Which Blood Pressure Medications Cause Hair Loss? Signs, Causes, & Solutions
Some blood pressure medications, as well as certain thyroid and cholesterol medications, can contribute to temporary hair loss or thinning. Understanding the connection between medications and hair loss can help you identify potential causes and explore options for managing thinning hair while maintaining your overall health. If you suspect your medication is causing hair loss, talk with your doctor before making any changes to your treatment plan.
Almost every medication has some side effects. You’ve heard the TV commercials with the (often long) list of possible side effects. Even with those long lists, you don’t know if you are going to experience any, all, or none of those side effects until you actually start the medication.
It can also be difficult to tell if a symptom you are experiencing is caused by medication or something else. Here, we will discuss signs that your blood pressure, thyroid, or cholesterol medication may be causing your hair loss. Specifically, we will address the questions:
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“Which blood pressure medications cause hair loss?”
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“Can thyroid medication cause hair loss?” and
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“Does cholesterol medication cause hair loss?”
How Blood Pressure Medications Affect Hair Growth
To fully understand the connection between hair growth and medication side effects, we are going to walk you through the three steps of hair growth, as well as the most common type of hair loss. This will set you up with the knowledge to appreciate the connection between medication and hair loss better.
Understanding Your Hair’s Growth Cycle
Before addressing which blood pressure medications cause hair loss and how, it can be helpful to understand your hair’s growth cycle from start to finish.
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First is the Anagen phase of hair growth where your hair is actively growing. This can last 2 to 8 years.
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Next is the Catagen phase, which is the transition phase of hair growth. This is where hair follicles shrink in preparation for hair loss. This can last 2 to 3 weeks.
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Finally, you have the Telogen phase, which is known as the resting phase of hair growth. This can last 2 to 4 months, after which your hair naturally falls out.
What Is Telogen Effluvium, and How Does It Affect Hair Loss?
Telogen effluvium is one of the most common types of hair loss, especially as a side effect of medication. One common medication that causes telogen effluvium is blood pressure medication.
It looks like a general thinning out of your hair. This usually happens on the top of your head, but can occur at your hairline and the back and sides of your head. It happens when a higher number of hair follicles reach the final stage of hair growth (telogen) at the same time.
What To Do If You Think Medication Is Causing Your Hair Loss?
At Hair Enhancements, since we work with a variety of clients dealing with hair loss, we get a lot of questions about the causes of hair loss.
While our experience listening to clients and doing our own research has taught us a great deal about hair loss, including medication-induced hair loss, the most important thing we encourage you to do is consult with the doctor who prescribed you the medication. They should be your first point of contact if you suspect that medication is impacting your hair growth.
In particular, many clients come to us wondering which blood pressure medications cause hair loss and whether their recent shedding could be related to a prescription change. There are many reasons you might be losing hair, which can include blood pressure medication, but again, we would strongly advise seeking medical guidance from your PCP or dermatologist to determine the exact cause.
Above all else, please do not stop or reduce your medication without your PCP’s approval. Stopping medications abruptly could cause additional side effects, some of which can be harmful. Even if you believe the answer to your blood pressure medication is causing hair loss, your doctor should help determine the safest course of action.
Which Blood Pressure Medications Cause Hair Loss?
Before we examine which blood pressure medications cause hair loss, let’s address an even more basic question: Can blood pressure medication cause hair loss?
Yes, some blood pressure medications might cause temporary hair thinning, but it is rare. Only a few blood pressure medications cause severe or frequent hair loss. We’ll talk through those outliers next.
There are 3 major types of blood pressure medications that may cause hair loss or thinning.
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Beta-blockers: Beta-blockers are the most likely to cause hair loss. They reduce both heart rate and blood flow. This means that your hair follicles may get less oxygen and other necessary nutrients, which can send your hair follicles into the telogen phase more quickly.
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors: ACE inhibitors tend to deplete zinc in your body. Zinc is known to support keratin production, cell division, and basic hair follicle function, all of which are necessary for healthy hair. This nutrient depletion is one reason some people ask, “Can blood pressure medication cause hair loss?” after starting an ACE inhibitor.
