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How Do Medications Cause Hair Loss?
Many commonly prescribed medications can cause temporary hair loss, baldness, and even permanent hair loss.
Medications can affect hair in two ways: by halting hair growth or causing hair to fall out early.
Getty Images / Viktoria Korobova
Sometimes, both of these things can happen at once.
Hair Loss and Growth: Why Does It Happen?
During anagen, the hair follicle produces hair continuously.
The next phase is a transitional phase.
During this phase, the hair follicle shrinks, and hair growth slows down.
Hair shedding occurs only when the follicle re-enters the anagen phase and produces a new hair shaft.
Withanagen effluvium, hair loss usually occurs within days or weeks of starting the medicine.
Hair loss can be severe and sudden, affecting a lot of hair at once.
Sometimes, hair can be easily plucked out, and it may look different.
When a medication causes hair loss throughtelogen effluvium, hair sheds excessively.
Telogen effluviumcauses the shedding to happen prematurely.
It may take one to six months before hair loss is noticeable.
Withtelogen effluvium,hair loss may not be severe and may not affect much hair.
Usually, the hair loss goes away on its own without any treatment.
They help treat certain skin conditions, such as acne.
Hair loss is a reported side effect of oral retinoids, such as isotretinoin.
The extent and severity of hair loss usually depend on the dosage and duration of the treatment.
Antifungals
Antifungals are prescribed to treat fungal infections.
Hair loss takes about three months after starting the medication.
Some antifungal medications have a lower risk of causing hair loss.
This included those who had switched to two other antifungal drugs: itraconazole or posaconazole.
Some of these medicines have a higher risk of causing hair loss than others.
Valproate/divalproex can cause hair loss, which usually becomes noticeable three to six months after starting the medication.
The amount of hair loss is directly proportional to the dose.
Hair loss is more frequently observed in women than men.
Blood Pressure Medications
Some blood pressure medications have been known to cause hair loss.
These include beta blockers like propranolol and metoprolol.
These drugs may cause hair loss or brittleness.
Chemotherapy
Many people receiving chemotherapy experience hair lossas a common side effect.
This is not a comprehensive list of medications that may cause hair loss.
For more information, like consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
They can help you find an alternative medication and ensure a safe switch if necessary.
Be patient, though, as hair regrowth after discontinuing the medication may take several months.
In some cases, you may not be able to stop the medication causing your hair loss.
For this, Rogaine (minoxidil) or Latisse (bimatoprost) may help.
Minoxidil stimulates hair growth and should be used with other treatments.
It takes six to 12 months to see results.
You must continue using it daily even if you see regrowth.
Bimatoprost is a prescription drug that promotes eyelash growth.
Summary
Hair loss is a common side effect of many medications.
It can happen in two ways: by stopping hair growth or causing hair to shed early.
Medications that may cause hair loss includeretinoids, blood pressure medications, chemotherapy, and more.
Reach out to your healthcare provider if you notice increased hair loss when taking a medication.
They may lower your dosage or prescribe an option less likely to affect your hair.
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