Anyone who’s considering using semaglutide (sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy) knows that this drug comes with some side effects. Your doctor may have noted that these medications can lead to gastrointestinal issues, including nausea, vomiting, and constipation. But you may wonder: Can semaglutide be connected to hair loss?

If you’ve been using semaglutide and noticed more hair showing up in your comb or at the bottom of your shower, keep reading to learn what may be behind the issue.

What Is Ozempic?

Ozempic is an injectable drug (a shot) that belongs to a group of medications called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists. Its main ingredient, semaglutide, acts like a hormone your body already makes to help control blood sugar and appetite.

Because GLP-1 helps regulate blood sugar levels, these drugs may be prescribed to treat diabetes. Since they also help people lose weight, GLP-1 medications may also be used as a treatment option for obesity.

Can Semaglutide Use Lead to Hair Loss?

Like other weight loss drugs, semaglutide has been linked to a variety of side effects — and some people report changes in their hair. Many say they’ve noticed hair shedding or thinning while taking the medication.

One 2025 study — not yet peer-reviewed — looked at whether semaglutide might be linked to hair loss. Peer-reviewed means other doctors check the study for accuracy before it’s published. This helps make sure the research is reliable. The researchers compared the outcomes of 1,926 people who were taking semaglutide against 1,348 people who took bupropion-naltrexone, which is an older weight loss drug sold as Contrave. The researchers found that the participants who took semaglutide were more likely to lose hair than those who took bupropion-naltrexone. Hair shedding from weight loss or medication is often temporary. In many cases, hair starts to grow back once the cause is found and treated.

Does Ozempic Cause Hair Loss in Women?

A non-peer-reviewed study on MedRxiv found that hair loss was more common with semaglutide and twice as likely to happen in women as in men.

Is Semaglutide Behind the Issue?

The study results matched findings from Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy. A report published by Novo Nordisk in March 2025 showed that 3.3 percent of people who took Wegovy experienced hair loss. In comparison, 1.4 percent of study participants who took a placebo (a drug with no active ingredients) also reported losing hair. Due to these outcomes, the company lists hair loss as a reported side effect of Wegovy, though it’s not among the most common.

Novo Nordisk makes both Wegovy (approved for weight loss) and Ozempic (approved for type 2 diabetes). Both drugs include semaglutide as the main ingredient, but the doses are different. Ozempic’s medication guide lists alopecia (hair loss) as a possible side effect, but it’s not clear how often it happens.

More studies are needed to find out if weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy can change how hair grows.

Could Hair Loss Be Related to Weight Loss?

Although semaglutide use may be linked to hair loss in some people, it’s unclear whether the drug itself is the cause. In some cases, hair loss may be linked to obesity, hormonal changes, or sudden weight loss.

Losing Hair After Rapid Weight Loss

Some people may experience hair shedding due to losing weight quickly, known as telogen effluvium. In this condition, your body reacts to a major stress event by temporarily pushing hair into a shedding phase — and you could lose up to 70 percent of it. While not everyone on semaglutide loses weight rapidly, some people do.

In its product information document for Wegovy, Novo Nordisk said that hair loss was linked to how much weight people lost. About 5.3 percent of people on Wegovy who lost at least 20 percent of their starting weight had hair loss. Among those who lost less than 20 percent of their starting weight, only 2.5 percent experienced hair loss. That same study found that people on semaglutide lost weight faster than those taking bupropion-naltrexone, which may help explain why hair loss was more common with semaglutide. Weight loss with bupropion-naltrexone usually happens more slowly.

Hair Loss Linked to Nutritional Deficiencies

Hair loss can happen if your body doesn’t get enough nutrients, like protein, iron, zinc, vitamin D, or biotin. This can be more likely if you’re eating less or having trouble absorbing nutrients. A protein deficiency can lead to telogen effluvium, and a lack of vitamin D, zinc, vitamin B7 (also called biotin), and possibly other nutrients could be linked to alopecia.

People taking GLP-1 drugs often eat less, which may lead to missing out on key nutrients that support hair health. These medications can also cause digestive side effects, which might make it harder for the body to absorb nutrients properly.

Hormonal Changes

Semaglutide use is connected to hormonal changes in people with obesity. Such hormonal changes can cause hair loss in some instances. After starting on semaglutide, make sure you attend all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider. They can alert you early if they notice any hormonal changes linked to obesity or weight loss in your blood tests.

Managing Hair Loss While Taking Semaglutide

If you’ve started losing hair while taking semaglutide, talk to your doctor. They may check your blood or look at your diet to see if you’re low in certain nutrients. If that’s the case, they might suggest you see a registered dietitian for help. You may need to change what you eat or take supplements to help fix the problem.

If your doctor or dietitian thinks the medication isn’t causing the hair loss, they may refer you to a dermatologist, who can help find other possible causes and suggest ways to treat it.

How Long Does Ozempic Cause Hair Loss?

Because researchers have just started studying the link between semaglutide and hair loss, it’s unclear how long hair thinning or loss lasts. People who lost hair due to telogen effluvium experience only temporary hair loss, and they typically see their hair grow back within three to six months.

Talk With Your Doctor

Hair loss can be upsetting, especially when you’re not sure what’s causing it. If you notice changes in your hair while taking semaglutide, know that you’re not alone — and support is available. A healthcare provider can help you figure out what’s behind the shedding and offer next steps to protect your hair and overall health.

Find Your Team

On MyObesityTeam, the social network for people with obesity and their loved ones, more than 57,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with obesity.

Did you experience hair loss or thinning hair while taking semaglutide or other GLP-1 receptor agonists? Did your doctor tell you excessive hair loss was one of the potential side effects? Share your experience in the comments below, start a conversation by posting on your Activities page, or connect with like-minded members in Groups.