Drug Induced Hair Loss
Drug Induced Hair Loss
A surprising number of drugs have been associated with hair loss. These drugs are listed in the tables below.
Certain classes of medications are known to cause hair loss like anti-coagulants (heparin and coumadin) with more than 10% of patients experiencing hair loss in a dose-dependent fashion.
Anti-thyroid drugs that induce a state of hypothyroidism may also cause acute hair loss, like iodine, propylthiouracil, and carbimazole.
Psychopharmacologic medications like lithium, valproate, carbamazepine, and tricyclic antidepressants have been implicated in acute hair loss.
Oral contraceptives can cause hair loss 2 to 3 months after discontinuing treatment, which may be similar to what happens with delayed anagen release in the postpartum setting.
| Acitretin | Alpha-Interferon | Ramipril |
| Cidofivir | Isotretinoin | Terbinafine |
| Danazol | Leflunomide | Timolol |
| Granulocyte colony stimulating factor | Levobunolol | Valproic Acid |
| Lithium | Warfarin | |
| Heparin | Moexipril |
Drug-Induced Hair loss (1-5% Incidence)
| Acyclovir | Cyclosporin | Lamotrigine |
| Allopurinol | Cytarabine | Letrozole |
| Amantadine | Dacarbazine | Leuprolide |
| Atorvastatin | Dactinomycin | Loratadine |
| Betaxolol | Delavirdine | Lovastatin |
| Bicalutamide | Dexfenfluramine | Nifedipine |
| Buspirone | Diclofenac | Pentosan |
| Captopril | Efavirenz | Riluzole |
| Carbamazepine | Fludarabine | Rofecoxib |
| Celecoxib | Gold | Tolcapone |
| Ceterizine | Granisetron | Topiramate |
| Albendazole | Fluoxetine | Nisoldipine |
| Aldesleukin | Flurbiprofen | Nortriptyline |
| Altretamine | Fluroxamine | Octreotide |
| Amiloride | Foscarnet | Olanzapine |
| Amiodarone | Ganciclovir | Omeprazole |
| Amitriptyline | Grepafloxacin | Paroxetine |
| Amlodipine | Haloperidol | Prazosin |
| Amoxapine | Ibuprofen | Propanefenone |
| Azathioprine | Imapramine | Propylthiouracil |
| Bromfenac | Indomethacin | Protriptyline |
| Buproprion | Ipratropium | Risperidone |
| Carvedilol | Ketoprofen | Ropinirole |
| Clofibrate | Lansoprazole | Sertraline |
| Clomiphene | Levothyroxine | Sparfloxacin |
| Clomipramine | Liothyronine | Sulindac |
| Desipramine | Lisinopril | Tacrine |
| Diethylstilbestrol | Losartan | Testosterone |
| Diflunisal | Meclofenamate | Tiagabine |
| Dopamine | Mefloquine | Tizanidine |
| Epinephrine | Mesalamine | Tocainide |
| Esmolol | Methimazole | Trimipramine |
| Estramustine | Mexiletine | Venlafaxine |
| Ethionamide | Nabumetone | Verapamil |
| Fenfluramine | Naproxen | Zaleplon |
| Fenoprofen | Naratriptan | |
| Flecainide | Nefazodone |
| Acebutolol | Fluconazole | Oral Contraceptives |
| Acetominophen | Fluoxymesterone | Oxaprozin |
| Acetohexamide | Fluvastatin | Paramethadione |
| Aminophylline | Gabapentin | Penbutolol |
| Aminosalicylate sodium | Gemfibrozil | Penicillamine |
| Amphotericin B | Gentamicin | Penicillins |
| Asparaginase | Guanethidine | Pergolide |
| Astemizole | Halothane | Pindolol |
| Atenolol | Hydromorphone | Pirbuterol |
| Bendroflumethiazide | Hydroxychloroquine | Piroxicam |
| Bisoprolol | Indinavir | Pravastatin |
| Bromocriptine | Isoniazid | Prazepam |
| Carteolol | Itraconazole | Probenecid |
