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How to Prevent Hair Loss With Lamictal
Case reports and anecdotal reports suggest that Lamictal may contribute to hair loss in some people, but studies need to be done to prove a connection 1. Lamictal is an anticonvulsant, a type of drug used to treat epilepsy or bipolar disorder 1.
Consider other possible causes. Hair loss can be caused by heredity, skin conditions including lupus erythematosus or lichen planus, emotional distress or excessive hairstyling, according to the Mayo Clinic. It can also result from poor nutrition, diabetes, lupus, hormonal changes, hair treatments, scalp infection, trichotillomania and taking taking certain drugs including birth control pills and medications used to treat gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems and high blood pressure.
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Talk to your doctor. Bring up other possible causes for your hair loss that you've considered and decide together whether Lamictal is the likely cause for your hair loss 12.
Decide with your doctor what alternate medication you will take to treat your epilepsy or bipolar disorder.
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Do not quit taking Lamictal abruptly, due to a risk of seizure. Follow your health care provider's advice for gradually discontinuing Lamictal.
Warnings
Lamictal can cause a serious rash in some people that requires hospitalization. If you notice signs of a rash while taking Lamictal, immediately call your health care provider.
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References
- Epilepsy.com: Lamictal and Hair Loss
- MayoClinic.com: Hair Loss: Causes
- Highlights of Prescribing Information: Lamictal (Lamotrigine) Tablets. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Silver Spring, Maryland; Updated May 2009.
- Bipolar Disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. Updated November 2017.
- Clark CT, Klein AM, Perel JM, Helsel J, Wisner KL. Lamotrigine dosing for pregnant patients with bipolar disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 2013;170(11):1240-7. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2013.13010006
- Lamotrigine (Lamictal). National Alliance on Mental Illness. June 2019.
- Schoretsanitis G, Haen E, Grunder G, et al. Pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions of mood stabilizers and Risperidone in patients under combined treatment. J Clinical Psychopharmacol. 2016;36(6):554-61. doi:10.1097/JCP.0000000000000601
Writer Bio
Erin Beck began writing professionally in 2008 as an opinion columnist for the West Virginia University student newspaper, "The Daily Athenaeum." She has worked in health promotion at the university and as a communications intern at the National Alliance on Mental Illness. She has a Bachelor of Science in journalism and a Master of Public Health, both from West Virginia University.