Simvastatin And Hair Loss

[Sarah69]

Hi, I've been on simvastatin for quite a long time even though my cholesterol level isn't high and I seem to have lots of hair falling out. When I have washed my hair I have a good handful of hair afterwards. Has anyone else had this since taking simvastatin? TIA

 

[DCUKMod]

Hi, I've been on simvastatin for quite a long time even though my cholesterol level isn't high and I seem to have lots of hair falling out. When I have washed my hair I have a good handful of hair afterwards. Has anyone else had this since taking simvastatin? TIA

Is there anything that makes you feel it is specifically your statin after all this time?

Of course, hairloss can be a pointer to a few things, but if I were sticking a pin in a list of suspects, I'd want my thyroid and vitamin levels checked out. On that basis a good, broad blood panel would be useful as a insight on things.

 

[Sarah69]

Is there anything that makes you feel it is specifically your statin after all this time?

Of course, hairloss can be a pointer to a few things, but if I were sticking a pin in a list of suspects, I'd want my thyroid and vitamin levels checked out. On that basis a good, broad blood panel would be useful as a insight on things.

I was talking to another diabetic at work today and she said she had trouble with her statin and hair loss. She said about a month after not taking it her hair stopped coming out.

 

[Terrytiddy]

I was talking to another diabetic at work today and she said she had trouble with her statin and hair loss. She said about a month after not taking it her hair stopped coming out.

Hi @Sarah69 do you fast by any chance?

 

[Pinkorchid]

I took Simvastatin for about 10 years and now take Atorvastatin but have never had any hair loss not any more than the normal amount we all loose I am 79 and still have plenty of hair and I use a lot of serum on it so maybe that helps. Just wonder do you use a lot of heat on your hair as that can cause it to break. Some here have said they have experienced hair loss when taking Metformin

 

[enzina]

I have always refused statins but my hair started falling out after i started Novorapid a few month ago. Maybe it's a coincidence, blood tests came back normal.

Well, i hope we both are not getting bold..

 

[Pattidevans]

I sympathise with you entirely. It's an identity crisis for a woman. I was losing hair over a period of 10 years or more. I thought it was BP tablets, but when I eventually paid to see a consultant Dermatologist privately (the GP would not refer me on the NHS but was happy to do so privately) he said it was Alopecia Areata, another immune disease to go with the raft of others I suffer from including T1 and underactive thyroid. Honestly I had quite large bald patches by then, it's embarrassing to say the least and I resorted to a wig, but he told me to use Regaine for Men. I have been using it since March and can now go without the wig, my hair has come back strong and curly whereas before I had fine straight hair!

My husband says he has noticed the change in my personality as I no longer try to blend into the background, I am generally happier and have regained my former self-confidence.

 

[Energize]

Hi @Pattidevans

I'm so pleased you've had such success with Regaine. I've been using it (on prescription) for about 18 months and my hair has certainly thickened. I didn't notice my hair falling out so I think it had slowed growth. I had developed a very thin area on the top of my head, to the front. I couldn't hid it as I wear my hair very short anyway.

More recently, I decided to try without using Regaine (for Women - same stuff) as I had been taking Vit B12 injections for a year and had hoped the B12 defiency was the cause. However, I've just restarted this Regaine as I feel it has become quite thin again, in spite of B12 levels being very good now.

Definitely worth a try, if anyone else has thinning hair on the top (Female Hair Loss Pattern) I think it's quite expensive if you're having to buy it yourself. I consider myself very lucky that I have it on prescription, I have to say.

 

[maureen5752]

Hi @Pattidevans

I'm so pleased you've had such success with Regaine. I've been using it (on prescription) for about 18 months and my hair has certainly thickened. I didn't notice my hair falling out so I think it had slowed growth. I had developed a very thin area on the top of my head, to the front. I couldn't hid it as I wear my hair very short anyway.

More recently, I decided to try without using Regaine (for Women - same stuff) as I had been taking Vit B12 injections for a year and had hoped the B12 defiency was the cause. However, I've just restarted this Regaine as I feel it has become quite thin again, in spite of B12 levels being very good now.

Definitely worth a try, if anyone else has thinning hair on the top (Female Hair Loss Pattern) I think it's quite expensive if you're having to buy it yourself. I consider myself very lucky that I have it on prescription, I have to say.

@Energize . Hi. Hope you don't mind be butting in, once I started metformin I lost half the thickness of my hair, doctors said Nothink to do with metformin. I booked appiontment at doctors & put whole handful of hair on table &?said that was in my shower after last nights shower, my doctor was shocked, but still said wasn't metformin, I lose hair every day, my hair is near my waiste but very much thinner all over & at the front, it started shortly after I started metformin & menopause symtems returned, nurse did say metformin effects the hormones. If you stop regain then growth stops also, only works while your taking it, to exspensive for me to buy on pension. Good luck hope your hair grows again, mine hasn't.

 

[Pattidevans]

Hi @Pattidevans

I'm so pleased you've had such success with Regaine. I've been using it (on prescription) for about 18 months and my hair has certainly thickened. I didn't notice my hair falling out so I think it had slowed growth. I had developed a very thin area on the top of my head, to the front. I couldn't hid it as I wear my hair very short anyway.

