Do Antibiotics Cause Hair Loss?

Introduction

Whether it’s just treating a sinus infection that won’t go away, an ear infection, or a bad throat condition, taking antibiotics can certainly help you feel better, but there are often side effects. One of the most prominent side effects of antibiotics is gastrointestinal irritation (diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps).

But one of the lesser known side effects is hair loss. Now, before we attribute hair loss to medication, we must note that hair loss can certainly be the result of addiction, but it is also often caused by illness.

When we are sick, our energy boosts our immune system to deal with what has to be expelled from the system. In the process, we may be slightly swollen and nutrient rich nutrient, oxygen rich blood from unnecessary body process (such as hair growth) can be transported to the infected area by immune cells.

Do Antibiotics Cause Hair Loss?

There are innumerable sorts of antibiotics, and some of the familiar antibiotics that cause hair loss are cephalexin, penicillin, and erythromycin.

It is an antibiotic that is used to fight off different bacteria and is used in many countries. However, penicillin has less serious side effects including diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, serious side effects include skin reactions, convulsions and loss of hair.

Like penicillin, erythromycin has common and serious side effects: The side effects are vomiting and diarrhoea, serious side effects are liver problems, chest pain, palpitations and hair loss.

Cephalexin is another antibiotic that can be used in treating bacterial infections including; ear infections, skin infections, respiratory and urinary tract infections. The side effects of Cephalexin are dizziness, diarrhea, and headache; some severe side effects are jaundice, abnormal bleeding, hair loss.

This is because antibiotics are known to eliminate bacteria in the body; this means that good bacteria too will be eliminated. This is one of the reasons why many people develop diarrhea whenever they consume antibiotics. Also, good and bad bacteria can die out, which makes our intestines unable to take in vitamins and minerals necessary for hair growth. Some of these nutrients are B vitamins which are considered to be useful when it comes to the health of hair.

How do antibiotics cause hair loss?

Although antibiotics are the most powerful and effective weapons to treat some diseases today, they do not know which bacteria are attacking them. They kill both beneficial and harmful bacteria in the body. Antibiotics can have a significant effect on beneficial microorganisms in the digestive system. This makes it difficult for the body to absorb vitamin B, which can lead to significant hair loss.

Hair thinning or loss is generally resolved within two to three months of cessation of antibiotics. Healthy hair cells can also enter the telogen phase if the body undergoes major changes such as getting an illness or taking some medication. It is possible for it to happen even after you have stopped taking the medication, depending on the specific conditions. But this will only be for a little period of time. Regrowth of your hair is inevitable.

Medication that has the potential to induce hair loss

Medication that can lead to hair loss includes the following:

An elevated blood pressure

Medications that thin the blood or anticoagulants might lead to hair loss. Both heparin and warfarin sodium are contained within these injections.

• Panwarfin

• Coumadin

• sleeper

• antidepressant

Antidepressants that can cause hair loss include:

• Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride)

• Paxil (paroxetine)

• Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride)

• Tofranil (imipramine)

• Janimine (imipramine)

• Anafranil (clomipramine)

• Sertraline

• Amphetamines

ADHD treatment

People may take amphetamines to manage attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or to treat narcolepsy. The amphetamine drug Adderall lists alopecia as one of the side effects that people can experience.

Treatment for gout

Allopurinol is a drug prescribed by doctors to lower uric acid levels in diabetics. Allopurinol brand name:

• Zyloprim

• Lopurin

• Beta-blockers for glaucoma

Treatment for glaucoma

Timolol is a beta blocker that can be used to treat glaucoma. Types of timolol that can cause hair loss:

• thymoptic occlusion

• Thymoptic eye drops

• Timoptic XC

• Beta-blockers for high blood pressure

Beta blockers

People who take beta-blockers to cure the problem of high blood pressure may have hair loss. These treatments include:

• Tenormin (atenolol)

• Corgard (nadolol)

• Lopressor (metoprolol)

• Blocadren (timolol)

• Inderal or Inderal LA (propranolol)

• Hormonal drugs

Hormonal Medications

Hormonal medications are used to treat different problems but it may result in the form of hair loss in both men and women.

