Season 9, Episode 2 Reflections on Hair Loss Associated with GLP-1 Drugs

Welcome to the Evidence-Based Hair Podcast, hosted by Dr. Jeff Donovan, a   dermatologist and hair loss specialist.

In this episode, Dr. Donovan explores the growing concern about hair loss associated with GLP-1–based medications, including semaglutide and tirzepatide. As these medications are increasingly used for diabetes and weight management, more patients are asking whether drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound can cause hair loss.

Dr. Donovan reviews the latest evidence from randomized clinical trials, observational studies and pharmacovigilance databases to examine how often hair loss occurs and whether the risk differs among medications. He discusses the important distinction between telogen effluvium, androgenetic alopecia and other forms of hair loss, and explains why rapid weight loss, reduced calorie and protein intake, nutritional deficiencies and the underlying effects of the medications themselves all need to be considered.

The episode also examines whether faster or greater weight loss increases the risk of shedding, whether GLP-1 medications may simply uncover pre-existing patterned hair loss, and what clinicians and patients can do when hair loss develops. Dr. Donovan concludes with practical take-home messages about evaluating and managing hair loss while continuing to balance the substantial health benefits these medications can provide.

HELPFUL REFERENCES

• Cheng PL, Chang HC. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and hair loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2026;237:113333. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2026.113333.
• Tang H, Zhang B, Lu Y, Zhang D, Liu R, Lu Y, et al. Risk of hair loss associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in adults with type 2 diabetes: target trial emulation. BMJ. 2026;394:e100077. doi:10.1136/bmj-2026-100077.
• Neubauer Z, Ong MM, Singal A, Lipner SR. Increased risk of telogen effluvium with tirzepatide compared to other weight loss medications: a retrospective cohort TriNetX database study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025;93(6):1612-1614. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2025.08.033.
• Singal A, Ong MM, Neubauer Z, Lipner SR. Association between androgenetic alopecia and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor treatment in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a retrospective cohort study. Int J Dermatol. 2025;64(11):2157-2159. doi:10.1111/ijd.17971.
• Godfrey H, Leibovit-Reiben Z, Jedlowski P, Thiede R. Alopecia associated with the use of semaglutide and tirzepatide: a disproportionality analysis using the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System from 2022 to 2023. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2025;39:e153-e154. doi:10.1111/jdv.20197.
• Branyiczky MK, Lowe MS, McMullen E, Donovan J, Khosravi-Hafshejani T. Effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists on hair loss and regrowth: a systematic review. Int J Dermatol. 2026;65(5):1030-1032. doi:10.1111/ijd.70133.
• Jastreboff AM, Aronne LJ, Ahmad NN, Wharton S, Connery L, Alves B, et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022;387:205-216. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038.
• Cote MF, Oza VS, Orlow SJ. Are pediatric GLP-1 receptor agonist cutaneous adverse events being overlooked? Emerging age-specific patterns and their implications for dermatologists. Pediatr Dermatol. 2026:1-6. doi:10.1111/pde.70340.
• Bridges AG, Jackson T. Hair and scalp effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists in practice. Clin Dermatol. 2026. doi:10.1016/j.clindermatol.2026.09.017.
• Piraccini BM, Vañó-Galván S, Blume-Peytavi U, Ribet V, Mengeaud V. Hair loss in patients on glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists: understanding risks and managing outcomes. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2026;16:3345-3360. doi:10.1007/s13555-026-01792-0.