Why Does Chemotherapy Cause Hair Loss?

Cancer cells typically split or divide more rapidly that other cells in your body, and chemotherapy drugs work by killing or damaging the cells while they are in the process of splitting. 

Hair cells in your scalp also split very rapidly and have a rich supply of blood, which is why the hair on your head typically grows about 1/4″ to 1/2″ every month. 

This extensive blood flow to the scalp delivers the chemotherapy drugs to your hair follicles in a very efficient manner. This, combined with the rapid splitting of hair cells, makes the cells very susceptible to the chemotherapy drugs.

Following are lists of the chemotherapy drugs that can cause moderate to extreme hair loss:

Chemotherapy drugs that typically cause hair loss

  • Cytoxan or Neosar (cyclophosphamide)
  • Ifex (ifosfamide)
  • Adriamycin or Doxil (doxorubicin)
  • Vepesid or Toposar (etoposide)
  • Camptosar (irinotecan)
  • Taxol (paclitaxel)
  • Taxotere (docetaxel)
  • Ellence (epirubicin),
  • Marqibo or Vincasar (vincristine)
  • Alocrest or Navelbine (vinorelbine)
  • Efudex (fluorouracil)

Hair loss from these chemotherapy drugs tend to be more severe and can cause almost complete loss of hair.

Chemotherapy drugs that might cause hair loss

  • Amsidine, m-AMSA (amsacrine)
  • Cytosar (cytarabine)
  • Blenoxane (bleomycin)
  • Busulfex, Myleran (busulfan)
  • Efudex, Tolak (5-fluorouracil)
  • Oncovin (vincristine)
  • Velban, Alkaban-AQ (vinblastine)
  • Gleostine, CCNU (lomustine)
  • Tepadina (thiotepa)
  • Gemzar (gemcitabine)

Hair loss from these chemotherapy drugs tend to be less severe but can cause partial hair loss and thinning of the hair.

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