I have never had great hair, so when I was first diagnosed it was discouraging when the interferons thinned my skin and hair dramatically. Sores literally opened up on my fingers as I watched. Hairs fell out and I had to fill in the gaps with a paste of mousse and curl enhancer.
Eventually my neurologist (two neurologists back, if I recall) determined the interferons were not helping me one bit, and stopped prescribing any treatment for my MS. It was a hard time, but my hair did recover, and then after that it grew straight and full and shiny. Coworkers started saying things like, “Is that your real hair?”
That glorious drug-free hair only lasted six months until I went into the clinical trial for what eventually became Gilenya. My drug-free hair relapsed and my hair thinned out again. And it thinned and thinned, and then during the pandemic I switched over to Mayzent, I developed a bald spot, and just gave up. Bring on the fake nylon hair.
And I love the fake hair. But I have noticed, now that my age has led the doctor to cut me to half a dose … the hair has doubled in thickness. It’s still bad, but where I had a bald spot I now have a cowlick.
It’s nowhere close to acceptable, but it makes me wonder, what will happen when they take me off the meds entirely when I’m 75? Will I regrow that remarkable cap of thick, shiny, straight hair? Will I wear that and shun my wig collection?
I think not. I do like the pre-styled hair and the variety. Then again, I bet it will have turned solid white when I’m 75. Might look good.