Does rosuvastatin cause hair loss?

In this article:

• What is the connection between rosuvastatin and hair loss?
• How rare is rosuvastatin hair loss?
• Other rosuvastatin side effects
• How to manage rosuvastatin side effects
• Rosuvastatin alternatives for cholesterol

In this article

• What is the connection between rosuvastatin and hair loss?
• How rare is rosuvastatin hair loss?
• Other rosuvastatin side effects
• How to manage rosuvastatin side effects
• Rosuvastatin alternatives for cholesterol

Rosuvastatin calcium (generic Crestor) is a prescription medication that’s FDA approved to lower LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides, slow the progression of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in at-risk patients. Hair loss (alopecia) has been reported as a rare side effect of rosuvastatin and other medications in the statin drug class. Fortunately, the hair loss is easily reversed by discontinuing the medication, but you should only do so after seeking medical advice.

What is the connection between rosuvastatin and hair loss?

Hair loss can be caused by genetics, hormonal changes, certain diseases, or medication. Although there is little research indicating a connection between statins and hair loss, there is some. 

Recent research describes a 53-year-old man who began to notice hair loss one week after starting rosuvastatin. He eventually stopped taking the medication, and his hair started to grow back one week later. 

In a 2002 report, a 38-year-old woman reported hair loss about six weeks after starting atorvastatin (Lipitor). Her doctors discontinued the cholesterol medication, and her hair began to grow back in a few weeks. After a relapse, she began to take atorvastatin again, and this time she noticed hair loss within two weeks.   

Because it’s so rare and hasn’t been studied in-depth, there’s no definitive explanation as to why statins may cause hair loss. 

“The relationship between drugs and hair loss is complex, and the exact connection is not always easy to establish,” says Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Dermatology Circle. “Many other factors must be ruled out as potential causes of hair loss, such as dormant infections, stress, other medical conditions, and genetic hair loss.” 

Ross Kopelman, MD, a hair transplant surgeon at Kopelman Hair Restoration, agrees that stress could be at the heart of rosuvastatin hair loss, but says the stressor could be the medication itself. He adds that “alterations in lipid metabolism, hormonal shifts, or mild nutrient absorption changes may influence the hair growth cycle in susceptible individuals” who take statins. 

How rare is rosuvastatin hair loss?

So, how rare is rare? According to public data from the U.S. and UK, hair loss represents 0.6–1.6% of all rosuvastatin reactions. 

Here’s the raw data behind those numbers: 

• According to the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System (FAERS), alopecia represents 789 out of 49,963 rosuvastatin reactions, or 1.6%. 
• According to the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, alopecia represents 26 out of 4,240 rosuvastatin reactions, or 0.6%.

The American Academy of Cardiology says 10–15% of people who take statins develop an adverse reaction. If we use that information to assume that one has a 15% chance of experiencing a reaction to rosuvastatin and there’s up to a 1.6% chance that the reaction is hair loss, the total risk of hair loss is expected to be no more than 0.24%. The numbers are inexact and based on assumptions, but they provide us with an idea of how uncommon this side effect is.

Dr. Kopelman says people with a genetic predisposition for hair thinning, or who are already experiencing alopecia, may be at an increased risk for hair loss with statins. 

Other rosuvastatin side effects

Other rosuvastatin (Crestor) side effects are far more common than hair loss. Examples include:

• Myopathy (muscle pain)
• Joint pain
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Constipation

Serious side effects of rosuvastatin include:

• Liver problems
• Kidney failure
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Rhabdomyolysis (potentially fatal muscle breakdown)
• Diabetes

How to manage rosuvastatin side effects

Many rosuvastatin side effects go away on their own, and that may be the case with hair loss as well. Dr. Kopelman says statin-related hair loss is typically a “temporary shedding.” The hair should grow back once the body adapts.  

He recommends talking to a healthcare professional about “supportive therapies like topical minoxidil or oral finasteride to help maintain hair density” if you’re concerned about hair loss while taking rosuvastatin. Reducing the rosuvastatin dose may also help.   

Stopping rosuvastatin should also promote hair regrowth, but Dr. Kozlovskaya warns not to discontinue the medication on your own. “The medication may be essential for managing your cardiovascular risk. I would wait for permission from your cardiologist before making any changes.”

Rosuvastatin alternatives for cholesterol

Other statins, including Lipitor (atorvastatin) and pravastatin, are associated with a small risk of hair loss, too. Fortunately, non-statin medications are available to treat high cholesterol, including:

• PCSK9 inhibitors like Repatha (evolucumab) and Praluent (alirocumab)
• Fibrates like Tricor (fenofibrate) and Lopid (gemfibrozil)
• Zetia (ezetimibe)

These rosuvastatin alternatives are not typically associated with hair loss, but rare reactions could occur. Talk to your healthcare provider about your options so you can treat high cholesterol and understand the low risk of hair loss with treatment.