Hair loss or alopecia can be caused by many things, such as chemotherapy, or exposure to lice and parasites. What many people forget, however, is that what we eat can also affect our hair. We are what we eat, and we sometimes eat things that can harm us or cause thinning, hair loss, or full or partial alopecia. So today, I will share with you all some of the medicines/drugs that are prescribed by doctors that can cause early hair loss or balding/alopecia.

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Common Drugs That Cause Hair Loss

1. Retinoids
2. Contraception medications
3. Antidepressants
4. Birth control pills
5. Amphetamines
6. Acne medicines
7. Antibiotics
8. Thyroid medications
9. Steroids
10. Anti-inflammatory drugs
11. Medicines that lower cholesterol
12. Blood pressure medicine
13. Weight loss medications
14. Medications that cause malnourishment

Why Drugs Can Cause Hair Loss

There are four main reasons why many prescription drugs and medications can cause hair loss:

1. The drug taken causes the hair follicle to enter a state of rest. 

“Telogen effluvium is the most common form of drug-induced hair loss. It usually appears within 2 to 4 months after taking the drug. This condition causes the hair follicles to go into their resting phase (telogen) and fall out too early. People with telogen effluvium usually shed between 30% to 70% more than the normal 100 and 150 hairs a day” (Watson, S. (2022). Medications That Can Cause Hair Loss. WebMD).

2. The medicine taken depletes the body of essential vitamins and minerals that are needed for hair growth, such as vitamin C and vitamin A.

3. The medicine taken prevents hair cells from multiplying and creating new hairs.

“Anagen effluvium is hair loss that occurs during the anagen phase of the hair cycle when the hairs are actively growing. It prevents the matrix cells, which produce new hairs, from dividing normally. This type of hair loss usually occurs within a few days to weeks after taking the medication. It’s most common in people who are taking chemotherapy drugs for cancer and is often severe, causing people to lose most or all of the hair on their head, as well as their eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hairs” (Watson, S. (2022). Medications That Can Cause Hair Loss. WebMD). 

4. Any medication that interferes with natural body processes has the potential to interfere with hair growth. For example, medicines that interfere with hormone production can prevent blood from clotting, influence mood, and suppress the immune system. All of these things can weaken the body, restrict or prevent the body from functioning at full capacity, and cause hair loss. 

Illicit Drugs That Cause Hair Loss

Prescription medications are not the only drugs that can cause hair loss; illicit drugs, like cocaine and heroin, can cause hair loss as well.

“All recreational drugs have the potential to cause a type of hair loss called Telogen Effluvium because taking drugs causes a shock to the system. As a result, certain hair follicles will prematurely stop growing and enter the resting (Telogen) phase, where they remain for three months, after which time they are shed. If the person stops taking drugs and the body is able to rebalance itself naturally, then the hair should return to a normal growth cycle approximately six months after taking the drugs. Doclis points out that taking drugs can also lead to another condition, Diffuse Thinning. Sometimes the hair loss is a secondary effect of drug intake, particularly Cocaine, due to malnutrition as most regular users do not tend to have the appetite to eat healthily…” (Sophie. Cocaine, MDMA, Ketamine, GHB, Heroin, Marijuana and Hair Loss. Belgravia Centre). 

Conclusion/Options Available

Although many drugs can prevent your hair from growing or lead to hair loss and fallout, discontinuing using illicit drugs or asking your doctor to change you to a gentler prescription medication can sometimes get your hair growing again. However, you may not want to stop using some drugs because they are prescription medications and discontinuing them may not lead to hair growth regardless, depending on the drug you are taking. When this is the case, what can you do? 

I have heard many people say that applying the Natural Herbal Lotion to their scalp and massaging it in still gets their hair growing again, even when they are taking prescription medications. Massaging the scalp stimulates it and brings oxygen to that area. Massaging the Natural Herbal Lotion into the hair is also beneficial because it contains essential oils in it that stimulate and heal skin and tissue cells, as well as boost the immune system and kill lice and bacteria that can destroy your hair and the health of your scalp. Thus, the Natural Herbal Lotion can give your hair and scalp some of its nourishment back that it lost from drugs that you took. Therefore, the Natural Herbal Lotion may also help counteract the negative side effects of drugs you are taking that contribute to hair loss, thinning, and prevent hair growth.

Have you taken a medication recently that you felt negatively affected your hair? 💇