Alopecia Induced by Timolol Eye-Drops

In 2017, a case report was published describing a 58-year-old Japanese man who developed alopecia after using timolol eye-drops for glaucoma. The patient experienced sudden hair loss, including loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, but no other significant symptoms. After ruling out other causes, a diagnosis of telogen effluvium, a non-scarring form of hair loss, was made. A patch test confirmed that the patient had contact dermatitis from the timolol eye-drops, which was suspected to be the cause of the alopecia. Upon discontinuation of the timolol, the patient's contact dermatitis and hair loss improved, with partial hair regrowth observed within one month and almost complete recovery after 14 months. This case highlights the importance of considering systemic side effects of ophthalmic beta-adrenergic blockers like timolol when diagnosing unexplained alopecia. The study suggests that physicians should be aware of such potential side effects, as the use of beta-adrenergic blocker eye-drops is expected to increase with the rising prevalence of glaucoma.