# Hair loss on GLP-1s: what the labels say, when it tends to show up, and how to log it

> GLP-1 hair loss is on the labels: Wegovy 3% (6% at 7.2 mg), Zepbound 4-5%, both tied to weight reduction. What to log, when to call, how Peppy tracks it.

Source: https://peppytracker.com/side-effects/hair-loss/
Last updated: 2026-09-02

Hair loss is listed on two GLP-1 labels with numbers. Wegovy reports it in 3% of patients at 2.4 mg and 6% at 7.2 mg versus 1% on placebo. Zepbound reports 5%, 4% and 5% at 5, 10 and 15 mg versus 1%. Both labels say the hair loss was associated with weight reduction, and both saw it far more often in women. Log a weekly 1-5 score next to your weight and dose so the timing is visible.

## GLP-1 hair loss: what it is and who reports it

GLP-1 hair loss is usually described as shedding: more hair in the brush, the drain or the shower, thinner ponytail, rarely patches. It is one of the few non-stomach side effects that made it into the adverse reaction tables for the weight-management GLP-1s, and the labels are unusually clear about what they think is behind it. Wegovy's label says "hair loss adverse reactions in Wegovy injection-treated patients were associated with weight reduction". Zepbound's label uses the same sentence about its own patients.

| Label | Hair loss (drug / placebo) | Notes from the label |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wegovy 2.4 mg | 3% / 1% | 4% of women, 0.9% of men |
| Wegovy 7.2 mg | 6% / 1% | 2.4 mg arm in the same trial: 3% |
| Wegovy, pediatric 12+ | 4% / 0% | |
| Zepbound 5 / 10 / 15 mg | 5% / 4% / 5% vs 1% | 7.1% of women, 0.5% of men (pooled) |
| Ozempic, Mounjaro, Saxenda | not tabulated | alopecia listed under postmarketing experience |

Two things stand out. The gap between women and men is large on both labels. And the numbers rise with the amount of weight lost, not obviously with the dose: Zepbound's three doses land within a point of each other, while Wegovy's higher 7.2 mg dose, which produces more weight loss, doubles the rate. Ozempic and Mounjaro, the diabetes labels, only list alopecia as a postmarketing report with no rate. Compounded [Compounded Semaglutide](https://peppytracker.com/compounds/semaglutide-compounded/) and [Compounded Tirzepatide](https://peppytracker.com/compounds/tirzepatide-compounded/) have no label at all, so the Wegovy and Zepbound numbers are the closest reference.

## When it tends to show up

The labels say nothing about when hair loss starts or stops. What they do say, that it tracks with weight reduction, fits what many people report: shedding that starts a few months in, after the weight has already moved, rather than in the first week or two like [nausea](https://peppytracker.com/side-effects/nausea/). Many people also report that it eases once their weight levels off. That is a pattern people describe, not a label claim, and it is exactly the kind of pattern a log can confirm or rule out for you.

Because it lags, hair loss is easy to blame on the wrong thing. A step-up in dose, a stretch of eating very little, a period of [suppressed appetite](https://peppytracker.com/side-effects/suppressed-appetite/) where protein dropped, a stressful month: all of these happened weeks before the shedding you notice today. The log's job is to put dates on them.

## What is worth logging

- **A weekly 1-5 score, same day each week.** Hair loss does not change day to day, so a daily score just adds noise. Pick wash day and score the drain.
- **Your weight, in the same check-in.** The labels tie hair loss to weight reduction, so the two lines belong on the same chart. Peppy reads weight from Apple Health if you already log it there.
- **The dose and the step-up dates.** Shedding that begins six to twelve weeks after a step-up looks different from shedding that tracks the scale.
- **Eating in the note.** "Barely ate this week", "protein low" is context your prescriber will ask about. You are leaving a note, not counting calories.
- **A photo (Pro).** A monthly part-line or hairline photo in the progress photos, compared with the before/after slider, is more honest than memory.
- **Fatigue alongside.** Many people report [fatigue](https://peppytracker.com/side-effects/fatigue/) and shedding together during rapid loss. Two rows darkening together is worth showing a prescriber.

