One thing about my hair: I’m a 60-year-old woman who was diagnosed with P and Madopark 2024. And then a lot of the symptoms have improved. But my hair has been thinning and growing slowly for about five years. Now I have a men’s hairstyle and I only cut my hair two times a year. I haven’t sought help for this because I can’t. Now I wonder if the thin, glossy, slow-growing hair could be due to dopamine deficiency?

It is mainly a group of B vitamins that are of interest for optimal hair and nail formation, blue B7 (biotin). Biotin is not directly affected by PS or anti-PS medicines, but B vitamins B9 (follicle acid) and B12 (cobalamin) are consumed when L-dopa is converted into dopamine, and deficiency of these 2 vitamins can occur.

B6 (pyridoxine) may sometimes be needed as a supplement to B9 and B12 to achieve their full effect, but it is also possible to overdose B6 and have a negative effect on the L-dopa effect, which is why supplementation with this vitamin is best in the form of a multivitamin and avoid high doses (i. e. 2 mg).

A general advice is to take a multivitamin that most people consider to be a good supplement for everyone, including patients with PS.

If L-dopa is only taken in different forms (tablets, gel pump treatment for the small intestine, or sc(SubCutan) infusion) it may be appropriate to measure once a year e. g. folic acid, cobalamin and as a measure of homocysteine or methylamate circulation in the blood.

However, the sebaceous glands of the skin are affected by PS, including unstable skin, which may affect the characteristics of the hair. It is also more common with hair follicle chemistry in PS. There are treatments for this if it can be determined (small medicinal cortisone-containing shampoos).

The Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 21 of this Regulation.