Appendix 2: Drugs that can cause hair loss

select a chapter Introduction 1: Why Treat Hair Loss? 2: Normal Hair Growth 3: The Cause of Most Hair Loss 4: Other Hair Loss Causes 5: Hair Loss Treatment History 6: Bogus Treatments 7: Cosmetic Treatments 8: Drugs that Grow Hair 9: Principles of Surgical Hair Restoration 10: History of Surgical Hair Restoration 11: Follicular Unit Micrografting 12: Before, During, & After FUM Surgery 13: Marco's Story 14: "Ask the Expert" 15: Which Hair Loss Treatment for is Right for Me? 16: Choosing a Physician 17: Future Hair Loss Treatments Appendix 1: Sources for More Information Appendix 2: Drugs that can cause hair loss 20: Glossary 21: Bibliography

The following sources have been used to create this list of drugs that can cause hair loss, however the list is still far from comprehensive.

1. "Drug Eruption Reference Manual 2000"
   Litt, Jerome Z
   The Parthenon Publishing Group
   New York 2000
2. "Dermatology Moschella and Hurley"
   Moschella, Samuel L, Hurley, Harry J (eds)
   WB Saunders Company
   Philadelphia 1985
3. "Disorders of Hair Growth"
   Olsen, Elise A. (ed)
   McGraw Hill Inc
   New York 1994
4. "Clinical Dermatogy, 2nd Edition"
   Habif, Thomas P
   CV Mosby Company
   St. Louis 1990
5. "Diseases of the Hair and Scalp"
   Rook A, Dawber RPR (eds)
   Blackwell Scientific Publications
   Oxford 1991

It is important to note that the incidence of hair loss occurring from the vast majority of these drugs is infrequent, often only 1-2% of users, and when it does occur is usually happens only after prolonged use of the medication. Many common medications are listed as possibly causing hair loss, however they do not usually cause hair loss in most people, but they have been documented to cause hair loss in some people.

Some drugs that are prescribed to help grow hair or slow hair loss, such as minoxidil, spironolactone, and oral contraceptives, are also included in this list of drugs that cause hair loss. This is not a mistake, but rather illustrates the complex ways that bodies respond to medications. And sometimes these drugs initially trigger hair shedding which is followed by increased hair growth.

If you are taking any of the listed medications and suspect that one or more may be causing your hair loss, discuss your concern with your physician. You may also wish to do some additional research on the drug or drugs you are concerned about. Your physician may determine that it is possible to switch to an alternative medication. In most cases, hair growth resumes after the medication that caused the hair loss is discontinued.

The numbers in parantheses listed after each listed drug indicates the source or sources listing that drug as a possible cause of hair loss. Some of these reference guides in turn list studies published in medical journals describing the occurance and frequency of side effects such as hair loss.

A
Acebutolol (1)
Acetaminophen (1)
Acetohexamide (1)
Acitretin (1) (5)
Actinomycin-D (1) (5)
Albendazole (1) (3)
Aldesleukin (1)
Alfa Interferons (1)
Allopurinol (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Altretamine (1)
Amantadine (1)
Amiloride (1)
Aminophylline (1)
Aminosalicylate sodium (1)
Amiodarone (1) (5)
Amitriptyline (1)
Amlodipine (1)
Amoxapine (1)
Amphotericin B (1)
Amsacrine (3)
Asparaginase (1)
Aspirin (1)
Astemizole (1)
Atenolol (1)
Atorvastatin (1)
Azathioprine (1) (5)


B
Bendroflumethiazide (1)
Betaxolol (1) (3)
Bicalutamide (1)
Bisoprolol (1)
Bleomycin (1) (3)
Bromfenac (1)
Bromocriptine (1) (3) (5)
Buspirone (1)
Busulfan (1)


