Hair loss due to methylphenidate use: a case report

Hair loss (alopecia) is a common problem in childhood and the underlying pathophysiology and manifestations are various. Diagnosis and treatment are based on clinical assessment, evaluation of coexisting psychosocial factors and exclusion of other underlying disorders. Hair loss can occur as a side effect of a medical treatment such as chemotherapeutic drugs, anti-thyroid drugs, anticoagulants, triparonol, lithium and the antiepileptics or the analogues of vitamin A. Hair loss is an uncommon side effect of psychotropic agents. For these reasons, the real prevalence of hair loss due to psychotropic drugs is not obvious. Diagnosing drug-induced hair loss is difficult. The only way to establish causality is to discontinue the use of medication followed by close observation of hair renovation and recurrence of hair loss upon restarting the same drug. In this report, we discuss a 12-year-old boy, who developed hair loss under methylphenidate treatment with no underlying medical disease and family history of alopecia. During the follow up period, methylphenidate was discontinued and hair loss resolved within one month. In this presentation, we want to emphasize that methylphenidate could cause hair loss and this side effect should be noted in clinical practice.