Prescription Medications and Hair Loss Or Thinning

Prescription Medications and Hair Loss or Thinning

There are a number of prescription drugs and over-the counter medications that have the side effect of interfering with the normal cycles of hair development and have been reported to cause hair loss. Though infrequent, it typically does not occur until a few weeks or after prolonged use of the particular prescription. There are other factors besides duration such as dosing and patient response. In most cases however but not all hair growth will resume after a few months after discontinuing the medication. When hair follicles are in the anagen phase of hair growth the individual hairs can continue to develop and grow for (36) to (48) months. When hair follicles are in the telogen phase of hair growth the individual hairs are in dormancy, which lasts about three months, the hair is dormant and then will fall out and replaced by new hair growth. Therefore the medical conditions caused by prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications are classified as these (2) types of hair loss: telogen effluvium and anagen effluvium. The following is a partial list of prescriptions and medications that effect the hair growth of new hairs or may even cause hair loss of existing hair through short-term or long-term use:

Acne Medications

All prescription drugs derived from vitamin A as treatments for acne or other relative conditions, including:

• Isotretinoin (Sotret®, Claravis®, Amnesteem®, Accutane) • Tretinoin (various – Retin A®) • Tazarotene (Tazorac®) • Acitretin (Soriatane®) • Adapalene – (Differin®)

Antidepressant and Antipsychotic Prescription Drugs

• Amoxapine • Amitriptyline • Bupropion • Clomipramine • Desipramine • Doxepin • Fluoxetine • Haloperidol • Imipramine • Nortriptyline • Paroxetine • Sertraline

Antibiotics and Antifungal drugs

Antibiotics are known to reduce hemoglobin and also lower vitamin B levels

• Levo Floaxin • Amoxicillin • Penicillin (Amoxicot, Kelfex)

Blood Thinning Medications

Various anticoagulants (blood thinners), including:

• Panwarfin (warfarin sodium) • Sofarin (warfarin sodium) • Coumadin (warfarin sodium) • Heparin injections

Chemotherapy Medications

• Adriamycin • Bleomycin • Cactinomycin • Cyclophosphamide • Cytarabine • Dactinomycin • Daunorubicin • Docetaxel • Doxorubicin • Etoposide • Fluorouracil • Ifosfamide • Irinotecan • Methotrexate • Paclitaxel • Topttecan • Vinorelbine

Cholesterol Medications

Cholesterol-lowering drugs, including:

• Atronid-S (Clofibrate) • Metoprolol (Toprol XL) • Atenol (Tenoretic) • Lopid (Gemfibrozil)

Convulsions/ Epilepsy – Anticonvusant Prescription Medications

• Tridone (Trimethadione) • Carbamazepine • Phenytoin • Sodium Valproate Depression – Antidepression Prescription Medications

• 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 / Attention Deficit Disorders

• Amphetamines • Methamphetamines • Methylphenidate

Glaucoma

These beta-blocker drugs include the following:

• Timoptic Eye Drops (Timolol) • Timoptic Ocudose (Timolol) • Timoptic XC (Timolol)

Gout Medications

• Lopurin (Allopurinol) • Zyloprim (Allopurinol)

Heart (High Blood Pressure) Medications

Many prescription medications 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)

Medications for Hormonal Conditions

All hormone-containing prescriptions and/or medications prescribed for hormone-related, sexual dysfunction, reproductive, male and female-specific conditions have the potential to cause hair loss, including the following:

• Birth Control Medications • Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) for women (estrogen or progesterone) • Male androgenic hormones and all forms of testosterone (i.e. Testex, Depo-Testosterone, and Delatestryl) • Anabolic steriods o Fluoxymesterone (Halotestin) o Methyltestosterone (Android, Metandren, Oreton, Testred, Virilon) o Stanozolol (Winstrol) o Danazol (Danocrine) • Prednisone and other steroids

Non-Inflammatory Prescriptions

Many anti-inflammatory drugs, including those prescribed for localized pain, swelling and injury, and arthritis have been associated with thinning and hair loss. These nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory prescription drugs include the following:

• Naprosyn (Naproxen) • Anaprox (Naproxen) • Anaprox DS (Naproxen) • Celecoxib (Celebrex) • Daypro (Oxaprozin) • Diclofenac (Voltaren) • Etodolac (Lodine) • Fenoprofen (Nalfon) • Indocin (indomethacin) • Indocin SR (indomethacin) • Ketoprofen (Orudis, Oruvail) • Relafen (Nabumetone) • Clinoril (Sulindac)

Also there are anti-inflammatory medications that are used in combination with chemotherapy such as:

• Methotrexate (MTX) • Rheumatex (Methotrexate) • Folex (Methotrexate)

Prescription Medications for Parkinson's Disease

• Levadopa / L-dopa (Dopar, Larodopa)

Thyroid Disorder Prescription Medications

• Many of the drugs used to treat the thyroid (i.e. Thiouracil)

Ulcer Medications (Over-the-Counter and Prescription)

There are several drugs used to treat indigestion, stomach difficulties, and ulcers, including over-the-counter and prescription medications which include: • Famotidine (Pepcid™) • Ranitidine (Zantac™) • Cimetidine (Tagamet™)