Do I Need To Be Worried?
Prescription drugs can come with a big unwanted helping of side effects. You should always discuss whether or not the gain (what it does to treat the condition it was prescribed for) outweighs the loss (the side effects it can cause) with your doctor, and any possible alternative medications or treatments available.
One of those side effects for women is thinning hair and hair loss. This can effect women mentally and emotionally as well as physically. For instance, let’s say the medication causes hair loss. This can bring about feelings of stress, resentment and depression, which then can turn into to even more hair loss. This can become an unending and vicious cycle that can spiral out of control.
I Want to Help You Find the Way out of That Spiral!
There are quite a few steps women can take to slow or stop medication related hair loss. Just keep reading and I will do my best to help you get started…but remember, for medical advice, talk to your doctor. I don’t offer medical advice, just a way to help you sort through all the info out there and find what’s most pertinent for you. I know how overwhelming it can be to try and do that on your own!
The First Step in the Battle Against Hair Loss is Knowledge…
Knowing that your hair loss could be caused by the medication you take is the first step. Below are some medications of which hair loss is a known possible side effect:
- Acne medications containing Vitamin A (retinoids)
- Antibiotics
- Anti clotting/anticoagulant drugs (blood thinners)
- Anticonvulsants (seizure medications)
- Antidepressants
- Antifungals
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (including non-steroidal types)
- Beta-blockers (like those used to treat glaucoma)
- Chemotherapy drugs (often leading to the anagen effluvium type of hair loss)
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs
- Diet/weight loss pills (and other amphetamine based pills)
- Heart medications (including those for high blood pressure)
Your Medication May Be What is Causing Your Thinning Hair - Medication used to treat breast cancer
- Medication used to treat gout
- Medication containing hormones (i.e. birth control, hormone-replacements, and steroids)
- Medication used to treat thyroid problems
- Parkinson’s Disease treatment medications
This list is just a “jump start” point. If you are on any medications, and are experiencing or are worried about hair loss for women, then maybe this list can give you a starting point or at least an idea of what to discuss when you speak with your doctor.
What to do if Your Medication is what is Causing Your Hair Loss…
Once you have spoken with your doctor, and have concluded that your hair loss is a side effect of your medication(s), then it is time to move to the next step. If it is a short term medication, or you stop or change your medication, it is very likely that your hair loss will stop and the hair will regrow once you stop taking the medication (I do not recommend stopping ANY medication without speaking with your doctor first!) If not, then there are other options. Hair loss treatments are available, such as laser hair therapy, supplements, topical treatments, hair loss prevention hair care products, etc. (I will go more in depth in future blogs.) These treatments may also help those who are on long term medications that they cannot stop or change.
In my next blog I will focus in on the physical causes relating to hair loss and thinning hair in women, and the solutions that are out there. Come back and see me again!
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