Does Lisinopril Actually Cause Hair Loss?
My Dr. told me that lisinopril doesn’t cause hair loss. You say it does. It is not listed as a side effect, so are you sure it does? I freaking out cuz my hair is falling out. I am 53 years old and had all blood work done and all came back fine. I always had thick thick hair and so does everyone in my family. I am wondering is it menapausual? I have no other syptoms and my periods are still very regular. Will it grow back in or what should I do??? Im so confused because everyone tells you somthing different.
Many drugs can potentially cause hair loss. Most of the times scientists cannot find the exact mechanism of why this happens. Likewise, scientists cannot find the exact cause of hair loss either, because there are so many different factors involved.
I have three important points to make with regards to medications causing hair loss:
- Before identifying a drug as a possible cause of hair loss, you should find other medical causes.
- People take medications for a health problem. You should not stop taking a medication just because you think it may be causing hair loss. Your health should come before your hair (especially if you are not certain that the medication is causing the hair loss).
- Most importantly, you should follow up with your doctor for medication changes and concerns.
If you are taking Lisinopril, you likely have high blood pressure. You should NOT stop taking Lisinopril just because it has a rare side effect that you may or may not be experiencing. Stopping high blood pressure medications puts you at risk for strokes and other serious medical complications. There are other drugs that work just as well for controlling blood pressure as lisinopril. Recent studies suggested some relationship between lisinopril and lung cancer increasing its risk by 14%.
Some women who have genetic hair loss have it appear at about your age. The best way to make this diagnosis is to have your scalp mapped out for miniaturization. If you have genetic female hair loss, then there will be miniaturization over the thinning areas and miniaturization in the ‘rim’ of hair around the side and back of your head. Mapping out your scalp is the key to this diagnosis.
I would like to respond to the woman who complained of hair loss and blood pressure medication. The exact same thing has happened to me. I too had gorgeous thick curly hair…so much so that I was referred to as “big hair”. Now after two years on various blood pressure medications it is getting thinner and thinner- to the place that I am depressed about it. I also am not sure if this is hormonal but my natural mother (I was adopted) does not have this problem,nor did she take BP meds. I understand your concern that this reader should continue to keep her BP low, but I think it is a lack of empathy on your part when you infer that the hair loss is not that significant of a problem. In your early 50’s in this culture your hair is still a major factor to looking good. Of course you will probably agree with my doctor who asked me “what do you want a full head of hair in the casket or walking around a little bald?” I am still debating that question and I have to say women who are not that vain, still have a difficulty going bald,especially if its due to some synthetic medication. There has got to be another answer…
I too have suffered a drastic hair loss , and I take Janumet , Licinopril, Jardance , and Omeprazole , and just recently went from having years of long thick hair , now I’m almost completely bald. Somebody help me I want my hair back .
I started Lisinopril in June and was unaware of the side effects. I have had a cough (I assume from allergy) for many years and then after starting the medication it got much worse. I went to a pulminary specialist because my cough was so bad and he told me to stop the Lisinopril and get on another BP medication. I have also noticed that my hair has been coming out and is much thinner these past few months. It is my opinion that it DOES cause cough and hairloss.
Dr., is there a BP medication that will not cause hair loss.
Also, if someone has had hair loss because of taking Lisinopril will it grow back after stopping the medication (with cardiac physicians approval of course)? I was taking 5mg/daily and had a terrible cough with a lot of mucus. Even my allergist couldn’t understand it. After stopping the Lisinopril I no longer have those symptoms and additionally I have found that I sleep all night (which if I’m not mistaken disruptive sleep is another side effect of Lisinopril).
My husband is having the same problem with the hair loss and thinning. He is just 50 years old and has always had very thick hair. His parents did too, up until their deaths when they were both in their mid-80’s. My husband has been taking Lisinopril for the last couple of years and his hair has drastically thinned out to the point of seeing his scalp all over his head. He’s also convinced it’s the medicine. That is the only regular Rx that he takes. He is going to ask the doctor if he can try a different BP Rx. He has also started walking and jogging again to try to reduce the BP naturally.
