Why Does Hair Loss Happen During Weight Loss? (And How to Treat It)

Significant weight loss can bring welcome changes, but for many GLP-1 users, there’s also an unexpected side effect: hair shedding. Whether you’re taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound, doctors say that hair loss during weight loss isn’t caused by the medication itself, but rather by what the body experiences during rapid change.

Featured Experts

• Jeffrey B. Wise, MD is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and hair restoration specialist in Wayne, NJ
• Hardik Doshi, MD is a hair restoration specialist and lead surgeon at Ample based in New York 
• Jacob Beer, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in West Palm Beach, FL
• Tina Alster, MD is a board-certified dermatologist based in Washington, D.C.
• Jody Levine, MD is a board-certified dermatologist in New York

Do GLP-1 medications cause hair loss?

“It’s critically important to understand that GLP-1 agonist drugs, in and of themselves, do not cause hair loss. Rather, hair loss can occur as a result of massive weight loss or fad dieting,” explains Wayne, NJ facial plastic surgeon and hair restoration specialist Jeffrey B. Wise, MD.

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Dr. Wise explains that this kind of shedding, known as telogen effluvium (TE), happens when sudden changes in the body push hair follicles into the resting phase. “Losing a substantial amount of weight can place stress on an individual’s body and lead to nutritional deficiencies, leading them to potentially develop a condition known as telogen effluvium,” he says.

During TE, daily hair loss can increase from the normal 100 hairs to as many as 300 per day. “Although telogen effluvium is extremely distressing, for the majority of people it is temporary and resolves on its own within three to six months after the onset of hair loss,” adds Dr. Wise.

Why Hair Thins During Rapid Weight Loss

New York hair restoration surgeon Hardik Doshi, MD says this process comes down to energy balance and nutrient availability. “Hair loss or excessive shedding can result from rapid or considerable weight reduction, regardless of the reason, including medication-induced weight loss such as Ozempic. When the body expends more energy than it consumes, hair follicles may not receive the nutrients required for healthy growth,” he explains.

Adding to this, West Palm Beach, FL dermatologist Jacob Beer, MD, notes that while many assume all hair loss during weight loss is telogen effluvium, it can be more complex. “A lot of dermatologists just say, ‘Oh, it’s telogen effluvium,’ but it’s actually a lot more complicated than that,” says Dr. Beer. “For some, it can progress to chronic telogen effluvium, which continues longer than expected. In others, it can unmask an underlying condition like androgenetic alopecia.”

This means that for certain patients, the shedding phase may reveal pattern hair loss that was already developing. “You have to be as aggressive as possible, as early as possible, because it’s much easier to retain hair than it is to grow new hair,” says Dr. Beer.

Will my hair grow the same way again?

The good news is that telogen effluvium is reversible. “Since this condition is reversible, people on these types of drugs are encouraged to make healthier lifestyle changes to mitigate the effects and shorten the duration of TE,” advises Dr. Wise. Just follow these steps to help stop hair loss in its tracks.

Who’s Most at Risk

Women approaching menopause or those with a family history of thinning hair may notice more significant changes. Dr. Beer explains that hormonal shifts can worsen shedding or accelerate androgenetic alopecia that was already underway.
“There’s a section of the population who might actually see improvement because of the anti-inflammatory effects of GLP-1s,” he says, “but for others, the medications can unmask dormant hair loss that would have appeared eventually.”

How to Treat and Prevent Hair Loss During Weight Loss

The good news: hair loss related to weight change is reversible. Here’s how doctors recommend protecting and restoring your hair.

1. Adjust Your Diet

Ensuring a balanced diet is important for reversing hair loss. “People on these types of drugs are encouraged to make healthier lifestyle changes to mitigate the effects and shorten the duration of TE,” says Dr. Wise. “One of these changes is ensuring a balanced diet that contains protein, such as meat, eggs, and dairy, as well as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.”

