Hair loss Medications for Women Only

by Kelly Makay.
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Two prescription medications for women with pattern hair loss deserve special mention: spironolactone and cyproterone acetate. Both are anti-androgens, meaning they suppress the actions of testosterone, and have been studied in women to treat female pattern hair loss. These medications should be used by women only; for men, they cause decreased sex drive and other unacceptable side effects.

Spironolactone

Spironolactone (brand name Aldactone) is an oral diuretic (or water pill) that’s FDA-approved to treat congestive heart failure and high blood pressure. The drug also has been shown in a few small studies to help reduce unwanted hair in females and has been studied in women with pattern hair loss — but with mixed results. It may have some effect in reducing thinning in women with very limited pattern hair loss.

Spironolactone has been associated with an increased risk of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, although a definite link hasn’t been established. It isn’t used in men because it can cause testicular atrophy and breast enlargement as well as decreased sexual function.

Cyproterone acetate

Because it’s an anti-androgen (anti-androgens block the effects of male hormones in women), cyproterone acetate should be used only by women. A few studies have been published documenting mild effectiveness of cyproterone acetate in the treatment of both hirsutism (excessive hairiness) and female pattern hair loss. It’s available in combination with estrogen for use as an oral contraceptive in Europe, but it’s not FDA-approved and not available in the U.S.

The most serious potential side effect of cyproterone acetate is liver toxicity; the drug also has been linked to increased rate of blood clots.

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