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Health Guide / Hair loss

Alcohol and hair loss: is there a link?

chimene richa

Reviewed by Chimene Richa, MD, written by Kristen Fischer

Last updated: Jun 13, 2022
4 min read

table of contents

  1. Does alcohol cause hair loss?
  2. Effects of drinking alcohol on hair
  3. Other effects of heavy alcohol use
  4. How to treat and prevent hair loss
  5. Alcohol and hair loss: the bottom line

Disclaimer

If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

If you’re a social drinker and start to notice more strands of hair in your hairbrush than usual, you may begin to wonder if happy hour is to blame. 

Does alcohol cause hair loss? And do you have to forego the occasional glass of wine for a healthy head of hair? Read on to find out.  

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Does alcohol cause hair loss?

Drinking alcohol does not cause hair loss. But drinking heavily or regularly may affect your body and overall health, leading to certain health issues that can cause hair loss. 

So, even though alcoholic drinks do not cause hair loss directly, drinking alcohol may do so indirectly. 

Effects of drinking alcohol on hair

While drinking alcohol is not one of the direct causes of hair loss, alcohol intake has been linked to other things that do cause hair loss, including nutrient deficiencies and smoking. 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the effects of alcohol on the body and how they may harm the health of your hair.

Alcohol and nutritional deficiencies

Heavy drinking is linked to nutritional deficiencies. Particularly, excessive alcohol consumption can deprive the body of the following vitamins and minerals (Almohanna, 2019; Lieber, 2004):

How does this happen? When studying people with alcoholism, researchers found that many heavy drinkers are malnourished, meaning they either don’t ingest enough key nutrients or their bodies cannot properly absorb the nutrients (Lieber, 2004).

Not taking in enough key nutrients is likely due to alcohol’s low nutritional value (hence people often referring to alcohol as “empty calories”) and not eating a proper diet. But even if you eat a balanced diet, excessive alcohol use can still affect how your body absorbs and digests food, making it harder for you to actually reap the benefits of the vitamins and minerals you consume (Lieber, 2004). 

And when your body isn’t able to get the nutrients it needs, hair loss may occur (Almohanna, 2019).

Alcohol and smoking

Not all people who drink are smokers, but many people light up when they start drinking. Smoking is linked to hair loss, or more specifically, androgenic alopecia (pattern baldness) (Babadjouni, 2021; Salem, 2021). 

Other effects of heavy alcohol use

Aside from contributing to certain factors that may cause hair loss, alcohol abuse is also associated with other health problems, including (NIAAA, n.d.):

  • Brain impairments
  • Mood and behavior disruptions
  • Impaired coordination
  • Heart issues
  • Stroke
  • High blood pressure
  • Liver problems 
  • Pancreatitis
  • Cancer
  • Weakened immunity
  • Hormonal changes

How to treat and prevent hair loss

There are many ways to treat and prevent hair loss. Some may be more successful than others. Ultimately, what works for you may take some trial and error. However, the following tips may be helpful in maintaining or restoring hair health.

Limit alcohol consumption

Being mindful of the amount of alcohol you drink is a smart way to prevent hair loss (and maybe prevent any hair loss from getting worse). That said, you don’t have to give up alcohol completely if you don’t want to. 

A good guideline to follow is the CDC’s recommendation of drinking no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women (CDC, 2021).

Try hair loss medications

Minoxidil (brand name Rogaine) and finasteride (brand name Propecia; see Important Safety Information) are two medications FDA-approved to treat certain types of hair loss. 

Minoxidil is a topical medication that you apply directly to your scalp. It is approved for men and women with androgenic alopecia. Finasteride is an oral pill, only approved for use in men, that you take daily to slow hair loss and encourage regrowth. 

Your healthcare provider may recommend other medications, depending on your type of hair loss. 

Eat a nutritious diet

Try to eat a balanced diet full of things like leafy green vegetables, lean meats, beans, and whole grains—and avoid excess sugars and processed foods—to get the vital nutrients your body needs for healthy hair growth. 

Some research suggests that eating too much sugar and high glycemic index (GI) foods may be linked to hair loss. Eating too much sugar may increase sebum (oil) production, which can drive scalp irritation and inflammation. Not only that, eating too many high GI foods may raise your insulin levels, which can also affect hair growth (Goluch-Koniuszy, 2016). 

Keep an eye out for getting too much selenium or vitamin A, as an excess of either nutrient may  be linked to hair loss (MacFarquhar, 2010; Almohanna, 2019).

Alcohol and hair loss: the bottom line

While alcohol consumption doesn’t directly affect the hair growth cycle, excessive drinking is associated with other health conditions that may be linked to hair loss. 

And even though there’s not much research on whether or not curbing alcohol consumption can prevent or reverse hair loss, cutting down on drinking may help. Of course, if you notice persistent thinning hair, it’s worth reaching out to a healthcare provider who can not only help you get to the bottom of why you’re losing your hair but can recommend individualized treatment options as well.