| Carivastatin | Ketoconazole | Progestins |
| Chlorambucil | Labetolol | Propanolol |
| Chloramphenicol | Lamivudine | Pyrimethamine |
| Chlordiazepoxide | Levodopa | Quazepam |
| Chloroquine | Loperamide | Quinidine |
| Chlorothiazide | Lorazepam | Ranitidine |
| Chlorotrianisene | Loxapine | Ropinirole |
| Chloropropamide | Maprotiline | Saquinavir |
| Chlorothalidone | Mebendazole | Selegiline |
| Cimetidine | Mephenytoin | Simvastatin |
| Clonazepam | Mesoridazine | Sotalol |
| Diazoxide | Methusuximide | Stanozolol |
| Dicumarol | Methyldopa | Sulfasalazine |
| Didanosine | Methylphenidate | Sulfisoxazole |
| Diethylstilbestrol | Methyltestosterone | Thalidomide |
| Diflunidal | Methysergide | Thioguanine |
| Dopamine | Metoprolol | Thioridazine |
| Epinephrine | Minoxidil | Thiothixene |
| Esmolol | Misoprostol | Tiopronin |
| Estrogen | Mitotane | Trazodone |
| Ethambutol | Mycophenolate | Triazolam |
| Ethosuximide | Nadolol | Trimethadione |
| Etidronate | Nalidixic acid | Ursodiol |
| Etodolac | Neomycin | Vitamin A |
| Famotidine | Nimodipine | Zalcitabine |
| Felbamate | Nitrofurantoin | Zidovudine |
| Fenofibrate | Odansetron |
Update 10/21/2010: Additional drugs added to this list of drugs that cause, trigger, or contribute to hair loss:
- Accutane (isotretinoin)
- Adapin (doxepin)
- Amphetamines
- Anabolic steriods
- Anafranil (clomipramine)
- Anaprox (naproxen)
- Anaprox DS (naproxen)
- Anticonvulsant drugs
- Antidepression drugs
- Antifungals
- Arthritis drugs
- Asendin (amoxapine)
- Atronid-S (clofibrate)
- Birth Control Pills
- Blocadren (timolol)
- Clinoril (sulindac)
- Corgard (nadolol)
- Coumadin (warfarin sodium)
- Drugs containing estrogen
- Drugs containing progesterone
- Elavin (amitriptyline)
- Endep (amitriptyline)
- Folex (methotrexate)
- Haldol ( haloperidol)
- Heparin injections
- Hormone-replacement therapy (HRT)
- Inderal and Inderal LA (propanolol)
- Indocin (indomethacin)
- Indocin SR (indomethacin)
- Janimine (imipramine)
- Lopid (gemfibrozil)
- Lopressor (metoprolol)
- Lopurin (allopurinol)
- Male androgenic hormones and all forms of testosterone
- Methotrexate (MTX)
- Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
- Norpramin (desipramine)
- Pamelor (nortriptyline)
- Panwarfin (warfarin sodium)
- Paxil (paroxetine)
- Pepcid (famotidine)
- Pertofrane (desipramine)
- Prednisone and other steroids
- Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride)
- Rheumatex (methotrexate)
- Sinequan (doxepin)
- Sofarin (warfarin sodium)
- Surmontil (trimipramine)
- Tagamet (cimetidine)
- Tenormin (atenolol)
- Timoptic Eye Drops (timolol)
- Timoptic Ocudose (timolol)
- Timoptic XC (timolol)
- Tofranil (imipramine)
- Tofranil PM (imipramine)
- Tridone (trimethadione)
- Ventyl (nortriptyline)
- Vivactil (protriptyline hydrochloride)
- Zantac (ranitidine)
- Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride)
- Zyloprim (allopurinol)
Most drug induced hair loss stops when the medication causing it is discontinued. The exception to this is birth control pills, which may cause hair loss 2 to 3 months after discontinuing. However that typically lasts for only a few months.
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