Medication Hair Loss: What Drugs Cause It and What You Can Do

When your hair starts thinning, it’s easy to blame stress, genetics, or aging—but what if it’s your medication, a substance taken to treat a medical condition, often prescribed by a doctor. Also known as drug-induced hair loss, it’s more common than you think. You’re not imagining it. Your hair is falling out, and it’s linked to something you’re taking daily. This isn’t rare. It happens with blood pressure meds, antidepressants, birth control pills, even acne treatments. The good news? You don’t have to live with it. You just need to know what to look for.

Not all hair loss from drugs is permanent. Sometimes, it stops as soon as you stop the medicine. But that’s not always safe to do on your own. antidepressants, medications used to treat depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders like citalopram or sertraline can trigger shedding, especially in the first few months. blood pressure medications, drugs used to lower high blood pressure, including beta blockers and ACE inhibitors like propranolol or lisinopril are also common culprits. Even hormonal treatments, drugs that alter hormone levels, such as birth control or thyroid meds can mess with your hair cycle. It’s not about the drug being "bad"—it’s about how your body reacts. Some people lose hair on metoprolol, others don’t. Same with fluoxetine. It’s personal.

What makes this tricky is that most doctors don’t mention hair loss as a side effect unless you ask. They focus on the big risks: kidney damage, heart issues, dizziness. But losing clumps of hair every time you shower? That’s a big deal for your confidence, your daily routine, your mental health. You don’t need to suffer silently. There are ways to tell if your meds are the problem—like tracking when the shedding started, checking if others on the same drug report it, or asking your pharmacist for the full list of side effects. And if it’s the drug? There are often alternatives. A different beta blocker. A different antidepressant. A lower dose. Sometimes, just switching brands helps.

The posts below break down exactly which drugs are linked to hair loss, how they do it, and what you can do next. You’ll find real examples—not guesses. You’ll see what doctors actually say when patients come in worried about thinning hair. You’ll learn how to talk to your provider without sounding paranoid. And you’ll find out when it’s safe to switch, and when you need to stick it out. This isn’t about fear. It’s about control. You deserve to take your meds without losing your hair—and you don’t have to figure it out alone.