Hydroxychloroquine and Hair Loss: What Users Say

• Ric...
• April 13, 2017

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Love this drug, compared to the others. I am 55 now, and first took it 30 years ago. My RA then came on lightning fast, nodules and all. I went from totally normal to almost wheelchair in weeks. The weight of a bed sheet on my toes was too much. Two Plaquenil a day and 2400 mg of ibuprofen a day (that's 12 regular doses!) and I went into total remission. Of course, my stomach is crap now. After 25 years of remission, the RA returned. Different now that I'm older (55), more subtle. Chose Plaquenil again, and working wonders, but for my permanent damage. Get your eyes checked, a must. Some hair will fall out, but hey, I'm glad I still have some to fall out. WEIRD dreams. Irritability. Will lose weight! TAKE WITH FOOD to avoid cramps."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 2, 2013

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I was told that I have rheumatoid arthritis a few months back. I have been on Plaquenil now for almost 2 months. It has helped with the pain in my hands and feet. I still have swollen fingers but am waiting for the full effects of the drug. I do not know how common this is, but the side effect that I am having is hair loss. I am guessing it wouldn't be as bad if I was a male, but being a female, I am hoping this stops after my body gets used to the medicine because I am very discouraged with that aspect."

• Hol...
• November 13, 2018

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I've been on a roller coaster for years with Plaquenil for RA/Lupus. I take the name brand to prevent side effects of red, warm, swollen, painful hands, nausea, dizziness, hair loss, etc. Each time I try going back to generic, side effects return immediately. I'm not one to comment but I read so many reviews that sounded like either my ups or downs, so I want to encourage people to stick with this med and try the name brand (though expensive) if having bad side effects with generic. It could explain why some people have such opposite experiences. I get Plaquenil from an international pharmacy and it's much cheaper. It works better than biologics that contributed to or sped up the process leading to my cancer. I'm now 'cancer-free' and refuse to go back on them. I might have to get my vision checked and deal with other mild side effects, but pain and swelling are gone on Plaquenil. Anyway, please hang in there and give your body enough time to adjust to the med before stopping it. It's a risk versus reward scenario with meds."

• lan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 28, 2015

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "Started Plaquenil 8 months ago - 200mg 2x/day - to treat Psoriatic arthritis and Sjogren's. Learned to NOT take it in the morning with my Meloxicam 15mg because of strong nausea. If I take one after a big lunch and one after dinner, I have no problems at all. Joints and hands, wrists are doing so much better. One worry is that I am too tired to do anything at all. If I do laundry, I sweat. If I cook dinner or rake the yard, I sweat. I seem to even have trouble sleeping on my side at night because of trouble getting enough air into my lungs. Weird, I know. I rated it an 8 because I do not feel sick after taking it and it does seem to work. The last but not least worry is heavy hair loss. I have thin and fine hair anyway, but it comes out like crazy."

• Mam...
• September 3, 2013

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have taken Plaquenil for rheumatoid arthritis for about 6 months now. I take 200mg once a day. I cannot stress enough how much of a miracle this medicine has been for me. It was so good that some days I forgot I had rheumatoid arthritis altogether. I had no pains at all. The only drawback was that I was losing my hair and it became very dry and brittle. Being a woman, that scared me, so I quit the medication only to have the pains come back again. I spoke to my doctor, and he suggested trying to take it 3 times a week instead of every day to see if it reduces the hair loss. What good is a full head of hair if you are stuck at home and in constant pain? I'd rather lose a few locks to be able to live my life pain-free."

• Mam...
• September 3, 2013

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have taken Plaquenil for rheumatoid arthritis for about 6 months now. I take 200mg once a day. I cannot stress enough how much of a miracle this medicine has been for me. It was so good that some days I forgot I had rheumatoid arthritis altogether. I had no pains at all. The only drawback was that I was losing my hair and it became very dry and brittle. Being a woman, that scared me, so I quit the medication only to have the pains come back again. I spoke to my doctor, and he suggested trying to take it 3 times a week instead of every day to see if it reduces the hair loss. What good is a full head of hair if you are stuck at home and in constant pain? I'd rather lose a few locks to be able to live my life pain-free."

• dez...
• June 5, 2008

Hydroxychloroquine for Lupus "I have been on this medication since February 2008. I have more energy and less fatigue. I still have my days, but this medication is a godsend. Initially, my hair began to thin, but with supplements and proper hydration for my hair, it has leveled and is beginning to thicken again. If you are taking this medicine and have some of the side effects, please give it some time. I am glad I did."

• Bac...
• November 4, 2017

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I am a 72-year-old female, diagnosed with RA 6 years ago. I took Plaquenil (200x2) from 2012 to 2016, along with Prednisone to start. Due to the fact that I could not use my hands because of the swelling, I risked the possible vision problems. By 2012, I was symptom-free and still fearful of vision loss, so I stopped the drug. I was pain and symptom-free for one year, but now symptoms have returned, and I have been told to restart the drug (no Prednisone). In the 4 years that I took it, I went from 95 lbs to 85 lbs, lost a significant amount of hair, had cataract surgery, and now have macular degeneration. The decision to restart is extremely emotionally stressful, weighing the benefits against the risks. (Dr. says neither eye problem was caused by the drug.)"

• Ang...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 1, 2019

Hydroxychloroquine for Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease "I have been taking 200 mg of Plaquenil twice a day for 10 years. I get my vision checked every 6 months. I have had some thinning of my hair and can be nauseated in the morning if I don’t eat, but these are minor side effects compared to the symptoms it is treating. Switched to a new rheumatologist (mine retired), and the first thing he did was start weaning me off Plaquenil, saying I’ve been on it too long. I’m down to one pill once a day and absolutely miserable. I’m easily fatigued, achy, and feel exhausted. Started going to bed earlier and earlier but not feeling rested. Don’t want to get out of bed. Now I’m depressed because I felt great on the drug he says I can’t have."

