Drug-Induced Hair Loss
March 1989
in “
The BMJ
”
TLDR Naproxen is not the cause of hair loss in a child; it's due to a toxic event with expected hair regrowth.
The document discusses drug-induced hair loss, specifically addressing a case that was previously reported where naproxen was suspected to be the cause of hair loss in a child. Drs. Julian H. Barth and Rodney P.R. Dawber clarify that the physiology of hair growth involves an anagen (growth) phase and a telogen (resting) phase, with human head hair not being synchronized in its growth, leading to a daily loss of 70-150 hairs. They categorize toxic hair fall into anagen hair loss, which is associated with cytotoxic and radiation treatment and occurs at the time of the toxic insult, and telogen hair loss, which is due to a widespread conversion of hair roots to telogen by a toxic event and is followed by a delayed dramatic loss of hair. The case described by Dr. Barter is identified as a toxic telogen effluvium, with hair loss occurring 11 weeks after the onset of an inflammatory disease, indicating that the hair loss should not be attributed to naproxen but rather to the toxic event, with spontaneous regrowth of hair to follow since the hair root is not damaged.
