Does Zoloft cause hair loss or hair thinning? If you suffer from clinical depression and anxiety disorders, you’ll know how devastating it can be. Not only does it affect your mindset but also impairs your everyday functioning and productivity.

It is a well-known side effect of most SSRI drugs such as Zoloft (sertraline) that are used to treat anxiety disorders and depression, but most people are worried about the side effects. Fortunately, there are some natural alternatives to deal with depression, including the use of home remedies, meditation, and yoga.

If you’ve ever taken Zoloft for depression or another mental health condition, you might have noticed that it often causes hair loss or hair thinning in some people.

This can be a side effect of almost any SSRI: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors inhibit the body’s ability to store serotonin, which leads to lower levels of serotonin in the brain and hair loss as a result. In this article, we’ll look at how exactly Zoloft causes hair loss and what you can do about it. 

Does Zoloft cause hair loss?

Hair loss is a rare side effect of Zoloft (sertraline) but may occur due to the mechanism of Zoloft’s action on the brain’s dopaminergic system. Zoloft causes temporary hair loss which you can get as bald patches or overall hair thinning. Zoloft triggers a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium which is also experienced in rare cases in most psychotropic drugs.

Dopamine does affect sympathetic nerve fibers. The sympathetic nerve fibers are known to help regulate hair growth and thus taking Zoloft and other people who take medications for depression and mood stabilization may experience hair loss.

Zoloft, also known as Sertraline, is an antidepressant that is used to treat depression and other mood disorders. It’s a prescription drug that should only be taken by those who have been diagnosed with depression or another mood disorder. Unfortunately, taking this medication can cause some side effects.

One of the rare side effects that people experience while taking Zoloft includes hair loss. There are many different causes for hair loss but it usually falls under one of two categories: male or female pattern baldness or reasons unknown (which may be due to genetics, stress, illness, or injury).

Hair loss caused by Zoloft falls into the second category which means there isn’t any real way to prevent it from happening to you. The good news is that this type of hair loss does not show up on physical exams so it will not make you appear sickly or unhealthy if you don’t mind your lack of hair.

If you do want to restore your hairline though, there are three possible options: Rogaine (minoxidil), Propecia (finasteride), and laser treatment. However, the hair loss is temporary, and thus even if you have a bald patch or lose your hair diffusely, the hair should grow back on its own once the body gets used to the dosage or when you stop taking the medication.

Related: Does Citalopram cause hair loss?

How Does Zoloft Cause Hair Loss?

Telogen effluvium is a condition where the body sheds more hair than it grows. This is not an uncommon side effect of taking Zoloft or any SSRI for that matter.

Telogen effluvium is typically caused when your body enters a period of emotional or physical stress, which can trigger the telogen phase. The telogen phase of hair growth occurs every 90 days, and when it’s triggered prematurely, hair loss can occur.

The longer you’ve been on Zoloft, the greater chance you have of experiencing telogen effluvium. As we know, telogen effluvium has many different causes; it may be caused by medications like Zoloft or other prescription drugs or by specific illnesses like thyroid problems or cancer.

But how does Zoloft specifically cause hair loss? Zoloft has the ability to inhibit serotonin production in your brain and throughout your body, which causes low levels of serotonin in the brain and can result in hair loss as well as other side effects like excessive sleepiness and sexual dysfunction.

Prescription antidepressants are often used to treat mental health conditions such as depression because they have less-severe side effects than medications traditionally used to treat these conditions (e.g., antipsychotics).

However, even with these milder side effects, certain antidepressants can cause unwanted outcomes like telogen effluvium and hair loss.

Does sertraline 50mg cause hair loss?

Yes, in some case reports, hair loss has been reported to be present after a month of sertraline use, while in others hair loss is seen within the first 2 weeks.

Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI, which means that it inhibits the body’s ability to store serotonin.

Serotonin is a mood-regulating chemical in the brain, and hair loss is one of the symptoms of low levels of this hormone. Zoloft is just one SSRI, but there are others like Prozac and Paxil as well.

As with all mental health drugs, it’s important to talk about drug interactions with your doctor before taking any medication.

How common is hair loss with Zoloft?

