Does hydrochlorothiazide cause hair loss?

May 2023 I started Hydrochlorothiazide for high blood pressure. I noticed hair loss the first 60 days. I brought it up with my hair stylist, he has done my hair for 43 years. We measured my hair in a ponytail. At the six months mark we measured again. There was a 60% to 65% percent hair loss. I do NOT take any other medication, no supplements of any kind, no over the counter pills of any kind. I grow 40% to 50% percent of my food with a green and hot house. My diet is very stable, my weight only fluctuates about 10 lbs. no new stresses in my life. No change in career (35 years same business) In my 50's, lived in same neighborhood 47 years... only NEW thing is Hydrochlorothiazide. So, Mayble I am the fly in the ointment, but I am going off this med and looking for one that does not cause hair loss as Hydrochlorothiazide does!!!

I tried it, and cut back on my HCT to every two days instead of every day (25mg) the hair loss got noticeably less, MUCH less!! (I think it took about 2-3 weeks for it to be noticeably less) But since I got some "pounding of the heart in my throat" feeling (don't know what caused that though) I returned to regular every day dose. The hair loss went to being a lot , again. I now switched to taking it every other day and will see what effect it has (or not) on my extreme hair loss.

Hi, I am on this medication and from time to time I have more hair that comes out, but it soon stops. It is hard to tell if it is this medication alone that causes the hair to come out more, but I have a feeling it is a combination of the different medications I am on and how sick I am at the time of the hair loss. Hope things work out for you and take care, Liz.

Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) is a prescription medication used for controlling high blood pressure and treating water retention (edema). Hair loss appears to be one of the possible side effects in people taking hydrochlorothiazide.

In clinical studies, hair loss was reported in people who took hydrochlorothiazide. Given how common hair loss is in the general population, however, it is difficult to say whether hair loss is actually caused by the medicine, genetics, other factors, or a combination of these things.

If you experience hair loss while taking hydrochlorothiazide, talk with your doc/pharmacist. Depending on how severe the hair loss is, there are things that he/she may be able to do. If your symptoms continue to be bothersome or if your doc believes the medicine is causing your hair loss, he/she may recommend trying another medicine to treat your condition.

Take care, best wishes!