Science progressApr 17, 2026

GLP-1 Treatments and Hair Loss: Reviewing the Evidence and What It Means for Advice

GLP-1 Therapies Weekly Brief ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗OA ↗

Updated Jun 27, 2026

Abstract

Essence

Certain GLP-1 therapies, especially semaglutide and tirzepatide, were linked to reported hair loss signals.

Evidence

This PRISMA systematic review included 24 primary studies from 133 records and drew on pharmacovigilance studies and clinical cohorts describing alopecia subtypes, dose patterns, sex differences, and weight-loss links.

Caveat

The evidence remains largely signal-based and observational, so causality, timing, and vulnerable populations were not established by large prospective randomized trials.

Simplified

ObjectiveTo evaluate glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA)-specific associations with hair loss, characterize reported alopecia subtypes and discuss potential underlying mechanisms.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted across four databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science) according to PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261297384). Studies were included if they were primary articles assessing hair loss related to GLP-1 RA use.ResultsOf 133 studies identified, 24 met inclusion criteria. Among GLP-1 RAs, semaglutide and tirzepatide demonstrated the highest incidence rates of hair loss and more frequent signal detection in pharmacovigilance studies. Although infrequently classified overall, and were the predominant subtypes of hair loss reported. Tirzepatide, associated with the greatest magnitude of weight loss, was most frequently linked to telogen effluvium. Hair loss associated with semaglutide appeared to be dose-dependent, with doses < 2mg weekly rarely implicated while higher obesity-treatment doses were more commonly associated with hair loss. Females appeared to be disproportionately affected. Rapid weight loss emerged as a potential contributor, particularly for telogen effluvium. In contrast, fewer studies assessed hair loss with liraglutide, dulaglutide, lixisenatide and exenatide, and they typically exhibited lower reported risk when compared to semaglutide and tirzepatide.ConclusionsAccumulating evidence from pharmacovigilance databases and clinical cohorts suggests an increased risk of hair loss with certain GLP-1 RAs, particularly semaglutide and tirzepatide. Further studies are needed to clarify the etiology of drug-induced weight loss, identify vulnerable populations, and establish causality and temporal relationship through large, prospective randomized trials.