Medications come with a host of side effects that range from the mildly inconvenient, such as bloating or diarrhea, to the life threatening, such as hypertension or cancer. Nevertheless, although uncommon, hair loss is a potential side effect to some medications. While side effects are not hard and fast for everyone taking a certain medication, the likelihood of experiencing hair loss due to using certain medications does exist.  Therefore, many people find it necessary to know what medications cause hair loss so they can be aware of this potential problem.

Medications can interfere with the standard process of growing hair, thus causing hair loss. The growth of hair comes in two stages. The first stage is called the anagen phase. During this period, which lasts between three to four years, a strand of hair will continuously grow and grow. The rate of growth may differ but hair follicles will keep growing the same strand for the same period of time. However, this stage will eventually end and develop into the telogen phase. This period lasts for about three months and is a resting time for the hair strand which does not experience any new growth. Once this period ends the hair strand will fall out and a new piece of hair will grow in its place.

With that cycle of hair growth in mind, examining how medication can result in hair loss is a bit easier to understand as there are two main ways drugs can impact hair growth. The first way is through telogen effluvium. Typically this stage occurs two to four months after the initial consumption of the medication. The active ingredients in the drug cause the hair follicles to prematurely enter their resting stage, telogen, and results in hair falling out.

The second method of drug related hair loss is anagen effluvium. This is brought about by medication preventing the proper cell growth to occur that fuels hair growth. The result is hair that is diminishing in quantity and volume and is far more susceptible to falling out due to other factors, such as stress, genetics or aging.

There are far too many drugs to name to produce an adequate list of which medications cause hair loss. Nevertheless, these categories of medications are known to interfere with the normal growth of hair. Categories include:

• Acne medications containing concentrations of vitamin A
• Antibiotics and antifungal drugs
• Antidepressants
• Birth control pills
• Anticlotting drugs
• Cholesterol-lowering drugs
• Drugs that suppress the immune system
• Drugs that treat breast cancer
• Epilepsy drugs
• High blood pressure
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Mood stabilizers
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Parkinson’s disease drugs
• Steroids
• Thyroid medications
• Weight loss drugs

Chemotherapy drugs can also compound hair loss problems since the active ingredients are often destructive to cellular growth. Common chemotherapy drugs that are harmful to hair growth include:

• adriamycin
• cyclophosphamide
• cactinomycin
• docetaxel
• doxorubicin
• etoposide
• ifosfamide
• irinotecan
• paclitaxel
• topotecan
• vinorelbine

Treating drug related hair loss can be difficult depending on the drug being used. While the effects of hair loss can be mitigated by dosage and type of drug, some medications help regulate life essential processes. Study what medications cause hair loss and then discuss options with your primary health provider before stopping your medication use solely for cosmetic reasons.