Should I shave off my hair??

[Abracadabra2]

This has been in the back of my mind for a while but I’ve finally reached my limit tonight and I’m fed up

should I shave off all my hair?

I have psoriasis which is horrendous all the time. At best my scalp is covered in layer upon layer of white crusts. At worst those crusts all burst open and become infected. I’ve had 5 separate staph infections in it this year alone. 9 courses of antibiotics. I’m permanently embarrassed, in agony and leaving blood or bits of scalp on anything my head leans against. the only thing that somewhat controls my psoriasis is extremely strong steroid treatments but even they aren’t great either tbh. But they’re the closest to controlling it. Unfortunately they destroy hair- my hair is dry, frazzled and completely split ended. It’s ruined beyond belief. My hair dresser said the condition it’s in is equivalent to bleaching every week for 6 months. It’s destroyed and getting worse

so do I decide to shave it all off? All I’ve ever wanted was nice hair (mine has always been frizzy, damaged because of steroids and caked in crusts that have come off my scalp) and it’s always been my dream to have long beautiful hair. I could get a professional wig and I might finally have my dream hair. It also might mean my psoriasis heals better but maybe not

but shaving off my hair seems so definite and scary and I don’t want to do it, but I keep thinking about the nice hair I could have 😭 I don’t know what to do !

@Abracadabra2 sorry you’re going through this . I’m assuming you are seeing a dermatologist vs. a GP for treatment. If not run don’t walk to get to one.

On the shaving thing. Honestly I love my hair but in your shoes I’d probably shave it. I wouldn’t go shiny bald but damn near close. I don’t think you’d want the stubble/regrowth if you’re crusty (sorry that sounds bad but I don’t mean it to).

if nothing else it may give you a chance to treat without your hair getting in the way.

OP I really feel for you. I have scalp psoriasis which I can sort of keep under control (but can't clear) but clearly no where near as a bad as yours.

In contrast to you I actually worry about losing my hair because I feel it covers up the worst of the psoriasis (I have a lot at the back of my neck and around my ears). I hadn't actually considered it might be making it worse.

Clearly you've had extensive medical advice but just thought I'd mention something. I used to have psoriasis all over my body and spent most of my teens and early twenties struggling dreadfully with it. I was even an inpatient In dermatology wards a couple of times. Finally in my mid 20's I had a course of PUVA (UVA with a oral drug psoralen I think). This completely cleared the psoriasis on my body (and it has never come back - and I'm in my mid 50's now) but didn't have any affect on my scalp because the light didn't penetrate my hair. Just thinking if you did shave your head then had PUVA maybe that would help. I'm no medical professional but thought I'd mention it.

All the best OP

You could, it takes a time to grow back if you regret it!

I currently have a moth-eaten buzz cut due to chemo - you can see which follicles persevered as there are a few hairs longer than the new ones starting to come in. I wore a hat or bandana sometimes but not every time I left the house and no one screamed "bald freak" or anything.

lol at no-one screaming 'bald freak'. As a baldie myself, I think I really do have that fear , as if people would be postiviely angry that i dared to show myself. But on the very few occasions when I do see a bald woman out and proud, I just have two reactions (which I guess are typical for anyone who sees a bald woman): One is absolute respect and the other one (that comes a split second later) is 'what's the big deal, Random? No hair, so what?'

I wish I could just chill about it. The first time I lost nearly all my hair, though, I was about 12 or 13. It's an age where we are hyperconscious of our appearence so it was very traumatic. Especially because quite a lot of children at school were cruel about it. These days teachers would probably be very proactive about preventing bullying, but in those days it didn't occur to anyone that teachers would give a toss about it. Kids just got on with that sort of thing alone.