Hair loss on Mounjaro

[MsTamborineMan]

I've been on MJ since May, in the last 6 weeks I've noticed hair loss, I'm losing quite significant chunks of hair in the shower or when I brush my hair, my hair is noticeably a lot thinner and I'm starting to panic about getting bald spots! Or it all falling out!

Has anyone found any solution for MJ related hairloss? All the resources online are just bland, non committal advise about not losing weight too quickly, which I really haven't done (on average 1-2 lb a week, so completely normal weightloss), nothing about if there's anything I can actually do! Also talking about telogen effluvium, but as my weightloss hasn't been particularly rapid I think it's more likely the actual medication itself

I've tried the kerastase genesis hair serum, it's done very little. Anyone tried minoxodil? I feel so frustrated that I finally found a way to feel good about myself, I'm starting to fit back into my clothes and now I'm going to be Bald! My provider again just said it was a side effect, take biotin which I have been. Eat protein, drink water which I have been. Ffs

If anyone's had this did it stop? Did you have to stop the MJ?

I had a post earlier this week as I’m going through the same. Got some really good advice, not sure how to link it.

But it is distressing and I feel for you. I’m doing all the “right things” too and it’s not showing any sign of stopping.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5419947-help-me-im-going-bald?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

Not on WLI or other medication but lost on average 700g a week this year and have/had the same. Not on any restricted diet (e.g. low carb or anything). Started round 3 months in and it’s slowing down now. I have very fine hair anyway so it’s really noticeable when I tie my hair back etc. So I think that rate of weight loss is enough to trigger it. I’m just waiting it out as I personally believe that a lot of these products / supplements are just money making and do sweet nothing. And it’ll stop so it’s just a temporary inconvenience which probably nobody else will even notice or care about!

I'm really frustrated as I felt like I'd been pretty sensible with my weight loss. The first few weeks were probably quite rapid though, and it's slowed down. I've only lost 2lb in the last month for example so its not like I'm on an extreme diet!

Thankyou! I've read all the information on it will contue for 6 months but I don't think I've got enough hair for 6 months of this!

I guess I want to know if I stop the Mj will this stop? Or is it already set in stone? No where seems to give me that answer!

@MsTamborineManLiterally the exact same!!!! I don’t have six months of this. Considering switching to wegovy but who knows. I guess it’s trial and error.

It’s the weight loss rather than MJ itself causing your hair loss so stopping MJ won’t suddenly improve things unfortunately.

If it’s only been 6 weeks, it’s probably too soon to see any benefits from using Kerastase Genesis serum and it will take even longer (months!) with minoxidil. There’s no quick fix I’m afraid.

Make sure you’re eating plenty of fruit, veg, protein. Take a good multivitamin. Get your ferritin levels checked (needs to be 70 or higher for hair growth). Keep using the Genesis serum. Wash your hair as little as possible (and make sure you use a good quality shampoo and conditioner) and use a gentle brush (such as Manta which is designed for fragile hair / hair loss).

And hang in there. It’s awful. I’ve been there. But once the cycle of shedding starts it will take some time to stop and then for noticeable regrowth to start. All you can do is make sure you’re in the best shape possible and be patient.

It’ll be the first few weeks of rapid weight loss that will have triggered the ‘damage’. By the time we notice hair loss, it’s usually several weeks/months even after the trigger event so it’s too late to go back and change things. All you can do is look after yourself in the interim (so you’re in best shape for hair to regrow) and not beat yourself up while you wait for it to go through the shedding cycle.

Thankyou, I've only been using the serum for 2 weeks so hopefully it'll help.

I'm just hoping that I stop shedding soon. I think I can cope with 30% loss of my hair which is what it seems to suggest. It really was only the first 2 weeks or so where my weightloss was more rapid, and some was presumably water so hopefully it wasn't a massive shock to my body

I guess the risk of MJ is I haven't really felt like I'm not eating much, so I must have been putting my body under more stress than I realised. Argg let's hope it stops!

It’s almost certainly TE. The weight loss doesn’t necessarily have to be rapid, just significant enough to cause metabolic stress.

Mine is growing back. I don’t have any experience of minoxidil but be warned that some users have an initial shedding phase before they see any improvement, which might exacerbate the issue in the short term.

I do sympathise. I know it’s distressing.

