Study links popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to hair loss and nail problems

At the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress, investigators unveiled results from a controlled, multi-country study examining dermatological side effects of GLP-1 receptor agonists. The trial enrolled 575 participants taking semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) across France, the United States, Brazil and Mexico, and compared them with 1,329 obese or type-2 diabetic individuals who had never used these drugs.

Nail health was markedly poorer among users, with 39% developing onycholysis and 46% experiencing nail discoloration, versus 9% and 17% in the control group. Additionally, 50% of the GLP-1 cohort reported abnormal hair loss, compared with 34% of non-users. Study authors Charles Taïeb and Bruno Haliou emphasized that while the association is clear, it may reflect rapid weight loss or nutrient shortfalls rather than direct drug toxicity, and urged patients to seek medical advice before altering therapy. The findings highlight the need for monitoring hair and nail conditions in patients prescribed these increasingly popular weight-loss and diabetes medications.