Wegovy And Hair Loss: Is There A Connection?

Like all drugs, Wegovy can cause some minor side effects. But some people on social media channels and online forums are sharing that they’re experiencing hair loss during weight loss treatment. So, is there a connection between weight loss medications and excessive shedding? And if so, can you prevent it? Let’s see what the science says.

How does Wegovy work?

Wegovy contains the active ingredient semaglutide, which belongs to a class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists. Semaglutide works by regulating your appetite, slowing gastric emptying (the rate food leaves your stomach) and controlling your blood sugar levels. [1] This leads to increased feelings of fullness, which helps you consume less food and, in turn, fewer calories. [2]

A landmark clinical trial found that people taking semaglutide alongside lifestyle changes, including a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, lost 15% of their body weight, on average, in 68 weeks. [3]

How does weight loss affect your hair?

Significant weight loss can help improve many aspects of your overall health, from lowering your blood pressure to increasing your joint mobility. But, it can also affect your hair health, leading to a common type of hair loss known as telogen effluvium.

Telogen effluvium can be caused by stress, nutrient deficiency or rapid weight loss, and it typically occurs 2–3 months after you experience one of these triggers. [4] This hair loss happens by interrupting your natural hair growth cycle, which involves four stages: [5]

1. Anagen (growth phase) — Your hair follicle produces a hair shaft and grows around 1 cm per month, often for several years.
2. Catagen (transition phase) — A two to three-week period where the hair stops growing and starts to detach from the follicle.
3. Telogen (rest phase) — The follicle rests for 3–4 months before shedding.
4. Exogen (shedding phase) — The hair falls out and your follicle begins growing a new hair shaft.

When you lose weight, you’re in a calorie deficit — that means you’re eating fewer calories than you’re burning. In some cases, especially if you’re following a highly restrictive diet, your body diverts energy and essential nutrients from your hair to other essential processes. [6] This causes more hair follicles than usual to enter the telogen phase at the same time, leading to excessive shedding and hair thinning. [7]‍

Does Wegovy cause hair loss?

‍Following a Wegovy plan can help you achieve significant weight loss results, but is it directly linked to hair loss?Clinical evidence suggests that hair loss is not one of Wegovy’s common side effects. In clinical trials, 3% of people taking the medication claimed they experienced hair loss compared to 1% in the placebo group. However, that doesn’t mean that rapid weight loss while taking Wegovy won’t affect your hair health at all. So, it’s important you follow your dosage schedule and any diet advice your clinician gives you to ensure you achieve steady, sustainable weight loss to minimise this risk.

‍How to prevent hair loss on your weight loss journey

‍If you’re thinking of starting Wegovy, or another weight loss drug, there are some steps you can take to reduce the likelihood of hair loss caused by rapidly losing weight.

The most important one is eating a balanced diet. Temporary hair loss is often linked to nutritional deficiencies, particularly iron, zinc and protein. [7, 8] A reduced-calorie diet is important for weight loss, but you should avoid crash dieting, which has long been associated with vital nutrient deficiencies and excessive hair loss. [9] Instead, you should ensure the foods you do eat are nutrient-dense and contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Prioritise fruits, vegetables, legumes and low-fat dairy products. Make sure your meals contain a lean protein source because amino acids — the molecules that make up protein — are essential for the production of keratin, which is the protein your hair is made of.

Following general hair health tips can also minimise shedding. Be gentle when you're washing or brushing your hair, and avoid tight hairstyles that could encourage hair to shed.

Remember, this form of hair loss is associated with rapid weight loss. At Levity, we create a dosing schedule and health plan that encourages healthy, long-term weight loss to reduce any potential risks of side effects. Our clinicians are available any time to support you with any concerns you have about hair loss, or any other effects of weight loss treatment, during your Levity journey.

‍Reach your weight loss goals with Levity

‍Interested in a clinically proven weight loss programme with tailored health coaching? Find out what treatment is suitable for you here.

‍References:

[1] Wegovy 0.25 mg, FlexTouch solution for injection in pre-filled pen - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) [Internet]. www.medicines.org.uk. Available from: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/13799/smpc#gref ‌

[2] Blundell J, Finlayson G, Axelsen M, Flint A, Gibbons C, Kvist T, et al. Effects of once‐weekly semaglutide on appetite, energy intake, control of eating, food preference and body weight in subjects with obesity. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism [Internet]. 2017 May 5;19(9):1242–51. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5573908/ ‌

[3] Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2021 Feb 10;384(11):989–1002. ‌

[4] Asghar F, Shamim N, Farooque U, Sheikh H, Aqeel R. Telogen Effluvium: A Review of the Literature. Cureus. 2020 May 27;12(5):e8320. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8320. PMID: 32607303; PMCID: PMC7320655.

[5] Hoover E, Alhajj M, Flores JL. Physiology, Hair [Internet]. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499948/

[6] Muscogiuri G, Barrea L, Laudisio D, Pugliese G, Salzano C, Savastano S, et al. The management of very low-calorie ketogenic diet in obesity outpatient clinic: a practical guide. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2019 Oct 29;17(1).

[7] Guo EL, Katta R. Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use. Dermatology practical & conceptual. 2017;7(1):1–10. ‌

[8] Malkud S. A Hospital-based Study to Determine Causes of Diffuse Hair Loss in Women. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH. 2015;9. Goette DK, Odom RB. Alopecia in crash dieters. JAMA [Internet]. 1976 Jun 14 [cited 2024 Jul 2];235(24):2622–3. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/946869/