If you take antidepressants to help manage your mental health, you’re one of many. According to a report from 2020, 13.2% of adults use antidepressants each month. [1]
Antidepressant use was much more common among women than men (17.7% versus 8.4% respectively [1]). Unfortunately, hair loss can be a side effect of this type of medication.
If you’ve recently started taking a new antidepressant and are noticing more hair loss in the shower than normal, you may be wondering how to stop hair loss from antidepressants. In this article, we will explore:
If you take antidepressants and you’re experiencing hair shedding, there’s a chance your symptoms may be due to your medication. Hair loss is an uncommon side effect of some antidepressants, but it does affect some people.
Your hair loss is more likely to be caused by your medication if you’ve recently started taking antidepressants or have switched to a new medication. Research suggests antidepressants can disrupt the hair growth cycle and, in some cases, lead to a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium [2].
Telogen effluvium is a hair loss condition where hair prematurely enters the telogen (resting) phase of the hair growth cycle. It can have several triggers, including [2]:
Fortunately, it’s a temporary type of hair loss. Symptoms tend to disappear once the trigger is no longer present.
The quickest way to stop hair loss caused by an antidepressant is to stop taking the medication. However, this isn’t a good idea without medical supervision.
Stopping medication suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms, or make the symptoms of your mental health condition return. Speak to your doctor for advice — it may be that you can switch to another type of medication that does the same job but doesn’t cause hair loss.
If you’re taking antidepressants for a serious mental health condition, stopping or switching your medication may not be an option. Fortunately, there are other ways to address any hair loss you may be experiencing.
Sometimes, stopping hair loss from antidepressants is as simple as switching to a different brand of the same medication. Some formulations may have a higher dose of the active drug or be absorbed better in your stomach, which can explain this effect. You may also find your hair loss naturally reverses once your body gets used to the new medication you’re on.
In some cases, reducing your dose of medication may be enough to stop your hair loss. Again, this should not be attempted without the supervision of your doctor. Suddenly dropping your dose may cause other symptoms, or cause your mental health to deteriorate.
If you want to reduce your dose, your doctor can help you taper off gradually if they agree it’s safe. This may reduce your symptoms while protecting your mental and physical health.
Antidepressants can cause hair loss, but so can stress. Significant physical or emotional stress can cause the same type of hair loss that could be caused by antidepressants [2]. Speak to your doctor about ways to reduce stress that work with your current mental health treatment plan.
You need to eat a balanced diet for healthy hair growth. Make sure you’re getting plenty of nutrients like zinc, biotin, and iron, as well as your recommended daily allowance of other vitamins and minerals.
If you’re struggling to get enough nutrients through your diet, taking vitamins and other supplements may help. This is true if you have an existing deficiency such as iron deficiency anaemia, which is linked to hair loss [3]. Discuss any new supplements with your doctor before taking them, to make sure they don’t interact with your current medication.
Over-the-counter medication such as topical Minoxidil may help to boost hair growth [4]. There’s also some research behind natural topical treatments such as caffeine shampoo for hair growth [5] and thyme oil for telogen effluvium [6], although current studies on thyme oil are limited and further research is needed to confirm its benefits.
Taking care of your hair is vital to prevent hair breakage that can worsen the appearance of hair loss. Try not to use any harsh hair products, skip the chemical treatments where possible, try a shampoo for hair growth, and avoid excessive heat styling (which can lead to heat-damaged hair).
Some antidepressants have a higher chance of causing hair loss than others. Here are some of the antidepressants that are linked to hair shedding:
Hair loss is not a common side effect of antidepressants. Even if you’re taking antidepressants, your hair loss may be caused by something else, such as:
If you’ve recently started taking a new antidepressant and you think you’re losing more hair than normal, it’s worth speaking to your doctor. Your doctor will be able to advise whether your medication may be causing hair loss.
However, hair loss is an uncommon side effect of antidepressants, and there’s a good chance that something else may be causing your hair shedding. If you’ve already spoken to your doctor, but you’re still experiencing hair loss, it’s worth booking an appointment with a trichologist.
These hair doctors are experts in the causes and treatments of hair loss, and can identify the reason your hair is falling out. Even if antidepressants have caused your hair loss, there’s still plenty a trichologist can do to help.
Hair doctors can advise on topical treatments, lifestyle changes and dietary adjustments that may help you get your hair back on track sooner. If your hair loss is not caused by antidepressants, many other treatments may improve your symptoms.
These include PRP hair treatment, low-level laser therapy, and medications like Finasteride. You may even be a candidate for a natural-looking hair transplant. If you’re ready to get your hair looking its best again, book a consultation at your nearest clinic location today.
Everyone reacts differently to medications, so it’s impossible to say with 100% certainty that an antidepressant will not cause you to lose hair. However, research suggests that paroxetine (a type of SSRI) has a low risk for hair loss compared to other antidepressants [7].
In most cases, you’ll stop losing hair when you stop taking the medication that caused it. If you keep taking the medication, your hair loss may naturally resolve as your body gets used to it. However, hair loss caused by antidepressants can be long-lasting in rare cases [10], requiring further treatment to resolve it.
If medication is causing hair loss, you’ll likely experience diffuse thinning across your scalp rather than patchy hair loss or a receding hairline. However, the only way to be sure if your medication is causing hair loss is to get an assessment from a medical professional.
Like antidepressants, depression is linked to a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium. Fortunately, this is a temporary hair loss condition, and your hair will likely return once your mental health symptoms are under control.
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