C
Captopril (1) (3)
Carbamazepine (1) (5)
Carbidopa (1)
Carbimazole (3) (5)
Carmustine (1)
Carteolol (1)
Carvedilol (1)
Celecoxib (1)
Cerivastatin (1)
Cetirizine (1)
Chlorambucil (1)
Chloramphenicol (1) (5)
Chlordiazepoxide (1)
Chloroquine (1) (5)
Chlorothiazide (1)
Chlorotrianisene (1)
Chlorpropamide (1)
Cidofovir (1)
Cimetidine (1) (3) (5)
Cisplatin (1)
Citalopram (1)
Clofibrate (1) (3)
Clomifene (1)
Clomipramine (1)
Clonazepam (1)
Clonidine (1)
Colcemid (3)
Colchicine (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Coumarin (3) (5)
Cyclobenzaprine (1)
Cyclophosphamide (1) (2) (3) (5)
Cyclosporine (1)
Cytarabine (1) (3)

D
Dacarbazine (1) (3)
Dactinomycin (1) (3)
Danazol (1) (3)
Daunorubicin (1) (3)
Delavirdine (1)
Desipramine (1) (3)
Dexfenfluramine (1)
Dextran (3)
Diazoxide (1)
Dichloromethotrexate (3)
Diclofenac (1)
Dicumarol (1)
Didanosine (1)
Dideoxycytidine (1)
Diethylstilbestrol (1)
Diflunisal (1)
Diltiazem (1)
Disopyramide (1)
Dixyrazine (3)
Disopyramide (1)
Docetaxel (1)
Donepezil (1)
Dopamine (1)
Doxazosin (1)
Doxepin (1)
Doxorubicin (1) (3) (5)

E
Efavirenz (1)
Enalapril (1) (3)
Endoxan (3)
Epinephrine (1)
Esmolol (1)
Estramustine (1)
Ethosuximide (1)
Etidronate (1)
Etodolac (1)
Etoposide (1) (3)
Etretinate (5)

F
Famotidine (1)
Felbamate (1)
Fenfluramine (1)
Fenofibrate (1)
Fenoprofen (1)
Flecainide (1)
Floxuridine (3)
Fluconazole (1)
Fludarabine (1) (3)
Fluorouracil (1) (3)
Fluoxetine (1) (3)
Fluoxymesterone (1)
Flurbiprofen (1)
Fluvastatin (1)
Fluvoxamine (1)
Foscarnet (1)

G
Gabapentin (1)
Ganciclovir (1)
Gemcitabine (1)
Gemfibrozil (1)
Gentamycin (1) (5)
Gold and gold compounds (1) (3)
Granisetron (1)
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (1)
Grepafloxacin (1)
Guanethidine (1)
Guanfacine (1)

H
Haloperidol (1)
Halothane (1)
Heparin (1) (2) (3) (5)
Hexamethylmelamine (3)
Hydantoin derivatives (5)
Hydromorphone (1)
Hydroxychloroquine (1)
Hydroxyurea (1) (3)

I
Ibuprofen (1)
Idarubicin (1) (3)
Ifosfamide (1) (3)
Immunoglobulin (3)
Imipramine (1) (3)
Indinavir (1)
Indomethacin (1) (2) (4)
Interferons (alpha, gamma) (1) (3)
Ipratropium (1)
Isotretinoin (1)

J

K
Ketoconazole (1)
Ketoprofen (1)

L
Lebetalol (1)
Lamivudine (1)
Lamotrigine (1)
Lansoprazole (1)
Leflunomide (1)
Letrozole (1)
Levadopa (3) (4) (5)
Leuprolide (1)
Levamisole (1)
Levobunolol (1) (3)
Levodopa (1) (2) (3)
Levothyroxine (1)
Liothyroxine (1)
Liothyronine (1)
Lisinopril (1)
Lithium carbonate (1) (2) (3)
Lomustine (1) (3)
Loratadine (1)
Lorazepam (1)
Losartan (1)
Lovastatin (1)
Loxapine (1)

