Alopecia Associated with Fluconazole Therapy

The study described the association between fluconazole therapy and reversible alopecia. Conducted at 26 sites in the U.S., it involved 33 patients with various mycoses who developed substantial alopecia while on fluconazole. Alopecia appeared in 12.5% to 20% of patients in separate studies and typically developed after 3 months of treatment, primarily affecting the scalp. Most patients received at least 400 mg daily for an average of 7.1 months. Hair loss resolved within 6 months after stopping or reducing the fluconazole dose. The study concluded that higher-dose fluconazole (400 mg/d) for 2 months or longer commonly caused alopecia, which was reversible upon discontinuation or dose reduction.