Hair loss and dysesthesia (altered skin sensation such as burning, tingling or skin pain) are both in the labels, and neither is a boxed warning. The Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo labels report hair loss from weight-loss trials and say it was associated with weight reduction; in all three the figures are higher in female than in male patients. Mounjaro and Ozempic list alopecia or dysesthesia only among reactions reported after approval. For dysesthesia, the Wegovy label reports a clear dose pattern, with 22% at 7.2 mg injection versus 6% at 2.4 mg and 0.3% with placebo, while the tirzepatide and orforglipron labels report rates of about 1% or less. The labels do not say how long either effect lasts for an individual, so persistent or distressing symptoms are worth raising with your prescriber.
Two side effects the headline lists skip
Most coverage of GLP-1 side effects stops at nausea and constipation. But two items that patients ask about constantly, thinning hair and odd skin sensations, are in the prescribing information with real numbers. They are also easy to misreport, because the labels give them in different formats and for different populations. This article lays out what each label says, and where the label is silent.
We read the Wegovy label (injection and tablets, revised 06/2026), the Zepbound label (08/2026), the Foundayo label (07/2026), the Mounjaro label (08/2026) and the Ozempic label (05/2026) on 13 October 2026. Figures are quoted from those documents. They come from different trial pools, so they should be read within each label and not ranked across them.
Hair loss
Three of the labels have a dedicated hair loss paragraph in the adverse reactions section, and each says the hair loss adverse reactions were associated with weight reduction. The labels do not explain a mechanism, and we do not supply one.
| Label | Hair loss as reported | By sex |
|---|---|---|
| Wegovy injection | 3.3% with 2.4 mg versus 1% with placebo (pool of studies 2, 3 and 4). In a pediatric trial, 4% with 2.4 mg and no placebo-treated patients. | 2.4 mg: 4% female, 0.9% male. Placebo: 2% female, 0% male. |
| Wegovy 7.2 mg injection | 5.8% with 7.2 mg, 3.3% with 2.4 mg, 1.0% with placebo. | 7.2 mg: 8.4% female, 0.2% male. 2.4 mg: 5.4% female, 0% male. Placebo: 1.5% female, 0% male. |
| Zepbound | Table of common reactions: 1% placebo, 5% at 5 mg, 4% at 10 mg, 5% at 15 mg. | ZEPBOUND 7.1% female versus 0.5% male; placebo 1.3% female versus 0% male. |
| Foundayo | Table of common reactions: 2% placebo, 4% at 5.5 mg, 4% at 9 mg, 5% at 17.2 mg. | 7% female versus 0.9% male; placebo 3% female versus 0.7% male. |
| Mounjaro | Not in the adverse reaction tables we reviewed; “alopecia” appears in the postmarketing list. | Not reported |
| Ozempic | “Alopecia” appears in the postmarketing list. | Not reported |
A few things stand out. The sex difference is large in every label that reports it: for example Zepbound’s 7.1% versus 0.5%, and Foundayo’s 7% versus 0.9%. The placebo groups show hair loss too, which the labels report, so not every instance in a treated patient is attributable to the drug. In Wegovy’s higher-dose trials, the label says one hair loss event led to permanent discontinuation, one to temporary interruption and five to dose reduction in the 7.2 mg group, and none of these actions occurred in the 2.4 mg or placebo groups. In Zepbound’s trials, no Zepbound-treated patient and one placebo-treated patient stopped study treatment because of hair loss.
What the labels do not tell you: whether hair regrows, how long it takes, or whether it is more likely with faster weight loss. The statement that it was “associated with weight reduction” is an association noted by the manufacturer, not a measured causal pathway. For Mounjaro and Ozempic, an “alopecia” entry in a postmarketing list is a voluntary report; the label says such reports cannot be used to reliably estimate frequency or establish cause.
