Rising GLP-1 use is bringing more attention to temporary hair shedding, opening a growing market for hair-treatment products and scalp care.
Hair loss tied to rapid weight loss and GLP-1 drugs is becoming a business opportunity for beauty companies, as more consumers look for products to manage thinning hair while taking medications such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound.
The shift is unfolding as GLP-1 use expands sharply in the U.S. Gallup found use of the drugs has more than doubled since early 2024, while a KFF Health Tracking Poll found nearly one in eight U.S. adults, or about 13%, are currently taking a GLP-1 drug. JPMorgan estimates about 25 million Americans could be on a GLP-1 by 2030, up from 5 million in 2023.
Hair shedding is not unique to GLP-1s. Dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd, chief medical advisor for Nutrafol, told CNBC that significant weight loss itself can be a physical stressor and may coincide with lower intake of protein and other nutrients. Several GLP-1 drugs list hair loss among possible side effects, alongside symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and fatigue.
For some users, the effect is jarring. Branneisha Cooper, who began taking Mounjaro in late 2022, told CNBC she had heard online that temporary thinning could happen, but said she was still shocked when her hair began falling out in clumps about a year later. She said she responded by emphasizing protein, taking vitamins marketed for hair support and buying scalp-stimulating hair products.
“There has been an increase of people wanting to know how to tackle it, but it's also a lot of people who are wanting to know how they can possibly prevent it, and that's just something that I don't have the answer to,” Cooper told CNBC.
The consumer response is drawing attention from retailers, hair-care brands and investors. Market research firm Circana estimates GLP-1 households spend about 30% more on beauty products than households not using the drugs. Circana beauty industry advisor Larissa Jensen said hair-loss solutions are a standout growth area, helped by pandemic-era stress and GLP-1 use as an added driver for at-home growth treatments, scalp serums and supplements.
Brands are already tailoring products and messaging to the trend. Redken, owned by L’Oreal, has introduced its Acidic Grow Full System for consumers with thin hair and said the line was tested on current GLP-1 users. Nutrafol said it is seeing increased demand for hair-health products, though it does not break out sales tied specifically to GLP-1 users. KeraFactor said its direct-to-consumer store is growing 100% year over year, citing increased interest from GLP-1 users.
Retailers are also seeing the change. Ulta CEO Kecia Steelman told Yahoo Finance in April that more consumers are buying hair treatment products as part of the GLP-1 trend, according to CNBC’s report.
The market remains shaped by uncertainty for consumers: hair products often take months to show results, and prevention is not guaranteed. Cooper told CNBC that after about a year of paying closer attention to her hair, she has noticed it returning. Her experience points to the central tension in the category: a side effect that can be temporary, but alarming enough to keep many GLP-1 users searching for help.
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