These treatments include:

• Birth control pills

• Testosterone

• Androgen hormones

• Steroids, including prednisone and anabolic steroids

• Anti-inflammatory drugs

Anti-Inflammatory medications

Some anti-inflammatory medications that can cause hair loss include:

• Naprosin (naproxen)

• Anaprox (naproxen)

• Clinoril (Sulindac)

• Indocin (indomethacin)

• Antirheumatic drugs

Treatment for arthritis

People who take medicines to treat rheumatoid arthritis may get hair loss. This is because antirheumatic drugs fight inflammation by stopping cell growth. Some drugs target all cells at once, which mean they can affect the cells that make new hair.

Antiviral medications

Antiviral medications that can cause hair loss include:

• Methotrexate causes hair loss in 1-3% of users

• Arava (leflunomide), which causes hair loss in about 10% of people taking it

• Enbrel (etanercept) and Humira (adalimumab) also rarely cause hair loss. Researchers believe this may be because this drug affects molecules in the body that send messages between cells.

Treatment of Parkinson’s disease

The medicine levodopa or L-dopa can cause hair loss.

Treatment for upset stomach

Medicines to treat stomach ulcers and digestive problems can cause hair loss. These treatments include:

• Tagamet (cimetidine)

• Pepcid (famotidine)

• Other medicines

Other antibiotics that can cause hair loss include:

• medications for thyroid disorders

• immunosuppressants

• chemotherapy

• Antifungals such as voriconazole

• several antibiotics

• Anticonvulsants such as Tridone or Trimethadione

• isotretinoin (Accutane)

• drug containing vitamin A

Medicines that cause hair loss in Women

There are many treatments that can cause hair loss, commonly called alopecia, in women. Certain medications can inhibit hair growth and increase the risk of two types of hair loss: anagen effluvium and telogen effluvium.

Anagen effluvium occurs when hair in the growth phase (anagen) is damaged and broken by treatment such as chemotherapy. Approximately 90% of scalp hairs are in the anagen phase at any given time.

Telogen effluvium, usually caused by some stress on the body, causes hair to fall out in the resting phase (telogen) and can cause anagen hair to fall out into the resting phase. Most drug-induced hair loss is caused by telogen effluvium and is not permanent

The following remedies are commonly used by women and are associated with hair loss:

Female hormones

Oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy can cause hormonal changes that can cause telogen effluvium and, in some cases, female pattern baldness. Starting and stopping medication can also cause hair loss. Some studies suggest that this may be related to the release of progesterone or estrogen.

Thyroid medication

An underactive (hypothyroidism) and overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) associated with hair loss. Medications used to treat this condition can cause hair loss, especially at the beginning of treatment. Once it makes the thyroid level balanced, the hair growth also gets back to normal.

Immunosuppressants

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are more common in women than men. Various medications treat this condition by suppressing the immune system. Some disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as methotrexate and leflunomide, can cause hair loss.

Antidepressants and mood stabilizers

Medications for depression, anxiety, and mood stabilizers increase the risk of hair loss. Some of these drugs:

• Paroxetine (Paxil)

• Sertraline (Zoloft, Important Safety Information)

• Fluoxetine (Prozac, Important Safety Information)

• Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Important Safety Information)

• Citalopram (Celexa)

• Escitalopram (Lexapro, Important Safety Information)

• Amitriptyline

• Valproic acid

• Oral retinoids

Large doses of oral vitamins can cause telogen effluvium. The popular acne medication isotretinoin (Accutane) is derived from vitamin A, can cause hair loss among serious side effects, and should not be taken during pregnancy.

Intake of excessive nutritional supplements

Excessive nutritional supplements can also affect hair. Taking too much vitamin A and selenium, often found in hair supplement formulas, can have the opposite effect and cause hair loss

High blood pressure

Blood clots can lead to a heart attack or stroke, but anticoagulant drugs can help stop them. There has to be further investigation into the possibility that anti-aging drugs like heparin and warfarin cause hair loss.

Medicines for high blood pressure

Beta blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are two types of medicines used to treat high blood pressure. They can make some people lose their hair. Metoprolol, propranolol, and atenolol are all beta blockers that can make hair loss worse. Some ACE inhibitors, like lisinopril, can cause hair loss.

