Anesthesia

Does anesthesia cause hair loss?

09/25/2002 01:10PM

Question:

I`ve recently been experiencing a great deal of hair loss. First, this summer, specific circles of alopecia which seemed stress-related and responded to cortisone injections. Now I`m having more general loss and thinning - handfuls of hair when shampooing and otherwise. I was told this could be related to anesthesia from two foot surgeries (May and August). If so, when should this cease? Should I be concerned about other potential causes?

Answer:

I was asked by the dermatology experts to respond to your question. One form of hair loss after surgery is related to prolonged pressure over a particular area of the scalp, causing localized loss of hair in just that area. This is called pressure alopecia. It is rather uncommon, but is known to occur occasionally after very long surgical procedures (many hours) where the head is kept in one position. It can also happen in special circumstances, such as heart surgery, where blood flow throughout the body, including the scalp, may be decreased. A different kind of hair loss is caused by various kinds of acute stress, which can lead to generalized hair loss all over the scalp. This form of alopecia is known as telogen effluvium. Causes include acute illness (e.g. severe infection, major surgery and severe trauma), chronic illness (e.g. cancer, liver or kidney disease), hormones (e.g. pregnancy, underactive thyroid), changes in diet, and a large variety of medications, Although some people believe that anesthesia itself can cause hair loss, I could find no evidence linking any of the commonly used anesthesia medications to this problem. In fact, some anesthetic techniques, such as regional anesthesia, are shown to actually decrease the body’s so-called stress response. However the stress of surgery itself is known to be a factor. And the recovery from surgery may be prolonged and stressful also. Be assured that future anesthetics are unlikely to contribute to your problem but be sure also to consult your physician for appropriate treatment and to rule out other causes of hair loss.

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Response by:

Gareth S Kantor, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
University Hospitals
School of Medicine
Case Western Reserve University