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Diuretics: Diuretics, commonly called “water pills,” help flush salt from your body to lower your blood pressure. Unfortunately, they often also remove necessary vitamins and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and iron. This loss of important nutrients can lead to hair thinning.
Additionally, many blood pressure medications do not cause hair loss as a side effect. Those are angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB’s) and calcium channel blockers (CCB’s). Consult your doctor to determine if one of these medications would work for you if you feel like your blood pressure medication is causing your hair loss.
Now that we have addressed the question “Can blood pressure medication cause hair loss?”, let’s look at some other medications that may cause hair loss.
Can Thyroid Medication Cause Hair Loss?
Now that we have reviewed which blood pressure medications cause hair loss, it is also important to ask: How can thyroid medications cause hair loss?
To start with, both hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can cause hair loss as a part of the disorder, i.e. before treatment or medication even come up. This is because the hormones produced by the thyroid gland are important for hair growth, and an imbalance in those hormones can shorten the anagen phase (i.e. when your hair is actively growing).
Once you start medication to support your thyroid, there can be a temporary loss of hair. This happens as the medication works to balance your hormones.
The good news is that your hair will usually start regrowing once the ‘therapeutic level’ of the medication is reached. The therapeutic level of a medication is when the dose is increased enough to manage your medical symptoms.
When examining whether thyroid medications can cause hair loss, it is important to note that medications for both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are known to cause hair loss.
Here are some common medications for the thyroid that can induce hair loss:
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Carbimazole and Propylthiouracil are used to balance out hyperthyroidism. They reduce the rate of thyroid hormone synthesis.
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Levothyroxine (T4) and Liothyronine (T3) are used to treat hypothyroidism. They help replace missing hormones.
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Beta-blockers, such as propranolol and atenolol, are often used to control tremors or palpitations in connection with Graves’disease, in addition to their use for blood pressure. As we discussed earlier, beta-blockers can also cause hair loss.
Does Cholesterol Medication Cause Hair Loss?
To close out our article today, we will address the question: “Does cholesterol medication cause hair loss?”
Statins are the most commonly prescribed medications for lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. LDL is often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol, with HDL (high-density lipoprotein) being the “good”. High LDL levels can cause the cholesterol to build up in your arteries making it harder for the blood to flow easily. This can then lead to damage to either the artery or the organ that is getting the reduced blood flow.
It has been found that very few people experience hair loss while taking statins. However, when cholesterol medication does induce hair loss, it could be due to:
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less fat in the blood, leading to more brittle hair
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a decrease in blood flow
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a reduction in the absorption of nutrients.
3 Options for Managing Your Hair Loss
Compared to other causes of hair loss, including stress and chemotherapy, hair loss from blood pressure, thyroid, and cholesterol medications can be easier to manage.
Most hair loss associated with these medications is temporary. It lasts either for only a few months or sometimes until your hormones balance. Beyond that, hair loss is not the most common side effect of these medications.
Some of the ways that we recommend to our clients to manage hair loss caused by one or more of these types of medications are to:
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Be careful when brushing your hair, using heat or harsh chemicals, or putting your hair into tight ponytails or braids.
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Make some simple changes, like increasing your protein intake or using natural hair color if you need to color your hair.
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Consider using a human hair topper or wig to cover your hair loss. This can give you an instant boost without waiting for your hair to regrow, which can take 2 to 3 months to fully come in.
Let Us Help You Weather Your Hair Loss with Dignity
Losing your hair unexpectedly due to a new medication can catch you off guard. We know you likely have many questions and a lot of emotions.
Let us help you move from researching medication side effects like hair loss to finding practical, beautiful ways to boost your self-confidence.
If you’re interested in exploring what a custom wig or topper might look like for you, you can book a free, confidential consultation virtually or in-person to discuss your unique situation, or you can check out our full range of wigs online.
We would love to hear your story and partner with you to design the solution that best fits your needs, desires, and journey, because the joy that comes from seeing clients find their perfect fit is why we do what we do.
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