Can You Stop Or Reverse The Hair Loss
Where possible, the best way to treat drug-induced alopecia is to stop taking the medication responsible for the hair loss. However, people should not stop taking a medication without their doctorâs agreement.
The doctor will discuss any alternative treatment options and ensure that a person switches safely to any new medications.
Once a person stops taking the medication that caused the alopecia, it can take half a year for the hair to stop shedding.
People usually notice new hair growth within 3â6 months. However, it may take up to 18 months for a personâs hair to recover cosmetically.
People who think that they may be experiencing drug-induced alopecia should speak to a healthcare professional.
Early signs of excessive hair loss include:
- noticing hairs on pillows
- finding extra hairs in combs or hairbrushes
- losing more hair than usual when showering
When diagnosing drug-induced alopecia, a doctor will take a complete medical history that takes into account the following factors:
- any new medications that the person is taking, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements
- any change in medication dosages
- the personâs general health and nutrition status
- whether the person has had any recent illnesses or surgeries
- whether there is a family history of hair loss
A doctor may also perform the following tests to assist the diagnosis:
Alopecia Areta Uric Acid Blood Press
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Your Feet Can Show Signs Of Serious Health Issues
There are some overall health issues that could change the appearance or feel of your feet during a foot exam. This is because circulatory system issues often appear in the extremity that is furthest from your heart: your feet! Here are some issues that could point to serious health problems:
- Cold feet hypothyroidism causes your thyroid to underproduce important hormones, which could cause your feet to chill. This might also cause depression, hair loss, and fatigue.
- Dry, flaky skin dry skin on the feet could be caused by nerve damage or an allergic reaction.
- Swelling in the feet and ankles fluid retention is a common sign of kidney disease.
- Constant foot or leg cramps frequent cramps could be from a lack of vital minerals like calcium or potassium, or from dehydration. Try eating a banana daily and make sure youre getting plenty of fluids.
- Hairless toes impaired blood circulation could cause you to lose the hair on your toes.
- Numbness needles and pins or numbness in the feet and toes could be neuropathy, which is often linked to diabetes.
- Red, painful, swollen big toe Gout is a form of arthritis that results from uric acid buildup. It often causes a painful reaction in your big toe.
- Clubbed toenails rounded toenails could be a sign of pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, or lung cancer.
- Sores that wont heal abrasions or ulcers that dont heal quickly are a common side effect of diabetes.
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The Conditions Of Which You Likely Do Not Have Control Are:
- GenderMen are more likely to get gout than women. This condition most commonly strikes men between the ages of 30-50. Women can get gout, too, however. After menopause, their levels of uric acid increase, which is when they are more likely to experience an attack.
- Family historyYour risk for gout increases if others in your family have had this disease.
- Injury, and surgery These too can be potential triggers for a gout attack.
What You Can Do
If youve recently begun taking a new medication and have noticed hair thinning or loss, talk to your doctor about switching to another medication. They may be able to choose a medicine that doesnt cause the same side effect. Your doctor may also recommend that you stop taking the medication for a few months.
If youre experiencing pattern baldness as a result of medication, some treatments like Rogaine , Propecia , and dutasteride may be right for you.
You may have to use these medications for a certain period of time before you see results. For example, it may take six months or more to see results from Rogaine treatment. Learn how to get the best results out of Rogaine.
Hair transplant surgery or laser therapy may also be right for you if youre experiencing pattern baldness.
Home and lifestyle remedies include wearing a wig or hairpiece and covering your hair with a scarf or hat.
Many people who undergo chemotherapy choose to proudly display their new look. Remember that if youre going through a tough health situation, you have every right to be proud of how youre fighting it. Its entirely up to you to decide the look youre most comfortable with.
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Nsaids Can Cause Hair Loss
Hair loss from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , including Motrin , is a rare side effect and is typically secondary to what the medical community calls telogen effluvium.
This type of hair loss occurs when some stress, such as a medication, causes hair roots to be pushed prematurely into a resting state, called telogen, according to rheumatologist Scott J. Zashin, MD, clinical assistant professor at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.
Abrupt diffuse hair loss will typically be noticed after two or more months from the time the stress occurredfor example, the time the medication was started, he says.
What Are The Common Causes Of Hair Loss In Women
What causes hair loss?
- Hair style: Your style of hair can cause hair loss when your hair is arranged in ways that pull on your roots, like tight ponytails, braids, or corn rows. This type of hair loss is called traction alopecia. If hair follicles are damaged, the loss can be permanent.
- Vitamin deficiency.
- Over processed scalp hair .
What causes anagen effluvium hair loss?
- Toxic substances, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy and some medications. These cause sudden hair loss that can occur anywhere on your body. It happens to hair in the growth stage. Sometimes, this type of hair loss can be permanent if your hair follicles are damaged.
