GLP-1 and Hair Loss: What the Labels and Research Say

Short answer: Yes, hair loss appears in the official information for GLP-1 medicines. The Wegovy® (semaglutide) label reports it in clinical trials and says the hair loss reactions “were associated with weight reduction.” The Zepbound® (tirzepatide) label reports it in 4% to 5% of trial patients versus 1% on placebo. A small published study of people who lost weight by other means found hair shedding that improved on its own. This page summarizes those sources and does not tell you what is happening with your hair.

Do GLP-1 labels list hair loss?

As of October 30, 2026, the labels on DailyMed say:

• Wegovy: the label has a Hair Loss paragraph in its adverse reactions section. In a pool of weight-reduction studies, hair loss was reported in 3.3% of patients on the 2.4 mg strength (4% of females and 0.9% of males) and in 1% of patients on placebo (2% of females and none of the males). In a trial of a higher strength, 5.8% reported it, versus 3.3% on 2.4 mg and 1% on placebo. In a pediatric trial, 4% of treated patients reported hair loss and none on placebo.
• Zepbound: Table 1 of the label, covering weight-reduction trials, lists hair loss in 1% of placebo patients and in 5%, 4% and 5% of patients across the three Zepbound strengths studied. The Medication Guide also lists hair loss among the most common side effects.
• Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets: the label says hair loss reactions “were associated with weight reduction.” It reports hair loss in 4% to 5% of treated patients across the strengths studied, versus 2% on placebo, and more often in female than male patients (7% versus 0.9% for Foundayo).
• Ozempic and Mounjaro: the labels list alopecia (the medical word for hair loss) among reactions reported after approval. They say such reports come “from a population of uncertain size,” so it is “not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship.”

Why do percentages differ between labels? The trials had different designs, populations and lengths, so numbers from one label cannot be lined up against another.

Why might hair shed during weight loss?

The Wegovy label links the hair loss it saw to weight reduction itself. A published study in Annals of Dermatology looked at people with telogen effluvium after weight loss. Telogen effluvium is temporary shedding that happens when more hairs than usual move into a resting phase. Key findings, from a single-center study, none of which involved GLP-1 medicines:

• The patients began losing hair on average about 1.1 months after the weight loss began.
• They improved on average by about 4.8 months of follow-up “without any treatment.”
• The authors found no significant correlation between how much weight was lost and when the hair loss started or how long recovery took.

One clinic’s study cannot say how common this is or how it plays out for you.

What else can cause hair loss?

MedlinePlus, the NIH patient-information site, lists several causes unrelated to any medicine: thyroid problems, diabetes, lupus, stress, a low protein diet, a family history and poor nutrition. That is why a change in your hair is worth discussing with a clinician rather than assuming a cause.

How can you keep track of changes?

If you notice more shedding, a note with the date it started, the date of your most recent shots and any other changes (illness, stress, a new medicine) gives your clinician a clear timeline. Weeko, a shot tracker coming to iPhone and Android, is being built around that kind of simple log. It is a logbook, not medical guidance.

For other effects listed on the labels, see GLP-1 side effects: a plain-language guide. For the Wegovy and Zepbound comparison, see Tirzepatide vs semaglutide.

When to call your doctor

Tell your prescriber if hair loss bothers you, is getting worse, or comes with other new symptoms. Ask before stopping or changing any medicine. MedlinePlus lists several causes of hair loss unrelated to medicines, so a clinician is the right person to sort out what is going on.