More recently, I decided to try without using Regaine (for Women - same stuff) as I had been taking Vit B12 injections for a year and had hoped the B12 defiency was the cause. However, I've just restarted this Regaine as I feel it has become quite thin again, in spite of B12 levels being very good now.

Definitely worth a try, if anyone else has thinning hair on the top (Female Hair Loss Pattern) I think it's quite expensive if you're having to buy it yourself. I consider myself very lucky that I have it on prescription, I have to say.

I have B12 injections every 8 weeks, they did little for my hair.
Regaine for women is generally 2% Minoxidil whereas Regaine for men is 5% and applied twice per day. Yes you have to continue all your life and it is fairly expensive. I buy it online at around £40 for a 3 month supply but my hairdressing bills and paying out for other products such as hair voluminisers and conditioners etc. has reduced immensely.

It doesn't work for everyone, but it it does it is worth every penny for self esteem etc. I've let my colouring grow out. I am now proudly grey/white and I am getting so many compliments despite my hair being about 1" long. It is liberating after so many years struggle.
.

 

[Pattidevans]

I have B12 injections every 8 weeks, they did little for my hair.
Regaine for women is generally 2% Minoxidil whereas Regaine for men is 5% and applied twice per day. Yes you have to continue all your life and it is fairly expensive. I buy it online at around £40 for a 3 month supply but my hairdressing bills and paying out for other products such as hair voluminisers and conditioners etc. has reduced immensely.

It doesn't work for everyone, but it it does it is worth every penny for self esteem etc. I've let my colouring grow out. I am now proudly grey/white and I am getting so many compliments despite my hair being about 1" long. It is liberating after so many years struggle.
.

Must change avatar!

 

[Moggely]

@Energize . Hi. Hope you don't mind be butting in, once I started metformin I lost half the thickness of my hair, doctors said Nothink to do with metformin. I booked appiontment at doctors & put whole handful of hair on table &?said that was in my shower after last nights shower, my doctor was shocked, but still said wasn't metformin, I lose hair every day, my hair is near my waiste but very much thinner all over & at the front, it started shortly after I started metformin & menopause symtems returned, nurse did say metformin effects the hormones. If you stop regain then growth stops also, only works while your taking it, to exspensive for me to buy on pension. Good luck hope your hair grows again, mine hasn't.

Hi @maureen5752 I to, had hair loss after taking Metformin for 5 weeks before stopping it. I once had thick, curly and a lot of hair and now it's straight,thin and i have to cut it really short. However,saying all that, at the same time my thyroid levels were messed about so to this day am not sure whether it was thyroid or Metformin.But it does make a person very self conscious to say the least.

 

[maureen5752]

@Moggelly. Hi. I know it wasn't my thyriod cos I had blood tests to check it & it was perfectly OK, I was given regain years ago during menopause cos of hair loss but it didn't do any good for my hair on head but!!!! It gave me facial hair!! I stopped using it after that, & that's been a problem to this day, I've heard that Rosemary oil with coconut oil is good for scalp but I've not tried it, my friend uses it & seems happy using it. Metformin also gives me terrible continual hot flushes, started very soon after starting metformin, it's hell & embarrassing at times, I went through menopause many years ago but as I said before my nurse said metformin effects the hormones. Short hair doesn't suite me at all Wish you well

 

[Energize]

@maureen5752
Thanks for your response and, no, I don't mind you 'butting in' at all I have never considered Metfformin to be a cause of my hair thinning but, thinking back, the timing of when I started Metformin could well be relevant. Yes, I knew stopping Regaine would cause me to revert to how it was beforehand but I wanted to see if it was the Regaine that had helped or if it was the B12 injections. I now think it was Regaine, although the B12 might help.

@Pattidevans
It's interesting to read that you use Regaine 5% twice a day. I hadn't appreciated there are two different strengths of the Women's version. I've just been up to check what I'm using and, as I thought, I have Regaine for Women 5%. On the can, it says to use once a day but, as you've had such a brilliant result using it twice a day, I think I'll try to get in the habit of applying it twice a day Maybe I'll get slightly improved results, which would be great.

Do you find your hair is a bit 'claggy' after applying it in the morning? I hate anything on my hair so was happier to apply it at night, then rinse it off in the shower in the morning. I think I've previously just run a rung-out face cloth over my hair when I've needed to miss the shower, for what ever reason, and that seemed to take the 'clagginess' off Will have to try that LOL

Also, I had thought the Men's, at 5%, was also only once a day but maybe this has changed during the past year or so? I'm sure I checked it all out on the Regaine.co.uk site when I first got it.

Anyway, so pleased you've had such brilliant results using it. Also, great that it's balanced out buying other hair products

By the way, I self-inject B12 as GP doesn't agree I'm deficient. He's seen me since I've been on these injections and is amazed by the improvement. I'm not expecting him to say (admit) he may have been wrong but I have no doubts about it. I couldn't last the 8 wks, or usually 12 wks, between doses anyway, so am happy to be able to do myself

@Moggely
So sorry you've lost your curls. I also have underactive thyroid and am convinced I'm under-treated, although my FT4 is at top/over the range so GP always wants to reduce it a bit more. My FT3 is low'ish in the range so I suspect I would do well with a tiny bit of T3 but my GP isn't interested!!! Also, just as mentioned above, I'm on Metformin too, so it's definitely difficult to decide on the actual cause.

Thanks very much to you all. You've enlighted me on a few things, I'm pleased to say