Finding clumps of hair on your pillow every morning or clogging up the shower drain every time can be scary. But hair loss isn’t just from aging, some prescription drugs can also lead to hair loss. An average person loses between 50 and 100 hairs each day, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). If you’re seeing bald patches or thinning, there are chances that a medication drug can be the root cause of shedding.
Medication is designed to treat a variety of health conditions, but sometimes they can have unwanted side effects like losing hair. Certain medicines can contribute to excess hair growth, changes in hair color or texture, or even hair loss.
Hair loss can be very frustrating. At times, a medication you have been prescribed may cause hair loss as a side effect. The list of medications that can be associated with hair loss can be found here. If you are experiencing hair loss and started taking one of the following medications shortly before your thinning started, you should ask your doctor if your medications may be contributing to your problem.
Blood – Anticoagulants (blood thinners), including:
Convulsions/ Epilepsy
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:
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 of hair loss, including:
Inflammation
Many anti-inflammatory drugs, including those prescribed for localized pain, swelling and injury.
Thyroid Disorders – Many of the drugs used to treat the thyroid
Depression
Medication is designed to treat a variety of health conditions, but sometimes they can have unwanted side effects like losing hair. Certain medicines can contribute to excess hair growth, changes in hair color or texture, or even hair loss.
Hair loss can be very frustrating. At times, a medication you have been prescribed may cause hair loss as a side effect. The list of medications that can be associated with hair loss can be found here. If you are experiencing hair loss and started taking one of the following medications shortly before your thinning started, you should ask your doctor if your medications may be contributing to your problem.
Blood – Anticoagulants (blood thinners), including:
- Panwarfin (warfarin sodium)
- Sofarin (warfarin sodium)
- Coumadin (warfarin sodium)
- Heparin injections
- Atronid-S (clofibrate)
- Lopid (gemfibrozil)
Convulsions/ Epilepsy
- Anticonvulsants, including:
- Tridone (trimethadione)
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)
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 of hair loss, including:
- Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) for women (estrogen or progesterone)
- Birth Control Pills
- Anabolic steriods
Inflammation
Many anti-inflammatory drugs, including those prescribed for localized pain, swelling and injury.
- Arthritis drugs
- Indocin (indomethacin)
- Indocin SR (indomethacin)
- Clinoril (sulindac)
Thyroid Disorders – Many of the drugs used to treat the thyroid
Depression
- Vivactil (protriptyline hydrochloride) and many others.
- Antidepression drugs, including:
- Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride)
- Anafranil (clomipramine)
- Tofranil (imipramine)
- Tofranil PM (imipramine)
- Sinequan (doxepin)
- Pamelor (nortriptyline)
- Pertofrane (desipramine)