Taking medicine is supposed to make you better, stronger, healthier—and generally, that’s the effect that it has. In some cases, though, medication can also exert side effects on the body, sometimes quite serious and sometimes relatively minor. One side effect that can be most unwelcome is hair loss. Unfortunately, hair loss is a common side effect of many different types of medication. If you have noticed yourself losing hair, you might stop and ask yourself whether it could be the result of a medication you are on. Of course, this is also a good topic to raise with the prescribing physician.
How Medications Can Cause Hair Loss
Of course, you might wonder why it is that medication would make you lose your hair. Here’s the short answer: Medications can sometimes disrupt the natural hair growing cycle. You see, hair growth happens in two phases—first a “growing” phase, which can last up to six years, followed by a “rest” phase, in which the follicle lies dormant. Typically, about 10 percent of your hair is in the rest phase at any given moment; this can lead to some minor shedding, as old hair is cast out to make room for new. That’s just a natural part of the process.
The process can be turned on its side by medications, though, which can interfere with both the growing and resting phases of the cycle. Some medications work to induce the resting phase a bit earlier, or make it last longer than it is supposed to; others simply prohibit the follicles from producing hair during what is meant to be the growing phase. As you can imagine, both can lead to significantly thinning hair.
Do Certain Types of Drugs Lead to Hair Loss?
Something else you might wonder is which medications tend to induce hair loss. The short answer: Many of them! The list of medications that can cause hair loss is unfortunately a long one, starting with most forms of chemotherapy.
Some additional medications that often lead to hair loss include acne medications; antibiotics; antifungals; antidepressants; birth control pills; cholesterol-lowering drugs; epilepsy medications; high blood pressure treatments; hormone replacement therapy; mood stabilizers; steroids; thyroid medications; and weight loss drugs.
This is only a partial list, but it makes one thing clear: If you’re taking medications, you should have it on your radar that hair loss could be a side effect. Talk about this with your doctor, but also come talk to us at New Image, to ensure you have a plan for combatting hair loss when it happens.
Solutions for Drug-Induced Hair Loss
And rest assured that there are always solutions available, no matter the cause or the extent of your hair loss. Whether it’s a topical treatment, laser hair therapy, a full hair system, or simply a custom wig, we can provide you with a way to replace the hair you’ve lost. Learn more about the process by visiting us at New Image soon.