Medications that Cause Hairloss

In the world of medicine or medical treatment most people would say that chemotherapy and other cancer treatments will cause hairloss.  This is often true (and the most known) but there are many other commonly prescribed medicines that can cause different types of alopecia or hairloss.  Some of these medications will trigger male pattern baldness or female pattern baldness and even cause more permanent hair loss.

It is important for anyone taking any medicine to be educated on the side effects of these prescriptions.  Your doctor might not fill you in on all the side effects so it is important to do some research on your own.  Asking a pharmacist is often a good way to go about getting solid information regarding medications and their side effects.

Below is a list of some commonly prescribed medicines that can have hair loss as a side effect.  If you are taking any f these and are concerned about the effects it is important to talk to your doctor as there may be substitutes that will not cause alopecia.

The list is organized by what the drug treats.  The list below does not include drugs for treating cancer or chemotherapy drugs.  For more information on that visit our cancer / chemotherapy Q + A.

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

• Amphetamines

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)