What causes telogen effluvium hair loss?
- Extreme physical stress or shock to your body: This causes temporary hair loss. This category includes events like losing a lot of weight, surgery, anemia, illness and having a baby.
- Extreme emotional stress: mental illness, the death of a loved one, etc.
- An abnormal thyroid.
- Medications and supplements: blood pressure medicines, gout medicines and high doses of Vitamin A.
- Hormone changes caused by pregnancy, menopause or birth control pills.
What causes FPHL ?
- Genes: Your familys genes can cause thinning of hair along the top of your head.
- Aging: Hormone changes as you age can cause balding.
- Menopause: This type of hair loss often gets worse when estrogen is lost during menopause.
There are also some conditions that affect hair loss:
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When Do You See A Doctor
You can see the doctor if you are distressed by continual hair loss in you or your family and want to seek treatment. For women who are experiencing a receding hairline , talk with your doctor about early treatment to avoid considerable permanent baldness.
Also, talk to your doctor if you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your or your childs hair. Premature hair loss can give a sign of an underlying medical situation that requires treatment.
The right amount of calories and vitamins are needed in the body therefore, one should consult a dietician before starting an intermittent fasting weight loss journey especially people who are already suffering hair loss or those who are likely to start balding due to heredity .
Hair Loss: Symptoms And Causes
Exogen or the shedding phase of the hair growth cycle is an extension of the telogen phase. Hair is released from the scalp during the exogen phase often during combing and washing. It is common to lose 50 to 100 hairs every day throughout the exogen phase. This phase can last for 2 to 5 months and new hairs grow in the follicles as old hair falls out. Hair may begin to fall out more quickly than it is regenerated if this hair growth cycle is disturbed or if a hair follicle is damaged. This results in symptoms such as thinning of hair, hair falling out in patches and baldness. Hair loss can affect your entire body or mainly your scalp and it can be temporary or permanent. Hair loss can be caused by hereditary, hormonal changes, health issues, ageing, stress, environmental factors and hairstyling.
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What Medications Can Cause Hair Loss 46 Known Drugs
May 26, 2021
Losing your hair or dealing with baldness can be incredibly frustrating.
As you age, it’s also not altogether unexpected: a majority of men will deal with hair loss sometime in their life due to natural causes, but it can be delayed — and hair restored — with proper hair loss treatment.
But medications for other conditions can also cause hair loss, and certain drugs can contribute not only to hair loss but excessive hair growth and changes in color and texture as well.
There’s good news though, as these changes in your hair are typically reversible once you stop taking the drug thats causing them. Here’s what you should know about medications and hair loss.
Do Gout Medications Cause Hair Loss
The UK Gout Society states that, more men acquire gout than women and usually is seen among those between the ages of 30 and 60. Gout affects one of every 100 people so it is quite common especially among older people.
The typical symptoms of gout are severe joint pain, inflammation around the joint, shiny red skin around the joint, warmth around the affected joint, and may or may not be accompanied by mild fever. Usually, there are urate crystals called tophi beneath your skin. These look like white lumps that are firm to the touch.
So now you are one of the unfortunate ones diagnosed with gout. You are most likely prescribed an anti-gout medication like allopurinol. Allopurinol is an enzyme blocker that lowers high levels of uric acid in your body by decreasing the amount produced. Your doctor may have informed you of the side effects that may go with the use of this drug.
Possible allopurinol side effects are stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, fever, headache, and tiredness. To reduce side effects, use only as directed and make sure you hydrate well while on this medication, aiming to produce two liters of urine every day to prevent kidney stones.
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Medications That Cause Hair Loss In Females
Hormone therapies can trigger hormone imbalances in women, causing hair loss and potentially causing permanent female pattern baldness.
Birth control pills used for contraception and hormone replacement therapies , like progesterone and estrogen, are examples. Women who have undergone a full hysterectomy, for example, require ongoing HRT after surgery.
Feeling Or Being Sick
Feeling or being sick is usually well controlled with anti sickness medicines. Avoiding fatty or fried foods, eating small meals and snacks, drinking plenty of water, and relaxation techniques can all help.
It is important to take anti sickness medicines as prescribed even if you dont feel sick. It is easier to prevent sickness rather than treating it once it has started.
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What Can Be Done
If its your first time having gout, you should contact our Cromwell office for an appointment by calling 632-5499. Our podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas will examine your foot and toe and also get a complete medical history. X-rays or lab tests may be conducted to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms. The foot doctor may recommend that you avoid foods high in purines . Drinking plenty of water can help flush excess uric acid from your body. Medications are also available to help prevent future attacks.
