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.


Drug-Induced Hair loss (More than 5% Incidence)

AcitretinAlpha-InterferonRamipril
CidofivirIsotretinoinTerbinafine
DanazolLeflunomideTimolol
Granulocyte colony
stimulating factor
LevobunololValproic Acid
LithiumWarfarin
HeparinMoexipril

Drug-Induced Hair loss (1-5% Incidence)

AcyclovirCyclosporinLamotrigine
AllopurinolCytarabineLetrozole
AmantadineDacarbazineLeuprolide
AtorvastatinDactinomycinLoratadine
BetaxololDelavirdineLovastatin
BicalutamideDexfenfluramineNifedipine
BuspironeDiclofenacPentosan
CaptoprilEfavirenzRiluzole
CarbamazepineFludarabineRofecoxib
CelecoxibGoldTolcapone
CeterizineGranisetronTopiramate

Drug-Induced Hair Loss (Less than 1% Incidence)

AlbendazoleFluoxetineNisoldipine
AldesleukinFlurbiprofenNortriptyline
AltretamineFluroxamineOctreotide
AmilorideFoscarnetOlanzapine
AmiodaroneGanciclovirOmeprazole
AmitriptylineGrepafloxacinParoxetine
AmlodipineHaloperidolPrazosin
AmoxapineIbuprofenPropanefenone
AzathioprineImapraminePropylthiouracil
BromfenacIndomethacinProtriptyline
BuproprionIpratropiumRisperidone
CarvedilolKetoprofenRopinirole
ClofibrateLansoprazoleSertraline
ClomipheneLevothyroxineSparfloxacin
ClomipramineLiothyronineSulindac
DesipramineLisinoprilTacrine
DiethylstilbestrolLosartanTestosterone
DiflunisalMeclofenamateTiagabine
DopamineMefloquineTizanidine
EpinephrineMesalamineTocainide
EsmololMethimazoleTrimipramine
EstramustineMexiletineVenlafaxine
EthionamideNabumetoneVerapamil
FenfluramineNaproxenZaleplon
FenoprofenNaratriptan
FlecainideNefazodone

Drug-Induced Hair loss (exact incidence unreported)

AcebutololFluconazoleOral Contraceptives
AcetominophenFluoxymesteroneOxaprozin
AcetohexamideFluvastatinParamethadione
AminophyllineGabapentinPenbutolol
Aminosalicylate sodiumGemfibrozilPenicillamine
Amphotericin BGentamicinPenicillins
AsparaginaseGuanethidinePergolide
AstemizoleHalothanePindolol
AtenololHydromorphonePirbuterol
BendroflumethiazideHydroxychloroquinePiroxicam
BisoprololIndinavirPravastatin
BromocriptineIsoniazidPrazepam
CarteololItraconazoleProbenecid
CarivastatinKetoconazoleProgestins
ChlorambucilLabetololPropanolol
ChloramphenicolLamivudinePyrimethamine
ChlordiazepoxideLevodopaQuazepam
ChloroquineLoperamideQuinidine
ChlorothiazideLorazepamRanitidine
ChlorotrianiseneLoxapineRopinirole
ChloropropamideMaprotilineSaquinavir
ChlorothalidoneMebendazoleSelegiline
CimetidineMephenytoinSimvastatin
ClonazepamMesoridazineSotalol
DiazoxideMethusuximideStanozolol
DicumarolMethyldopaSulfasalazine
DidanosineMethylphenidateSulfisoxazole
DiethylstilbestrolMethyltestosteroneThalidomide
DiflunidalMethysergideThioguanine
DopamineMetoprololThioridazine
EpinephrineMinoxidilThiothixene
EsmololMisoprostolTiopronin
EstrogenMitotaneTrazodone
EthambutolMycophenolateTriazolam
EthosuximideNadololTrimethadione
EtidronateNalidixic acidUrsodiol
EtodolacNeomycinVitamin A
FamotidineNimodipineZalcitabine
FelbamateNitrofurantoinZidovudine
FenofibrateOdansetron



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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