‘Ozempic hair’ explained as user shares experience with side effect that’s left them ‘horrified’
Callum Jones
Featured Image Credit: Steve Christo - Corbis/Getty
Users of Ozempic have opened up about an unexpected side-effect of taking the increasingly popular drug.
Ozempic, an injection marketed for people with type 2 diabetes to help them manage their blood sugar levels, has become popular in recent years amongst those hoping to lose weight.
However, it has never been approved for weight loss - unlike other drugs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy.
"Ozempic is a medicine for adults with type 2 diabetes that, along with diet and exercise, may improve blood sugar. While not for weight loss, Ozempic may help you lose some weight," Ozempic's website explained.
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While some users are taking the likes of Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and similar GLP-1s to lose weight, one person is explaining an unexpected side-effect which has left them 'horrified'.
Taking to the Ozempic Reddit forum, the user of the drug explained: "I'm desperate. For the last month I've been losing so much hair that I'm literally horrified I will become bald soon. I have tried everything. I'm taking vitamins, iron, biotin, I'm using special shampoo and spray, applying minoxidil, swallowing up electrolytes, using special brush, stuffing my hair in silk bonnet for the night, absolutely nothing is working.
She continued: "I lost pretty big amount of weight in a short period of time but I'm not even close my goal yet. But is it worth it? For now, I'm heading the path to become bald and fat, because at this rate I will sooner lose all of my hair than get to my goal weight. Please help because I'm loosing my mind."
So, the science behind it is that it's not the medication itself causing your hair to fall out, but instead a reaction to your body losing weight at a rapid pace.
Endocrinologist Kathy Zhou, MD, explained to Cleveland Clinic: "Your body can perceive weight loss as a stress. As this happens, it begins to hold on to resources for your vital organs. It wants to protect your heart before it worries about giving you a nice head of hair."
While it may be known unofficially as 'Ozempic hair', the actual scientific name behind such hair loss is telogen effluvium.
Explaining further as to why GLP-1 users may be experiencing hair loss, Dr. Zhou added: "Most of your hair — about 80% to 90% — is usually in a grow-grow-grow phase. But when your body experiences a stressor, more hair gets pushed into that ‘quiet’ resting phase. From there, it’s just a few weeks to months until you start to see hair loss."
UNILAD has reached out to Ozempic's manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, for comment.