GLP-1 associated Hair Loss

If you have taken a GLP-1 and have experienced hair loss this article is for you!  Many of the tips apply to hair loss for any reason, so if not taking a GLP-1 you still might find this helpful.

What is a GLP-1? Ozempic was the first and the most well-known of a type of medication called GLP-1 (Glucagon Like Peptide) analogs.  They work to control blood sugar and slow down gastric emptying so you feel fuller.  These drugs are used by medical professionals to treat diabetes and obesity, but are also available on every street corner spa.  Their widespread use has led to widespread weight loss and HAIR LOSS! Newer drugs in this category are Trulicity, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Saxenda.  

Why do people lose hair with GLP-1s?  Theses drugs are a true “shock” to your system.  Anyone who has tried one will tell you it impacts your entire eating patterns, reducing the desire to eat entirely.  While this leads to the desired effect of weight loss, our bodies are in shock.  What happened to all those nutrients?

What type of hair loss is seen with GLP-1s? The type of hair loss most often associate with GLP-1s is Telogen Effluvium.  Let me explain simply ( but of course it is a little more complex than this)

Alll of the hairs on our body go through three main continually cycling stages ANAGEN is the active growth phase, CATAGEN is a transition phase, TELOGEN is the resting phase.  (Some people add EXOGEN as the falling out phase).   Each day about 100 hair follicles should shift into the resting phase and about 100 will start growing again.  As long as it is cycling nicely, our hair remains its normal fullness. With almost all kinds of hair loss, except chemotherapy related loss and alopecia areata, the problem is with the Telogen phase.   After hairs in the Telogen phase fall out, the cycle is supposed to kick back into the Anagen phase and start growing again.  In Telogen Effluvium, lots of hairs shift into the Telogen phase at once and often get stuck there. Hairs get stuck in Telogen and don’t kick back into the Anagen phase and start growing again.  When hairs stop growing because they are stuck in the Telogen phase, we notice hair thinning.

Telogen effluvium is not specific to GLP-1s but can be seen with any “shock” to your system.  Medications, stress, dietary changes and weight loss are just a few.

What can be done?  When patients are experiencing Telogen Effluvium for any reason, the number one treatment is topical Rogaine (generic Minoxidil).  Again an oversimplification, but Rogaine kicks hairs into the active growing phase and HOLDS THEM THERE, so they don’t shift into Telogen and fall out as much.  This is applied topically daily until hair is where you are happy with it.  Remember that hair, at best, grows about one centimeter a month.  So, it’s gonna take a LONG TIME to grow your hair back.  If you continue to stay on the GLP-1 you may need to continue Rogaine long term.  It is simple, safe and effective.  It just requires a little work – what’s a good head of hair worth to you?  For me, I use Rogaine daily.

Vitamins are wonderful, but they WILL NOT kick the hair back into the ANAGEN growing phase.  They can make your hair stronger, less brittle, more resilient and healthy looking, but they will not effect the cycling much at all.  I recommend a daily multivitamin as well as one marketed for “skin, hair and nails”.  The main ingredient in most “hair vitamins” is biotin which can be purchased inexpensively OTC.  At our house we take Nature’s Bounty Skin, Hair and Nails gummies from Sams Club.  There are much fancier and more expensive hair supplements, but few have an scientific evidence to justify their cost in my opinion.  

If you have hair loss from GLP-1s or know someone who does, send them this article so they can get their hair growing again. To learn more about Rogaine use, check out the articles linked below and lots more at wvderm.com

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