I have also had this with an average 2lb/week loss and have been using Wella rosemary scalp tonic and head and shoulders anti-hair fall shampoo with caffeine as well as supplements with spearmint and pumpkin seed. Definitely less hair down the drain/on the brush.

Hey Op I don’t know if you’re still struggling but I THINK I’ve turned a corner.

I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what it is but this weekend I seem to have less shedding since I started the rosemary oil on my scalp.

My regimen over the last six weeks -

Marine collagen supplement (my face looks great, not sure if it’s doing anything in my hair just yet).
High dose of pumpkin seed oil every day.
Multivitamin with biotin.
Effervescent vitamin C and Zinc daily.
Extra protein (clear whey protein shake daily).
Rosemary oil directly onto my scalp, massaged in and left overnight.
No heat, just a cool blow dry and loose up-do every day.

Happy to share links for products if you want to try?

But this morning was the first morning in weeks that I didn’t want to cry when washing my hair.

Hopefully now I can start the long process of regrowing hair!!! I have about 50% left.

Thankyou! Yes I'm still struggling. How long were you losing hair for?

I'm going to try pumpkin oil and rosemary oil to the scalp

This is my hair after a wash and brush.
I used MJ for two months, this started July and is still ongoing. I lost 3lb over two months. I was already using My Journey supplements and taking extra protein.

I seem to be sensitive, I’ve previously used wegovy ( about 6 months ) and had the same reaction. It did eventually stop and I do have fuzzy hair sticking out at all angles as it grows back. For me the shedding slowed down after 6-8 months. I did use the L’Oréal growth booster and found it slowed the shedding but just like the others when you stop using it the shedding will start again.

I completely feel your pain OP, I started on mj in late Feb, after about 3 months on it and about a 2.5 stone loss, the shedding started. A friend, who was further on in her mj journey, recommended Glowwa hair food, her hairdresser had recommended it for her hair loss, I started taking that and am just about to start my 4th month on it, my hair loss has slowed right down in the last few weeks, I also started a high iron supplement about 6 weeks ago and also pumpkin seed oil.

I have no idea what has helped or whether the shedding just naturally slowed down so I’m going to keep on taking all 3 supplements for the time being. I have noticed a lot of fuzzy baby hair growing in too which is good.
Also, during the shedding time, I washed my hair less than I normally would and avoided tying my hair in a tight band too. It’s a scary time and I really feel for all of us going through it, fingers crossed our luscious locks return soon to compliment our newly slim bodies!

That’s a lot. You poor thing

Yeah this is about how much I lose from a wash. Mines only been going on for around 6 weeks and I really don't think I've got enough hair for another 4 months of this

@DoubleShotEspressox yes, please could you share the links for the products. I’m suffering quite badly too despite sensible weekly weight loss. Thank you.

Protein.

No amount of oils or washes is going to help.

I'd like to do a survey if everyone on those things and see what their protein intake is like per day.

@Summerbay23 I’ll share the links now.

@gamerchickI think you’re 100% right. I was proudly eating protein at every meal because I knew how important it was but my portions were tiny and absolutely not hitting the minimum requirements needed.

Problem now is that it’s too late and the damage is done so I’m just working my best in recovering my hair as quickly as possible.

Massage into scalp and leave overnight 2-3 times a week.

Nature Spell Rosemary Oil for... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07CD8N63G?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

3 capsules a day. Also great for bladder and heart health - to be honest it’s been great for me even if it hasn’t helped my hair.

Pumpkin Seed Oil Capsules 1000mg... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DH67G417?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Along with an all round multivitamin with biotin, I have one of these per day as vitamin c and zinc support the production of collagen.

Vitamin Store Vitamin C and Zinc... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09RSQG69T?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

And a scoop of this in my coffee each morning. Skin and nails look fab at 8 weeks in, again not too sure on the impact on hair yet because it takes SO LONG but fingers crossed. Additional biotin, vitamin c and hyaluronic acid too.

Marine Collagen Powder for Women... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CJVP7CSB?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Hi Op I've been on MJ for just over a year. I know that I am prone to hair loss at times, when I had COVID a few years ago my hair was coming out in handfuls. I've taken multivitamins and biotin since I started on MJ, also Ancient and Brave bovine collagen. I have had a little hair loss but not much so far.