Hair Loss and Medication

Taking certain medicines can cause hair loss in some people while the same medicine may not cause hair loss in others. Stopping a certain medicine can also cause hair loss in some, but not in others. In addition, certain medications can cause hair fall the first time they are taken, but not subsequent times (once the body adjusts to the medicine, the hair loss stops), or they don't cause hair loss the first time but do subsequent times (possibly due to the medicine accumulating in your system).

Sound complicated?

It is difficult to categorically say that one particular medicine causes hair loss and another doesn't, as medicines can react differently in different people.

So what particular groups of medications have been reported to cause hair loss?

The most common ones are:

· Chemotherapy medications. These can cause temporary hair loss by stopping the hair growth almost immediately (called anagen effluvium). They can also produce changes in hair texture, hair type, and pigmentation.

· Antidepressants. In particular, lithium-based medicines can temporarily disturb the hair cycle and cause hair loss.

· Thyroid medicines. Both an underactive (hypothyroid) and an overactive {hyperthymic) condition can cause the hair to fall out, as can the initial use of a thyroid medicine. Often, when a person starts taking thyroid medicine, the physician will need to vary the dosage until the correct balance is found. Some people experience hair loss during this process, up until three to six months after the dosage has been stabilized.

· Oral contraceptive pill. Either stopping or starting the pill may cause hair cycle disturbances. Oral contraceptives can affect the hormone levels, which often control hair growth.

· Other groups of medicines. Other medicines that can cause hair loss include blood pressure medications (blood thinners and beta blockers); cholesterol medicines; medications for ulcers, gout, arthritis, and Parkinson's disease; and anticonvulsants (for epilepsy).

· Vitamins and supplements. Some of these can cause hair loss such as taking too much vitamin A (in excess of 25,000 IU per day) and taking excessive quantities of "natural" testosterone boosters.