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GLP-1 hair loss: how common it is and what the labels say

Updated Sep 30, 2026. Numbers in brackets link to the source each fact comes from.

Hair loss is a listed side effect of Zepbound, Wegovy and Foundayo, and on all three labels it was far more common in women than in men. On Zepbound, 7.1% of women and 0.5% of men in the weight trials reported it [3]. Each of the three labels ties the hair loss to weight reduction rather than calling it a direct effect of the drug on hair [3] [6] [11].

How often it was reported

Pooled across everyone, hair loss looks uncommon. Column order comes from each label’s table header.

Medicine and trial group Placebo On the medicine
Zepbound 5, 10 and 15 mg, weight trials 1% 5%, 4%, 5% [1] [2]
Wegovy injection 2.4 mg, weight trials 1% 3% [4] [5]
Wegovy injection 7.2 mg trial (2.4 mg arm in brackets) 1% 6% (3%) [22] [21]
Foundayo 5.5, 9 and 17.2 mg, weight trials 2% 4%, 4%, 5% [9] [10]

The gap between women and men

The pooled numbers hide a large difference by sex. Each label reports it separately:

Medicine Women on the drug Men on the drug Women on placebo Men on placebo
Zepbound, weight trials 7.1% 0.5% 1.3% 0% [3]
Wegovy 2.4 mg, weight trials 4% 0.9% 2% 0 [6]
Wegovy 7.2 mg trials 8.4% 0.2% 1.5% 0 [7]
Foundayo, weight trials 7% 0.9% 3% 0.7% [11]

On the higher 7.2 mg Wegovy dose, one case of hair loss led someone to stop treatment and five led to a dose reduction; none of those steps were needed in the 2.4 mg or placebo groups [8]. On Zepbound, nobody stopped the drug because of hair loss [3]. In a Wegovy trial in adolescents, 4% of those on the drug reported hair loss and none on placebo [6].

Ozempic and Mounjaro

These diabetes medicines have no hair loss rate on their labels. Both list alopecia (hair loss) among reports received after the drugs went on sale [13] [14]. The Ozempic label explains that such reports are voluntary, so it is not possible to reliably estimate how often it happens or to prove the drug caused it [12].

For the full tables, see Zepbound, Wegovy, Foundayo, Ozempic and Mounjaro.

What MedlinePlus says about shedding

MedlinePlus does not discuss GLP-1 medicines here, but it describes the general kinds of shedding that follow stress on the body.

  • Some loss is normal: about 50 to 200 hairs a day [15].
  • Physical or emotional stress can make up to three quarters of scalp hair shed, a pattern called telogen effluvium [16].
  • It often shows up weeks to months after the stress, shedding slows over 6 to 8 months, and it is usually temporary, though it can become long-term [17].
  • Crash diets, especially ones short on protein, are among the listed causes [18].
  • If a vitamin deficiency is found, a provider will likely suggest a supplement [19].

The labels only say the hair loss was associated with weight reduction; they do not name a type. Published research has started to. A 2026 systematic review found that most reports did not classify the hair loss, but where they did, telogen effluvium and androgenetic (pattern) hair loss were the main types [23]. It named rapid weight loss as a possible contributor, particularly to telogen effluvium [24]. A 2026 health-records study that matched GLP-1 users with similar people not taking them found semaglutide and tirzepatide linked to higher odds of hair loss, especially telogen effluvium, and its authors suggested the physical stress of losing weight may play a part [25]. These studies show a link, not proof of cause.

When to see a doctor

MedlinePlus says to contact a provider if you lose hair in an unusual pattern, lose it quickly or at a young age, have pain or itching with it, or the scalp under the thinning area is red, scaly or otherwise abnormal [20]. Thinning hair is also worth mentioning to your prescriber at your next visit, since the labels tie it to weight loss and your prescriber sets the pace of your dose increases. Do not stop or change your dose on your own.