Other common medications that can cause hair loss:

• Cholesterol lowering medicine

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

• antibiotics

• Antifungal

Is hair thinning from antibiotics permanent?

Fortunately the answer is “no”. Most people will not experience permanent hair loss from antibiotics. However, if someone is seriously ill (perhaps requiring IV antibiotics and hospitalization), your hair may have a harder time growing or regrown. Being sick puts your body under a lot of stress, so the sicker you are, the longer it takes to see your weight back

Is there any way to prevent hair loss from antibiotics?

Unfortunately, hair loss caused by the disease is difficult to stop. Clinically, we refer to the temporary hair loss associated with the disease as telogen effluvium. This is generally one of those things that cannot be stopped, but fortunately, not always.

Therefore, if you are on antibiotics, one of the most helpful things you can do for your body is to ensure you have enough food as you recover. That’s why you can supplement with probiotics to enhance your nutrient-dense food consumption alongside enhancing the good bacteria in your stomach. Staying hydrated (ie with water) is good for your body and hair and therefore one should take a lot of water.

It’s also important to take care of yourself when you’re on antibiotics. Do endurance exercises to improve circulation and give yourself plenty of rest and time to recover. Your hair will also benefit from some extra TLC. Wash regularly with a gentle shampoo and conditioner system that takes care of your scalp and hair follicles, and avoid harsh styling procedures like curling or straightening with a hot iron.

Most importantly, it is crucial to finish your antibiotic regimen, and your physician should ensure that this is done when prescribing the medication. If antibiotics are discontinued prior to the conclusion of treatment, the infection may recur and be more severe than it was previously. It also contributes to the issue of global antibiotic resistance.

How to prevent hair loss caused by antibiotics?

Whether your hair looks normal or thicker, this temporary problem will be solved and your old hair volume will be restored. If you have heavy hair, there are a few options that can help in the short term. Several popular foods have been shown to promote hair growth, including omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, and biotin.

While restoring your diet may be beneficial for short-term hair growth, if you want to see permanent results, you may want to consider a hair transplant procedure. Turkish hair transplant results show how successful and effective the procedure is.

If you have to take antibiotics, will your hair grow back?

The good news is that drug-induced hair loss is temporary, not permanent, so hair loss caused by taking antibiotics usually stops when people stop taking antibiotics. But it should be noted that if you want to stop taking antibiotics, you should consult your doctor. It usually takes 3-6 months to achieve hair growth, but the time varies from person to person.

What can you do about hair loss as a result of antibiotics?

Taking antibiotics doesn’t cause hair loss in everyone, but if you have problems, it’s important to talk to your doctor right away. If taking antibiotics is causing your hair loss, your doctor may decide to change or stop your antibiotic treatment.

However, it should be mentioned that hair thinning may occur due to different diseases including autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune Registry is a non-profit organization which strives to create a registry of patients with autoimmune diseases; it is estimated that 14.7-23.5 million Americans have an autoimmune disease.

Hair loss is one of the main symptoms of autoimmune diseases, and common autoimmune diseases include alopecia areata, lupus, and Graves’ disease. If hair loss is detected, consult a doctor to find out the cause and get the right treatment. It is recommended to consult a doctor one or two weeks after the diagnosis of hair loss.

However, there are some people who need to take antibiotics to fight diseases, especially cancer. Using a non-surgical hair replacement system is the best option for people who suffer from hair loss as a result of taking antibiotics.

What things you should ask to your doctor

When discussing medication with a doctor, people may ask the following questions:

• What side effects can have new drugs?

• Will the new treatment affect hair growth?

• Are there other treatments that do not cause hair loss?

• Could there be another reason for hair loss?

Doctors may also tell people that their hair will grow back on its own or that they need treatment for hair loss.

Overview

If people are taking medications that cause hair loss, they may want to talk to their doctor about switching to another one. After people stop taking the medication, they can see hair start to grow back within 6 months.

In some cases, hair will regrow by itself as soon as the person ceases to use the drug. Home remedies can help people with hair regrowth. If the affected skin does not start to regrow after 6 months, a person should consult their physician regarding other treatment methods.