What Medication Induced Hair Loss?

Drug or medication-induced hair loss unusual, but it’s also very possible. Of course, there are some medications that were designed to remove hair from the skin (hair removal creams, hair removal pills, etc.).

However, we’re not talking about these medications; we’re talking about non-related medications that cause hair fall or hair loss as a side effect.

Who Are Most Affected?

Some individuals are more affected by side effects than others.

1) People who are dependent on some medications cannot readily quit their medications just because they are experiencing hair loss.

2) Persons with chronic rheumatism or arthritis for example, are prone to hair loss because they take medications such as naproxen and indomethacine. It doesn’t matter what brand of naproxen or indomethacine you’re taking as long as the drug is in the formulation, you may experience alopecia especially if you take the drug daily to relive inflammation.

3) People with mental disturbances or mental problems are also affected. For instance, people who are clinically depressed who have been prescribed anti-depressive medication such as paroxetine, fluoxetine hydrocholoride and sertraline hydrochloride may experience hair fall as a side effect. While the side effects vary from person to person, you might as well observe whether you have a thinning pate.

4) Birth control pills can also cause thinning hair, which is it’s wise to ask your healthcare provider for alternative birth control methods if you end up losing too much hair. People who take allopurinol to relieve their gout or Planquenil for lupus are also affected by hair loss.

Heart Medications & Other Related Drug Types

Hypertensive patients are often prescribed beta-blockers such as nadolol, propanolol, metoprolol and atenolol. Beta-blockers are also known scientifically as beta-adrenergic blocking drugs. This family of drug compounds affects the nervous system and the smooth muscle tissues; as such, they are very effective in slowing a person’s heart rate.

In addition to beta-blockers, heart patients are also given blood thinners to prevent the onset of thrombosis or heart attacks; examples of blood thinners that cause thinning of the hair are warfarin sodium and heparin. Heparin is a natural substance that was synthesized from leeches.

Other Medications & Conditions

Sometimes, you have the choice to stop the hair loss if the medication is causing it.

1) If you have mild to moderate acne and you’re taking isotretinoin or Accutane for it, you might experience hair fall. In which case, you can choose to drop the medication after experiencing the alopecia.

2) If you are prone to painful ulcers and you’ve observed hair fall by using either: famotidine, cimetidine and ranitidine, you may request your doctor to prescribe alternative medication. Drugs like famotidine are hydrogen blockers that reduce the acidity of the stomach and prevent painful ulcers from taking over your daily activities.

Unfortunately, one medication for seizures has also been known to cause hair fall as a side effect: trimethadione. Unbelievably, even medication designed to lower LDL levels is also responsible for alopecia in some individuals. Those who take gemfibrozil are prone to hair loss. In case you do experience balding because of your medication, don’t abruptly stop your medication.

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