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Pyrithione Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of pyrithione include drug interaction, pruritus, and headache, based on 48 FDA adverse event reports from 2006 to 2025. 8.3% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Pyrithione side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for pyrithione.

1
Drug Ineffective8.3%4
2
Drug Interaction8.3%4
3
Pruritus6.3%3
4
Headache6.3%3
5
Off Label Use6.3%3
6
Skin Exfoliation6.3%3
7
Seborrhoea6.3%3
8
Paraesthesia6.3%3
9
Nausea4.2%2
10
Periproctitis4.2%2
11
Death4.2%2
12
Scab4.2%2
13
Seborrhoeic Dermatitis4.2%2
14
Abdominal Pain4.2%2
15
Vision Blurred4.2%2

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that pyrithione caused these reactions.

Report severity

54.2%Serious26 reports
27.1%Hospitalizations13 reports
4.2%Fatal2 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Pyrithione drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside pyrithione. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Ketoconazole16.7%8
2
Primidone6.3%3
3
Atorvastatin-calcium4.2%2
4
Ribavirin4.2%2
5
Adalimumab4.2%2
6
Dabigatran-etexilate-mesylate4.2%2
7
Selenium-sulfide4.2%2
8
Paricalcitol2.1%1
9
Lopinavir2.1%1
10
Ritonavir2.1%1
11
Teriparatide2.1%1
12
Buprenorphine2.1%1
13
Telaprevir2.1%1
14
Sofosbuvir2.1%1
15
Rituximab2.1%1

Taken alongside

1
Hydrocortisone18.8%9
2
Acetaminophen16.7%8
3
Pantoprazole-sodium16.7%8
4
Atorvastatin-calcium16.7%8
5
Trazodone-hydrochloride14.6%7
6
Insulin14.6%7
7
Losartan-potassium14.6%7
8
Fish14.6%7
9
Gabapentin14.6%7
10
Metformin14.6%7
11
Ergocalciferol12.5%6
12
Ketoconazole12.5%6
13
Metoprolol12.5%6
14
Glipizide12.5%6
15
Sertraline-hydrochloride10.4%5

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports pyrithione side effects

47.9% of pyrithione adverse event reports involve female patients and 47.9% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 69%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female47.9%
Male47.9%
Unknown4.2%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.0%
12–170.0%
18–6469.2%
65+30.8%

What is pyrithione used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking pyrithione when the adverse event was reported.

Accidental ExposureAcneDandruffDermatitisDandruffDermatitisDiffuse Large B-cell LymphomaPainProduct Used For Unknown IndicationPsoriasisProduct Used For Unknown IndicationSeborrhoeic DermatitisSeborrhoeic Dermatitis

Pyrithione brand names and reporting trend

Pyrithione is sold under the brand name Head & Shoulders Conditioner.

Brand names

Head & Shoulders Conditioner38

Quarterly reports (20062025)

20062025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking pyrithione with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.