Drugs That Cause Hair Loss in Women

Hair loss can be devastating for a man, but it can be absolutely soul-crushing for a woman. After all, society has accepted the bald man, but women are still expected to have thick, full hair, well into the late stages of their life. Unfortunately, as we age, we tend to require more medicines to help keep us healthy. Some of them can cause negative side effects, including hair loss. Here are some of the more popular medications, that according to the American Hair Loss Association, have been linked with hair loss in women.

Synthroid

• Synthroid is one of the most commonly used drugs by women today. It comes under a few different names including Levothyroxine, Levoxyl, and Levothroid. If your thyroid is not producing enough hormones, also known as hypothyroidism, Synthroid can be used to replace them to keep your body in balance. Other side effects of Synthroid include headache, insomnia or weight changes.

Lopid

• Lopid is used to treat high cholesterol. It's usually prescribed in conjunction with strict diet and exercise. Most of the time, it's not recommended for a patient until other options have already been exhausted. Yet, it's still fairly commonly dispensed in pharmacies throughout the country. Besides causing hair loss in women, Lopid has also been known to cause constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and vertigo.

Lopressor

• Lopressor, or Metoprolol, is used to treat chest pain, high blood pressure, or even as a preventive measure for a heart attack. But unfortunately, it can also cause hair loss in women, according to the American Hair Loss Association. Lopressor is in a drug category known as beta-blockers. Other beta-blockers that have been linked to hair loss in women include Propranolol (Inderal), Corgard (Nadolol), and Tenormin (Atenolol). Ask your doctor about the possible side effect of hair loss if he/she prescribes a beta-blocker for you. Although you may have to take the beta-blocker anyway, there might be an option to help treat or prevent the side effect of hair loss.

Antidepressants

• Unfortunately, antidepressants have been linked to hair loss in women. The good news however, is that it tends to be a rare side effect. Antidepressants including Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and Elavin are among the more popular drugs that have been known to cause hair loss in women. But again, if your doctor feels that the benefits of an antidepressant outweigh the side effects, it's best to listen. If you experience the side effect of hair loss while taking an antidepressant, speak with your doctor about treatment options. Do not discontinue your medication without consulting a medical professional.

Steroids and Hormones

• Yes, birth control is a hormone, and it has been linked to causing hair loss in women. But almost all steroids, testosterone, or hormonal therapy has been linked in some way or another to causing hair loss in both men and women. The good news is that there are lots of different birth controls to choose from, and even different methods (the pill, NuvaRing, Ortho Evra), so if you do begin to experience hair loss while taking hormones or birth control, ask your doctor about possibly switching to another brand.