Dysesthesia
Dysesthesia is the label’s term for an abnormal, often unpleasant skin sensation. The Wegovy label describes it as including paresthesia, pain of skin, sensitive skin and burning skin sensation. It is a reported adverse reaction, not a warning in the Warnings and Precautions section, but the Wegovy label gives it the most detail by far.
| Label | What it reports |
|---|---|
| Wegovy 7.2 mg injection | Dysesthesia in 22% at 7.2 mg, versus 6% at 2.4 mg and 0.3% with placebo, in trials of patients with and without type 2 diabetes. The label says incidence “increased with increasing dosage and drug levels in the blood.” |
| Wegovy 25 mg tablets | 5% of Wegovy-treated patients and no placebo-treated patients reported dysesthesia in the clinical trial. |
| Zepbound | 0.2% (5 mg), 0.2% (10 mg), 0.4% (15 mg) versus 0.1% with placebo. |
| Mounjaro | 0.4% at each of 5, 10 and 15 mg, with no events with placebo; 0.7% in the cardiovascular outcomes trial. |
| Foundayo | 0.3% (9 mg) and 1% (17.2 mg) versus 0.1% with placebo; none with 5.5 mg. |
| Ozempic | “Dysesthesia” appears in the postmarketing list. |
What the Wegovy 7.2 mg data add
The Wegovy label’s dysesthesia paragraph is unusually detailed. Of 288 patients who experienced dysesthesia with the 7.2 mg injection, 2% permanently discontinued, 8% had a temporary interruption and 23% had a dose reduction; the label says most patients with these actions recovered, and events resolved faster when an action was taken. But 18% of patients who experienced dysesthesia on 7.2 mg did not report recovering during the trial, and in most of those the dose was neither changed nor stopped. Of 38 patients who recovered after an action and were re-escalated to 7.2 mg, 17 (45%) subsequently reported a recurrence.
Notice what that does and does not show. It is evidence that the effect is dose-related and that it often resolved after dose adjustment. It is not evidence that every case is harmless or that every case resolves. The label gives no information about what dose adjustment is right for an individual, and that is a decision for the prescriber. If you notice burning, tingling or painful skin, especially after a dose increase, mention it to your prescriber; the label reports that dose reduction or interruption was used in these trials, and that decision belongs to the clinician.
Where the labels are quiet
- No home remedies. None of the labels offers advice about hair care, supplements or skin symptom treatment, and we do not either.
- No duration data for hair loss. The label gives incidence, not recovery timelines.
- No comparison between drugs. The pools differ in populations, doses and trial lengths. A lower dysesthesia percentage in one label than another is not a ranking.
- No data on severity beyond discontinuation counts. The labels do not grade hair loss or skin sensation severity in the sections we read.
When to talk to your prescriber
The labels do not set thresholds, so there is no official “how much hair loss is too much.” Reasonable prompts for a conversation, framed as questions and not findings, include: Is the hair shedding or skin sensation getting worse after a dose increase? Is it affecting sleep or daily life? Is there anything else going on, such as a new medicine or illness, that could explain it? Your prescriber can look at the whole picture, including nutrition and weight-loss speed, which the labels do not address. For related label topics, see our guides to heart rate increases and allergic reactions, where a rash or swelling needs a different, more urgent response than a tingling sensation.
Frequently asked questions
Do GLP-1 labels list hair loss as a side effect?
Wegovy, Zepbound and Foundayo report hair loss from clinical trials and say it was associated with weight reduction. Mounjaro and Ozempic list alopecia in postmarketing reports.
Is hair loss more common in women on these labels?
Yes, in each label that reports it by sex: for example 7.1% of women versus 0.5% of men with Zepbound, and 7% versus 0.9% with Foundayo.
What is dysesthesia?
The Wegovy label describes dysesthesia as including paresthesia, pain of skin, sensitive skin and burning skin sensation.
Is dysesthesia dose-related?
The Wegovy label says incidence increased with increasing dosage and drug levels, with 22% at 7.2 mg versus 6% at 2.4 mg.
Do the labels say hair loss is permanent?
No. The labels in the sections we reviewed do not report duration or regrowth.
Sources
- Novo Nordisk, Wegovy (semaglutide) injection and tablets prescribing information, revised 06/2026, fetched 13 October 2026.
- Novo Nordisk, Ozempic (semaglutide) injection prescribing information, revised 05/2026, fetched 13 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company, Mounjaro (tirzepatide) prescribing information, revised 08/2026, fetched 13 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company, Zepbound (tirzepatide) prescribing information, revised 08/2026, fetched 13 October 2026.
- Eli Lilly and Company, Foundayo (orforglipron) tablets prescribing information, revised 07/2026, fetched 13 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer. This article is informational, was prepared by the GLP-1.Reviews editorial team from the public sources listed above, and has not been reviewed by a physician. It is not medical advice. Label wording can change; confirm the instructions for your product with the Medication Guide that came with it. Talk to your prescriber or pharmacist about your own treatment, and see our medical disclaimer and editorial standards.
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