Regardless of the uncertainties, all of the consultants interviewed for this text agreed that a few theories are a bit extra developed than others. Right here’s a breakdown of what’s probably happening.
The more than likely offender: Your physique is freaking out.
While you shed extra pounds shortly, with or with out a GLP-1, your physique perceives it as stress and begins shutting down processes that aren’t one hundred pc essential for preserving you alive, similar to hair development, says Eric Nolen-Doerr, MD, an endocrinologist and weight-management specialist at Boston Medical Middle. This non permanent type of hair shedding is named telogen effluvium and might occur any time the physique undergoes vital physiological or psychological pressure. Fast weight reduction qualifies, as do different modifications that may happen with GLP-1 remedy, together with main hormonal shifts, Dr. Perkins says.
Throughout this time extra hair follicles than common enter the resting (telogen) section of the hair cycle, resulting in “noticeable shedding just a few months later,” Dr. Perkins says. (FWIW, this is similar purpose folks lose hair after having a child: The stress of start, significantly the hormone modifications, triggers shedding.) You usually lose anyplace from 50 to 150 hairs per day, and with telogen effluvium that quantity can double.
Consultants theorize that the danger of hair loss whereas taking a GLP-1 might hinge on how a lot weight you lose and the way quickly you lose it—two elements that may enhance the stress in your physique. Wegovy medical trials discovered that hair loss occurred extra regularly amongst sufferers who misplaced over 20 p.c of their weight in a few yr and a half on the remedy; it was much less frequent in those that misplaced much less weight. “It’s doable that variations in dose, diploma of urge for food suppression, and the quantity or velocity of weight reduction—somewhat than the particular drug itself—play a bigger function in whether or not hair shedding happens,” says Dr. Perkins, who was not concerned within the trials. However in the end, she says, extra managed research are wanted to find out whether or not “significant variations exist amongst particular person GLP-1 therapies.”
You won’t be getting sufficient important vitamins on a GLP-1.
One of many methods GLP-1s work is by making you much less hungry. One 2025 research means that the common particular person taking a GLP-1 remedy will eat upwards of 700 fewer energy per day than they’d in any other case. Sure, this will result in weight reduction, however it may possibly even have unintended penalties. “Consuming considerably much less can contribute to deficiencies in vitamins necessary for hair development, similar to iron, zinc, and protein, which can additional exacerbate shedding,” factors out Dr. Perkins.
This sentiment is echoed by Anthony E. Oro, MD, PhD, a professor of dermatology and affiliate director of the Middle for Definitive and Healing Drugs at Stanford College. He says, “With iron and vitamin D deficiencies, the hair senses that the supplies to make the hair will not be coming in, and so it goes, ‘Whoa!’” The consequence? Much less new hair development and extra hair loss, resulting in a much less full look.
How you can handle hair loss on a GLP-1
In the event you begin to see extra strands popping out with every bathe you could be inclined to tamp down on common flatironing or bleaching to quell the method. Granted, it’s just about at all times a good thought to chop again on warmth or coloration since it may possibly negatively impression your hair well being. However avoiding these issues received’t do a lot to cease any shedding related to GLP-1s, says Dr. Oro. Merely put, altering up your styling routine received’t deal with the underlying reason for your hair loss.
