Ozempic and Mounjaro may cost an arm and a leg – and maybe a nail.
A new study found that people taking GLP-1 medications were nearly 25% more likely to suffer from nail disorders than those who didn’t take the medication.
And a particularly squirming-inducing problem was four times more likely to appear in GLP-1 users.
The new study, presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, found that 39% of GLP-1 users reported nail separation – when the fingernail or toenail separates from the nail bed – compared to just 9% of controls.
Once detached, the nail cannot be reattached. It will take several months or more than a year to regrow.
But that’s not all. Researchers report that two-thirds of GLP-1 users report at least one nail disorder, including nail discoloration – which appears 2.7 more frequently in those taking the medication.
“Until now, nail changes associated with GLP-1 therapies have been mostly anecdotal,” said study author Charles Taïeb.
Do GLP-1s cause nail problems?
In trials, GLP-1s have been shown to cause weight loss of up to 22%, while real-world loss is more like around 2-8% per year.
This weight loss, however, can lead to nail problems, ranging from slower growth to brittle nails. This is linked to nutritional deficiencies resulting from reduced intake and dehydration.
Researchers in the new study can’t say for sure whether it’s the medications that cause nail problems or primary effects like weight loss.
Although the researchers tried to adjust the results for existing dermatological conditions, nutritional deficiencies, and weight loss, nail peeling and discoloration still appeared two to three times more often among GLP-1 users.
“Our results show a clear association, but they also highlight an important point: not everything that happens during GLP-1 treatment is necessarily caused by the treatment itself,” Taïeb said.
Nail And hair loss
A follow-up study with the same participants as in the first showed that hair loss was also significantly higher in those taking a GLP-1 drug.
Unusual hair loss (noticeable hair loss) was reported by 50% of GLP-1 users, compared to 34% of those not taking the drug.
Loss of volume or density (overall less hair remaining) was more than twice as common among people who received the vaccine, and scalp redness was about three times as common.
Hair loss under GLP-1 is a known phenomenon. Experts say it’s “almost always” temporary and a reaction to rapid weight loss and physical changes.
The authors of this study, however, believe that something more than weight loss is at play. They note that hair loss is usually accompanied by itching, redness or flaking – a sign that there is “an inflammatory component” at play.
“Scalp inflammation was the rule rather than the exception, which clinicians are not currently looking for and which could be treated,” explained author Dr Bruno Halioua. Doctors may prescribe special shampoos and topical medications to treat scalp inflammation.
The authors emphasize that these new results should be intended to “raise awareness rather than alarm”. Ultimately, hair and nail loss is cosmetic and temporary, while weight loss has a huge long-term impact on many aspects of health.
“These changes are common, usually benign, and are not a reason to stop effective treatment on your own,” Halioua said. “Anyone who notices hair loss, itching, red scalp or nail changes should talk to their doctor rather than stopping treatment. »
Gn Health