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 13, 2018

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I've been using Plaquenil for 3 months. It has helped my RA pain subside a lot. While my rheumatologist says I'm in the beginning stages of RA, she nonetheless put me on the Plaquenil. However, my hair is falling out rapidly, so I have weaned myself off of it and will never use it again."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2016

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I'm 18 and was told I have arthritis about 10 months ago. Plaquenil worked after the first couple of weeks, but one major side effect is mouth ulcers, and at times I've been in so much pain with them I couldn't eat. But then the alternative one said it could make my hair fall out (and that is not an option at my age)."

• Anonymous
• December 24, 2011

Hydroxychloroquine for Lupus "I was diagnosed with Discoid lupus in 2009 and I began using Plaquenil once I stopped breastfeeding. Initially, the only difference I noticed was my hair stopped falling out. After taking Plaquenil for less than a year, my face and neck started turning black. My dermatologist is convinced that Plaquenil is the culprit and just recently confirmed it. Between my rheumatologist and dermatologist, they're trying to find the right medicine that will work. I've been using bleaching creams for about 9 months, and they haven't worked well. I tried to come off Plaquenil but I experienced bad headaches and hair loss."

• Gra...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 8, 2020

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have taken this medicine for 2 years. It helped my hands so much, more like 100 percent, but I can tell that my eyes are getting bad. I have an eye doctor appointment next month. What I didn’t know was it could cause your hair to fall out - it’s been falling out bad. I just found out yesterday that this is one of the side effects, so I am stopping this medicine. Hopefully, I can take something up. For all of you out there that have no side effects, you are so blessed!!!!"

• JC0...
• November 15, 2015

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Diagnosed with RA 3 years ago, was put on hydroxychloroquine 200mg 2x daily. After 4 months, nearly all my symptoms had gone! Then the hair loss started, and about a year from onset, I began to look like I had the mange; so, being a complete peacock, I took myself off of the medication. Not a good idea, 2 years of being symptom-free, and I had forgotten how badly RA sucks! Four months passed, and all of my symptoms returned, accompanied by a new symptom of chronic joint popping (and more discomfort and pain) in nearly every joint in my body! So, back to the hydroxychloroquine and hoping for the same relief acquired initially. I'm not ready to go Vin Diesel, so maybe I'll just invest in some baseball caps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 24, 2017

For Lupus "I started taking this drug in 2015 when I was diagnosed with SLE. It did wonders for my pain, stiffness, and inflammation in my joints. It also slightly helped the rash I developed on my face. About three months after starting use, I noticed that I was losing an amazing amount of hair. I dealt with this for about a month, thinking that it would just go away, that it was a change in my hormones or something of the like, but that was not the case. The hair loss continued until I had lost about 45% of my hair. I went off this drug in December 2015. It is now May 2017, and I have finally gotten most of my hair back to the length I can be happy with."

• Bir...
• March 27, 2020

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "Been on hydroxychloroquine for RA for a year. Weight gain, awful, losing hair. Drug started to not work very well. But the weight gain was the deciding factor in coming off it. Dry mouth didn't help either."

• Sbe...
• December 10, 2017

For Lupus "I was recently diagnosed with SLE and started Plaquenil 200 mg once a day. It's been over a month now, and I feel absolutely no difference in joint or muscle pain, but I do have terrible nausea 24/7 from it, with or without food, and take Nexium as I’ve had GERD for years, but take it 4 hours apart from the Plaquenil as directed. My hair is falling out like crazy. I go to a new rheumatologist next week, as the first one was horrible, and I can’t ask her a question without getting a response of, 'Ask your PCP.' What do I need her for, then? She’s the specialist, not my PCP. I take Percocet for the pain, which is the only thing helping me right now. Want off this malaria drug."

• Gab...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2021

For Rheumatoid Arthritis "I am a 74-year-old female who was diagnosed with RA and some other autoimmune disease that I can't pronounce, 3 months ago. I was put on Plaquenil 400 mg once a day, which I decided to divide into 2 doses, one in the am and one in the pm with food. I had such stomach pain, abdominal pain with cramps, and nausea all day, which I thought was my IBS. And yes, my IBS had kicked in because of this medication and actually made it far worse to the point that I had to see my gastro doctor to get tested for stuff, which all returned negative. I got off of the Plaquenil, and everything went away about 2 weeks later. I waited 14 days and started again to see if it truly was this medication, and bingo, the same thing happened. I tried it later again with just 200 mg because I didn't want to give up, but it did the same thing again as it did with 400 mg. It also made my hair fall out and made my joints hurt worse, and caused muscle pain. Go figure. I am off it now, it's not for me."

• One...
• December 18, 2016

For Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease "I am 54 years old and female. I have taken Plaquenil for only 10 days. Immediately on taking it, my joints have felt like they have a burning sensation. I am tired, and I ache more than I ever have. I am depressed and don't want to go anywhere because I hurt. The reason I went to the doctor was that I have tendinitis in more than one place: ankles, hip, knee, and wrist. I felt better without this medicine. I have been reading it takes a few months to let it kick in. I have been in really good shape, but since I started this, I just lay around and hurt and feel depressed. I am afraid of eye damage and hair loss. I have had the potential for glaucoma for 15 years now because of my high eye pressure."

• Evo...
• January 18, 2019

Hydroxychloroquine for Rheumatoid Arthritis "I have been on Plaquenil since 2012, and my hair is falling out by the handful. The doctor says it's not the medicine, but I know it is."