Sources

  1. Adverse Reaction Placebo (N=958) % ZEPBOUND 5 mg (N=630) % ZEPBOUND 10 mg (N=948) % ZEPBOUND 15 mg (N=941) % dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  2. Hair Loss 1 5 4 5 dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  3. Hair loss adverse reactions in ZEPBOUND-treated patients were associated with weight reduction. In a pool of Study 1 and 2, hair loss was reported more frequently in female than male patients in the ZEPBOUND (7.1% female versus 0.5% male) and placebo (1.3% female versus 0% male) treatment groups. No ZEPBOUND-treated patients and one placebo-treated patient discontinued study treatment due to hair loss. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  4. Placebo N=1,261 % WEGOVY Injection (2.4 mg Once Weekly) N=2,116 % dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  5. Hair Loss 1 3 dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  6. Hair loss adverse reactions in WEGOVY injection-treated patients were associated with weight reduction. In a pool of studies 2, 3, and 4, hair loss was reported in 3.3% of patients treated with WEGOVY 2.4 mg (4% female, 0.9% male) and in 1% of patients treated with placebo (2% female, 0 male). In a pediatric trial, hair loss was reported in 4% of patients treated with 2.4 mg of WEGOVY and no placebo-treated patients. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  7. In clinical trials with WEGOVY 7.2 mg injection, hair loss was reported in 5.8% of patients treated with WEGOVY 7.2 mg (8.4% female, 0.2% male), 3.3% of patients treated with WEGOVY 2.4 mg (5.4% female, 0 male), and 1.0% of patients on placebo (1.5% female, 0 male). dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  8. In the WEGOVY 7.2 mg group, 1 event led to permanent treatment discontinuation, 1 event led to temporary interruption, and 5 events led to dose reduction, versus none of these actions in the WEGOVY 2.4 mg or placebo groups. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  9. Adverse Reaction Placebo (N=1,576) % FOUNDAYO 5.5 mg once daily (N=1,051) % FOUNDAYO 9 mg once daily (N=1,055) % FOUNDAYO 17.2 mg once daily (N=1,049) % dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  10. Hair lossa 2 4 4 5 dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  11. Hair loss adverse reactions in FOUNDAYO-treated patients were associated with weight reduction. In a pool of Trials 1 and 2, hair loss was reported more frequently in female than male patients in the FOUNDAYO (7% female versus 0.9% male) and placebo (3% female versus 0.7% male) treatment groups. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  12. The following adverse reactions have been reported during post-approval use of semaglutide, the active ingredient of OZEMPIC. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  13. Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue : alopecia dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  14. Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue : alopecia dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  15. Normally, you lose roughly 50 to 200 hairs from your head every day. medlineplus.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  16. Physical or emotional stress may cause one half to three quarters of scalp hair to shed. This kind of hair loss is called telogen effluvium. medlineplus.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  17. You may not notice this for weeks to months after the episode of stress. Hair shedding decreases over 6 to 8 months. Telogen effluvium is usually temporary. But it can become long-term (chronic). medlineplus.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  18. Crash diets, especially those that do not contain enough protein medlineplus.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  19. If you have a certain vitamin deficiency, your provider will likely recommend that you take a supplement. medlineplus.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  20. Losing hair in an unusual pattern Losing hair rapidly or at an early age (for example, in your teens or twenties) Pain or itching with the hair loss The skin on your scalp under the involved area is red, scaly, or otherwise abnormal medlineplus.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  21. Hair loss 1 3 6 dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  22. Placebo N=303 % WEGOVY Injection (2.4 mg Once Weekly) N=304 % WEGOVY Injection (7.2 mg Once Weekly) N=1,311 % dailymed.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 27, 2026.
  23. Although infrequently classified overall, androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium were the predominant subtypes of hair loss reported. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.
  24. Rapid weight loss emerged as a potential contributor, particularly for telogen effluvium. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.
  25. Semaglutide and tirzepatide were associated with higher odds of nonscarring hair loss, particularly telogen effluvium. This association and follow-up BMI findings suggest that weight loss-associated physiologic stress may contribute to hair loss during GLP-1 therapy. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, read Sep 28, 2026.

This page reports what official sources say; it is not medical advice. Medical disclaimer.