# Hair loss on semaglutide and tirzepatide: what the labels report

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Published October 28, 2026. Updated October 28, 2026. By Bodi Envi Clinical Content Team.

How often hair loss was reported in the Wegovy® and Zepbound® trials, why the labels tie it to weight reduction, and what dermatologists say about shedding.

## What the labels report

Hair loss is listed among the common side effects in both the Wegovy® and the Zepbound® prescribing information. It is less common than nausea or constipation, but it is real, and the labels give numbers.

| Trial group | Hair loss reported | Placebo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wegovy® 2.4 mg, adult weight trials pooled | 3.3% | 1% |
| Wegovy® 7.2 mg, higher dose trials | 5.8% | 1.0% |
| Zepbound® 5 mg | 5% | 1% |
| Zepbound® 10 mg | 4% | 1% |
| Zepbound® 15 mg | 5% | 1% |

Women reported it far more often than men. In the Zepbound® trials it was 7.1 percent of women against 0.5 percent of men. In the Wegovy® 2.4 mg trials it was 4 percent of women against 0.9 percent of men.

Few people stopped treatment because of it. No one on Zepbound® in the main weight trials discontinued for hair loss. In the Wegovy® 7.2 mg trials, hair loss led to one person stopping treatment, one pause and five dose reductions.

This pertains to the brand name only. You cannot compare the personalized compounded version to this study because it is a different product entirely. For personalized compounds, the medical provider should be consulted.

## Why it happens

Both labels say the same thing: the hair loss reported was associated with weight reduction. Neither label describes the medications acting on hair directly.

That fits what dermatologists already know about shedding. The American Academy of Dermatology describes excessive hair shedding, called telogen effluvium, as common after a stress on the body, and losing a significant amount of weight is one of the stresses it lists. People usually notice it a few months after the trigger. The Academy describes this kind of shedding as normal and temporary, and says hair tends to regain its normal fullness within six to nine months as the body readjusts.

Shedding is different from hair loss that continues because something else is causing it, such as a nutritional shortfall or another medical condition. That is one reason to raise it with a provider rather than wait it out without a word.

## What a provider can look at

A licensed provider can review how fast the weight is coming off, how much you are actually eating, your dose history, other medications and any conditions that affect hair, and decide whether anything should change. Eating very little is a common problem on these medications, and the site’s guide to under-eating on a GLP-1 covers what it can cause. A dermatologist can tell shedding apart from other kinds of hair loss if it continues or worries you.

Do not stop the medication or change your dose on your own because of hair shedding. That is a decision to make with your provider.

## What this means for a compounded prescription

The numbers above come from the Wegovy® and Zepbound® labels, which describe the FDA-approved products and their trials. Personalized compounded semaglutide and tirzepatide are not FDA-approved and were not studied in these trials.

Personalized compounded medications differ from commercially available brand-name products in formulation, concentration, excipients, preparation methods, and other characteristics. Accordingly, clinical data from studies involving brand-name products should not be assumed to apply to personalized compounded formulations.

At this time, the studies referenced above have not evaluated the specific personalized compounded formulations being provided. Therefore, no claims of equivalence in safety, efficacy, quality, or clinical outcomes should be inferred from these studies.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do semaglutide and tirzepatide cause hair loss?

Both labels list hair loss as a common side effect and associate it with weight reduction. It was reported in about 3 to 6 percent of people on the medication against about 1 percent on placebo. This pertains to the brand name only. You cannot compare the personalized compounded version to this study because it is a different product entirely. For personalized compounds, the medical provider should be consulted. Personalized compounded medications differ from commercially available brand-name products in formulation, concentration, excipients, preparation methods, and other characteristics. Accordingly, clinical data from studies involving brand-name products should not be assumed to apply to personalized compounded formulations. At this time, the studies referenced above have not evaluated the specific personalized compounded formulations being provided. Therefore, no claims of equivalence in safety, efficacy, quality, or clinical outcomes should be inferred from these studies.

### Will my hair grow back?

The American Academy of Dermatology describes shedding after a stress such as significant weight loss as temporary, with hair tending to regain its normal fullness within six to nine months. If it continues, a provider or dermatologist should look for another cause. Personalized compounded medications differ from commercially available brand-name products in formulation, concentration, excipients, preparation methods, and other characteristics. Accordingly, clinical data from studies involving brand-name products should not be assumed to apply to personalized compounded formulations. At this time, the studies referenced above have not evaluated the specific personalized compounded formulations being provided. Therefore, no claims of equivalence in safety, efficacy, quality, or clinical outcomes should be inferred from these studies.

### Is it more common in women?

Yes, in both labels. In the Zepbound® trials, 7.1 percent of women reported it against 0.5 percent of men. This pertains to the brand name only. You cannot compare the personalized compounded version to this study because it is a different product entirely. For personalized compounds, the medical provider should be consulted. Personalized compounded medications differ from commercially available brand-name products in formulation, concentration, excipients, preparation methods, and other characteristics. Accordingly, clinical data from studies involving brand-name products should not be assumed to apply to personalized compounded formulations. At this time, the studies referenced above have not evaluated the specific personalized compounded formulations being provided. Therefore, no claims of equivalence in safety, efficacy, quality, or clinical outcomes should be inferred from these studies.

### Does a higher dose mean more hair loss?

In the Zepbound® trials the rate was similar across 5 mg, 10 mg and 15 mg. In the Wegovy® trials it was higher at 7.2 mg than at 2.4 mg. This pertains to the brand name only. You cannot compare the personalized compounded version to this study because it is a different product entirely. For personalized compounds, the medical provider should be consulted. Personalized compounded medications differ from commercially available brand-name products in formulation, concentration, excipients, preparation methods, and other characteristics. Accordingly, clinical data from studies involving brand-name products should not be assumed to apply to personalized compounded formulations. At this time, the studies referenced above have not evaluated the specific personalized compounded formulations being provided. Therefore, no claims of equivalence in safety, efficacy, quality, or clinical outcomes should be inferred from these studies.

### Should I stop treatment if my hair is shedding?

Not on your own. Few people in the trials stopped for this reason. Tell your provider, who can review your intake, your rate of weight loss and your dose. Personalized compounded medications differ from commercially available brand-name products in formulation, concentration, excipients, preparation methods, and other characteristics. Accordingly, clinical data from studies involving brand-name products should not be assumed to apply to personalized compounded formulations. At this time, the studies referenced above have not evaluated the specific personalized compounded formulations being provided. Therefore, no claims of equivalence in safety, efficacy, quality, or clinical outcomes should be inferred from these studies.

## Sources

- Wegovy® (semaglutide) injection prescribing information, DailyMed: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=ee06186f-2aa3-4990-a760-757579d8f77b (checked October 2026)
- Zepbound® (tirzepatide) injection prescribing information, DailyMed: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=487cd7e7-434c-4925-99fa-aa80b1cc776b (checked October 2026)
- American Academy of Dermatology, Do you have hair loss or hair shedding?: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/hair-loss/insider/shedding (checked October 2026)