, I have intense itching on my scalp, torso, and legs but no rash.  I also have sensitive skin and get hives very easily.  I have terrible weird reactions to tons of foods, medications and supplements.  I can go on with my long and pathetic list of symptoms...Anyhow, hoping to try to get to the bottom of this: )

Comment by Maddy, California, U.S. on December 6, 2013 at 1:00pm

I believe that Cetirizine is available over the counter....at least in the U.S. as Zyrtec.

Comment by Brenda, IL US on December 6, 2013 at 12:56pm

Thanks for the boost Celia.  I'm trying to look at the bright side.  I've been taking plaquenil for about two years.  I use clobetasol solution and desonate gel.  I'm taking turmeric, biotin, vit D, and Viviscal.  I wash my hair with zinc shampoo and use free and clear conditioner.  What April posted makes sense.  All of my blood tests show basophils, monocytes, and esonophils sky high.  I understand that these are allergy markers.  I'm going to call my derm now and ask for ceterizine.

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Comment by Maddy, California, U.S. on December 6, 2013 at 12:45pm

Thank you for all of that information April! This is really interesting stuff! While my scalp is not red or itchy, my skin sometimes is...especially on my arms and torso. I get welts when I scratch (Urticaria)...some days my skin feels very sensitive and itchy and other days, nothing. I was taking a Claritan (anti-histamine) once a day for a long time because of it. Now that I think about it, my hair loss seemed to be stabilized during that time period. This makes me wonder if I should go back on it. 

Comment by April on December 6, 2013 at 10:02am

Hi everyone, I just found this article on Medline that talks about a drug called Cetirizine for scarring alopecia.  In the study 18 out of 21 people were helped by this drug. 

The title is: Therapeutic hotline. Effectiveness of the association of cetirizine and topical steroids in lichen planus pilaris--an open-label clinical trial.

 

Here is the abstract:

Lichen planus is considered a T cell-mediated immunological disease. Even mast cells may contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. Keratinocytes of the basal layer of the skin and/or the hair follicle may represent the "target/victim" of an immune aggression, determining the destruction of the hair follicle and thus scarring alopecia. Therefore, there is a compelling urgency for effective treatment of this potentially disfiguring dermatosis. Our data provide a further therapeutic opportunity: the use of an antihistaminic drug--cetirizine (CTZ)--in an "anti-inflammatory" regimen. We propose the use of CTZ at the dosage of 30 mg/daily. Twenty-one patients affected by lichen planus pilaris (LPP) of the scalp have been treated. Topical application of steroids has been coadministered in all cases during the therapy. Clinical effects, in the sense of stabilization with cessation of the inflammation (erythema, follicular hyperkeratosis, loss of anagen hair), were achieved in all patients but three. One patient developed cardiac arrhythmia after 3 months of successful treatment and dropped out. Our cases indicate that a combined therapy of topical steroid with CTZ can be a safe and effective choice even in severe cases of lichen planus pilaris, so often refractory to the therapy.

 

I am going to ask about it at my next derm appt. The drug is an anti-histamine.  I have been doing some reading about something called mast cell activation disorder, which is a variant of mastocystosis, and scarring alopecia.  I found another article that links the two.  It is related to allergies, histamine and the immune system, although I am not sure I completely understand how it all works.  Anyhow, thought I would share.  : )

Comment by Celia on December 5, 2013 at 6:24pm

Brenda - sorry you are feeling so down.  It is sometimes very hard to cope with and we all understand and empathise.  Are you using clobetasol too as a cream on the hairline ? Are you trying turmeric capsules to help with the inflammation ? I didn't get on with the doxycycline and now take lymecycline which is given to acne sufferers.  Not sure if it works yet.  Have you read the fact sheet that Debs has compiled ?

Polly - I have been taking the lymecycline for a month now - no side effects.

Incidentally,  was told by my GP that regular liver and kidney function tests are unnecessary for hydroxychloroquine, but that the eye monitoring is important.

Comment by Brenda, IL US on December 5, 2013 at 4:01pm

I saw my derm last week.  She agreed that the inflammation and hair loss were much worse.  She did the injections again in my hairline but i declined to have my eyebrows injected again.  She told me my options were prednisolone or CelCept.  I told her that i had read on this site about doxycycline being prescribed.  So I'm on 100 mg doxy twice a day.  I'm just down and depressed.  My bangs have thinned so much that i can't hide the FFA anymore.

Comment by Rita - Canada on December 5, 2013 at 10:12am

Re Doxycycline: I too, was warned of stomach aches prior to taking this med.      I knew I had to take a strong Probiotic and so I did and no issues that way.If interested, got 'Ultimate flora critical care 50 billion Extra strgth probiotic'. This particular one says relieves digestive discomfort. I took 1 @ day at least 2 hrs away fr. Doxy as suggested.

Comment by Polly UK on December 5, 2013 at 9:59am

Hi all, I've just been prescribed Lymecycline 408mg capsules for one month by my derm. He said it's to help with the inflammatory flare ups I'm still getting and to take it alongside Hydroxychloroquine. The individual follicles are less inflamed and hair loss has slowed (dare I say it!). He prescribed Lymecycline instead of Doxycycline but I don't know why? Has anyone else any experience of Lymecycline. I was hoping for Prednisolone because it always helps with my Asthma inflammation but that's usually no more than a week's course and my derm is totally against prescribing steroids for long term use.
Debs - many thanks for your excellent fact sheet, I have stored it and will add to it as more info is available!
Also thanks PamW and others for all the extra info from chats with Dr T. My inflammation is also lower in the mornings and when it's bad is always later in the day. I've had asthma attacks in the middle of the night and my peak flow is usually better earlier in the day so that makes good sense.

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