Spironolactone is an oral medication commonly prescribed for conditions such as low blood potassium, abnormal fluid retention and excessive production of a hormone called aldosterone. It is also sometimes prescribed as a treatment for female pattern baldness in women who do not respond to approved hair loss medication. However, use of spironolactone carries considerable health risks.
Female Pattern Baldness Basics
Female pattern baldness is a condition characterized by thinning hair on the crown and top of the scalp, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine's Medline Plus. Unlike pattern baldness in men, it rarely results in loss of the front hairline or total baldness. Doctors do not fully understand the mechanisms of female pattern baldness. However, they have identified several potential underlying factors, including genetic predisposition, aging and changes in the body's levels of male hormones called androgens.
Approved Medication
The only medication approved for the treatment of female pattern baldness by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is minoxidil, Medline Plus reports. Although stronger minoxidil preparations are prescribed for men, women typically receive a 2 percent concentration of the medication. Minoxidil use triggers a slowing or stopping of hair loss in most women, while as many as 25 percent of women experience an actual renewal of hair growth. If you gain any benefits from minoxidil treatment, they will end if you stop using the medication.
Spironolactone
If you have female pattern baldness caused by excessive androgens and do not respond well to minoxidil, your doctor may also prescribe spironolactone, Medline Plus notes. In baldness treatment, this medication achieves its effects by decreasing the production of androgens in your ovaries and adrenal glands, in addition to partially blocking the effects of androgens already present in your system, according to the American Hair Loss Association. Despite these effects, spironolactone is not approved by the FDA as a hair loss remedy.
Side Effects
Medline Plus lists relatively minor potential effects of spironolactone use that include painful or enlarged breasts, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, increased hair growth on other parts of your body, deepening of the speaking voice, and vaginal bleeding after menopause. Contact your doctor if you experience persistent or severe forms of these effects. More serious potential effects of spironolactone use include jaundice, pain in your upper right stomach, breathing or swallowing difficulties, decreased urine output, lethargy, pain or burning in your hands or feet, and bloody vomit or blood in your stool. Contact your doctor at once if you experience any degree of these symptoms.
Overdose
In some cases, you can also overdose on spironolactone, according to the Mayo Clinic. Potential symptoms of an overdose include convulsions, muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, swelling of your hands or ankles, small raised lesions on your skin, skin redness, confusion, nervousness, breathing difficulties, and lapsing into a coma. If you develop signs of overdose, get emergency assistance at once. Before using spironolactone, discuss its risks and benefits with your doctor.
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