Bella Trio Salon & Spa
We are seeing more guests come to us with questions about their hair since starting weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound. If this is you, please know you are not alone, and we are here to support you.
This post is about education, not judgment. These medications help many people manage serious health conditions, and we believe our role is to help you care for your hair through whatever journey you are on.
Here is what the research tells us: hair loss was reported in about 3% of clinical trial participants taking GLP-1 medications. Most experts believe it is not the medication itself causing the shedding. It is the body's response to rapid weight loss.
The condition is called telogen effluvium, which happens when stress on the body pushes more hair than usual into the resting phase. Here is the encouraging part: unlike some other types of hair loss, telogen effluvium is typically temporary. About 95% of people fully recover within 2-3 months after the body stabilizes.
Think of your body as having a priority system. When your brain receives stress signals (whether from rapid weight change, surgery, illness, or emotional stress) it essentially hits an "emergency button." Your body starts directing nutrients to your vital organs first: your heart, brain, and lungs. Hair, while important to us, is not essential for survival, so it moves lower on the priority list.
The International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery describes it this way: stress activates several systems in your body, including the fight-or-flight response and metabolic regulation. Your body prioritizes survival of major organ systems at the expense of hair growth. When many hairs shift into the resting phase at once, you will notice increased shedding about 2-3 months later.
The tricky part? There is often a 3-6 month delay between the trigger and the shedding. So you might start noticing hair loss well after beginning medication, which can feel confusing. Similarly, once the stressor is removed or your weight stabilizes, it can take another 6-12 months for your body to realize everything is okay and for normal hair cycling to resume.
Many of our guests are understandably stressed about their hair loss. And here is something important to know: stress itself can contribute to hair shedding. It can become a cycle that feeds itself if we are not careful.
We have also noticed guests spending significant money on hair loss supplements, hoping they will speed up regrowth. While we understand the impulse, we want to share some things we have learned.
What the Research Actually Shows
According to dermatologists and peer-reviewed research, hair vitamins primarily help people who have a documented deficiency. As Dr. Joshua Zeichner explains, vitamins can provide hair follicles the building blocks they need to grow optimally, but they will not change the density or activity of the follicles themselves. To use his analogy: "You can fertilize your backyard all you like, but if there are no grass seeds, you still will have no grass."
The supplements you are buying may not contain the vitamins your body actually needs. And here is what many people do not realize: too much of certain vitamins can actually cause hair loss.
Vitamins That Can Cause Hair Loss When Taken in Excess
Vitamin A: Consuming more than 10,000 IU daily can lead to toxicity, which has been documented to cause hair loss. Research published in Dermatology Practical & Conceptual found that excess vitamin A can cause non-scarring alopecia.
Selenium: Too much selenium is toxic to hair follicles. Symptoms include brittle nails, scalp irritation, and noticeable shedding.
Vitamin E: While supportive at normal levels, excessive amounts can thin blood and disrupt circulation to follicles.
Biotin: While biotin deficiency is extremely rare in healthy adults with normal diets, high-dose biotin supplements can interfere with lab tests, including thyroid function tests. This could lead to misdiagnosis of other conditions. Harvard Health confirms that too much biotin can interfere with assessment of thyroid function and hormone levels.
Start with Your Doctor
Before spending money on expensive supplements:
Get your blood tests done. Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D, ferritin (iron stores), vitamin B12, folate, and zinc levels. Research shows that low levels of ferritin and vitamin D increase the risk of telogen effluvium by 70%.
Only take the vitamins your doctor recommends based on your actual deficiencies. Random supplementation without knowing your levels can do more harm than good.
Focus on nutrition, especially protein. Hair is made primarily of keratin, a protein. If you are eating less on GLP-1 medications, protein intake matters enormously.
The Good News
With or without expensive vitamins, your hair will grow back once your body stabilizes, in most cases. Telogen effluvium is temporary by nature. What you spend money on matters less than what you do for your overall health and scalp care.
Why Scalp Health Matters
Think of your scalp as the soil where your hair grows. Research from the International Journal of Trichology confirms that healthy scalp is the foundation for healthy hair follicles. Your scalp houses the entry point for new hair to emerge, so caring for it is not optional. It is essential.
A healthy scalp environment supports:
Proper circulation to nourish follicles
Reduced inflammation that can hinder growth
A clean environment free of buildup that can clog follicles
The right conditions for new hair to emerge strong
Professional Scalp Assessments
During your appointment, we will examine your scalp to assess its overall health. We look for signs that might warrant a visit to a dermatologist, things like bald spots or patterns that suggest something beyond typical telogen effluvium. This is not about diagnosing medical conditions; it is about making sure you get the right care from the right professionals.
Strengthening Treatments
We offer Fusio-Dose treatments to care for the hair you have, keeping it healthy and strong while you wait for new growth. The goal is to minimize breakage and support the hair that is currently on your head.
Product Recommendation: Kérastase Genesis Line
We recommend the Kérastase Genesis line for guests experiencing hair fall due to breakage. This is not a "hair loss" treatment. It is a strengthening and fortifying system designed to care for weakened hair from root to tip.
Key ingredients include:
Edelweiss Native Cells for follicle fortification
Ginger Root to stimulate the scalp
Caffeine to energize hair fibers
When using the full system, clinical testing shows 97% less hair fall due to breakage. We particularly recommend the Sérum Fortifiant for daily scalp application. It creates an optimal environment for new hair while protecting what you have.
One thing we want to be honest about: vitamins cannot change the natural density of your hair. What many people call "thickness" is determined by genetics: the number of follicles you have and the diameter of each hair strand. No supplement changes that.
What supplements can do is provide the building blocks your existing follicles need to produce the healthiest hair possible, but only if you are actually deficient in something. That is why blood work matters more than marketing claims.
What We Want You to Remember
This type of hair loss is typically temporary
Proper nutrition, especially protein, matters more than expensive supplements
Get blood work before buying supplements
Scalp health supports the return of healthy hair
Professional care can help strengthen what you have while you wait
Be patient. Hair cycles take time, and regrowth is gradual
We are here to support you through this. If you have questions about your hair or want to talk about a scalp care plan, book a consultation with one of our stylists. We will work with you to keep your hair as healthy as possible during your journey.
Ready to Support Your Hair?
The Kérastase Genesis line is available at all three Bella Trio locations in Durham and Hillsborough. If you have questions about your hair or want to talk through a scalp care plan, book a consultation with one of our stylists. We are here to help.
Bella Trio Salon & Spa Durham | Hillsborough
Written by Renee Rawlins, Marketing Director
International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. "Telogen Effluvium: A Guide to Temporary Hair Loss." ishrs.org, 2025.
Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. "The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review." Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2019;9(1):51-70.
Harvard Health Publishing. "Vitamins, minerals, and hair loss: Is there a connection?" health.harvard.edu, 2024.
Guo EL, Katta R. "Diet and hair loss: effects of nutrient deficiency and supplement use." Dermatol Pract Concept. 2017;7(1):1-10.
Durusu Turkoglu M, et al. "A comprehensive investigation of biochemical status in patients with telogen effluvium." J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024.
Cleveland Clinic. "Biotin Side Effects: Can You Take Too Much?" health.clevelandclinic.org, 2024.
U.S. Dermatology Partners. "Do Hair Growth Vitamins Work?" usdermatologypartners.com, 2025.