Hormonal
Use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide, dulaglutide) for weight loss is associated with an emerging adverse effect of alopecia, primarily presenting as telogen effluvium or androgenetic alopecia.
If you are using a GLP-1 medication for weight loss and notice increased hair shedding, do not immediately stop the medication. This is a reported side effect, often presenting as temporary shedding (telogen effluvium) linked to metabolic stress or rapid weight loss. Consult a dermatologist to confirm the type of hair loss; it may be manageable without discontinuing your weight loss treatment.
Alopecia has recently been reported as a potential emerging adverse effect associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), which are widely prescribed for weight loss... an increasing number of reports describe hair loss events in patients treated with semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide, and dulaglutide.
Why this rating
Evidence is based on pharmacovigilance reports and retrospective cohorts with high risk of bias; no randomized controlled trials confirmed the causal link.
Source
Alopecia as an Emerging Adverse Effect Associated With Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonists for Weight Loss: A Scoping Review
Rosa López-Gigosos et al. · Cureus · 2025
DOI 10.7759/cureus.90021
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
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