This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Go to /pro/cpd-dashboard page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. CPD dashboard

Go to /account/subscription-details page

This page is worth 0.05 CPD credits. Upgrade to Pro

Drug-induced alopecia

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Several drugs may cause a generalised hair loss of no obvious pattern. The condition is better tolerated if the patient is warned beforehand. A well made wig will often improve morale.

Common causes of iatrogenic alopecia include:

  • cytotoxics - cyclosphosphamide, mercaptopurine derivatives, colchicine, adriamycin
  • antithyroid drugs - carbimazole, thiouracil
  • anticoagulants - heparin, warfarin
  • antituberculous agents - ethionamide
  • excess vitamin A and synthetic retinoids
  • oral contraceptives

In the absence of a demonstrable cause, the condition is often labelled as "idiopathic diffuse hair loss."


Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.