Can Mounjaro cause hair loss? Here’s the truth about it

While taking Mounjaro, a prescription medicine that helps to manage type 2 diabetes and weight, people may experience a few side effects. Some may feel nauseous, others may have issues with their bowel movements. Nausea and constipation are not the only side effects of this anti-diabetes and weight loss drug. While trying to lose weight or treat diabetes, you may also experience hair loss. Yes, this medicine, which is injected under the skin of your stomach, upper arm or thigh once a week, may affect your tresses. Can you stop Mounjaro hair loss? Let’s find out.

What Is Mounjaro?

Tirzepatide is a medicine that is sold under different brands, including Mounjaro. It’s an injectable prescription medication developed by Eli Lilly, an American pharmaceutical company. “It’s been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for managing type 2 diabetes, but it also gained attention for its off-label use in aiding weight loss,” says surgeon Dr Ratnesh Jenaw, who has experience in bariatric surgery.

It belongs to a class of medications known as dual agonists because it activates two hormone receptors in the body — GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). “These gut hormones regulate appetite, blood sugar levels, and metabolism,” says the expert.

What are the side effects of Mounjaro?

Like all medications, this prescribed drug also has some side effects. The common ones are nausea, indigestion, decreased appetite, diarrhea and constipation, according to research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. “These effects that are often reported by users tend to subside as the body adjusts to the injectable medicine,” says Dr Jenaw.

Mounjaro hair loss: How can it affect hair?

People, including celebrity Sophia Umansky, recently shared that they faced Mounjaro hair loss after using the medicine for rapid weight loss. Research published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology shows that tirzepatide may disrupt normal hair follicle cycles, and lead to conditions such as telogen effluvium (temporary hair loss) or androgenetic alopecia (a common form of hair loss)

“Yes, some people do report Mounjaro hair loss while taking it, but the drug itself is not usually the direct cause,” says aesthetic physician and cosmetologist Dr Karuna Malhotra. It is designed to help with weight loss, and when someone loses body weight quickly, their body goes through stress. “This stress can lead to a condition called telogen effluvium, where more hair than usual enters the shedding phase,” explains the cosmetologist.

Luckily, it’s a temporary reaction caused by the sudden changes in the body, including hormonal shifts, calorie restriction, and lack of key nutrients like protein, iron or vitamins. All of these can contribute to hair thinning or shedding. The hair follicles go into a resting phase, and a few months later, shedding becomes noticeable. “So, it’s not the weight loss drug itself that’s attacking your hair, but the changes it triggers during weight loss,” says Dr Malhotra.

How to stop Mounjaro hair loss?

If Mounjaro hair loss is a concern for you, especially during periods of rapid weight loss, then try the following:

1. Eat enough protein every day

Your tresses are made almost entirely of a protein called keratin. Without enough of this nutrient in your diet, your body will conserve it for vital organs and may “pause” hair growth. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for this nutrient is just 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, according to research published in Harvard Health Publishing. “So, start having protein-rich foods like eggs, lean meats, lentils, cottage cheese, quinoa and tofu to stop Mounjaro hair loss,” suggests Dr Jenaw.

2. Take a high-quality multivitamin

“Calorie-restricted diets can result in lower intake of key nutrients that are needed for hair growth. Deficiencies in iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, biotin, and zinc are known to trigger or worsen hair loss,” says Dr Malhotra. Go for a comprehensive multivitamin that includes these nutrients, or ask your doctor to check your levels and recommend supplements accordingly.

3. Avoid crash diets

Taking the weight loss drug along with crash diets can lead to sudden, rapid weight loss, which can cause telogen effluvium, a stress response in which hair prematurely enters the shedding phase. “Aim to lose weight gradually 1 to 2 pounds per week to support both long-term success and hair retention,” says Dr Malhotra.

4. Use gentle, nourishing hair products

Whether you are on a weight loss drug or not, harsh shampoos containing sulfates or alcohol can irritate the scalp and dry out the hair shaft, making hair brittle and more prone to breakage. Switch to shampoos with no sulfates, and conditioners enriched with ingredients like biotin, keratin, argan oil or aloe vera.

5. Reduce stress

Stress can increase levels of cortisol, a hormone that disrupts the hair growth cycle and increases shedding. To stop Mounjaro hair loss and better mental health, practice daily stress-relief activities. You can do yoga, meditate or spend some time in nature.

6. Massage your scalp

Scalp massage can make you feel relaxed and also increase circulation to hair follicles, which helps deliver oxygen and nutrients. “This can promote hair growth and soothe inflammation,” says Dr Malhotra. Pick oils like rosemary, castor, coconut or argan oil then warm slightly and gently massage into your scalp 2 to 3 times a week.

7. Stay well hydrated

Every cell in your body, including those responsible for hair growth, needs water to function in a proper way. Dehydration can slow cellular processes and lead to dull, brittle hair, and if you are rapidly losing weight with the help of a medicine, it may further lead to Mounjaro hair loss. To avoid this, drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, but more if you are physically active.

These small changes can protect your hair and keep it healthy while you are on your weight loss journey. You wouldn’t have to worry about Mounjaro hair loss.