Popular GLP-1 medications used for weight loss and type 2 diabetes (such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound, Victoza and Trulicity) may be linked to high rates of nail detachment, hair loss and scalp inflammation, with some problems occurring several times more frequently among users.

In a multinational study, researchers found that 39% of GLP-1 users experienced nail detachment, compared with just 9% of people who had never taken the medications. Nail discolouration was also more common (46% of users versus 17% of nonusers) and two-thirds (66%) of users reported at least one nail disorder.

The findings, which were presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress 2026, come from the first controlled study investigating the potential relationship between GLP-1 medications and nail health.

Researchers found that weight loss alone could not fully explain the differences, as even when they limited their analysis to participants who had lost weight, GLP-1 users continued to report significantly more nail problems than those who had not used the medications.