Podiatrists are like the Sherlock Holmes of feet. They check the appearance and condition of your feet to find important clues about your overall health. They can pinpoint serious issues like impaired circulation, lung disease, and dehydration with their podiatry detective tools.
How To Stop Hair Loss Associated With Medication
If hair loss is affecting your appearance and self-confidence, your healthcare provider may try to lower your dosage or switch you to another medication to see if that solves the issue.
If the medication is effectively treating your arthritis, your practitioner may discuss with you the benefits and side effects before taking such measures.
When altering the dose or switching medications isnt possible, your practitioner may refer you to a dermatologist for other options.
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Serious Side Effects Of Colchicine
Although colchicine is considered a safe drug, one must note that there are some serious adverse effects associated with its use. If any of the following symptoms below occur while using colchicine, your medical provider should be contacted immediately for further medical attention.
- Myelosuppression
- Leukopenia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Reversible azoospermia
Treatment For Hair Loss
Finasteride is a Type II 5-reductase competitive inhibitor that decreases your bodys ability to convert testosterone to dihydrotestosterone . In genetically susceptible people, DHT shortens the growth phase of hair from years to weeks or months and decreases the hair follicle size. Finasteride reduces the amount of circulating DHT in the body by approximately two-thirds and slightly increases testosterone levels.
Start a treatment plan with Finasteride today!
DISCLAIMER
While we strive to always provide accurate, current, and safe advice in all of our articles and guides, its important to stress that they are no substitute for medical advice from a doctor or healthcare provider. You should always consult a practicing professional who can diagnose your specific case. The content weve included in this guide is merely meant to be informational and does not constitute medical advice.
References:
1. Watras MM, Patel JP, Arya R. Traditional Anticoagulants and Hair Loss: A Role for Direct Oral Anticoagulants? A Review of the Literature. Drugs Real World Outcomes. Mar 2016 3:1-6. doi:10.1007/s40801-015-0056-z
2. Phillips TG, Slomiany WP, Allison R. Hair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment. Am Fam Physician. Sep 15 2017 96:371-378.
3. Kanwar AJ, Narang T. Anagen effluvium. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. Sep-Oct 2013 79:604-12. doi:10.4103/0378-6323.116728
8. Patel M, Harrison S, Sinclair R. Drugs and hair loss. Dermatol Clin. Jan 2013 31:67-73. doi:10.1016/j.det.2012.08.002
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You Have A Thyroid Condition
Thyroid conditionslike hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidismcan cause a range of hair issues, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Those include: thinning or missing eyebrows , soft and fine hair with lots of shedding, thinning hair, and less hair on other body parts.
Of course, if you have experienced hair loss with a thyroid issue, the best bet is to speak with your doctor about treatment possibilitiesbut usually, treating the underlying cause first is essential to treating any other associated issues.
You Have Female Or Malepattern Baldness
You might already know about malepattern baldness, a type of hair loss caused by a combo of genes and male sex hormones that usually makes the hair on a man’s head recede at the temples, leaving an Mshaped hairline.
But hormone-related hairloss for femalesor femalepattern baldnessis also a thing, according to the US National Institute of Health. This type of hair loss occurs when the hair follicle shrinks so much over time that it doesn’t grow new hair. In women, the symptoms of femalepattern baldness includes a widening of the center hair part, and, sometimes, coarser hair on the face.
The only FDAapproved treatment for female and malepattern hair is minoxidil , but if that doesn’t work, your doctor may prescribe oral medications such as finasteride that can halt hair loss or even cause some to grow surgery to transplant or graft hair is also an option.
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Regular High Protein Diet:
Your body may get high protein usually by eating animal foods such as meat or fish. An ounce of meat or fish has approximately 7 grams of protein. This results in the production of uric acid in high concentration which gets build up in the blood as your body cannot digest it. The excess amount of uric acid causes your hair to fallout. High protein diet also strips off essential nutrients such as Calcium and other fluids from your body. It may also cause the arteries to become filled with plaque, and this prevents the cells in the scalp from receiving the proper nutrients needed for healthy hair growth.
Youre Having Hormonal Issues
Hormone imbalances in which women have higher levels of testosterone than estrogen can cause hair loss on the head, but also spur hair growth in other places, like the chin, says Figaro.
Women going through menopause may experience hair loss because estrogen levels drop quicker than testosterone levels as their hormones bottom out, she says.
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In addition, women with the chronic condition polycystic ovarian syndrome often have elevated testosterone levels, which can lead to male-pattern baldness, or adrogenic alopecia, says the Mayo Clinic.
Medications that help to lower testosterone levels, like a drug called Spironolactone, may help reduce hormone-related hair troubles and can be prescribed by an endocrinologist, Figaro says.
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