Drug-Induced Hair Loss: Analysis of the Food and Drug Administration’s Adverse Events Reporting System Database

The study analyzed 39,346 reports from the FDA’s Adverse Events Reporting System to identify drugs associated with hair loss. It found that immunomodulatory agents, monoclonal antibodies, minoxidil, finasteride, contraceptives, and anti-TNF biologics were frequently linked to alopecia. Notably, 9.8% of patients using topical minoxidil and 15.7% of women with levonorgestrel IUDs reported hair loss. The study highlights the importance of healthcare providers being aware of these potential side effects to better inform and manage patient care, despite limitations such as lack of control for comorbidities and potential misattribution of hair loss to medications.