General Medical Question - Non Urgent - Trimethoprim

[MrsNutkin]

I take trimethoprim for Acne, I take 2 tablets a day. I've been taking various anti biotics for 8 years for Acne.

I may just be being paranoid and it could be that I straighten by hair and wear it to the left but I'm sure my hair has got thinner since I've been on Trimethoprim.

The thing is in the patient advise it says nothing about a side effect of hair loss.

Can anyone clarify?
thanks
Sarah.

[Animad]

It shouldn't affect hair so I think it is probably more down to straightening/ the way you have it. It acts selectively on Bacterial cell and doesn't kill/damage your own cells so I don't think it is a side effect of the drug

[Pencils]

I checked this in the BNF for you, and it has never been reported to affect hair. Which means that your hair either isn't thinner, or has changed for another reason.
Has anything else changed at all for you recently? Have you been eatin well? Have you gained or lost any weight? Do you have any thyroid problems, or PCOS? Because these things can affect hair.
Probably it's just because you've been straightening it a lot so it seems thinner.

[Bitter_Angel]

Affects can happen even if there not in the listings for the medication. However it is unlikely that it would be due to this medication, especially if you have been on a range of antibiotics with no adverse reactions.

Has anything else changed recently? How is your diet? Do you get enough calcium and vitamins?

[MrsNutkin]

I sort of have some eating issues so I'm not sure. I'm on the Contraceptive Implant too. The things with eating only came to the fore front a few weeks ago and the hair being thinner (unless I'm seeing things) has been around quite a while longer.

Perhaps it is just that I straighten it.

thanks.

[Starz*]

over-straightening it usually causes it to snap rather than thin out.
a poor diet can causes hair to fall out.

[MrsNutkin]

Is it folic acid you can take to help hair?

[Animad]

B Vitamins are good for Hair, specifically, Pantothenic Acid. You can buy it in Vit/Min tablets sometimes allongside Calcium. One the ingredients it will say "Calcium Pantothenate") Folic Acid is used a lot by pregnant women as it helps in the development of babies. Holland and Barrets (presuming you're from the UK) sell a product called "Vitamins for the Hair Tablets" or ordinary Vit/Min tablets which are probably cheaper and have B Vits in them may be as good. If you have a varied, healthy diet you should have enough though to be fine without supplementing them.

There is something another mineral that's good for hair but I can't remember right now.

EDIT; Biotin which is also a B Vitamin is good for hair growth. Zinc is too.