At Opti Laboratories, we sometimes meet clients who notice eyelash or eyebrow loss after starting medication for depression, anxiety, epilepsy, or other neurological conditions. These medicines are vital for health, but in some people they can have effects on hair, including lashes and brows. The good news: this type of hair loss is usually temporary and reversible.
SSRIs such as sertraline, fluoxetine, citalopram, and escitalopram:
There are rare cases of hair shedding when using these and any problems are usually temporary.
SNRIs such as venlafaxine, or duloxetine:
Shedding is less common, but has been reported.
Bupropion:
Has the highest risk of hair loss compared to other antidepressants in large studies.
Valproate:
Hair loss is fairly well recognised, affecting around 3–12% of users. Eyebrows and lashes can be involved.
Carbamazepine:
Rare cases, sometimes described as sudden but reversible loss.
Levetiracetam:
Very uncommon (~0.4% of patients).
Phenytoin, lamotrigine, topiramate:
Occasional reports of shedding.
There are several possible reasons why these treatments can cause problems to the lashes and brows:
Telogen effluvium
Many drugs can “reset” hair follicles, making them shed earlier than usual. This often looks like general thinning across scalp, brows, or lashes.
Nutrient changes
Valproate can interfere with biotin (a vitamin important for hair strength).
Direct follicle effects
Some drugs seem to act on hormone or growth signals in the follicles.
Will my eyelashes and eyebrows grow back?
Yes, almost always. Most cases are temporary, with regrowth normally within 3 to 6 months once the body adjusts or after the drug is changed.
Which medicines are most likely to cause this?
Valproate is the most consistent, followed by bupropion among antidepressants. For others, it’s very uncommon.
Should I stop my medication if my lashes are thinning?
No. Never stop antidepressants or epilepsy medicines suddenly. This can be dangerous. Always speak to your doctor first.
Can anything help while I wait for regrowth?
Make sure nutrition is good (iron, vitamin D, zinc, biotin — but not in excessive doses). In some cases, bimatoprost 0.03% has been shown to help eyelashes and brows grow longer, thicker, and darker.
A large study comparing antidepressants found that bupropion carried the highest relative risk of hair loss (HR 1.46 vs fluoxetine; Number Needed to Harm ≈ 242 over 2 years).
Etminan M, et al. Risk of hair loss with different antidepressants: a comparative retrospective cohort study. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2018.
Reviews of epilepsy medicines confirm that valproate-related hair loss is fairly common (3–12%), while levetiracetam is very rare (~0.4%).
Santos J, et al. Antiseizure medications and alopecia: systematic review. Epilepsy Behav. 2020.
Case reports continue to document SSRI-induced lash and brow shedding (telogen effluvium), most often with sertraline.
Krebs C, et al. Sertraline-induced alopecia: a case report and review of the literature. BMJ Case Rep. 2021.
Bimatoprost has strong evidence for stimulating eyelash growth, including in people with treatment-related hair loss.
Smith S, et al. Bimatoprost for eyelash growth: review and update. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016.
Eyelash and eyebrow loss from antidepressants or anticonvulsants can be distressing, but it is usually temporary and manageable. The key message is: don’t stop your medication suddenly — speak with your doctor if you’re concerned.
At Opti Laboratories, we’ve worked with many people experiencing lash and brow loss from medical treatments. With the right support and proven options like bimatoprost, it’s possible to restore your lashes and your confidence.