Well let me just add a comment, I am 20 years old and have bad kidneys and just a touch of B.P problems, I have always had big, thick hair, UNTIL I started taking this medication! Now I am 20 years old and have thin thin thin hair so bad that you can see through it! I know it has to be this medication and after reading all of the comments I will be taken off of it ASAP!There are way to many options out there to stay on something that makes your hair fall out and makes you cough.
I agree whole-heartedly w/ CM about the hair loss issue & do hope there is another viable solution to curing blood pressure issues than using meds that cause this condition. We (especially women) live in a society where we are judged by our appearance almost as much as (and in many cases entirely) as our qualities, and anything adversely affecting their appearance can unnecessarily dampen one’s spirits unnecessarily.
I have taken Lisinopril for about 2 yrs and haven’t had any issues outside of a cough that occurs mainly when I sleep. However, I stopped taking it for about a year and resumed recently. Within about 3wks of starting the meds, I’m experiencing massive hair loss (which is devastating, as I’ve had thick healthy hair all my life). I also had a recent report from my doctor that indicated that there was a narrowing in one of my renal arteries (a major artery that leads to a kidney), which he beleives is what causes high blood pressure, as the narrowing of the renal artery causes a hormone to be released into the bloodstream that increases blood pressure. I’ve never been known to have this issue before; i was placed on high blood pressure medicine as a fluke and for the first time in my life in a surgery room 2yrs ago while undergoing an unrelated procedure, so I can’t help but wonder whether Lisonpril is the blame for the renal artery narrowing, which was discovered 1/5yrs later.
I am a 25 year old male with Hypertension. It runs in my family. I have been on Lisinopril 10mg/day for 2 years now. I had the thickest hair ever about five months ago. Its over 60% gone now. Comes out everywhere on my head!!! I gently pull at my hair and 3-4 hairs fall out. I have been freaking out about this.
Blood work normal, thyroid normal, etc. Lisinopril? Maybe? I’d love to know!!!!
I’m 53 years old and have always had a full head of really thick hair. But since taking Lisinopril for about 3 months now, I’ve noticed my hair getting REALLY thin! It also feels really dry and not only looks real thin but feels really thin!
So I decided to do an online search of Lisinopril and hairloss, and lo & behold! There it was… many people complaining about the hair loss & hair thinning when using Lisinopril! So yes! It is TRUE! Lisinopril does cause thinning hair and hair loss. I’ve scheduled an appointment with my Doctor next week to change to Losartan and get off of this train wreck!
I am a 62 year old female. I started Lisinopril and after suffering from a constant dry cough and hair loss,I made an appointment with my allergy doctor. Within seconds of reading my medication list he suggested that I change my blood pressure medication. After five days the cough was gone and my throat was not sore or raspy anymore. My hair continued to fall out for about six months but has slowed up now, thank God. I felt (and thought) I was going to die. My allergy physician is a learned man who keeps up-dated on medication side effects. Medications do not cause everyone to experience side effects. Those of you who do experience side effects should seek help as soon as possible.
I am a black 57 year old female. My doctor put me on Lisinoopril and Hydrochlorothiazide (two tables a day which totals 40 mg) With in 2 weeks I started noticing a difference in the texture of my hair. I thought it may be the products I was putting in my hair but I never changed the products that often. Then I began a constant cough and I started having knee problems as well as not sleeping well through out the night. I cut my hair thinking it may be damaged hair. With it being really short I noticed the baldness creeping in even more. I am going to the doctor tomorrow to get off this medication.
I started taking Lisinopril/hctz 20-35mg about a year ago and yes I loss almost all my hair it so close to my scalp it’s hardly ther
I have been experiencing hair loss for about a year. Thinning and balding. The doctor said the meds had nothing to do with it. I had to back into what I’d changed. I started lisinopril about a year ago and have reseated online to see that yes the meds are causing hair loss. My blood pressure is regulated but my hair is gone. A new med needs to be give given because I’m stressed over my baldness driving my pressure back up.
Does the hair grow back????? How long after stopping?
