Does Zepbound cause hair loss?

If you’re taking Zepbound (tirzepatide) for weight loss and noticing more hair shedding, you may start to have questions — namely, does Zepbound cause hair loss? 

Yes, it can. But some good news: Only a small percentage of people taking the drug experienced the side effect in clinical trials, and it’s usually temporary.  

Keep reading to learn more about how Zepbound may cause hair loss and what you can do to treat and help prevent hair loss on Zepbound.

Zepbound can cause hair loss. In fact, hair loss is listed as a side effect in the drug’s prescribing information. 

In clinical trials, about 5% of patients taking the medication reported hair loss. Women experienced the side effect more often than men. But no one reported stopping treatment because of this side effect. 

To put it in perspective, more common Zepbound side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and constipation. In trials, these gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms happened in up to 20% of people — four times more often than hair loss. It also means that 95% of people taking Zepbound likely won’t experience hair loss. 

Hair shedding due to Zepbound can be annoying and distressing, but it’s typically only temporary.

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Zepbound may cause hair loss for a few related reasons, including rapid weight loss and nutrient deficiency.

But first, it’s important to understand that you can normally shed about 100 hairs a day without Zepbound — more when shampooing or brushing your hair. 

And most healthy adults have 80,000–120,000 hairs in total. When hair grows, it goes through three phases: 

1. Anagen (growth) phase: Up to 90% of your hair follicles are in this growth phase, which can last 2–6 years. 

2. Telogen (resting) phase: After the growth phase, the hair follicles go inactive and “rest” for around three months. About 10%--5% of hair is in this phase.

3. Shedding phase: This is where inactive or dead hair sheds.

Triggering events such as illness or rapid weight loss can affect this cycle. 

This cycle can change during triggering events such as illness or rapid weight loss. Known as telogen effluvium, this condition causes you to suddenly shed more hair than normal. 

That’s because your hair stops growing and enters the resting phase of the hair growth cycle. The stress can cause the hair to leave anagen (growth) and enter telogen (resting) prematurely. After about three months, this hair starts shedding. 

This table gives a visualization of what’s going on with your estimated 100,000 hair follicles normally versus when you take Zepbound:  

Here are some reasons why experts think hair loss can happen while taking Zepbound. 

Rapid weight loss

Zepbound can be quite effective for weight management. Research shows that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) medications like Zepbound and Wegovy can lead to body fat losses of 14%--20%. Which is good news if you need to lose weight. 

But this rapid weight loss in a short time can trigger TE, causing temporary hair shedding and possibly even hair thinning on the scalp. 

Nutrient deficiencies

Another potential cause of Zepbound hair loss? Nutrient deficiencies, which can happen when you’re not eating enough (or the right type of) calories. 

GLP-1 medications like Zepbound cause you to take in fewer calories by suppressing your appetite. Eating less can lead to weight loss, but it can also lead you to fall short on many key nutrients — including those that support healthy hair. These include protein, iron, vitamins A, D, and E. With less of these hair helpers in your diet, the more likely you are to experience hair loss. 

No,  hair loss typically is not permanent on Zepbound. 

Zepbound hair loss is usually caused by TE (telogen effluvium), which is temporary. Most people with TE don't have to treat hair loss. But they may benefit from reducing stress and making sure their diet contains healthy nutrients. 

As your body adjusts to the medication and you ensure you are maintaining healthy habits, your hair should grow back. This process can take about six months, though individual circumstances may vary. 

In clinical trials, only about 5% of people experienced hair loss compared to 1% in the placebo group. 

This side effect was reported more frequently in females than males: 7.1% of women in one clinical trial experienced hair loss while 0.5% of men did. However, no one who received Zepbound injections stopped treatment because of hair loss. 

There are several steps you can take to try to prevent hair loss when taking Zepbound, including:

Eat a balanced diet

Zepbound suppresses your appetite, causing you to eat less and feel less hungry. But this makes it even more important to make sure you’re prioritizing eating nutritious foods to get the vitamins, minerals, and protein your body (and hair!) needs. 

To support strong, healthy strands, make sure your meals include these key nutrients in balanced amounts:

• Protein (e.g. eggs, fish)

• Biotin (e.g. almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds)

• Zinc (e.g. oysters, poultry, chickpeas) 

• Vitamin A (e.g. sweet potatoes, bell peppers)

• Vitamin C (e.g. cashews, bell peppers, berries)

• Vitamin E (e.g. avocado, almonds)

• Iron (e.g. beans, lentils, spinach, tofu)

Not sure where to start? Reach out to your healthcare provider for advice or consider working with a registered dietitian. They can help craft a personalized Zepbound diet plan for you to ensure you’re moving toward your goals and staving off side effects like hair loss. And on that note…  

Control side effects

Sure, Zepbound can suppress your appetite and help you feel full longer. But it can also lead you to eat less and miss out on key nutrients by causing GI side effects. 

Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can understandably cause you to lose even more of your appetite. 

The good news? Side effects usually dissipate over time. Plus, there are ways to ease them faster — and managing them early can also help you get back to nutrient-rich eating and prevent Zepbound hair loss. 

Here are a few simple strategies: 

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals

• Avoid overeating

• Stay hydrated 

• Limit fatty, greasy foods

Review your dose with your provider

Research suggests that weight loss tends to be faster and more significant on higher doses of Zepbound. And since rapid weight loss is more likely to cause TE, slowing down the rate at which you lose weight may help reduce your chances of hair loss. 

Of course, controlling how quickly you lose weight on Zepbound isn’t always possible. But you can talk to your healthcare provider about potentially lowering your dose to see if it could make a difference. 

Your body is going through many changes on Zepbound, but hair loss may not be a welcome one. Here are a few treatment options to help manage hair loss while on Zepbound:

Consider nutrient supplementation

Think nutrient deficiencies may be to blame for your recent shedding or thinning? Talk to your healthcare provider about potentially getting a blood test to check your levels of key nutrients, such as iron. (FYI, iron deficiency anemia is a common cause of TE.) 

And if you do have a deficiency, your provider may then suggest iron or vitamin D supplements. This tactic can help get your levels back to normal and, in doing so, improve hair loss. 

Taking extra supplements if you don’t have vitamin deficiencies doesn’t seem to improve hair growth. Working with a healthcare professional — such as your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian — can help you address gaps in your diet and fix them safely, be it through food intake, supplements, or both. 

Wait it out

Waiting for your strands to grow back can be frustrating. But if your Zepbound hair loss is truly due to TE, take comfort — it’s usually temporary. 

With a little time and a whole lot of patience, your hair will likely start to grow back (often within six months). Until then, try to be gentle to your strands: Avoid tight hairstyles, minimize heat styling, and ditch box dyes

Ask about hair loss medications 

If you are concerned about TE, connect with a dermatologist. For people who have a combination of TE and patterned hair loss (i.e. thinning on the front, top, and sides of the scalp), certain medications may help. 

Examples include prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) options. Be sure to discuss the risks and benefits of these medications with your healthcare provider to see if each option could be right for you: 

• Topical minoxidil (OTC)

• Oral minoxidil

• Finasteride

Consider an alternate medication

If Zepbound hair loss is affecting your quality of life, talk to your healthcare provider about potentially switching medications. 

All GLP-1s can cause hair loss. But research shows tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Zepbound) and semaglutide are the biggest culprits. Liraglutide appears to be less likely to cause the side effect, though every treatment comes with its own risks. 

Weigh the pros and cons of these medications with your prescriber to find the one that’s best for you.

Hair loss tends to be a temporary side effect of Zepbound. Still, there are some instances where you may need to talk with your healthcare provider. 

For example, if you are experiencing hair loss due to rapid weight loss, you may want to discuss decreasing your dose of the medication. Or in some cases, you may want to discuss switching to a different medication that is less likely to cause hair loss. You may even want to explore other potential causes for hair loss, such as hormone conditions, scalp infections or rashes. 

Let your healthcare provider know if you experience:

• Redness, itching, or scaling on scalp

• Changes in your menstrual cycle

• Facial hair growth in women

• Anxiety

• Fatigue

• Hair loss only in certain patches of your hair (as this form of hair loss is less likely to be medication-related)

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Hair loss is a possible side effect of Zepbound. But it’s likely not one that should scare you away from taking this medication if it’s the right treatment for you. 

• Only about 5% of people in clinical trials for Zepbound reported hair loss, and no one in the clinical trials  stopped taking the medication for this reason. 

• The type of hair loss typically associated with Zepbound is telogen effluvium (TE), a temporary condition. 

• Hair loss on Zepbound may be due to the stress of rapid weight loss or nutrient deficiencies. 

• Your hair should grow back once your body adjusts to the medication, though it can take six months to notice this regrowth, and timing may vary depending on the individual. 

• Working with a healthcare provider and/or a registered dietitian can help you make sure you’re getting enough calories and nutrients to prevent or treat hair loss.

If Zepbound side effects like hair loss are particularly bothersome or negatively affecting your quality of life, don’t hesitate to contact your healthcare provider.