Hair loss and thinning is a sertraline side effect — but it’s rare. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons of taking Zoloft if you are struggling with hair loss.

Zoloft is one of many drugs that can cause hair loss. In fact, any SSRI has a risk of hair loss. Hair loss can occur after just two months of taking the drug. But there is some good news: for most people, the hair will start to grow back after a few months off the drug.

The exception is if you have a genetic predisposition to baldness or thinning before starting Zoloft; then you might experience permanent hair loss after using this drug.

Is There Any Hope for Regrowing Hair While Taking Zoloft?

After stopping taking the medication (Zoloft) the hair will grow back in 6 months or less. This happens as the body adjusts to the normal levels of serotonin causing hair follicles to become active again. For some people, hair can start growing again once the body adjusts to the new levels of serotonin in the brain.

But if you are experiencing hair loss as a result of taking Zoloft and want to stop it, you’ll need to request an “off-label” prescription for a different type of SSRI like Prozac or Lexapro.

These newer medications don’t cause as many side effects because they are more selective in their serotonin uptake. So what do you think? Have you experienced hair loss while taking Zoloft? If so, give us a call today and we can help you determine if there is any hope for regrowing your hair.

Strategies To Deal With Zoloft-Induced Hair Loss

If you’ve ever taken Zoloft for depression or another mental health condition, you might have noticed that it may cause hair loss. This can be a side effect of almost any SSRI: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors inhibit the body’s ability to store serotonin, which leads to lower levels of serotonin in the brain and hair loss as a result.

There are various strategies you can pursue to deal with Zoloft-induced hair loss: sertraline tapering (gradually reducing your dosage from 50 mg/day), treating with finasteride (Propecia) or minoxidil (Rogaine) as well as Biotin (vitamin B7) supplements, iron or zinc supplements, and a balanced diet with sufficient protein.

Not everyone who takes Zoloft experiences hair loss, which can make it difficult to know for sure if the drug is the cause. But some people have found relief from their hair loss by making adjustments in their diet or taking supplements like biotin, iron, or zinc.

Others have used sertraline tapering (gradually reducing dosage) to see if this helps. If you experience hair loss after starting Zoloft and want to stop taking the drug, your doctor should be able to help you with a taper schedule.

It’s also possible that another SSRI might work better for you than Zoloft does. You might consider switching medications, especially if your current medication isn’t working well for you or causing side effects like hair loss.

How to stop hair loss from Zoloft

The most effective way to prevent hair loss when taking Zoloft is by working with a dermatologist to create a personalized treatment plan. You might need topical lotion, oral medication, or even laser therapy to thin or regrow your hair.

To stop hair loss from Zoloft, you have a few options. If you’re using pumpkin seed oil, it might help strengthen your hair and improve the quality of your hair. Finasteride (Propecia) is a drug that treats male pattern baldness and can also reverse some cases of female pattern baldness. It’s a good option for those experiencing hair loss due to Zoloft use.

Minoxidil (Rogaine) is another drug that has been shown to reverse hair loss in most men who try it.

Biotin supplements might work for some people experiencing hair loss due to Zoloft use. They are usually taken orally as capsules or tablets and contain vitamin B7 (pantothenic acid).

Iron and zinc supplements may also help with any deficiencies that lead to temporary hair loss. This can be an option if the deficiency is caused by the medication itself or the lack of nutrients in the diet.

Finally, ensuring a balanced diet and taking care of your body can reduce stress levels which will both prevent depression-related and temporary hair loss related to Zoloft use.

Does Zoloft cause permanent hair loss?

No, the hair grows back after tapering Zoloft. Zoloft is an SSRI or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor which has effects on the dopaminergic pathways which regulate hair growth.

The drug inhibits the body’s ability to store serotonin, which leads to lower levels of serotonin in the brain and hair loss as a result. The condition is temporary and hair growth will resume after tapering or discontinuing the medication. Moreover, the body gets used to a certain dosage which can lead to the regrowth of the hair even without stopping the medication

List of antidepressants that cause hair loss

• Bupropion (Wellbutrin)
• Prozac (fluoxetine hydrochloride)
• Zoloft (sertraline hydrochloride)
• Paxil (paroxetine)
• Tofranil (imipramine)
• Janimine (imipramine)
• Anafranil (clomipramine)
• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• Venlafaxine (Effexor)
• Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq)

When compared to bupropion, most antidepressants have a lower risk of hair thinning and hair loss. In the list of antidepressants, fluoxetine and paroxetine have the lowest risk of hair loss but still have hair loss as one of the potential side effects.

