A Question to all the ladies on here with Type 2

[coby]

I have had Type 2 since 2016 and have only taken Metformin, which, for the past five years has just been one tablet per morning.
But I noticed last year that the dark hair on my legs had completely disappeared.
Last week I noticed that my underarms are also now hair free!
Has this happened to any of you ladies?
I got into none diabetic numbers last August.
I'm not certain if Diabetes/meds are the course or if it could be anything else?

 

[EllieM]

I have had Type 2 since 2016 and have only taken Metformin, which, for the past five years has just been one tablet per morning.
But I noticed last year that the dark hair on my legs had completely disappeared.
Last week I noticed that my underarms are also now hair free!
Has this happened to any of you ladies?
I got into none diabetic numbers last August.
I'm not certain if Diabetes/meds are the course or if it could be anything else?

This is a question I have wondered about recently (51 years T1 on insulin, atorvastatin and losartan for bp). I've recently (last few years) noticed my body hair has thinned/mostly gone (though under arms still going strong and I seem to be developing some facial hair that I could really do without). I was assuming this was menopause (I know the facial hair is) but googling hasn't told me anything useful about body hair, since it mainly talks about head hair, and that is fine.

Will try to remember to ask my GP next time I see her, but am interested to know if this is old age, diabetes or a sign of the upcoming zombie apocalypse?

Puts mod hat on, yes, I know we can't diagnose,

And back to Coby, I think the underarm stuff would be a step too far for me, I'd ask my GP and get checked out. ( And I think I'll get checked out too.)

 

[Brunneria]

Here you go

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-diabetes-cause-hair-loss#what-to-do
Also
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327039#causes

 

[jessj]

I've put it down to hormones. I used to have hairier legs than my dear old dad, thankfully not the chest & back hair as well. But...I am now growing such delightful facial hair, he had a full beard & tache. Always been told I looked like him, if they could see me now! It would have to be before the plucking session. Just to add, I'm also balding (not Clare! But, just like dad!) I put that down to the change too, as it started before any meds or the diabetes. Oddly, my mum had hairless legs & underarms. Darn genes!

I'm with @EllieM, underarm hair loss I would ask the question, @coby

Thinking about it, when we were younger we moaned about having to remove it, when it's gone, instead of rejoicing, we question why.

 

[Deleted member 543160]

I've also had more or less complete loss of hair on my legs, and thinning (and old age greying) on my head and under arms, etc, all of which I sort of attributed to my age. But I've noticed, particularly in the last couple of years, a huge increase in white facial hair...

@coby You must be psychic as I was having a bit of a not particularly successful poke around on Google today, to see what might be causing my extra hairy face....and then was somewhat gob smacked finding you thread!

 

[Erin]

Whatever the drug, when I see hair loss, I think hypothyroidism.

 

[coby]

I've put it down to hormones. I used to have hairier legs than my dear old dad, thankfully not the chest & back hair as well. But...I am now growing such delightful facial hair, he had a full beard & tache. Always been told I looked like him, if they could see me now! It would have to be before the plucking session. Just to add, I'm also balding (not Clare! But, just like dad!) I put that down to the change too, as it started before any meds or the diabetes. Oddly, my mum had hairless legs & underarms. Darn genes!

I'm with @EllieM, underarm hair loss I would ask the question, @coby

Thinking about it, when we were younger we moaned about having to remove it, when it's gone, instead of rejoicing, we question why.

 

[coby]

This is a question I have wondered about recently (51 years T1 on insulin, atorvastatin and losartan for bp). I've recently (last few years) noticed my body hair has thinned/mostly gone (though under arms still going strong and I seem to be developing some facial hair that I could really do without). I was assuming this was menopause (I know the facial hair is) but googling hasn't told me anything useful about body hair, since it mainly talks about head hair, and that is fine.

Will try to remember to ask my GP next time I see her, but am interested to know if this is old age, diabetes or a sign of the upcoming zombie apocalypse?

Puts mod hat on, yes, I know we can't diagnose,

And back to Coby, I think the underarm stuff would be a step too far for me, I'd ask my GP and get checked out. ( And I think I'll get checked out too.)

Thank you for your reply @EllieM and you bring up some interesting thoughts about what could be behind it. I only have two meals per day (one a mini meal of yogurt, chia and pumpkin seeds, and sometimes raspberries added) and a main meal at about 5 to 6pm. I even wonder if my high fat low carb diet is behind it! It's only since I've been on it that the changes have occured!

 

[Bluetit1802]

I can't answer your specific question. All I can say is when I had chemo in 2013, as expected, I lost all my head hair and also all my other hairs including in my nostrils. My head hair grew back quickly albeit differently ( wavy as opposed to straight) but those in my underarms, legs and nostrils are still missing in the most part. What didn't disappear though were my eye brows and pubic area.

 

[KK123]

It's an interesting question. I asked a Consultant once and he said it was generally because of blood circulation in a person with diabetes being poorer than someone without diabetes. This puzzled me at first because my leg hair had entirely disappeared too (as a female) but I am fit and healthy, have no circulation issues that are known of, I run every day, no leg swelling or any conditions associated with diabetes. He said that didn't matter as simply having diabetes in itself caused this 'issue' and it was just about a diabetic body being less efficient when it comes to circulation no matter how well controlled. The body hair just gives up! Saves on the razors I suppose.

 

[Outlier]

We are all different, and menopause differs vastly between us, so I can only talk of my own experiences. Hair distribution changed radically: arm and leg hair (almost) disappeared, other hair thinned, head hair fell out on top, about which I am very distressed but nothing to be done, and facial hair - sheesh - if I didn't get after it daily, I'd look like Captain Bird's Eye. All this well before T2 diagnosis.

 

[HSSS]

I’ve read of menopause causing hair loss, but personally a prolonged peri menopause for me whilst doing some weird facial stuff is leaving legs and underarms normal so far. With diabetes I have been told that hair loss can occur with the micro vascular damage that can occur with higher or uncontrolled levels (they look for hair on your feet when they do the foot checks). Thyroid is another common cause of hair loss as can some vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I’d say go get an MOT for various levels just in case but not to panic as it could be just “our age” to blame again.

 

[Lainie71]

I had a full head of mid length dark curly hair until I started Candasartan for high bp. It was shocking within a week I was losing clumps in the shower and was told by the GP there was no relation to the hair loss and the drug. Well I continued to take the BP meds for three years until I lost weight on low carb and low and behold my hair, although slow- is starting to grow again around the hair line etc and no loss. Its been a year and hopefully will continue to grow. Being a hairdresser I could not for love or money convince my GP it was related to meds and in my 20 years of being a hairdresser have never lost hair and have the knowledge and science of diet etc, stress all factors to do with hair loss. So as far as I am concerned the jury is out on this one. I am menopausal and it was not related to that as now its growing back