2. Prioritize Sleep

Dr. Wise underscores the critical role of sleep in maintaining overall health and mitigating hair loss. “A full seven to eight hours of sleep is required for the average adult,” he explains. Quality sleep is crucial because it helps reduce stress, which can otherwise exacerbate hair loss. Adequate rest allows the body to repair and regenerate, ensuring that hair follicles receive the necessary nutrients and oxygen. This restorative process is essential for maintaining healthy hair growth and preventing conditions like telogen effluvium.

3. Add Supplements

Not enough people are incorporating supplements into their routine says Dr. Doshi, and this is a crucial part of keeping your hair healthy during weight loss. “It’s important to address any deficiencies,” he advises, noting that key nutrients play a vital role in hair growth. He commonly recommends supplements that include biotin, iron, zinc, and vitamins D and B12. These essential vitamins and minerals support the hair-growth cycle by providing the necessary building blocks for healthy hair follicles. Addressing nutritional gaps with the right supplements can significantly enhance hair strength and resilience.

4. Try Minoxidil

Washington, D.C. dermatologist Tina Alster, MD says minoxidil is also a must. It’s a vasodilator, which increases blood flow to hair follicles, supplying them with additional oxygen and nutrients that promote hair growth. “When minoxidil is taken by mouth or applied to the skin, hair follicles are supplied with additional oxygen and nutrients,” she says.

4. Incorporate In-Office Treatments

To give your follicles a boost, Dr. Alster recommends Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) scalp injections to promote hair growth. “PRP is rich in proteins, or growth factors, which can stimulate hair follicles and prolong the hair growth phase,” she explains. PRP therapy involves drawing a small amount of the patient’s blood, processing it to concentrate the platelets, and then injecting this platelet-rich plasma directly into the scalp. These growth factors in PRP can enhance the activity of hair follicles and encourage the regeneration of healthy hair.

New York dermatologist Jody Levine, MD, elaborates on the procedure, noting that PRP injections are typically administered once a month for four to six sessions. She emphasizes that this monthly regimen helps to continuously stimulate hair follicles and improve hair density over time. “We generally follow a PRP protocol of four to six treatments, with each session spaced about a month apart. After the initial series, we usually wait a month, do another treatment, and then follow up again three months later,” she explains. Additionally, lasers may be used in conjunction with PRP injections to further stimulate hair growth.

Low-level laser therapy can also help increase blood flow to the scalp and improve the overall health of hair follicles, making it a complementary treatment to PRP for those seeking to maximize their hair restoration efforts. Dr. Doshi says his approach includes a combination of treatments such as topical minoxidil, oral Finasteride, LLLT, PRP treatments and in severe cases, hair transplants. “It’s worth mentioning that the success of these treatments may vary depending on the root cause of hair loss when treatment commences and individual patient characteristics. In situations possibly linked to medications, like Ozempic it is crucial to address any deficiencies and ensure balance in conjunction with these treatments.”

Dr. Beer also uses PRP and mesotherapy, sometimes injecting medications like dutasteride directly into the scalp to improve follicle response. “It’s much easier to maintain hair than regrow it,” he emphasizes, noting that the placement of injections matters. “You have to inject near the bulge area of the follicle where the stem cells live. Injecting too deep wastes the product.”

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“You can find this in 2% and 5% solutions or foams,” says Dr. Doshi. “The 5% version is usually recommended for men. Women can also opt for either strength.”

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“Ketoconazole shampoo has shown positive effects for treating hair loss,” says Dr. Wise. “This shampoo helps reduce scalp DHT levels and supports hair regrowth.”

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Dr. Alster recommends over-the-counter Nutrafol as part of any hair regrowth plan. “They’re bio-optimized botanical supplements containing ashwagandha, marine collagen, saw palmetto and curcumin,” she says.

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“The Pura D’or Original Gold Label Anti-Thinning Shampoo includes biotin and a blend of elements,” says Dr. Doshi.

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Dr. Hardik recommends Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) for enhancing hair density and thickness. “It utilizes light to stimulate hair follicles,” he explains. “It can be administered either in an office setting or with at-home devices.”