Does Sertraline Cause Hair Loss?
Last reviewed on 25 July 2026. We review our treatment guides every six months to keep them accurate.
When you start a new medicine, some side effects are expected and well known. Sertraline, one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressants in the UK, is usually associated with effects such as nausea, sleep changes and dry mouth. A question that comes up far less often, but that worries a great many people, is whether sertraline can cause hair loss.
The honest answer is that hair loss is a recognised but uncommon side effect of sertraline, and for most people it is temporary. This guide explains how common it really is, why it happens, whether hair grows back, and what you can safely do about it. The single most important point to hold onto from the outset is this: if you are worried about hair loss, speak to your GP or prescriber before changing anything, and never stop taking sertraline suddenly. You can read the NHS overview of the medicine on the NHS sertraline page.
Sertraline is sold in the UK under the brand name Lustral, and in the United States and some other countries as Zoloft. Zoloft and sertraline are the same medicine, so everything on this page applies whichever name is on your box.
Is sertraline hair loss real, and how common is it?
Hair loss is a genuine, listed side effect of sertraline, but it sits at the uncommon end of the scale. In the official Summary of Product Characteristics for sertraline, published on the electronic medicines compendium, alopecia (the medical term for hair loss) is listed as an uncommon side effect. In the standard way medicine side effects are graded, uncommon means it is thought to affect between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 100 people. For comparison, the most common side effect of sertraline is nausea, and a change in hair texture is listed as rarer still.
So while the association is real and documented, it is not something that happens to most people who take sertraline. The great majority take it with no effect on their hair at all.
When sertraline is linked to hair loss, it usually takes the form of telogen effluvium, a diffuse, temporary shedding rather than distinct bald patches. In telogen effluvium a larger than usual number of hair follicles are nudged out of their growing phase into the resting phase, so more hairs than normal are shed a few weeks to a few months later. It tends to show as a general thinning across the whole scalp, with more hairs than usual coming out when you wash or brush, rather than clear patches. Importantly, this kind of shedding is usually reversible.
Why might antidepressants affect hair?
To understand how a medicine like sertraline might trigger shedding, it helps to look at how hair grows.
The hair growth cycle
Each hair follicle moves through a growing phase (anagen), a short transition (catagen) and a resting phase (telogen), after which the hair is shed and a new one grows in its place. At any one time most of your follicles are growing and only a small proportion are resting. Telogen effluvium happens when something pushes an unusually large number of follicles into the resting phase at once. That trigger can be physical or emotional stress, an illness or high fever, childbirth, a thyroid problem, low iron, a crash diet, or certain medicines.
With antidepressants, the exact way they might do this is not well understood, and for any one person it is genuinely difficult to prove that the medicine, rather than something else, is the cause.
Depression and stress can cause shedding too
Depression, anxiety and stress are themselves well recognised triggers for telogen effluvium, so shedding after starting sertraline may reflect the illness rather than the medicine.
This is the part that is easy to miss. The very conditions sertraline is prescribed for, such as depression and anxiety, are themselves well recognised triggers for telogen effluvium. Significant stress-related hair loss, low mood, poor sleep and appetite changes can all disturb the hair cycle. So when someone develops shedding after starting sertraline, it can be very hard to separate the effect of the medicine from the effect of the illness it is treating, or from an unrelated cause. This is one reason not to assume the tablet is to blame.
Other causes worth ruling out
Because so many things cause diffuse shedding, it is worth checking for the common, treatable ones rather than assuming the antidepressant is responsible. The NHS lists illness, stress and iron deficiency among frequent causes of temporary hair loss. A GP can look for things such as low iron, an under-active or over-active thyroid, recent illness or weight loss, and other medicines, any of which may be the real driver, or may be adding to the problem.
Do other antidepressants do the same?
Sertraline is not unusual here. Hair loss has also been reported with a range of other antidepressants, including other SSRIs such as fluoxetine, paroxetine and citalopram. In every case it remains an infrequent effect, and it is only one of many possible side effects. For most people the benefit of treating depression or anxiety effectively far outweighs a small and usually reversible risk to the hair. Any decision to switch to a different antidepressant is one only your prescriber can make with you.
What to do if you think sertraline is affecting your hair
If you think sertraline is affecting your hair, manage it safely with your GP and never stop or change the medicine on your own.
If you have noticed more shedding since starting sertraline, it is understandable to want to act. The steps that follow are about managing it safely, not about stopping your medicine.
