Common prescription and over-the-counter medications could be secretly fueling hair loss, a doctor has warned.
The antidepressants, blood thinners and anti-acne creams taken by tens of millions of people can cause alopecia, the medical term for hair loss, or cause hair follicles to close.
While hair loss is natural as people age, especially in men, Dr. Zain Hasan, a Los Angeles-based anesthesiologist, said five common medications could speed this up.
Dr. Hasan warned his 636,000 social media followers: “If you want to keep your hair, you need to know these five medications.”
He added in a TikTok video: “These five medications, if you don’t know them, I know you know someone who is taking them.”
The first on his list was Wellbutrin antidepressanta prescription medication that increases feel-good hormones in the brain to improve a person’s mood.
Pictured above is Dr. Zain Hasan of Los Angeles, who made the list.
A mother of four uploaded these images to TikTok and said her hair started falling out after using Wellbutrin.
However, research has shown that the drug can also cause hair loss in both male and female patients.
TO study 2018 that compared 1 million new users of nine common antidepressants found that those taking bupropion (brand name, Wellbutrin) were the most likely to suffer from hair loss.
And people have also anecdotally reported the side effect online, saying it was “scary” and left them “not even wanting to leave my apartment.”
About one in every 1,000 patients suffers from this side effect (or 29,000 of the 29 million who take the drug annually).
Doctors suggest that the increase in dopamine caused by the drug can also cause hair follicles to go into the resting phase of their growth cycle, stopping hair growth and causing hair loss over time.
Next on Dr. Hasan’s list were certain types of retinoid medications that people take for acne, such as Accutane or isotretinoin.
Prescribed to more than a million people in the U.S. annually, Dr. Hasan said hair loss was rare with these drugs, but could occur to those taking a higher dose.
TO study 2022 In 565 people taking isotretinoin for acne, it was found that about six percent of those taking a high dose reported hair loss, compared to 3.2 percent of those taking a low dose. The patients were an average of 22 years old.
ACCUTANE: The woman mentioned above posted on Reddit about her hair loss while using acne medication. She is photographed three months after taking the medication (left) and 10 months after stopping it.
The woman also shared this image in August 2021, which is when she said she was at the peak of her hair loss while taking the drug.
TO separate studio Also from 2022 warned that patients taking isotretinoin who were older, had stronger doses, or had longer durations of treatment were more likely to suffer from hair loss.
Retinol creams used to relieve acne and slow aging, available both over the counter and by prescription, could also cause hair loss in some cases, doctors say.
Dr. Michele Green, a New York City dermatologist, previously said Fashionable: ‘You may experience sensitivity, redness and irritation… resulting in hair loss or thinning.’
He added: “If you have a sensitive scalp, you should avoid using any form of retinol on your scalp.”
Scientists suggest that Accutane and similar medications can cause hair loss because they can cause hair to fall out prematurely. Hair loss due to medications is usually not permanent and can be reversed by stopping them.
The most common side effects include redness of the skin, an itchy, burning or stinging sensation on the scalp, and peeling or cracked skin.
Next on Dr. Hasan’s list were anticoagulantsor blood thinners, such as Eliquis, Warfarin and Heparin, which are taken by up to 18 million people a year.
Hair loss usually begins two to four months after first taking the medication.
AFTER ACCUTANE: This person said Accutane caused hair loss. In an online post, she said it “ruined my hair” and “made me depressed.”
The image above shows her hair before she started taking Accutane.
TO study 2016 reporting that there were 4.4 events per 100 patient-years among those taking Eliquis or other blood thinners.
in another study 2021 Of warfarin, the researchers wrote: “Warfarin therapy is a rare cause of alopecia, but should be considered in patients receiving long-term anticoagulation when other diagnoses have been excluded.”
“Hair loss has a profoundly negative impact on a patient’s quality of life and should prompt investigation to determine the underlying cause.”
The medications work by blocking an enzyme used to make clotting factors in the blood, reducing the risk of a blood clot forming.
Doctors suggest that these medications cause hair loss because they can cause hair follicles to enter the “resting phase” of their growth cycle, stopping hair growth. Hair loss due to these medications does not tend to be permanent.
The fourth drug on Dr. Hasan’s list was beta blockers such as metoprolol, brand name Lopressor, a prescription medication that helps treat high blood pressure.
Taken by more than 26 million Americans each year, prescription medications work by blocking the effects of hormones such as adrenaline, causing the heart to beat more slowly and lowering blood pressure.
But there are rare reports of patients suffering from hair loss while taking the drug, which tends to start two to five months after taking it.
Dr. Kristianne Hannemann, a California pharmacist, said earlier in Drugs.com: ‘Hair loss was not a commonly reported side effect during clinical trials of metoprolol.
‘However, patients taking it have reported rare cases of reversible hair loss. After stopping the medication, the hair grows back.’
Common side effects of the drug include tiredness, dizziness, depression and difficulty breathing, doctors say. This medication is likely to cause hair loss because it interferes with the hair growth cycle.
The last medication on Dr. Hasan’s list was tamoxifen cancer treatmenttrade name Nolvadex, which is used to combat breast cancer in men and women.
About one in three people taking the drug suffers from hair loss, which doctors say occurs because the drug reduces estrogen levels in the body, which interferes with the hair cycle.
Hair loss becomes noticeable between six months and two years after starting the drug, a nonprofit says. Breastcancer.org.
Around 900,000 prescriptions are issued each year for this medication, which works by slowing the growth of breast cancer.
Chemotherapy drugs have also been linked to hair loss, including those used for breast cancer. Statistics suggest that around 65 percent of people taking chemotherapy drugs experience hair loss.
Dr. Hasan also mentioned other medications that anecdotal reports have linked to hair loss, including medications like Ozempic.
He said patients should consult with their doctor before considering stopping use of a prescription medication.