Many commonly prescribed prescription drugs can cause temporary hair loss, trigger the onset of male and female pattern baldness, and even cause permanent hair loss. Note that the drugs listed here do not include those used in chemotherapy and radiation for cancer treatment.
Your doctor may not mention hair loss as a side effect of some drugs, so don't forget to do your own research and read the drug manufacturer's complete warnings. Your pharmacist can provide you with this information even before you fill a prescription.
Many pill and medication guidebooks (sold in bookstores and pharmacies) are also excellent sources of complete information about prescription drugs. If your doctor prescribes any of the following drugs, ask if one that does not have hair loss as a possible side effect can be substituted.
The drugs are listed by category, according to the conditions they treat, then by brand name first followed by the drug's generic name in parentheses. In some categories, individual drugs are not listed. For these conditions, you will want to discuss the possibility of hair loss as a side effect of using any of the drugs that treat that particular condition, since many do contribute to hair loss.
Acne All drugs derived from vitamin A as treatments for acne or other conditions, including:
• Accutane (isotretinoin)
Blood
Anticoagulants (blood thinners), including:
• Panwarfin (warfarin sodium)
• Sofarin (warfarin sodium)
• Coumadin (warfarin sodium)
• Heparin injections
Cholesterol
Cholesterol-lowering drugs, including:
• Atronid-S (clofibrate)
• Lopid (gemfibrozil)
Convulsions/ Epilepsy
• Anticonvulsants, including:
• Tridone (trimethadione)
Depression
Antidepression drugs, including:
• Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride)
• Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride)
• Paxil (paroxetine)
• Anafranil (clomipramine)
• Janimine (imipramine)
• Tofranil (imipramine)
• Tofranil PM (imipramine)
• Adapin (doxepin)
• Sinequan (doxepin)
• Surmontil (trimipramine)
• Pamelor (nortriptyline)
• Ventyl (nortriptyline)
• Elavin (amitriptyline)
• Endep (amitriptyline)
• Norpramin (desipramine)
• Pertofrane (desipramine)
• Vivactil (protriptyline hydrochloride)
• Asendin (amoxapine)
• Haldol ( haloperidol)
Diet
Fungus
• Antifungals
Glaucoma
The beta-blocker drugs, including:
• Timoptic Eye Drops (timolol)
• Timoptic Ocudose (timolol)
• Timoptic XC (timolol)
Gout • Lopurin (allopurinol)
• Zyloprim (allopurinol)
Heart
Many drugs prescribed for the heart, including those known as the beta blockers, which are also used to treat high blood pressure, and include:
• Tenormin (atenolol)
• Lopressor (metoprolol)
• Corgard (nadolol)
• Inderal and Inderal LA (propanolol)
• Blocadren (timolol)
High Blood Pressure
See Above list of beta blockers under "Heart"
Hormonal Conditions
All hormone-containing drugs and drugs prescribed for hormone-related, reproductive, male-specific, and female-specific conditions and situations have the potential to cause hair loss, including:
• Birth Control Pills
• Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) for women (estrogen or progesterone)
• Male androgenic hormones and all forms of testosterone
• Anabolic steriods
• Prednisone and other steroids
Inflammation
Many anti-inflammatory drugs, including those prescribed for localized pain, swelling and injury.
• Arthritis drugs
• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs including
• Naprosyn (naproxen)
• Anaprox (naproxen)
• Anaprox DS (naproxen)
• Indocin (indomethacin)
• Indocin SR (indomethacin)
• Clinoril (sulindac)
An anti-inflammatory that is also used as a chemotherapy drug:
• Methotrexate (MTX)
• Rheumatex (methotrexate)
• Folex (methotrexate)
Parkinson's Disease
• Levadopa / L-dopa (dopar, larodopa)
Thyroid Disorders
• Many of the drugs used to treat the thyroid
Ulcer
Many of the drugs used to treat indigestion, stomach difficulties, and ulcers, including over-the-counter dosages and prescription dosages.
• Tagamet (cimetidine)
• Zantac (ranitidine)
• Pepcid (famotidine)
Prevention
To prevent hair loss due to medication, understand which drugs cause hair loss, and then try to avoid them by seeking out alternatives.
Following a healthy diet that is adequate in protein and iron, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding any abrasive treatment of hair are other ways to prevent hair loss in your everyday life.
Treatment
There is good news - simply knowing which drugs cause hair loss may provide you with an answer. Talk with your doctor about alternative medications that may not have hair loss as a side effect.
However, some people will not be able to re-grow hair by simply stopping the offending medication, and must seek other treatment options. The success rate of various treatments varies greatly, and many treatments have risks of their own.
• Prescriptions: many carry side effects.
• Surgical Treatments: long recovery time, risk of complication.
• Natural Treatments: no side effects.
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