Hair loss on Wegovy? The surprising truth behind the side effect

While the aim of losing weight is to improve health and feel more confident, it's not unusual to notice other physical changes along the way. From shifts in bone and muscle mass [1], to loose skin, rashes and acne [2], and even hair shedding, weight loss can bring more than just a change on the scales.

With the increased availability of weight loss medications, such as Wegovy, it's natural to ask how they might influence these changes, particularly when it comes to hair health and the potential for hair loss.

So, here, we’ll explore Wegovy’s relationship to your hair and what role it might play in your risk of hair loss.

Does Wegovy cause hair loss?

If you frequent social media, you might have seen Wegovy hair loss become a trending topic over the last few years, with some people who have taken the medication reporting that they have experienced hair thinning or temporary hair loss while trying to lose weight.

With all weight loss medications coming with their share of common side effects, it’s not unreasonable to assume this might be one of Wegovy's, but the reality is that it’s not quite so simple.  

What the research says

While more studies still need to be conducted, there is currently no evidence that links semaglutide with hair loss, and of the known side effects, none should impact your hair or skin at all. So, why do some people notice hair loss when taking the drug?

Is it Wegovy or something else?

While Wegovy itself won’t increase your risk of hair loss, the rapid weight loss that it can inspire is one of the causes of a condition called Telogen Effluvium [3]. This is a common, generally temporary condition which affects the hair follicles, resulting in excessive hair shedding, and can also be caused by physiological stress, emotional stress, hormonal changes and medications.

In a healthy scalp, 85% of hair is anagen hair (actively growing hair), and 15% is telogen hair (resting hair). Typically, a hair follicle produces an anagen hair for almost four years, then has a period of rest as a telogen hair for about four months before it’s pushed out by a new anagen hair. Telogen effluvium effectively increases the number of hairs in the telogen phase as a stress response, putting more of your hair in the resting phase and then shedding phase than the growth phase.

Many people who have experienced hair loss have done so as a result of telogen effluvium, and for those who are losing hair on Wegovy, it's largely considered to be a side effect of the rapid weight loss rather than the Wegovy work.

Could Wegovy actually improve hair health?

Currently, there has been no link found between Wegovy itself and hair at all, meaning while it might not be the cause of your hair loss, it’s not what’s keeping your hair healthy either.

Lifestyle changes to support hair while taking Wegovy

Still, weight loss is the name of the game when taking Wegovy, and you are still at risk of hair loss through telogen effluvium until your weight stabilises. As a result, you can take precautions to support hair growth and protect your health holistically.

One of the reasons people contract telogen effluvium while experiencing sudden weight loss is that they can develop nutrient deficiencies, which can impact both hair structure and hair growth. It’s particularly common as a result of a decreased protein intake or a niacin deficiency [4], which can lead to an iron deficiency, other vitamin deficiencies or even simply a nutritional imbalance.

Ensuring you maintain a balanced diet as you work towards your ideal body weight, potentially supported by nutritional supplements, is therefore vital to keeping your body, skin and hair healthy during weight loss.

If you find you struggle to do this, working within a structured health program could provide the support and guidance you need to prevent hair loss and make healthy, sustainable changes that are focused on weight management well into the future.

With the Juniper Programme, you can access weight loss medication tailored to your health and goals, never one-size-fits-all. Our app helps you track progress, connect with your care team, adjust medication as needed, and access expert support. You'll also get structured tools to build lasting habits and ongoing care.

Kickstart your weight loss journey with Wegovy, a groundbreaking weight loss injection that mimics the GLP-1 hormone to help control cravings, delay stomach emptying, and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

We help you make lifestyle and habit changes, and we’re in it with you for the long run, having helped thousands of women achieve their weight loss goals.

How to manage or treat hair loss while on Wegovy

If you are losing hair while taking Wegovy, don’t stress! There are plenty of simple adjustments that you can make to manage and treat thinning hair, and that can even help your hair grow again.

• Use a gentle shampoo and a moisturising conditioner.
• Avoid using products that heat your hair, such as a hair dryer, curling irons, flat irons, hot combs or hot-oil treatments. When trying to dry your hair, wrap it in a microfibre towel instead to help it dry faster without damaging the fragile strands, or if you do use your hair dryer, use it on the lowest heat setting.
• Stop at-home colouring, perming, chemical straightening and relaxing, and if you want to do these things, find a salon that specialises in these services with professionals who know how to best care for traumatised or thinning hair.
• Avoid wearing your hair tightly pulled back in a bun, ponytails, pigtails, cornrows or braids, as these can lead to further hair loss conditions such as traction alopecia.
• If you smoke, stop, as smoking has been linked to further hair loss.
• Eat a balanced diet, and talk to your healthcare professional or a dermatologist about supplements or further medical options [5].

A holistic approach to weight loss and wellbeing

While the rapid weight loss Wegovy can lead to is often the appeal of the medication, it needs to be approached as simply a cog in the machine of a healthy life. In order to maintain your weight loss permanently, lifestyle changes need to be right for you and your day-to-day living, otherwise you risk backsliding into bad habits, weight gain and undoing all your hard work.

A holistic approach to weight loss is one that supports you physically, emotionally and psychologically, and it needs to be balanced with a robust, nutritious diet, regular exercise, and a focus on your wellbeing, whether that be through community, therapy, meditation, or simply looking after yourself.

After all, the rapid weight loss is only one cause of telogen effluvium and hair loss, and the best way to ensure a healthy head of hair long into the future is to ensure a healthy life, inside and out.

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