Medications That Cause Hair Loss: What Each Drug Label Says

We read each label on DailyMed, the National Library of Medicine's library of official drug labels, on 14 Nov 2026. We do not give doses or medical advice. Your prescriber knows why you take the drug and what the options are.

First: do not stop the medicine on your own

The American Academy of Dermatology is blunt about this: "If you think a medication is causing your hair loss, ask the doctor who prescribed it if hair loss is a possible side effect. It's essential that you do not stop taking the medication before talking with your doctor. Abruptly stopping some medications can cause serious health problems" (AAD: 18 causes of hair loss, read 14 Nov 2026).

That matters most for heart and mood drugs. Stopping a beta-blocker or an antidepressant suddenly can cause real harm. The AAD also says hair can regrow once the cause is dealt with.

How drugs cause hair loss

Most drug-related hair loss is a type of shedding called telogen effluvium. Hair grows in cycles, and a drug can push many hairs into the resting stage at once. A few months later they fall out together. MedlinePlus lists medicines among the causes of this kind of shedding, and says "You may not notice this for weeks to months after the episode of stress." The same delay applies to a new drug.

So if your hair started falling out, think back two to four months. Was there a new prescription, a dose change, or a stop? Our diffuse thinning guide explains this shedding in more detail.

What each label says

Labels list side effects from trials and from reports sent in after approval. Reports after approval cannot show how often a side effect happens or prove the drug caused it. Most labels say so. Still, a drug that lists hair loss is worth asking about.

Alopecia, the word labels use, is the medical term for hair loss.

Can phentermine cause hair loss?

The phentermine label we read lists side effects in the heart, nervous system, gut, allergy and hormone areas. It does not list hair loss (DailyMed: phentermine label).

If you shed while taking it, the more likely reason is the weight loss itself. The AAD lists having "Lost 20 pounds or more" among the triggers for excessive shedding (AAD: hair loss or shedding, read 14 Nov 2026). Fast weight loss from any cause, including diets low in protein, can do it. This kind of shedding usually settles within months.

Does Wellbutrin cause hair loss?

The Wellbutrin XL label lists it among skin reactions reported after approval: "Maculopapular rash, alopecia, angioedema, exfoliative dermatitis, hirsutism" (DailyMed: Wellbutrin XL label). The label notes these reports come from "a population of uncertain size", so the rate is unknown. Bupropion is the generic name.

Does Adderall cause hair loss?

The Adderall label lists alopecia under its skin side effects, in the same list as rashes and hives (DailyMed: Adderall label). It gives no rate. Adderall can also cut appetite and cause weight loss, which the label lists too, and weight loss can trigger shedding on its own.

Does Accutane cause hair loss?

Yes, it is listed, and it is the one on this list where the label says it can last. Accutane was the original brand of isotretinoin; Absorica is a current brand. The label lists "alopecia(which in some cases persisted)" among skin side effects (DailyMed: Absorica label). Isotretinoin is a retinoid, a vitamin A drug, which MedlinePlus also names as a cause.

Does Lexapro cause hair loss?

The Lexapro label lists alopecia among reactions reported after approval: "alopecia, angioedema, dermatitis" sit at the start of its skin list (DailyMed: Lexapro label). Escitalopram is the generic name. MedlinePlus names "certain antidepressants" as a cause of shedding in general.

Can metoprolol cause hair loss?

The Toprol-XL label lists "reversible alopecia" among reactions reported after approval of Toprol-XL or the short-acting form of metoprolol (DailyMed: Toprol-XL label). Reversible means it went away. Metoprolol is a beta-blocker, a class MedlinePlus names. Never stop a beta-blocker suddenly; the label warns that stopping can worsen heart pain.

What to do if you think a drug is the cause

1. Note the timing. When did the shedding start, and when did the drug start or change?
2. Ask the prescriber. Bring this list. They may switch you to a similar drug, change the dose, or reassure you.
3. Check other causes. The AAD lists thyroid disease and low iron, protein, zinc or biotin. A blood test can rule these out.
4. Give it time. Drug-related shedding usually slows once the body adjusts or the drug changes. Hair grows back slowly, so fullness takes months.

When it is not the drug

Many men notice thinning while on a new medicine that would have happened anyway. Male pattern hair loss, which runs in families, can begin in the late teens or early twenties, the AAD says. If the thinning is at the temples and crown, and the back and sides stay thick, pattern loss is the more likely cause. The drug may just be bad timing.

Pattern loss does not stop on its own. Our male pattern baldness treatment guide covers finasteride and minoxidil, and our Norwood scale guide shows the usual stages.

What pattern hair loss treatment costs

Generic finasteride starts at $0.83 a tablet at Strut Health. The cheapest hair loss plan we track is Keeps at $14 a month, checked November 14, 2026. Every plan and its source is on our hair loss price page.