References

  1. Almohanna, H. M., Ahmed, A. A., Tsatalis, J. P., et al. (2019). The role of vitamins and minerals in hair loss: a review. Dermatology and Therapy, 9(1), 51–70. doi:10.1007/s13555-018-0278-6. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6380979/
  2. Babadjouni, A., Pouldar Foulad, D., Hedayati B., et al. (2021). The effects of smoking on hair health: A systematic review. Skin Appendage Disorders, 7, 251-264. doi:10.1159/000512865. Retrieved from https://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/512865# 
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Alcohol questions and answers. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/faqs.htm 
  4. Goluch-Koniuszy, Z. S. (2016). Nutrition of women with hair loss problem during the period of menopause. Menopause Review, 15(1), 56–61. doi:10.5114/pm.2016.58776. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828511/ 
  5. Lieber, C. (2004). Relationships between nutrition, alcohol use, and liver disease. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Retrieved from https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-3/220-231.htm 
  6. MacFarquhar, J. K., Broussard, D. L., Melstrom, P., et al. (2010). Acute selenium toxicity associated with a dietary supplement. Archives of Internal Medicine, 170(3), 256–261. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.495. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20142570/ 
  7. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). (n.d.). Alcohol’s effects on the body. Retrieved June 13, 2022 from https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body 
  8. Salem, A., Ibrahim, H., Abdelaziz, H., et al. (2021). Implications of cigarette smoking on early-onset androgenetic alopecia: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 20, 1318–1324. doi:10.1111/jocd.13727. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jocd.13727 
chimene richa
Chimene Richa, MD

Dr. Chimene Richa is a board-certified Ophthalmologist and Senior Medical Writer/Reviewer at Ro.

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Important Safety Information for Finasteride

Finasteride is for use by MEN ONLY and should NOT be used by women or children. 

Read this Patient Information before you start taking finasteride and each time you get a refill. There may be new information. This information does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment. 

What is finasteride? Finasteride is a prescription medicine used for the treatment of male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). It is not known if finasteride works for a receding hairline on either side of and above your forehead (temporal area). Finasteride is not for use by women and children. 

Who should not take finasteride? 

Do not take finasteride if you: 

  • are pregnant or may become pregnant. Finasteride may harm your unborn baby. Females who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should not come in contact with broken or crushed finasteride tablets. If a pregnant woman comes in contact with crushed or broken finasteride tablets, wash the contact area right away with soap and water. If a woman who is pregnant comes into contact with the active ingredient in finasteride, a healthcare provider should be consulted. o If a woman who is pregnant with a male baby swallows or comes in contact with the medicine in finasteride, the male baby may be born with sex organs that are not normal. 
  • are allergic to any of the ingredients in finasteride. 

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking finasteride? 

Before taking finasteride, tell your healthcare provider if you: 

  • have any other medical conditions, including problems with your prostate or liver 
  • Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine. 

How should I take finasteride? 

  • Take finasteride exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. 
  • You may take finasteride with or without food. 
  • If you forget to take finasteride, do not take an extra tablet. Just take the next tablet as usual. 
  • Finasteride will not work faster or better if you take it more than once a day. 

What are the possible side effects of finasteride? 

  • decrease in your blood Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) levels. Finasteride can affect a blood test called PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) for the screening of prostate cancer. If you have a PSA test done you should tell your healthcare provider that you are taking finasteride because finasteride decreases PSA levels. Changes in PSA levels will need to be evaluated by your healthcare provider. Any increase in follow-up PSA levels from their lowest point may signal the presence of prostate cancer and should be evaluated, even if the test results are still within the normal range for men not taking finasteride. You should also tell your healthcare provider if you have not been taking finasteride as prescribed because this may affect the PSA test results. For more information, talk to your healthcare provider. 
  • There may be an increased risk of a more serious form of prostate cancer in men taking finasteride at 5 times the dose of finasteride. 

The most common side effects of finasteride include: 

  • decrease in sex drive 
  • trouble getting or keeping an erection 
  • a decrease in the amount of semen 

The following have been reported in general use with finasteride: 

  • breast tenderness and enlargement. Tell your healthcare provider about any changes in your breasts such as lumps, pain or nipple discharge. 
  • depression; 
  • decrease in sex drive that continued after stopping the medication; 
  • allergic reactions including rash, itching, hives and swelling of the lips, tongue, throat, and face; 
  • problems with ejaculation that continued after stopping medication; 
  • testicular pain; 
  • difficulty in achieving an erection that continued after stopping the medication; 
  • male infertility and/or poor quality of semen. 
  • in rare cases, male breast cancer. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of finasteride. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. 

Keep finasteride and all medicines out of the reach of children. 

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or seek immediate medical attention.

Withholding or providing inaccurate information about your health and medical history in order to obtain treatment may result in harm, including, in some cases, death.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription products to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see the full Prescribing Information for complete safety information.