AIDS and Hair Growth

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a condition that is caused by a virus called HIV. It affects the immune system, weakening it over time and leaving sufferers susceptible to illness and tumors. The virus is transmitted through contact with infected bodily fluids, such as semen, blood or breast milk. There is no cure, but the condition can be managed using medication.

History

• AIDS was first recognized in the U.S. in 1981. According to AIDS charity Avert, the disease was first transmitted to humans during the 1940s in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. A similar strain of the virus has been found in primates on the continent. Since then, the disease has spread worldwide, killing more than 25 million people. A further 33 million people currently live with HIV.

Causes

• Once the HIV virus has been transmitted, it can take months or years to become full-blown AIDS. As it weakens the immune system, the virus leaves sufferers susceptible to various illnesses and conditions that the body could usually fight off. Medication can cause side effects, including hair loss, in AIDS sufferers.

  According to Shari Margolese of the Well Project, a nonprofit focused on women with HIV, AIDS can also affect the body's hormones. If you are taking testosterone supplements to compensate for lower hormone levels, this can cause hair growth in areas such as the face and chest.

Prevention/Solution

• There are several options available for preventing hair growth and loss associated with AIDS. Your doctor will be able to run tests to determine the exact cause of these changes and then offer the appropriate treatment. Alternative treatments might be considered by you and your doctor, as in some cases they can be safer than conventional medication. If the hair growth or loss is caused by AIDS-related medication, your doctor might review your prescriptions or offer advice on lifestyle changes.

Considerations

• It is important to consult your doctor before taking any new medication or supplements to treat hair growth affected by AIDS. Many medications and supplements, whether conventional or alternative, can potentially interact with existing AIDS medication, causing adverse reactions, lessening the effects of the HIV drugs and even developing drug resistance in some patients. Therefore, it is important to get advice from a qualified physician and try making lifestyle changes to ease the symptoms before taking other medications or supplements.

Expert Insight

• The Body, a website offering HIV/AIDS information, said in a 2002 article on HIV and menopause that AIDS can have the same effects on women as aging, causing early menopause and its related symptoms. As well as attributing thinning, brittle hair to this, the site says that stress related to AIDS can cause changes in hair growth. To combat the effects of menopause and changes caused by AIDS-related drugs, patients can take vitamin B supplements and avoid dyeing or perming hair.