Category: Drugs (Cause Hair Loss)

I’m 17 years old female. I have been taking tetracycline for about 2 months for acne and have recently noticed a fair amount of hair falling out of my head when i wash/dry/brush it. This has been happening for about 3/4 weeks. I just wanted to know if there’s a link to it and if i stop taking it will my hair be okay? I’m really worried. I haven’t noticed that its going very thin, or any bald patches.

The relationship between tetracycline and hair loss is known, though rare. If the only change in your medication schedule over the two months was tetracycline and the hair loss started with this drug, then there may be an association between the two. Speak to your doctor about this problem and possible alternatives to tetracycline.

My mom’s hair was thinning a little. She went to see a dermatologist. The doctor prescribed Clobetasol ointment & Clobex shampoo. She was using these for 6 months straight. Her hair was falling out in clumps & getting a lot worse. The doctor kept telling her it takes time. Everything that I read about Clobetasol states not to use it more than 2 weeks. Would Clobetasol and/or Clobex make her hair loss worse? Please help.

Thanks!

Heavy doses of Clobetasol (a corticosteroid) can cause hair loss, among other systemic side effects. If you are concerned about this treatment, I would ask your mother to seek another opinion by a physician you see face to face, not over the Internet. I do not know the diagnosis here, so I can not comment on the treatment plan.

I am a 45yr old diabetic woman who suffered from 2 heart attacks and a mild stroke 6 months ago. I am on all sorts of medications such as Insulin, Glimeperide, Clopidogrel, Bisoprolol, Atorvastatin, Aspirin, Ramipril, Gluchophage/Metformin, and Amytriptylin. I have recovered well despite the period of ill health and am now back at work full time and looking after a young family and grandchildren.

This being said I have gone from having a head of wild curly hair to having nearly straight, very thin hair that is showing my scalp in places. Please help me understand if this will recover or is it a reaction to medications???

I am glad to hear you have recovered. While hair loss may not be life threatening like a heart attack or a stroke, it is a great concern for many patients with serious medical illness who need to be on many medications. Hair loss from medical stress may be temporary and you should generally see some regrowth in about a year. However, many patients may not see full regrowth.

In my experience it is generally not the medications that cause the hair loss, but the stress from the illness. With that said, the atorvastatin (also known as Lipitor) and amitriptyline both lists hair loss as a rare side effect, though I must reiterate that the side effect risk is rare.

There may be non-prescription solutions such as topical Rogaine, but speak with your doctor and get a good diagnosis before you start a treatment regimen for hair loss.