DO GOUT MEDICATIONS CAUSE HAIR LOSS?

The UK Gout Society states that, more men acquire gout than women and usually is seen among those between the ages of 30 and 60. Gout affects one of every 100 people so it is quite common especially among older people.

The typical symptoms of gout are severe joint pain, inflammation around the joint, shiny red skin around the joint, warmth around the affected joint, and may or may not be accompanied by mild fever. Usually, there are urate crystals called tophi beneath your skin. These look like white lumps that are firm to the touch.

So now you are one of the unfortunate ones diagnosed with gout. You are most likely prescribed an anti-gout medication like allopurinol. Allopurinol is an enzyme blocker that lowers high levels of uric acid in your body by decreasing the amount produced. Your doctor may have informed you of the side effects that may go with the use of this drug.

Possible allopurinol (Zyloric, Aloprim, Zyloprim, Lopurin, Uloric) side effects are stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, skin rashes, fever, headache, and tiredness. To reduce side effects, use only as directed and make sure you hydrate well while on this medication, aiming to produce two liters of urine every day to prevent kidney stones.

But did you know that allopurinol can cause unusual hair loss? Usually, this takes weeks before you can actually see noticeable loss of hair. You don’t really need to worry because most hair loss cases associated with prescription medications are temporary. Your hair will resume growth around three months after discontinuing the medication.

However, since allopurinol is a long-term medication and if hair loss is your concern, you can take steps to control this unwanted side effect. An herbal shampoo that will stop excessive hair loss within a week is Nisim Shampoo. It is also rich in amino acids and B complex vitamins to ensure that your hair is nourished from within. Nisim also promotes accelerated rate of hair regrowth without harmful side effects found on most hair growth supplements.