Drugs That Cause Thinning Hair
Everyone loses about 100 hairs each day. But excessive hair loss is noticeable and concerning. It can occur for a number of reasons. One of these is the ingestion of specific medications.
If you are taking a medicine that causes hair loss, ask your doctor if the medicine can be changed, discontinued or the dosage can be adjusted. Never stop a prescribed medicine without speaking to your doctor.
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Antidepressants
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Antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed medicines, and some of them can cause hair loss. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), including Celexa (citalopram), Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), and Zoloft (sertraline), cause hair loss in both men and women. If you have hair loss and take any of these antidepressants, consult your doctor and ask if another type of antidepressant might be best for you. Bipolar medicines such as lithium can also cause hair loss.
Accutane
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Accutane (isotretinoin), used for severe acne, increases hair loss in both men and women. Sometimes, the hair grows back after the drug is stopped, but for some, the hair loss is permanent.
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High Doses of Vitamin A
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Vitamin A is an essential vitamin for good health. But taking too much Vitamin A can lead to hair loss. Once the excess Vitamin A is stopped, the hair usually grows back. Recommendations for adult men and women are 3,333 international units (IU) per day.
Birth Control Pills
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Some women who have been taking birth control pills, especially those high in progestin, find that they temporarily lose hair. However, this typically happens to women who are predisposed to hair loss. Hair loss begins 2 to 3 months after stopping the medicine, and can continue for up to 6 months. Women who lose hair should speak to their doctors about switching to other medicines.
Arthritis Medicine
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Some arthritis medicines can cause hair loss. The hair loss typically stops once the medication is no longer taken. Arthritis medicines that can cause hair loss include Arava (ldflunomide), Methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Folex, Folex PFS, Methotrexate LPF), Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like salicylates (acetylated, such as aspirin, and non-acetylated), the traditional NSAIDs, and COX-2 selective inhibitors.
Chemotherapy
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Chemotherapy medicine is taken by mouth or injected with a needle into a vein. Chemotherapy medicine enters the bloodstream, traveling through the body to destroy cancer cells. In many cases, it causes hair loss. The hair usually grows back after the treatment has ended.
Other Medicines
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Some other medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners such as heparin or warfarin (Coumadin); migraine headache medicines, such as methysergide; seizure medicines, such as valproic acid, carbamazepine and trimethadione; gout medicines, such as allopurinol and colchicines; amphetamines, such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) or methamphetamine; and cardiac medicines, such as propranolol (Inderal) or metoprolol (Lopressor and Toprol XL).
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References
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