title: Drugs and hair loss.
abstract: Hair loss is a common complaint, both in men and women, and use of prescription medications is widespread. When there is a temporal association between the onset of hair loss and commencement of a medication, the medication is commonly thought to have caused the hair loss. However, hair loss and in particular telogen effluvium may occur in response to a number of triggers including fever, hemorrhage, severe illness, stress, and childbirth, and a thorough exclusion of these potential confounders is necessary before the hair loss can be blamed on the medication. Certain medications are known to cause hair loss by a variety of mechanisms including anagen arrest, telogen effluvium, or accentuation of androgenetic alopecia by androgens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Aikenhead Wing, 41 Victoria Parade, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria 3065, Australia.
authors.forename: Mansi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: Rodney
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinclair
mesh_terms: D000505:Alopecia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male