What Prescription Medication Causes Hair Loss?

Hair loss occurs for a lot of reasons, including age, genetics, trauma, illness and the medications that you are taking to quell specific physical or mental problems. Unfortunately, there are side effects to medication, and one of them can be hair loss.

Anti-Depressants

• Anti-depressants have been linked with hair loss. According to Quickcare.org, Celexa in particular appears to prompt hair loss, because a person's amino acids and protein become depleted when this drug is taken.

Birth Control Pills

• Birth control pills artificially alter a woman's hormones. and that may result in telogen effluvium. This is a type of non-scarring alopecia, which is a hair loss condition, according to Emedicine.medscape.com. This condition occurs when the body reacts to hormonal changes, as well as to stress or even metabolic changes or certain medications.

Blood Thinners and Anti-Seizure Medication

• Blood thinners (Heparin and Warfarin) and anti-seizure medication (Dilantin) may cause hair loss.

NSAIDs

• If you are suffering from gout, you will be given non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or corticosteroid drugs and/or adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), all of which can prompt hair loss, according to Healthscout.com.

Steroids and Acne Medicines

• Prednisone (a steroid), which is an anti-inflammatory drug, as well as anti-seizure drugs such as Dilantin can cause hair loss. Acne medicine, such as Accutane, has been associated with hair loss.

Chemotherapy

• If you are undergoing chemotherapy, there is a good chance that you will lose your hair; however, the extent of your loss may depend on the type and dosage of the drug being used as well as and on your personal sensitivity to the drug, according to Cancerhelp.org/uk. When chemotherapy is done, the hair shafts become very thin and break off as they come through the scalp. The hair cells no longer divide as they should because of the chemo drugs, according to Healthscout.com