How Weight-Loss Drugs Can Affect Skin and Hair (video/podcast)

GLP-1 weight loss medications have become a popular choice for people seeking to shed excess weight quickly. While GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound can work well to help you drop those extra pounds, they also may lead to unwanted skin changes and hair loss. 

In this video, San Diego Health host Susan Taylor talks with Rawaa Almukhtar, MD, a dermatologist at Scripps Clinic, about how GLP-1 medications can affect your skin and hair.

Originally intended for people with diabetes, GLP-1 medications help patients feel full faster and longer, which can lead to weight loss and lower blood sugar levels. However, because there is a limited amount of fat on the head, weight loss may significantly affect the fat pads that support the face and help keep the skin smooth and lifted.

“When you lose those fat pads on the face, that can lead to the skin becoming more saggy and the wrinkles more obvious. Overall, someone can start looking older, and that’s what we refer to as ‘Ozempic face,’” says Dr. Almukhtar.

“These changes are related to the weight loss, not the medication. As far as we know, there is no direct accelerated aging that can happen with these medications,” she says.

If you’re considering using GLP-1 medications, there are steps you can take to help minimize these types of facial changes, including losing weight more slowly. It is also vital to protect your skin from UV rays; wear a hat whenever you are out in the sun (and on cloudy days too) and use sunscreen with a rating of at least 30 SPF.

Diet matters as well. Dr. Almukhtar recommends eating a healthy diet with 80 to 120 grams of protein daily. Talk with your doctor about your specific nutritional needs.

“Additionally, there are other tools in our toolbox like lasers or soft tissue fillers that can build collagen and restore the volume gently while still looking very natural,” she says.

Some patients taking GLP-1 drugs also report hair loss. According to Dr. Almukhtar, this also is caused by rapid weight loss rather than the medication itself.

“It’s the same type of hair loss that can happen after a major stressor on the body, like childbirth, illness or surgery,” she explains. “Think of the hair as a garden. When there is weight loss, the body shifts the energy to more important organs, like the heart or the brain, and it stops watering the hair. And the hair follicles go to rest and fall off.”

Fortunately, hair loss related to GLP-1 is usually temporary; once your weight stabilizes or you stop taking the medication, the hair grows back. Again, losing weight more slowly and eating a healthy diet with plenty of protein and nutrients can reduce hair loss.

Prescription topical or oral medications also may help, as can an in-office procedure called PRP, or platelet-rich plasma.

“That is when we take a sample of your blood, get the growth factors from that sample and put it back in the areas of hair loss,” says Dr. Almukhtar. “And that can actually wake up the hair follicles and allow the hair to grow back.”

If you are using or considering GLP-1 medications for weight loss and are worried about facial changes or hair loss, consult your doctor about your options.

“If you have changes on your skin or hair that are more than you expected or last more than a few months, or even if you are simply concerned, please see a board certified dermatologist,” says Dr. Almukhtar. “We can help and support you during this journey.”

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