Drug-Induced Hair Color Changes

The document reviewed the literature on systemic drugs that could induce changes in hair color, such as lightening, greying, darkening, or complete color change, affecting the scalp and/or body hair. While hair color change was an uncommon adverse effect compared to hair loss or hypertrichosis, the increasing use of new targeted therapies might make these side effects more frequent. Establishing a clear link between drug intake and hair color modification was challenging, and the mechanisms behind these changes were often unknown. Various algorithms (e.g., Naranjo, Karch, Kramer, and Begaud) were developed to assess whether a specific drug caused these side effects. Recognizing and reporting all adverse events to the scientific community was crucial, as hair color changes, though not life-threatening, significantly impacted patients' quality of life and treatment adherence.