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As you’ll see below, there are many, many medications and therapies that can trigger hair loss. The good news is, most drug-induced hair loss is reversible once you stop taking your medication. Let’s take a look at some common prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) products that can induce hair loss. Drug-induced alopecia––hair loss that develops as a side effect of medication––often occurs within three months of starting a new drug. The exact timeline depends on the drug and the type of hair loss. The severity of alopecia also depends on the dosage, as well as any sensitivities you have to medication.
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Their effectiveness largely depends upon what type of alopecia you have and how quickly you start treatment. It’s usually genetic, but it can also be triggered by diseases or disorders that attack the hair follicles. In fact, thyroid dysfunction can cause you to not only shed hair, but also to stop growing hair altogether.
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In the human scalp, the telogen phase typically lasts about three months, at the end of which the telogen hair sheds. Certain medications can cause hair loss during different phases of the hair growth cycle. There has been success in hair regrowth using low-level laser-based devices.
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Telogen effluvium refers to the excessive shedding of hair follicles, and it occurs when hair follicles prematurely skip to the end of the hair growth cycle, she adds. But with other types, such as telogen and anagen effluvium, hair loss is reversible. So long as the underlying cause is treated or stopped, you can expect regrowth. Affecting men and women, alopecia areata occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles.
Possible risks include bleeding, bruising, swelling and infection. Most baldness is caused by genetics (male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness). This usually isn't noticeable because new hair is growing in at the same time.
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Be patient, though, as hair regrowth after discontinuing the medication may take several months. Many people receiving chemotherapy experience hair loss as a common side effect. Hair shedding usually starts within seven to 14 days of the first administration, and hair loss becomes evident one to two months after. In some cases, especially in those who take multiple cycles of chemotherapy, hair loss may be almost complete.
Additionally, males using or taking finasteride should wear a condom during sex. Finasteride can also pass through skin, so people who are pregnant or planning to conceive should not touch broken or crushed finasteride products. This is because the topical medication may come with a reduced risk of sexual dysfunction. However, the topical form may cause irritation, a burning sensation, or contact dermatitis at the treatment site.
Weight loss medications like phentermine can cause hair loss, but the side effect isn’t often listed. This is because dieters who lose their hair are often also nutrient-deficient or may have underlying health conditions contributing to their hair loss. Some immune-suppressing drugs used to treat autoimmune conditions like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can cause hair loss. A few of these include methotrexate, leflunomide (Arava), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), and etanercept (Enbrel).
This condition causes the hair follicles to go into their resting phase (telogen) much earlier than normal and fall out before they should. People with telogen effluvium will usually shed between 30% and 70% more than the normal 100 or so hairs a day. It's important to review any medications you take, and discuss their potential side effects with your doctor and pharmacist. When hair loss does occur from a drug you're taking, there is a good chance that the hair will grow back on its own after you stop taking the medication. Another cause of rapid hair loss in women and men is anagen effluvium from chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer or certain medications.
It's called scalp hypothermia, and it involves placing ice packs on the scalp a few minutes before -- and for about a half-hour after -- chemotherapy treatment. Cooling the scalp reduces blood flow to the hair follicles, making it harder for the chemotherapy drugs to get into the follicular cells. Cooling also reduces biochemical activity, making the hair follicles less susceptible to damage from chemotherapy drugs. One concern with this technique is the risk of cancer recurrence in the scalp, as perhaps this area did not receive the full dose of medication due to cooling vasoconstriction. Telogen effluvium is the most common form of drug-induced hair loss.
However, doctors can also prescribe it for FPHL if other treatments have not worked. This is true for damaged hair follicles from too-tight hairstyles, damaged hair follicles from chemicals applied to the hair, and damages caused by certain autoimmune diseases. Telogen effluvium is a type of sudden hair loss that results from emotional or physical shock, like a traumatic event, period of extreme stress, or a serious illness. It’s also the most common cause of hair loss, affecting up to 50% of people.
A person may wish to discuss if other other medication options are available with their doctor. A doctor may also be able to tell people whether their hair will start to grow back by itself or whether they will need treatment for hair loss. A 2019 mouse study suggests that topical application of the many fatty acids present in pumpkin seed oil can promote hair growth. As such, it may offer an alternative option for treating hair loss. Evidence notes that vitamin and mineral supplementation can help to improve symptoms of hair loss. This is because vitamins and mineral are important for normal cell growth and function.
Genetics, hormonal changes, inflammation and even certain diseases — including, in some cases, COVID-19 — can trigger temporary or permanent hair loss. And prescription drugs may also trigger excessive and sudden shedding. Telogen effluvium is the most common form of drug induced hair loss and will usually appear within two to four months after you start taking a new drug.
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