[Sportschosun, Jang Jong-ho] An overseas study found that people using GLP-1 drugs for obesity and diabetes were more than four times as likely as nonusers to experience their fingernails or toenails separating from the nail bed. Skin- and hair-related symptoms, including nail discoloration, reduced hair growth, and scalp itching and erythema, were also more common among drug users.
Researchers compared 575 users of GLP-1 receptor agonists recruited in France, the United States, Brazil, and Mexico with 1,329 people who had type 2 diabetes or obesity but were not using the drugs. The findings were presented at the 2026 scientific meeting of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV), which is being held in Vienna, Austria.
In the study, 39% of GLP-1 drug users reported onycholysis, in which the nail separates from the nail bed. The figure was 9% in the comparison group, making it more than four times higher among drug users.
The proportion of participants who reported experiencing at least one type of nail abnormality was also higher among drug users, at 66%. The figure was 53% in the nonuser comparison group. Nail discoloration was reported by 46% of drug users, compared with 17% of the comparison group.
The researchers said these differences could not be explained solely by weight loss. Nail problems were more common among GLP-1 drug users even when the analysis was limited to people who had lost weight.
The researchers suggested that reduced nutrient intake or physical stress during rapid weight loss could affect nail changes. They also raised the possibility that deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron, zinc, and biotin, which are needed to produce the keratin that makes up nails, may play a role.
A separate analysis of the same participants found that hair and scalp symptoms were also more common among GLP-1 drug users.
Abnormal hair loss or shedding was reported by 50% of drug users and 34% of the comparison group. The proportions who reported reduced hair volume or density were 42% and 19%, respectively. Hair loss that began after starting drug treatment was reported by 26% of drug users, compared with 12% of the comparison group. Scalp erythema was reported about three times as often among drug users.
Hair loss rarely occurred on its own. The study found that many people who experienced hair loss also reported other scalp symptoms, such as itching, erythema, and flaking. The researchers explained that the findings suggest scalp inflammation may be involved, rather than the hair shedding being caused solely by temporary rapid weight loss.
Representative GLP-1 drugs include semaglutide-based Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as tirzepatide-based Mounjaro. Use of these drugs has increased significantly as their weight-loss effects have become widely known, but further research is needed on changes affecting the skin, hair, and nails.
The American Academy of Dermatology previously explained that the use of GLP-1 drugs may be associated with symptoms such as thinning hair, weakened nails, and slower nail growth. However, it also noted that rapid weight loss itself may contribute to these changes.
The researchers emphasized that the findings do not mean patients should stop GLP-1 drug treatment. If nail changes, hair loss, or scalp itching and erythema occur, patients should inform their healthcare providers and determine the cause rather than stopping or discontinuing the medication on their own.
The researchers said they are planning a prospective study that will follow patients from the start of treatment, using standard dermatological examinations and biological monitoring to determine when the changes occur, why they occur, and whether they are reversible.
Jang Jong-ho, bellho@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