## When to contact your prescriber

Hair loss is not a red-flag reaction on any GLP-1 label, and none of the labels tell prescribers to stop or change the dose for it. Still, some situations deserve a conversation rather than another month of logging.

- **Patches, rather than diffuse thinning.** Patchy loss is not the pattern the labels describe and has other causes worth checking.
- **Shedding that keeps going after your weight has been stable for a few months.** If the weight-reduction explanation no longer fits, your prescriber may want to look elsewhere, and a log with a flat weight line and a rising hair-loss line makes that case in one glance.
- **Very low intake.** If your notes say you are eating very little most days, tell your prescriber. That matters for more than hair.
- **Anything you are tempted to treat on your own.** Supplements and topical products are a prescriber conversation, not a tracking question.

## How to do this in Peppy

1. **Turn hair loss on.** It is not one of the five GLP-1 defaults. Open Settings ▸ Tracking and toggle Hair loss. Fatigue is in the same list if you want to watch them together.
2. **Score it in the weekly check-in.** On the Today tab tap the check-in row. Set hair loss 1-5, enter weight, and write the note. On the other days of the week you can leave hair loss untouched and still log weight and feelings.
3. **Keep logging shots from the Today tab.** Tap the dose, tap the site on the body map, confirm. The dose is saved with each shot, so your titration ladder (Pro) becomes step-up markers on every chart.
4. **Add a monthly photo (Pro).** In the check-in, add a progress photo. The compare slider in Progress puts two months side by side. Photos stay on device and in your iCloud.
5. **Read Progress (Pro).** The weight trend sits above the side-effect heat-map, both on one time axis with step-ups marked. Look for where the hair-loss row starts to darken relative to the steepest part of the weight line. The free tier shows the chart blurred.
6. **Export for the appointment (Pro).** Settings ▸ Export makes a PDF or CSV of doses and check-ins. The [export guide](https://peppytracker.com/guides/export-dose-log-for-your-doctor/) explains what it contains.

Related: the [weight tracking guide](https://peppytracker.com/guides/glp-1-weight-tracker-apple-health/), the [Wegovy tracker](https://peppytracker.com/trackers/wegovy-tracker/) and the [Zepbound tracker](https://peppytracker.com/trackers/zepbound-tracker/) pages.

## Frequently asked

### Does Wegovy cause hair loss?

Wegovy's label lists hair loss in 3% of adults at 2.4 mg versus 1% on placebo, and 6% at the 7.2 mg dose. It says the hair loss adverse reactions were associated with weight reduction and were reported more often by women (4%) than men (0.9%) at 2.4 mg.

### Does Zepbound cause hair loss?

Zepbound's label lists hair loss in 5%, 4% and 5% of patients at 5, 10 and 15 mg versus 1% on placebo. In a pool of its two main trials, 7.1% of women and 0.5% of men on Zepbound reported it. The label ties it to weight reduction rather than to the drug directly.

### Does Ozempic or Mounjaro cause hair loss?

Neither label reports a trial percentage. Both list alopecia under postmarketing experience, which means it has been reported since approval but the labels cannot say how often. Saxenda's label does the same.

### When does GLP-1 hair loss start?

The labels do not give a start date. Because they link it to weight reduction, many people report it beginning a few months into treatment, after the weight has moved, rather than in the first weeks. A weekly score next to your weight chart shows whether that is your pattern.

### Is GLP-1 hair loss permanent?

The labels do not address duration or recovery. Many people report shedding that eases once weight stabilises, but that is a pattern people describe, not a label statement. If it continues or gets heavier, bring your log to your prescriber.

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Peppy is a tracking tool, not medical advice. Dose calculations are mathematical conversions only. Always follow your prescriber's instructions and verify every draw-up yourself.

Peppy is a free iPhone app (Pro subscription optional). App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/peptide-tracker-peppy/id6775005514