Tegretol (carbamazepine) hair loss: how common, and when

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Carbamazepine hair loss is reported in 0.3%–6% of users; in a double-blind trial of 480 people, hair loss or abnormal texture affected 6% on carbamazepine versus 12% on valproate, and case reports describe onset 2–4 months after starting.

No consistent week-by-week window is published for this, so it is not on the calculator.

The timeline

Stage	When (typically)	What's happening
Onset (case reports)	About 2–4 months after starting	Cases describe hair loss after two, three and four months of carbamazepine. [Medicines]

Head to head with valproate

	Carbamazepine	Valproate
Hair loss or texture change (480-person trial)	6% [Medicines]	12% [Medicines]
Range across studies	0.3%–6% [Medicines]	12–28% [DermNet]

Normal vs. warning signs

Commonly normal

Diffuse shedding without patches

Warning signs — get checked

Patches or smooth bald spots
Scalp pain, redness, burning or scaling
Loss of eyebrows, eyelashes or body hair
Rash, fever or mouth sores — seek urgent care

Find a trichologist →

What may help

Never stop or change a prescribed medicine on your own — raise hair changes with your prescriber, who can weigh them against why you take it. Seizure medicines should never be stopped suddenly.
Ask whether iron or thyroid tests make sense.

Related triggers

Medications

Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Frequently asked questions

Does Tegretol cause hair loss?

It can, in 0.3%–6% of users across studies.

Is carbamazepine better than Depakote for hair?

In a 480-person trial, hair loss or texture change was 6% on carbamazepine vs 12% on valproate.

When does it start?

Case reports describe onset 2–4 months after starting.

Sources

Medicines (Basel), 2023. Antiseizure Medication-Induced Alopecia: A Literature Review
DermNet. Alopecia from drugs