What Medicines Causes Hair Loss?

Birth control pills artificially alter a woman's hormones, which can result in thinning of the hair and hair loss. Sometimes this is a temporary condition, but it can result in permanent hair loss. When a woman first starts taking oral contraceptives, she may notice that her hair gets thicker and grows faster; but, after a few months she may find that her hair is starting to fall out. This happens because the hormones have been altered--the same way that they're altered during pregnancy--and this results in telogen effluvium. According to Emedicine.medscape.com, telogen effluvium is a form of nonscarring alopecia that results in hair loss and may be acute at the onset. This occurs when the body reacts to hormonal changes or stress, or to metabolic changes or certain medications. Generally, recovery from this occurs within six months time.

Anticoagulants--blood thinners--including Heparin and Warfarin can result in hair loss.

People who take antidepressants including Celexa, Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil have reported hair loss. According to Quickcare.org, Celexa in particular may exacerbate hair loss because a person's amino acids and protein are depleted when this drug is taken. Hair is primarily comprised of protein, so if the protein supply is diminished because of a drug it stands to reason that this would have an impact on your hair.

The drugs used during chemotherapy are notorious for causing hair loss; however, losing your hair isn't always the outcome according to Cancerhelp.org/uk. It all depends on the individual's sensitivity to the drug that is being used as well as what particular drug is being utilized in the treatment, the dosage being given and the patient's past drug treatment history. The hair shafts become very thin and break off as they come out of the scalp, and hair cells stop dividing due to the drugs that are used in chemo, according to Healthscout.com.

Gout occurs when uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints. It is considered an arthritic condition. Medications that are given for gout, including corticosteroid drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), can cause hair loss, according to Healthscout.com.

It has also been reported that anti-inflammatory drugs, such as prednizone, as well as antiseizure drugs, such as dilantin, can cause hair loss.

Accutane, which is taken to clear up and prevent acne, has been associated with hair loss, although the outcomes have been different depending on the patient, according to Quickcare.org. Some patients immediately begin losing hair upon taking Accutane, whereas others don't report any hair loss until they stop taking the medicine. Sometimes the hair loss is temporary and sometimes it is permanent.