Antidepressant Hair Loss Tracking: Monitor SSRI and SNRI-Related Shedding

Antidepressants cause hair loss in 1-5% of users, with SSRIs being the most commonly implicated class. Tracking your hair density from the moment you start a new antidepressant creates the medication-to-shedding correlation record that helps your prescriber decide whether to adjust your treatment.

How Antidepressants Cause Hair Loss

Antidepressant-induced hair loss typically follows the telogen effluvium pattern. The medication pushes a higher-than-normal percentage of hair follicles from the anagen (growth) phase into the telogen (resting) phase. After 2 to 4 months in telogen, these hairs shed simultaneously.

This is different from androgenetic alopecia, where follicles miniaturize over time. Telogen effluvium causes diffuse shedding across the entire scalp without the patterned frontal or vertex loss seen in pattern baldness.

Antidepressant Hair Loss Risk by Medication

Individual responses vary significantly. Some patients shed heavily on medications listed as "low risk," while others experience no shedding on "higher risk" medications. This is why personal tracking data is essential.

Setting Up Your Tracking Protocol

Step 1: Capture Pre-Medication Baseline

Before starting a new antidepressant (or as soon as possible after starting), photograph your scalp using myhairline.ai. Measure density across all zones: hairline, temples, midscalp, vertex, and occipital. This baseline is the reference point for all future comparisons.

If you have already been on the medication for months, start tracking now. Your current density becomes your reference point, and future measurements will show whether the condition is stabilizing, worsening, or improving.

Step 2: Log Your Medication Details

Create a medication log entry:

• Medication name and dose
• Start date
• Prescribing reason (important context for your provider)
• Any concurrent medications
• Previous antidepressants tried (and whether hair loss occurred)

Step 3: Track Density Every 2 Weeks

Photograph your scalp on the same day every 2 weeks. Consistent timing is critical because you are looking for a specific pattern: the 2 to 4 month delay between medication start and shedding onset.

Step 4: Monitor Shedding Volume

In addition to density photos, track daily shedding if possible. Count hairs on your pillow each morning, or collect hairs from your shower drain. A sudden increase from your normal baseline (average shedding is 50 to 100 hairs per day) that begins 2 to 4 months after starting your medication is a classic telogen effluvium signal.

Step 5: Correlate Medication Events with Density Changes

Plot your medication timeline alongside your density data. Key events to mark:

Interpreting Your Medication-Density Correlation

Strong Correlation

Your density data shows stable readings for the first 2 months after starting the medication, followed by a measurable decline at months 3 to 4. The decline is diffuse (affecting all zones roughly equally) rather than patterned. This pattern strongly suggests medication-induced telogen effluvium.

Weak Correlation

Shedding began before starting the medication, or the timing does not match the 2 to 4 month window. Consider other causes: stress, nutritional deficiency, thyroid dysfunction, or underlying androgenetic alopecia. Track for additional months to see if the pattern clarifies.

No Correlation

Density remains stable throughout your medication period. Your antidepressant is unlikely to be affecting your hair. Continue monitoring as a precaution, since some medications cause delayed effects at 6+ months.

Having the Conversation with Your Prescriber

Your tracking data turns a vague complaint into an evidence-based discussion. Instead of "I think my medication is making my hair fall out," you can present:

• Pre-medication density: [specific number]
• Current density: [specific number]
• Percentage change: [calculated decline]
• Timeline correlation: Shedding began [X] months after starting [medication name]
• Pattern: Diffuse (consistent with telogen effluvium) vs. patterned (suggesting AGA)

This data helps your prescriber weigh the tradeoff between the medication's mental health benefits and its hair loss side effect. Possible outcomes include:

1. Continue current medication: If the hair loss is mild and the mental health benefit is significant
2. Switch to a lower-risk alternative: Bupropion or mirtazapine may cause less shedding
3. Adjust dosage: A lower dose may reduce hair impact while maintaining therapeutic benefit
4. Add hair-supportive treatment: Minoxidil (40-60% regrowth) can counteract medication-induced thinning

Never stop or change your antidepressant without consulting your prescriber. Mental health stability takes priority, and medication changes should be managed carefully.

Recovery Tracking After Medication Change

If your prescriber adjusts your medication, continue tracking density every 2 weeks. Recovery from telogen effluvium typically takes 3 to 6 months after the triggering factor is removed. Your tracking data will show:

• When shedding stops (density stabilizes)
• When regrowth begins (density starts increasing)
• How fully density recovers compared to your pre-medication baseline

Complete recovery is common with medication-induced telogen effluvium, unlike androgenetic alopecia, which requires ongoing treatment to maintain density.

Medical Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Never stop, start, or change your antidepressant medication without consulting your prescribing physician. Hair loss is a manageable side effect, and your prescriber can help you find the right balance between mental health treatment and hair preservation.

Start Your Medication-Density Timeline

Upload your scalp photos to myhairline.ai/analyze to establish your density baseline. The sooner you start tracking, the clearer your medication-to-shedding correlation data will be when you discuss options with your prescriber.