Can antidepressants permanently affect or harm hair follicles following a hair transplant?

Question

I had my first HT 5 months ago. I was recently prescribed some antidepressants. I've read that antidepressants can cause hair loss, but the type of hair loss associated with antidepressants is telogen effluvium, which causes follicles to enter into the telogen phase. This does not harm the follicles though, and hair usually regrows after antidepressants are stopped. Is this correct? Do I risk any permanent harm to the transplanted follicles or native existing hair by taking antidepressants?

Jae Pak, MD · Answer

Antidepressants does not typically cause hair loss but it may be a rare side effect.  If you are concerned you need to speak with  your doctor.

William Woessner, MD · Answer

There are many different types of antidepressants which have different chemical make-ups and properties.They are not known frequently to cause hair problems. Of course there are relatively rare instances when any medication can cause harmful reactions. If you are not already having problems, then I would take a positive attitude. If you were to develop some type of negative reaction with your hair you could, after conferring with your physician, stop the medication and expect that all will end well with your hair.Try to stay positive. It can be tough when you're depressed. Remember: Body, Mind, Spirit...1. Body: Eat healthy and exercise some.2. Mind: Be proactive of what images you allow into your mind's eyes and ears.3. Spirit: Use your own spiritual beliefs to help you emotionally and your total person to be healthy one day at a time.

Baubac Hayatdavoudi, MD · Answer

SSRI and SNRI will accelerate and lead to continued genetic pattern hair loss. However, they will not impact a transplanted procedure long as the follicles were taken from permanent dominant donor regions. Those follicles should grow well and at 5 months post procedure, it is too early to assess your yield.  You should be close to 30-40% of your total yeild depending on the clinc that performed your procedure. Typically major depressive episodes are treated for 9 months with an antidepressants before weaning off to assess.  The risk of recuurence once a depressive episode is treated is 10% at 10 years.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

Anti depressants can cause hair loss in the form of a telogen effluvium or "TE". You are correct. However, keep in mind it is not common.If you did develop TE, you would likely regrow transplanted hair if they did shed. However "existing" miniaturizing hair might not come back as thick or could further miniaturize.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

WE know that antidepressants can cause hair loss. I have not seen this following a hair transplant in my 15,000 surgeries that my group has done.

Can antidepressants permanently affect or harm hair follicles following a hair transplant?

Answers (5)