Hair loss is becoming a concern for some individuals using weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound — popular drugs that offer rapid weight loss by utilizing semaglutides and tirzepatides, compounds that regulate blood sugar levels and suppress appetite. Health professionals, however, emphasize that this side effect is not caused by the drugs themselves, but is rather linked to stress and metabolic changes induced by rapid weight loss.”It is a great option for weight loss for people who don’t want to go the surgery route, or for those who have already gone the surgery route and then have had weight regain,” said Jenn Truman, a nurse practitioner with Norton Weight Management Services.Experts caution, however, that these medications can lead to temporary hair shedding as the body adjusts to significant metabolic shifts.Kentucky currently ranks first in the nation in the number of weight loss drug prescriptions, with 1 in 15 residents using these medications, according to a Bloomberg report. As such, hair loss reports are more noticeable in the state.”It’s very common for some people, more common in women than men, to have an increase in that shedding — up to double, maybe 300 hairs a day,” Truman said. While this may sound alarming, health professionals stress that the hair loss isn’t permanent and can often be mitigated. To combat these symptoms, maintaining a healthy diet and adequate calorie intake is crucial.”This is another thing that can be helped by eating the right foods, taking the right vitamins, making sure that you aren’t really putting your body in such a scarcity mode,” Truman said. Medical experts recommend consuming a minimum of 1,000 calories a day, noting that some users of these drugs only consume 300 to 700 calories daily, which is insufficient. This caloric deficit can exacerbate stress on the body and contribute to hair shedding.In response, hair salons in Kentucky are seeing an uptick in demand for extensions as a quick fix; however, stylists caution against this practice.”They do put extra tension on your hair and extra tension on your scalp. So if you’re already dealing with hair loss, it’s just going to exacerbate your symptoms,” said Katherine Carman, a stylist at Haven Spa and Salon.Instead, Carman advises proactive treatments, such as scalp treatments or systems like Nutrafol, for those who anticipate possible hair shedding.Only around 5% of individuals experience hair loss symptoms while on these medications. However, the high prescription rates in Kentucky may make the issue appear larger than it truly is.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Hair loss is becoming a concern for some individuals using weight loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound — popular drugs that offer rapid weight loss by utilizing semaglutides and tirzepatides, compounds that regulate blood sugar levels and suppress appetite.
Health professionals, however, emphasize that this side effect is not caused by the drugs themselves, but is rather linked to stress and metabolic changes induced by rapid weight loss.
“It is a great option for weight loss for people who don’t want to go the surgery route, or for those who have already gone the surgery route and then have had weight regain,” said Jenn Truman, a nurse practitioner with Norton Weight Management Services.
Experts caution, however, that these medications can lead to temporary hair shedding as the body adjusts to significant metabolic shifts.
Kentucky currently ranks first in the nation in the number of weight loss drug prescriptions, with 1 in 15 residents using these medications, according to a Bloomberg report. As such, hair loss reports are more noticeable in the state.
“It’s very common for some people, more common in women than men, to have an increase in that shedding — up to double, maybe 300 hairs a day,” Truman said.
While this may sound alarming, health professionals stress that the hair loss isn’t permanent and can often be mitigated. To combat these symptoms, maintaining a healthy diet and adequate calorie intake is crucial.
“This is another thing that can be helped by eating the right foods, taking the right vitamins, making sure that you aren’t really putting your body in such a scarcity mode,” Truman said.
Medical experts recommend consuming a minimum of 1,000 calories a day, noting that some users of these drugs only consume 300 to 700 calories daily, which is insufficient. This caloric deficit can exacerbate stress on the body and contribute to hair shedding.
In response, hair salons in Kentucky are seeing an uptick in demand for extensions as a quick fix; however, stylists caution against this practice.
“They do put extra tension on your hair and extra tension on your scalp. So if you’re already dealing with hair loss, it’s just going to exacerbate your symptoms,” said Katherine Carman, a stylist at Haven Spa and Salon.
Instead, Carman advises proactive treatments, such as scalp treatments or systems like Nutrafol, for those who anticipate possible hair shedding.
Only around 5% of individuals experience hair loss symptoms while on these medications. However, the high prescription rates in Kentucky may make the issue appear larger than it truly is.