How Can GLP-1 Drugs Affect Hair, Skin, and Nails?

As more people have started using GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound), they’ve seen how the drugs have impacted more than just weight or blood sugar management. “GLP-1 medications are doing a lot more biologically than [causing weight loss],” says Adam Friedman, MD, a professor and the chair of dermatology at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC. “We are increasingly recognizing metabolic, inflammatory, and immunologic effects that may have relevance to the skin,” he says.

On the other hand, there are potential consequences for your skin, hair, and nails related to substantial weight loss, says Friedman. “As with most things in medicine, it isn’t simply ‘good for the skin’ or ‘bad for the skin.’ It is a much more nuanced story,” he says. To help you understand what may be happening to your hair, skin, and nails as you take a GLP-1 drug, here’s what you need to know and what you can do about it.

Hair

What to Do About It

If needed, your dermatologist can prescribe medications to treat hair loss, such as oral minoxidil or finasteride, says Zeichner.

Skin

As Friedman explains, your face has superficial and deep fat compartments that maintain facial structure. A significant weight loss causes the body to lose fat all over — and that includes in your face. “If that happens rapidly, the overlying skin and supporting structures may not accommodate the change as seamlessly, so [facial] hollows become more apparent, folds may look deeper, and skin laxity can become more noticeable,” he says.

What to Do About It

There isn’t a specialized GLP-1 skin-care routine that will compensate for weight-induced changes to the face, says Friedman. The basics remain the recommendation, he says: Wash with a gentle cleanser, moisturize, and use sunscreen with at least SPF 30 regularly. In addition, eat enough protein and calories, and stay hydrated. Good hydration is important, but Friedman points out that drinking more water isn’t going to prevent volume loss in your face.

If you’re looking for a dermatological procedure to counter loss of volume or sagging, Zeichner says that injectable fillers and skin-tightening treatments like Sofwave, a noninvasive ultrasound procedure, may be worth discussing with your dermatologist.

Nails

Any consequence to nails, such as brittleness, appears to be an indirect consequence of nutrition changes or a response to a stressor, says Friedman. “Nutritional deficiencies and systemic illnesses are well-established causes of nail abnormalities in general,” he says.

What to Do About It

If you notice nail changes, see a dermatologist. “I would not look at someone’s brittle nails and immediately blame semaglutide,” says Friedman. Your dermatologist will want to rule out more common causes of nail changes, such as inflammatory skin diseases, thyroid disease, iron deficiency, as well as nail-specific habits like frequent handwashing and drying, manicures, or artificial nails, he says.

Of course, if you’re taking a GLP-1, it’s always a good idea to take a good look at your diet and how it’s changed since you started the medication. “Whether it’s for the health of your skin, hair, or nails, make sure that you have adequate nutrients during your weight loss journey,” says Zeichner.