Alopecia and Mood Stabilizer Therapy

    September 1996 in “ Annals of Clinical Psychiatry ”
    Parish A. McKinney, Ryan Finkenbine, C. Lindsay DeVane
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    TLDR Hair loss from mood stabilizers is common but can be managed without stopping the medication.
    The document from 1996 discusses hair loss as a side effect of mood stabilizers like lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine, affecting approximately 10%, 12%, and less than 6% of patients respectively. It highlights the need for clinicians to diagnose and manage alopecia without stopping the effective mood stabilizer, suggesting strategies such as reassurance, hair care, supplementation, minoxidil treatment, and hairpieces. A case study of a 34-year-old female patient on valproate is presented, who experienced severe alopecia but chose to continue the medication due to its effectiveness on her bipolar disorder, and later saw hair regrowth. The conclusion is that while mood stabilizer-induced hair loss is common, it can be managed to allow patients to maintain their treatment.
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