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Does Sertraline Cause Hair Loss?

Knox Beasley, MD

Reviewed by Knox Beasley, MD

Written by Geoffrey C. Whittaker

Published 08/26/2021

Updated 02/04/2025

Sertraline (Zoloft) is often prescribed to ease symptoms of depression. But like other antidepressants, Zoloft comes with side effects. Maybe you’ve read that antidepressants can trigger hair loss — a change that certainly won’t help your mood or outlook. 

So does sertraline cause hair loss? While it’s rare, it is possible.

One side effect that some people report with sertraline treatment is temporary hair loss, which may show up as bald patches or overall hair thinning.

The specific type of hair loss associated with antidepressants like sertraline is called telogen effluvium, which is temporary hair loss defined by excessive, non-scarring shedding of hair. Telogen effluvium can be caused by a range of factors like stress, depression, traumatic injury, and medications. Read on to learn more about antidepressants and their connection to hair loss. We’ll explore this relationship in more detail, along with treatment options for hair loss related to medication.

If you’ve been asking yourself, “Does sertraline cause hair loss,” you’re probably also wondering if other antidepressants pose the same risk, and whether you should consider switching medications to avoid hair loss.

Unfortunately, the risk of hair loss from antidepressant medication is not restricted to sertraline. In fact, the list of antidepressants that may cause diffuse hair loss is not short, and it includes other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine inhibitors (SNRIs).

These include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil) and venlafaxine (Effexor XR).. Citalopram (Celexa) may also cause hair loss. In addition, tricyclic antidepressants and mood stabilizers carry a minimal risk of medicine-induced alopecia, according to an early review in the Annals of Clinical Psychiatry.

A 2018 study investigating hair loss risk and a variety of antidepressants found that bupropion (Wellbutrin) was associated with the highest risk of hair loss compared to others, including sertraline. Bupropion is part of a class of antidepressants called norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs). 

Individuals taking the mood stabilizers lithium, valproate, and carbamazepine may notice an increased degree of hair loss, according to another report.

First, it must be said: Do not stop taking your prescription medications in an effort to make your hair grow back without speaking to your healthcare provider. 

It’s critical to seek medical attention before altering antidepressant dosage in any way. If you suddenly stop taking your medication, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, like severe mood swings. Instead, work closely with your healthcare provider on ways to manage your medication use and possible discontinuation, as well as any other depression treatment you’re receiving.

It’s also important to remember that hair loss due to telogen effluvium is temporary, and may simply go away as you adjust to a new medication. Of course, you should still seek medical advice if you notice thinning hair, but keep taking antidepressants as directed until specifically advised otherwise.

Besides, you won’t necessarily need to discontinue sertraline if you’re experiencing hair loss; there are many other treatments available to prevent continued hair loss. Keep reading to learn more about them.

Medication

There are a few hair loss medications that are promising in encouraging hair regrowth. One popular option is finasteride, a prescription medication commonly used to treat male pattern baldness.

Finasteride works by preventing the body from converting testosterone into DHT, a process that can cause hair loss.

Many people have found success with finasteride: In one study of more that 500 Japanese men with androgenic alopecia,, 99.1 percent of the men who took finasteride over a 10-year period stopped their hair loss from worsening. Of those men, 91.5 percent of them noticed regrowth.

Finasteride is a tablet that is taken daily. You can easily purchase finasteride online after obtaining a consultation with a healthcare professional. (Which you can also do online.)

Minoxidil is another popular treatment for hair loss. It’s a topical treatment that comes in liquid and foam formulas. Many start with this because the FDA-approved medication doesn’t require a prescription.

While the exact mechanism of minoxidil is unknown, it’s believed to work by stimulating hair follicles to enter the anagen (growth) phase.

Minoxidil also increases blood flow to your scalp, which can stimulate hair growth. In fact, a 2019 review published in Drug Design, Development and Therapy found that minoxidil improved hair growth in those who suffer from pattern hair loss.

Finasteride and minoxidil work well on their own, but they can be especially effective when used together. In a 2015 study of 450 Chinese men with androgenic alopecia, 94.1 percent of men taking both finasteride and minoxidil saw an improvement in hair growth. These results were greater than the 80.5 percent of participants who saw an improvement using just finasteride, and the 50 percent of participants who saw an improvement using only minoxidil.

The Hims Hair Power Pack offers you the chance to try both.

Botox

Though known primarily for its ability to smooth wrinkles, botulinum toxin (Botox)  has many medical applications. It’s used to treat migraines, overactive bladder, and several other conditions. And in a 2022 study, researchers found that Botox injections were effective treatments for telogen effluvium. If side effects did occur, they were mostly minor and well-tolerated.

Hair Loss Shampoo

Another option to treat cases of hair loss or promote regrowth is to use a shampoo specifically made to thicken hair and stimulate growth.