I have no idea how long it takes as i would like to know to….I started this medication about a year a half ago and my hair is so thin you can literately see threw it now. It is so bad i have decided to take myself off until i go to the doctors in a coupe of weeks. At first i was convinced that it was possibly my thyroid but now after reading every ones comments i’am more inclined to believe its this medication. Lisinopril 20-25 mg
I am 53, have ALWAYS had thick hair, but had noticed dry, brittle hair that falls out at the slightest tug. Feels very much thinner when I run my hands through it. Have been on Lisinopril for a year, but only 5 mg. I think there is a correlation.
In addition, does anyone else have problems with thick mucus stuck in the throat, especially at night? It’s really troublesome. Again, I think it’s the Lisinopril.
I am 55 years old and have been taking this medication for almost two years. I had long thick silky hair. My hair is also very thin and
A lot of hair has been loss. I thought maybe it was from heat and chemical relaxers but now I’m seeing more and more it is the medication. I also do not get a full night’s sleep and my throat is very dry at night. We have to look into natural ways to heal our bodies, I believe our Creator has given us everything in this earth for us to use to cure every disease.
I’m 38, was prescribed 40 mg of Lisinopril for 11-years, Effexor 150 mg, Klonopin 1 mg, and Wellbutrin 150 mg for 14 and a half years by three raging, psychotic doctors at Metro Hospital, in Cleveland, Ohio. I now have no hair, extreme excessive body hair growth, bladder and rectal dysfunction, tremors, insomnia, extreme weight gain, etc., etc., etc., etc.
The antidepressants and sedative cause extremely high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fast heartbeat, the inability for the bladder and rectum to contract correctly, and so on.
I asked my doctor if there was something that could help with a tiny bit of test/exam-related anxiety, he gives me 2 antidepressants and a sedative/epileptic seizure medication for 14 and a half years. I can’t believe I subjected my body to this EXTREMELY debilitating TORTURE! And, no, I do not have epilepsy.
The symptoms, physical problems, and other problems that these medications cause mimic severe problems that are solely being caused by these pills, unfortunately and disgustingly enough, then, these doctors start to prescribe other medications causing further erosion of the body.
Ask yourself, “did I have these various problem(s) prior to taking this medication(s)?” I certainly didn’t have any of these problems prior to taking these medications.
What makes this even more horrific is, the doctors who prescribed these meds to me, paid cash for their homes. No mortgage, just cash! Other doctors I’ve seen, who haven’t been crazy about prescribing pills, actually have mortgages. And, yes, I looked these people up on my county recorder’s site.
I love how these sickos state it’s normal to be bald at 22-years-old, soiling your pants, and so on, it’s all normal in your 20’s and 30’s. None of these things are normal!!!
Yes, all blood pressure medications, all antidepressants, any and all psychiatric medications cause baldness. Not to mention bladder and rectal dysfunction, as well as a long, long laundry list of other debilitating physical problems.
Take back your life, stop taking pills. The only people who win when people take pills are pharmaceutical companies and doctors. People suffer, companies and doctors laugh all the way to the bank!
Have been taking lisinopril for several years. Have had hair fall out several times but slows down and is ok for a while then starts again. The last few months the dose was increased from 5 mg per day to between 15-25 mg per day. This time my hair started to fall out and now I am so thin it’s clear that I am going bald. There is hair everywhere. The dirt in my vacuum is in a ball due to all the hair and it is still falling. I have trouble with other types of meds and have always returned to lisinopril as a result. It does work well but the price is high. My doctor says it’s not the meds. It’s horrifying!
To all ladies losing hair on BP meds – it IS the medications doing it, regardless of what drug companies/manufacturers tell you. They are in this for the $ not the remedy. All medications are a band aid on a problem, and not a solution to the issue unfortunately. I am 56 (today actually – happy birthday to me!) and have the most fabulous hair (or had) very long, very curly and extremely thick, my family call it “my crowning glory”. It now feels like half of the hair is gone. I am taking Lisinopril and Propranolol and the hair loss is insane! (In fact I just called the docs to get me off the propranalol due to other drastic side effects, but this is ridiculous). I shampooed yesterday and posted a picture of my hair loss during shampoo – everyone was shocked! Ladies,if you can take another medicine that is not poisonous to the hair follicles, then do so. The 2 drugs I am currently on are poisonous to hair follicles hence the loss. If my hair loss continues at this rate, there will be no need for me to ever see a hairdresser again!