What is Zoloft?

Zoloft is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used to treat depression, anxiety, and many other mental health conditions. Zoloft belongs to a class of drugs called antidepressants.

Zoloft is a prescription antidepressant belonging to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs work by blocking the neurotransmitter serotonin from being absorbed into the brain. In other words, they block the body’s ability to absorb serotonin.

In this way, it also helps with symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

The drug is typically taken once daily and comes in the form of a tablet. The prescription will usually last for one month but may vary depending on the patient’s needs.

Zoloft Affects Serotonin Levels

Zoloft is a drug used to treat depression and anxiety by altering the levels of serotonin in your brain. Zoloft affects serotonin levels by blocking the reuptake of serotonin, which means that while you’re on it, your body isn’t capable of storing as much serotonin as it normally would.

And when you stop taking it, your serotonin levels go back to low levels again. The problem with this is that hair follicles depend on a high level of serotonin to grow hair, and when there’s less available, they don’t produce new hair as well.

In other words, people who take Zoloft are more likely to experience hair loss because their bodies aren’t producing the necessary nutrients needed for healthy hair growth.

What Is Serotonin?

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that’s responsible for regulating mood and sleep, among other things. SSRIs work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain.

Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HTP, is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in mood. Serotonin has many effects on the body, including regulating sleep, hunger, and digestion.

One of the most important roles of serotonin is to regulate moods. Low levels of serotonin can cause feelings of depression and anxiety while higher levels are associated with happiness.

What are the most common side effects of Zoloft?

Zoloft is a medication that has been approved by the FDA to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. In 2008, it was also approved for generalized anxiety disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

The drug is sold under the names Zoloft or Serafem in the United States and Canada.

The most common side effects of Zoloft are nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, loss of appetite, increased sweating, diarrhea, upset stomach, or trouble sleeping.

What about hair loss? That’s considered an “infrequent” side effect of the drug. It can cause hair loss because SSRIs inhibit serotonin from being reabsorbed into the brain cells.

When this happens — as it does with Zoloft — your body may have difficulty retaining other important substances like iron which could lead to hair loss.

Is hair loss a side effect of Zoloft?

Hair loss is a rare side effect of SSRIs. In fact, nearly all SSRIs are known to cause hair loss because of the way they work: low serotonin means less serotonin around your hair follicles, which leads to hair loss. For most people, this is not a big deal and is just something you have to put up with when taking Zoloft.

Zoloft is a brand name for an SSRI called sertraline. It’s a type of antidepressant that regulates serotonin in the brain. Unfortunately, it is known to cause hair loss as a side effect.

This can be especially hard if you are a woman and are noticing your scalp more because of the thinning hair. Men who take Zoloft might notice more hair in the shower drain because they typically don’t have as much on their heads to start with.

What happens when you stop taking Zoloft?

If a person suddenly stops taking Zoloft, their serotonin levels will abruptly decline causing withdrawal symptoms like agitation, tremors, and headaches. And, unfortunately, hair loss may continue.

That’s because Zoloft causes a person’s hair follicles to shrink and stop producing new hair. The good news is that most people should begin to see gradual regrowth of their lost hair within six months after stopping their medication.

Cons of sertraline

A headache, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, insomnia, drowsiness, tremors, and sexual dysfunction are just a few of the side effects that come along with taking Zoloft.

Final Words

Zoloft is often used as a treatment for depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and social phobia. Like many pharmaceuticals, the medication can cause certain side effects.

Hair loss is one of those side effects. When you take Zoloft or any SSRI, the body produces less serotonin. As we know, low levels of serotonin can cause hair loss. The good news is that as soon as you stop taking Zoloft, your hair should grow back on its own without any help.

Do you have more questions about how Zoloft causes hair loss? Feel free to comment below and we’ll get back to you with an answer!

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