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Drugs That Can Cause
Hair Loss
8
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
There are many categories of prescription drugs that have been
reported to cause hair loss, and the medications listed below present
a risk of temporary hair loss as a possible side effect. It is important
to note that hair loss is only an infrequent possible side effect of these
medications, and when it does happen, hair loss may occur after a few
weeks or after years of use of a particular drug. Factors such as dosage,
duration of treatment, and normal variations in how people respond
to medications determine the degree of hair loss that may occur, if
any. In most cases, hair growth resumes around three to four months
following the discontinuation of the medication.
In addition to the following list of drug types and specific hair
loss-causing drug examples, a much longer alphabetical list of drugs
that have been reported to cause hair loss appears in Appendix 2.
Certain cholesterol-lowering drugs have hair loss as a possible
side effect, including: clofibrate, gemfibrozil (Lopid).
Some Parkinson medications may cause hair loss in some people,
including: levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa).
Common ulcer medications that may cause alopecia (hair loss) are:
cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), and famotidine (Pepcid).
High blood pressure beta-blocker medications that have been
noted to occasionally cause hair loss include: Atenolol (Tenormin),
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metoprolol (Lopressor), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), and
timolol (Blocadren)
Common anticoagulants (blood thinners) that cause hair loss are:
warfarin, coumarin, and heparin.
A gout medication that may cause hair loss is: allopurinol
(Zyloprim).
Arthritis medications that may cause hair loss include: peni-
cillamine, indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Naprosyn), sulindac
(Clinoril), methotrexate (Folex)
It has already been noted that vitamin A in excessive doses over a
period of time can cause hair loss. Some medications that are vitamin
A derivatives can also contribu