Lithium hair loss: what studies actually report

Also searched as: lithium hair losslithium hair thinningdoes lithium cause hair loss

DermNet lists lithium among mood stabilisers linked to hair loss at 12–19%; a 1-year prospective study found skin side effects in 38.46% of people on lithium, with acne-like eruptions and hair fall the most common.

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
Typical drug-shed onset	2–4 months after a start or dose change	DermNet: with telogen effluvium from drugs, hair loss usually becomes evident after 2–4 months. [DermNet]

Two things that look alike on lithium

	Drug-related shedding	Thyroid-related thinning
Why	Lithium listed as a telogen effluvium trigger [DermNet]	Severe, prolonged hypothyroidism causes diffuse loss [British]
What to ask	Timing vs start or dose change	Whether thyroid tests are due

Because both can cause diffuse thinning, the pattern alone will not tell you which it is.

Key facts

In the prospective study, cutaneous side effects were more common in early adulthood than in older age groups. [Indian]

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
Tremor, confusion, vomiting or diarrhoea — contact your prescriber urgently

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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.
Keep your scheduled blood tests.
Write down when shedding started and any dose changes.

Related triggers

Medications

Sertraline & SSRIs

Frequently asked questions

Does lithium cause hair loss?

It can. DermNet lists lithium at 12–19%, and a 1-year study found hair fall among its most common skin effects.

Is lithium hair loss permanent?

DermNet notes drug-related shedding is usually reversible; regrowth is usually seen within 3–6 months once the cause is addressed.

Could it be my thyroid instead?

Possibly — severe, prolonged hypothyroidism also causes diffuse loss, so ask whether thyroid tests are due.

Sources

DermNet. Alopecia from drugs
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 2017. Prevalence of Lithium-induced Cutaneous Side Effects in Bipolar Affective Disorder: a 1-year prospective study
British Thyroid Foundation. Hair loss and thyroid disorders