M
Maprotiline (1)
Mebendazole (1) (3)
Mechloroethamine (1) (3)
Meclofenamate (1)
Medroxyprogesterone (1)
Mefloquine (1)
Melphalan (1) (3)
Mepacrine (5)
Mephenytoin (1)
Mercaptopurine (1)
Mesalamine (1)
Mesoridazine (1)
Metformin (1)
Methimazole (1)
Methotrexate (1) (2) (3) (5)
Methsuximide (1)
Methyldopa (1)
Methylphenidate (1)
Methyltestosterone (1)
Methylthoouracil (3)
Methysergide (1) (3)
Metoprolol (1) (3) (5)
Mexiletine (1)
Minoxidil (1) (3)
Misoprostol (1)
Mitomycin (1) (3)
Mitotane (1)
Mitoxantrone (3)
Moexipril (1)
Mycophenolate (1)

N
Nabumetone (1)
Nadolol (1) (5)
Nalidixic acid (1)
Naproxen (1)
Naratriptan (1)
Nefazodone (1)
Neomycin (1)
Nifedipine (1)
Nimodipine (1)
Nisoldipine (1)
Nitrofurantoin (1)
Nitrosureas (3)
Nortrityline (1)

O
Octreotide (1)
Olanzapine (1)
Omeprazole (1)
Ondansetron (1)
Oral contraceptives (1) (3) (4)
Oxaprozin (1)

P
Paramethadione (1)
Paroxetine (1)
Penbutolol (1)
Penicillamine (1) (5)
Penicillins (1)
Pentosan (1)
Pentostatin (1)
Pergolide (1)
Phensuximide (1)
Phentermine (1)
Phenytoin (1)
Pindolol (1)
Pirbuterol (1)
Piroxicam (1)
Potassium Thiocynate (5)
Pravastatin (1)
Prazepam (1)
Prazosin (1)
Probenecid (1)
Procarbazine (1) (3)
Progestins (1)
Proguanil (3)
Propafenone (1)
Propranolol (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Propylthiouracil (1) (3)
Protriptyline (1)
Pyridostigmine bromide (3) (5)
Pyrimethamine (1)

Q
Quazepam (1)
Quinacrine (1) (2) (4)
Quinine (2)
Quinidine (1)

R
Ramipril (1)
Ranitidine (1)
Retinol, Retinoids (3) (4) (5)
Riluzole (1)
Risperidone (1)
Rofecoxib (1)
Ropinirole (1)

S
Saquinavir (1)
Selegiline (1)
Sertraline (1)
Simvastatin (1)
Sodium cromoglycate (1)
Sparfloxacin (1)
Spironolactone (1)
Stanozolol (1)
Sulfasalazine (1) (3) (5) Sulfisoxazole (1)
Sulindac (1)

T
Tacrine (1)
Tacrolimus (1)
Tamoxifen (1)
Terbinafine (1)
Terfenadine (1) (3) (5)
Testosterone (1) (2)
Thalidomide (1)
Thallium (2) (4)
Thioguanine (1)
Thioridazine (1)
Thiotepa (1)
Thiothixene (1)
Thiouracil (2) (3)
Tiagabine (1)
Timolol (1) (3)
Tiopronin (1)
Tizanidine (1)
Tocainide (1)
Tolcapone (1)
Topiramate (1)
Topotecan (1)
Trazodone (1)
Tranyleypromine (3)
Triazolam (1)
Triethylenethiophosphoramide (3)
Trimethadione (1) (2) (5)
Trimipramine (1)
Triparanol (3)

U
Ursodiol (1)

V
Valproic acid (1) (3)
Valproate sodium (2) (5)
Vasopressin (1)
Venlafaxine (1)
Verapamil (1)
Vinblastine (1) (3)
Vincristine (1) (3)
Vinorelbine (1)
Vitamin A (1) (3) (4)

W

X

Y

Z
Zalcitabgine (1)
Zaleplon (1)
Zidovudine (1)

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