Thickening shampoo often includes an ingredient called saw palmetto, a plant extract believed to reduce hair loss.

When an International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology study compared finasteride and saw palmetto to see how they performed in encouraging hair regrowth, finasteride was found to be most effective, but saw palmetto also appeared to help.

Biotin — known as the healthy hair vitamin — is naturally found in foods like eggs, milk and bananas.

If you’re not getting enough naturally in your diet, a biotin supplement could help. We offer a biotin gummy that includes additional vitamins shown to support healthy hair.

Stop Smoking

There are so many reasons to quit smoking: The habit wreaks havoc on your health and can lead to very serious (even fatal) health conditions.

On top of that, researchers have found a link between smoking and hair loss.While smoke is a pollutant that can damage your hair, cigarettes have also been found to damage the DNA of your hair follicles.

Given that conditions like stress can cause hair loss, it’s fair to ask, “Does sertraline cause hair loss or is my hair loss due to other factors?”

It’s not always easy to pinpoint the cause of hair loss. But it’s important to understand that, although rare, hair loss is a potential side effect of taking an antidepressant.

The type of hair loss sertraline and other antidepressants can trigger is called telogen effluvium — which is essentially excessive shedding.

Thankfully, there are treatments that can help reverse this type of temporary hair loss and encourage regrowth.

If you are experiencing hair loss of any type, it’s a good idea to speak with a healthcare professional to determine any underlying causes and the best treatment options for you.

19 Sources

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  4. https://www.nature.com/articles/3901469
  5. O’Bryan, E., Albanese, R., (2004). A Case Report of Fluoxetine- and Venlafaxine-Induced Hair Loss. The Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(4): 181. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC514846/
  6. Asghar, F., Shamim, N., Farooque, U., et al., (2020, May). Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature. Cureus, 12(5): e8320. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7320655/
  7. Hoover, E., Alhajj, M., Flores, J., (2020, July 27). Physiology, Hair. StarPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499948/
  8. Etminan, M., Sodhi, M., Procyshyn, R., Guo, M., Carleton, B. (2018). Risk of hair loss with different antidepressants: a comparative retrospective cohort study. International Clinical Psychopharmacology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28763345/
  9. Finasteride (2018). Medline Plus. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a698016.html
  10. Yanagisawa, M., et al. (2019, January). Long-term (10-year) efficacy of finasteride in 523 Japanese men with androgenetic alopecia. Clinical Research and Trials. 5, 1-5. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337105943_Long-term_10-year_efficacy_of_finasteride_in_523_Japanese_men_with_androgenetic_alopecia
  11. Badri, T., Nessel, T.A. & Kumar, D.D. (2020, May 4). Minoxidil. StatPearls. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482378/
  12. Suchonwanit, P., Thammarucha, S. & Leerunyakul, K. (2019). Minoxidil and its use in hair disorders: a review. Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 13, 2777–2786. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6691938/
  13. Hu, R., et al. (2015, June 2). Combined treatment with oral finasteride and topical minoxidil in male androgenetic alopecia: a randomized and comparative study in Chinese patients. Dermatologic Therapy. 28 (5), 303-308. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dth.12246
  14. Rossi, A., Mari, E., Scarno, M., et al. (2012, October). Comparative Effectiveness and Finasteride Vs Serenoa Repens in Male Androgenetic Alopecia: A Two-Year Study. International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, Volume 25, Issue 4, pages 1167-1173. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/039463201202500435
  15. Khattab, F., Rady, A., Khashaba, S. (2022). Recent modalities in treatment of telogen effluvium: Comparative study. Dermatologic Therapy. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35851518/
  16. Biotin (2020). Medline Plus. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/313.html
  17. Ablon, G. (2015). A 3-Month, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study Evaluating the Ability of an Extra-Strength Marine Protein Supplement to Promote Hair Growth and Decrease Shedding in Women with Self-Perceived Thinning Hair. Dermatology Research and Practice. Retrieved from https://www.hindawi.com/journals/drp/2015/841570/
  18. Khan, Q., Fabian, C., (2010, March). How I Treat Vitamin D Deficiency. Journal of Oncology Practice, 6(2):97-101. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835491/
  19. Trueb, R., (2003). Association between smoking and hair loss: another opportunity for health education against smoking? National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12673073/
Editorial Standards

Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.

Knox Beasley, MD

Dr. Knox Beasley is a board certified dermatologist specializing in hair loss. He completed his undergraduate studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, and subsequently attended medical school at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA. 

Dr. Beasley first began doing telemedicine during his dermatology residency in 2013 with the military, helping to diagnose dermatologic conditions in soldiers all over the world. 

Dr. Beasley is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Originally from Nashville, TN, Dr. Beasley currently lives in North Carolina and enjoys spending time outdoors (with sunscreen of course) with his wife and two children in his spare time. 

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  • Dermatology Residency. San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium

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