Statin drugs and Hair loss

[srm73]

Hi all,

My hair loss has been really slow over the years until the past year and half or so when I started to notice baldness in my front and top. I ended up getting a HT in the front. But I am loosing hair fast on the top all the way to the crown area. I am on rogaine but had a hard luck with FIN as I had sides. Just today on my way to work, I started thinking about my options and ways to save my hair, suddenly it hit me that may be my hair loss is caused by the statin drung that I am currently on. I am taking it daily to keep my cholesterol under control.

 

My question is that has this topic been discussed on these forums before? Can statin drugs cause hair loss? Any help is welcome. Thanks in advance.

[srm73]

I have done a little research on this and have found that some people did experience hair loss because of these drugs. Here are 2 links:

Hair Loss and Statin Drugs | Spacedoc.com

 

https://www.druginformer.com/search/side_effect_details/crestor/alopecia.html

[Shera]

I haven't seen the topic discussed before but a simple google search for "Can statin drugs cause hair loss", will prove that hair loss can be a symptom of taking certain statins.

 

According to my search, only atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor) have reported hair loss as an adverse effect, not the newer statin Crestor (rosuvastatin). Probably the dosage is also a contibutory factor.

 

Personally I wasn't aware that statins caused hair loss, so something new learnt there.

 

__________________________________________________

Dr Bhatti FUE Oct 2014 3305 grafts

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/178931-my-fue-dr-tejinder-bhatti-oct-2014-a.html

[srm73]

Thank you for the reply Shera. My few hours of research has suggested that even Crestor can cause hair loss for some people. I am on "Rosuvastatin 10 mg" right now. I am going to see my family doc today to ask about my options. May be I could try getting off it 4 a little while and see if something happens or not. If it turns out to be the cause, I don't know if those fallen hair are going to grow back or not. Found another link:

http://www.ehealthme.com/ds/crestor/hair+loss

[Spidey]

correcting your diet will eliminate the need for a drug for cholesterol... that way you can drop the drug altogether and see if it is causing accelerated hair loss.

[Shera]

correcting your diet will eliminate the need for a drug for cholesterol... that way you can drop the drug altogether and see if it is causing accelerated hair loss.

 

Diet and regular exercise will certainly play some factor, but for some with the heriditory condition of high cholesterol, this may not reduce it significantly to eliminate risk. This is especially prominent in asians originated from the Indian sub-contininent.

 

__________________________________________________

Dr Bhatti FUE Oct 2014 3305 grafts

http://www.hairrestorationnetwork.com/eve/178931-my-fue-dr-tejinder-bhatti-oct-2014-a.html

[srm73]

You are right about this Shera. I am 42 and people normally are not on medication at this age. My doctor had to put me on it because of my unusually high cholesterol levels and my family history.