Encyclopedia · drug with hair side effects
Imatinib
A leukaemia drug that blocks the receptor pigment cells depend on can lighten or whiten hair reversibly, and oddly has also been listed among drugs that darkened gray hair.
What it is
A prescription tyrosine-kinase inhibitor for chronic myeloid leukaemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumours. It blocks KIT, a receptor pigment cells need to survive, which explains its pigment effects.
How it works
Blocking KIT can reduce pigment production and lighten hair. The opposite effect, darkening of gray hair, is reported incidentally and is not mechanistically settled.
What the studies show
- Case reports describe reversible hair depigmentation and other pigment changes in patients on imatinib (we read only the titles). Mariani 2011 Balagula 2011
- A meta-analysis of 8,052 patients found pigmentary changes with targeted cancer drugs overall, with BCR-ABL inhibitors among the most common causes in case reports. Dai 2017
- A systematic review of 27 low-quality studies lists imatinib among drugs reported to repigment gray hair. Yale 2020
How it's used in studies
Oncology doses only.
Side effects and safety
A serious drug (fluid retention, low blood counts and others); the pigment changes are cosmetic. Check the label for pregnancy warnings.
Bottom line
Mostly case reports. Pigment effects go in both directions in the literature, so this is a fun fact, not an option. Discuss with a doctor.
Fun facts
- A drug that blocks a pigment-cell receptor can whiten dark hair, yet has also been reported to darken gray hair.
Studies 4
Mariani S et al. Reversible hair depigmentation in a patient treated with imatinib. Leuk Res. 2011
Result: Reversible hair depigmentation on imatinib (title only read).
Read the study ↗Balagula Y et al. Pigmentary changes in a patient treated with imatinib. J Drugs Dermatol. 2011
Result: Pigment changes in a patient on imatinib (title only read).
Read the study ↗Dai J et al. Pigmentary changes in patients treated with targeted anticancer agents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2017
Result: Pigmentary changes occurred in 21.5% overall (RR 20.1); EGFR and BCR-ABL inhibitors were common culprits in case reports.
Read the study ↗Yale K et al. Medication-induced repigmentation of gray hair: a systematic review. Skin Appendage Disord. 2020
Result: Many drugs and some B vitamins were reported to repigment gray hair, mostly as incidental, low-quality reports.
Read the study ↗Related
- Drug-induced hair changesMedicines can thin hair, regrow it curly, darken or whiten it, or lengthen lashes; this table sorts the best-known links by how strong the evidence is.
- Gray hair and premature grayingGraying is mostly genetic, but single-hair mapping shows some gray hairs can regain colour, and the famous stress-causes-gray mechanism has only been proven in mice.
- EGFR inhibitors (erlotinib, cetuximab)Cancer drugs that block the EGF receptor can make eyelashes grow abnormally long and curly, and scalp hair curly or brittle, all reversing after the drug stops.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors (nivolumab, pembrolizumab)Anti-PD-1 cancer immunotherapy darkened white hair in 13 of 14 lung cancer patients in one series, and in a single case left a persistent curly-hair look.