A Darlington woman who lost four stone while taking Mounjaro says she also shed around half of her hair during the weight-loss journey.
Dara Smith, 34, said the hair loss began after she increased her dose of the prescription injection, with strands appearing on her clothes, bedding and in the shower.
The content creator said she had started using Mounjaro in January 2025, weighing about 13 stone. By August, she had lost more than three stone and weighed around nine-and-a-half stone, but began noticing her hair becoming thinner.
“It would be all over my clothes and on my bedding, it just wouldn’t stop,” she said, adding that the problem was especially noticeable while brushing her hair or washing it.
Ms Smith said she was distressed after concluding that the injections and rapid weight loss were linked to the shedding, having previously experienced few problems with the treatment.
She tried increasing her protein intake, using protein shakes and bars, and taking collagen, biotin and pumpkin seed extract. She also used rosemary oil, but said the measures did not stop the hair loss.
Ms Smith continued taking Mounjaro until December 2025, when she reached a weight of eight-and-a-half stone. She then paused the treatment and said the shedding stopped.
After restarting the injections in January this year because she was worried about regaining weight, she said she had not experienced further hair loss. She believes a daily hair-care routine, including supplements, collagen powder and a rosemary and rice-water spray, has helped some of her hair to grow back.
She said she now had about 70 per cent of the hair she had before losing weight, despite seeing new growth across her scalp.
Hair loss listed as a side effect of Mounjaro
Hair loss is listed as a common side effect of tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Mounjaro, when it is used for weight management. The UK product information says it was reported in 4.9 per cent of patients taking tirzepatide in pooled weight-management trials, compared with 1 per cent of those given a placebo.
The same information states that the cases were mainly mild and that most patients recovered while continuing treatment. NHS guidance advises people to speak to a doctor or pharmacist if side effects are troublesome or do not go away.
Ms Smith said she still regarded Mounjaro as one of the best decisions she had made, despite the impact on her hair.
“It’s completely changed my mindset and made me so much more confident,” she said. “Losing hair was a downside, but one I could cope with.”
