Written by Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP
Reviewed by Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD
Updated on April 28, 2022
“Rattankun Thongbun”/iStock via Getty Images
If you or someone you know has experienced hair loss, you know how distressing this condition can be. Even though it’s not a life-threatening problem, it can harm your self-image and quality of life. Sometimes hair loss is caused by the effects of aging, such as hormone changes. It can also be caused by genetics. But outside of these causes, medications can also lead to hair loss. So, you may be wondering if you’re taking any medications that cause hair loss.
There are many medications that can cause hair loss. Hair loss is usually a rare side effect that doesn’t happen to most people. But some medications, like chemotherapy, often cause hair loss in most people. In these types of situations, stopping medications isn’t an option, and alternatives may also cause hair loss.
The good news is that most hair loss caused by medications can be reversed by stopping the medication. But speak with your healthcare provider before you stop your medication. They can help you safely do so. Sometimes, they may recommend treatment to help your hair regrow.
Below, we discuss 12 medications or medication classes that can cause hair loss.
What types of hair loss can medications cause?
Hair loss from medications is classified into two different types of hair loss: telogen effluvium and anagen effluvium.
Telogen effluvium is when hair comes out in clumps. For example, this can be in a hairbrush or in the shower. The hair is already grown with this type of hair loss.
Anagen effluvium is hair loss that comes out in small amounts all over your head. It happens to actively growing hair, and chemotherapy is a common cause. Rarely, hair loss can be permanent with anagen effluvium.
1. Retinoids
Retinoids are a class of medications that are used to treat several skin conditions, such as acne and skin discoloration. They’re derived from vitamin A and help to lower inflammation and promote cell turnover.
Oral retinoids, like isotretinoin (Absorica), are known to cause telogen effluvium in some people taking it. This seems to happen more often with higher doses. But the good news is that it may be reversible after you’ve stopped treatment. The length of this treatment is typically 15 to 20 weeks.
2. Antidepressants
Antidepressants are a class of medications that are used to treat mood disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. They work by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.
Antidepressants have been reported to cause hair loss. The exact way they cause this to happen is unclear. Stopping the medication nearly always reverses the hair loss. But you shouldn’t stop taking an antidepressant on your own. This can cause serious side effects.
Commonly used antidepressants that may cause hair loss include:
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft)
- Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), like duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor), and desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)
According to one study, bupropion may have a higher risk of hair loss compared with other antidepressants.
3. Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants are a class of medications that are used to prevent blood clots. These medications are also called “blood thinners,” and they work by stopping blood clots from forming.
Cases of hair loss have been reported with anticoagulants. And it can take some time for it to become clear. This can be anywhere from several weeks to over a year after starting the medication.
Commonly used anticoagulants that may cause hair loss include:
- Heparin
- Warfarin (Coumadin)
- Apixaban (Eliquis)
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
4. Anticonvulsants
Anticonvulsants, also known as antiepileptics, are a class of medications that are used to prevent seizures. They work by stabilizing the electrical activity in the brain. If you have epilepsy, how long you’ll need to take an anticonvulsant depends on your specific situation.
Hair loss has been reported with anticonvulsant medications. One study found that this was more common with valproic acid (Depakote) and pregabalin (Lyrica), but less common with levetiracetam (Keppra).
5. Beta blockers
Beta blockers are a class of medications that are used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions. They’re also available as eye drops used to treat glaucoma and ocular hypertension.
Beta blockers can cause telogen effluvium. Commonly used beta blockers that may cause hair loss include:
- Propranolol (Inderal)
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
- Timolol eye drops (Timoptic)
You may have heard that losartan (Cozaar) — another type of blood pressure medication — can cause hair loss. But hair loss is not a known side effect of losartan.
6. Antithyroid medications
Thyroid conditions can cause hair loss on their own. And antithyroid medications used to treat an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can contribute to hair loss. Examples of these medications include methimazole (Tapazole) and propylthiouracil. Depending on what’s causing your hyperthyroidism, you may need to take these medications long term.
7. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a common cancer treatment that works by killing cancer cells. But it also kills other fast-growing cells in your body, like hair follicles. This type of hair loss is anagen effluvium.
Chemotherapy can cause hair loss that begins in the days to weeks after receiving the medication. And hair loss effects are fairly noticeable after 1 to 2 months. Commonly used chemotherapy medications that can cause hair loss include cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan) doxorubicin (Adriamycin).
Hair will typically grow back 1 to 3 months after completing chemotherapy.
8. Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen is a medication that’s used to treat breast cancer. It’s also used to lower the risk of developing breast cancer in certain people.
Tamoxifen can cause anagen effluvium. But it’s usually temporary. And the hair will regrow when treatment is completed. However, you’ll typically take the medication for 5 years.
9. Arthritis medications
Certain medications used to treat arthritis and other autoimmune conditions can possibly cause hair loss. For example, traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) — like methotrexate and leflunomide (Arava) — cause hair loss by stopping cells from growing.
Although rare, biologic DMARDs — like etanercept (Enbrel) and adalimumab (Humira) — can also cause hair loss. But it’s not fully understood why this happens. Meloxicam (Mobic), a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), can cause hair loss, too.
10. Allopurinol
Allopurinol (Zyloprim) is a medication that’s used to treat gout. It can also cause anagen effluvium. But this is usually temporary, and the hair will regrow if the treatment is stopped. However, gout medications are typically taken long term to prevent flares.
11. Levodopa
Sinemet (carbidopa/levodopa) is a medication used to treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Levodopa — one of the medications in Sinemet — can cause anagen effluvium. This is usually temporary, and the hair will regrow if the treatment is stopped. However, it can be dangerous to abruptly stop this medication on your own. Make sure to talk to your healthcare provider. They can help you stop it safely.
12. Bromocriptine
Bromocriptine is a medication that’s used to treat Parkinson’s disease and hormone problems caused by the pituitary gland in the brain. Bromocriptine can cause anagen effluvium, but the hair typically grows back if the medication is stopped.
How to reverse hair loss from medication
As discussed, medication-related hair loss can usually be reversed by stopping the medication causing it. But in some rare cases, hair loss triggered by a medication may be permanent. If hair loss doesn’t resolve after stopping the medication, your healthcare provider may recommend a treatment to promote hair growth. Treatment may depend on the cause of hair loss.
Remember: If you think a medication you’re taking may be causing hair loss, always check with your healthcare provider before stopping it. You can also talk to them about other treatment options that may be less likely to cause hair loss, if available.
The bottom line
Hair loss is a distressing condition for many people. There are several causes of hair loss, including many medications. Medications cause two main types of hair loss: telogen effluvium (loss of already-grown hair) and anagen effluvium (loss of growing hair).
In most cases, hair loss caused by medication is temporary. Lost hair will usually regrow once the medication is stopped. But sometimes, stopping medication isn’t an option. And although rare, hair loss triggered by a medication can be permanent.
Your healthcare provider may recommend using a treatment to help the hair regrow. If you think one of the medications you take causes hair loss, always check with your healthcare provider before stopping it.
References
Chen, B., et al. (2015). Cosmetic side effects of antiepileptic drugs in adults with epilepsy. Epilepsy & Behavior.
DailyMed. (2021). Losartan potassium.View All References (8)expand
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