Speak to your GP or prescriber first
Book time with your GP or the person who prescribes your sertraline. They can check whether something other than the medicine, such as low iron or a thyroid problem, is behind the shedding, and they can talk through your options. Do not adjust your dose or stop the tablets on your own.
Never stop sertraline suddenly
Stopping an antidepressant abruptly can cause withdrawal effects and can allow the depression or anxiety to return. The NHS advice is clear that you should not suddenly stop taking sertraline; if you and your doctor decide to come off it, the dose is reduced gradually over weeks or months under medical guidance. Hair, which almost always recovers, is not a reason to put your mental health at risk.
Give it time
Telogen effluvium is usually self-limiting. Once any trigger settles, whether that is the initial adjustment to a medicine, an illness, or a period of stress, the resting follicles return to their growing phase and hair regrows. This recovery is typically gradual, often over several months, and the shedding usually stops whether or not the medicine is continued. Try not to be alarmed by hairs on the pillow or in the shower in the meantime; that shedding is the old resting hairs making way for new growth.
Minoxidil and sertraline
Some people ask whether they can use minoxidil, a topical treatment applied to the scalp to encourage growth, while taking sertraline. Minoxidil works locally on the scalp and there is no well-known interaction between topical minoxidil and sertraline, but you should still confirm it is suitable for you with your GP or pharmacist before starting, as they can take your full history into account. Whatever you are considering, check with a healthcare professional rather than starting a treatment blind.
Look after the basics
Managing stress and eating well will not undo a medicine effect, but they support healthy hair growth and general wellbeing. Approaches such as regular exercise, good sleep, mindfulness or talking therapies can help lower stress levels, and a balanced diet with enough iron, protein and other nutrients gives the hair cycle what it needs. If you think your diet may be low in something, your GP can check for deficiencies rather than you guessing at supplements.
The emotional side of hair loss
Even when shedding is mild and temporary, it can feel distressing, particularly when you are already dealing with your mental health. If hair loss is adding to your worry, say so to your GP or therapist. Being open about it is part of managing your overall wellbeing, and it can help to know that the shedding is very likely to settle.
Frequently asked questions
Can sertraline cause hair loss in women?
Yes, in the same way as in men, and just as uncommonly. Sertraline-related shedding is a diffuse telogen effluvium that is not specific to either sex. Women are, though, more likely to have other causes of thinning at the same time, such as low iron, thyroid changes or female pattern hair loss, so it is worth asking your GP to look for those rather than assuming the tablet is responsible.
Does Zoloft cause hair loss?
Zoloft is simply the American brand name for sertraline, so the answer is the same: hair loss is an uncommon, listed side effect and is usually temporary. Whether your box says Zoloft, Lustral or sertraline, you are taking the same medicine and the same advice applies.
How can I stop hair loss from sertraline or Zoloft?
The safe way is not to stop the medicine yourself. Speak to your GP so they can rule out other causes such as low iron, thyroid problems or stress, treat anything they find, and advise you. In most cases the shedding settles on its own with time. Never stop or reduce sertraline abruptly to protect your hair; any change to your antidepressant should be a decision made with your prescriber.
Will my hair grow back after sertraline hair loss?
Usually, yes. Telogen effluvium is typically reversible, and hair generally regrows over several months once any trigger has passed. Recovery does not depend on stopping the medicine, and the shedding usually eases whether you continue sertraline or not. If your hair is not recovering, see your GP, as another cause may be involved.
Should I stop taking sertraline because of hair loss?
No, not on your own. Stopping an antidepressant suddenly can trigger withdrawal effects and allow your symptoms to return, which is a far greater risk than shedding that is usually mild and temporary. If the hair loss is bothering you, raise it with your GP or prescriber, who can weigh everything up with you and, if appropriate, adjust your treatment safely and gradually.
Can I take minoxidil with sertraline?
There is no well-known interaction between topical minoxidil, which acts on the scalp, and sertraline, and the two are often used together. Even so, confirm with your GP or pharmacist before you start, so they can check it suits your circumstances. This is general information, not a recommendation for your individual case.
The bottom line
Hair loss from sertraline is real but uncommon, usually shows as temporary diffuse shedding, and generally recovers with time. For the great majority of people, the benefit of treating depression or anxiety well outweighs a small and reversible risk to the hair. If you are worried, the right next step is a conversation with your GP or prescriber, who can look for other causes and guide any decision about your treatment. What you should never do is stop or change your sertraline on your own because of your hair.
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