Warning over Ozempic NAILS – risk of fingernails falling off is four times higher in jab users, study finds

Using weight-loss injections can lead to patients’ fingernails falling off, research suggests.

Researchers found 60 per cent of patients on the blockbuster jabs suffer from conditions including loose nails and discolouration – where they turn black or yellow.

And the risk of the nail detaching was four times higher in those who were on the medication compared to those who were not.

Experts believe, jabs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, can trigger nutrient deficiencies that result in a lack of keratin, the protein that nails are made of.

The researchers also analysed the impact of the injections on the scalp and found that users of the jabs can experience scaling, redness and itching.

It comes after a series of studies have highlighted side-effects of the jabs on appearance including gaunt facial features, loose skin around the neck and hair loss.

Presenting the findings at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Congress in Austria, lead author Dr Charles Taïeb said evidence of the drug’s effect on skin, hair and nails is ‘not just anecdotal’.

The study compared 575 weight-loss jab users with 1,329 patients who had type 2 diabetes, obesity or both who had never taken the drugs.

Some 66 per cent of jab users reported at least one nail disorder, compared with just over half (53 per cent) of patients who did not take the drugs.

As well as nail detachment – where the fingernail or toenail becomes separated from the skin underneath – nail discolouration was also significantly more common among weight loss drug users, affecting 46 per cent compared with 17 per cent of others.

When compared with patients who lost weight through dieting and exercise, jab users were still more likely to report nail problems.

Researchers suggested this may be linked to the increased speed of weight-loss triggered by the drugs, which can put the body under stress.

Because nails are not essential for survival, nutrients and resources are directed towards more important organs and processes, potentially disrupting healthy nail growth.

Severe calorie restriction may also contribute to micronutrient deficiencies – including iron, zinc and biotin, all of which are essential for nail health.

A second study involving the same participants found that hair loss was also common among jab users.

Around half of people taking the drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists, reported increased hair-shedding, compared with just over a third of non-users.

Hair-thinning also affected more than 40 per cent of slimmers and scalp redness was around three times more frequent in this group.

Hair loss rarely occurred in isolation and was often accompanied by scalp symptoms such as itching and scaling skin, the researchers highlighted.

Dr Bruno Halioua, who was also an author on the study, said: ‘This suggests that what is happening on the scalp may go beyond the classical shedding seen after rapid weight loss and involve an inflammatory component.’

The dermatologist added that doctors commonly overlook the impact of weight-loss injections on scalp health, despite problems being treatable with moisturisers and steroid creams.

‘These changes are frequent and are not a reason to stop treatment, but anyone who notices hair shedding, an itchy red scalp or nail changes should mention it to their doctor,’ he added.

Hair thinning is listed as a common side-effect from the drugs, taken by up to 2.5million Britons.

Data published earlier this year from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, revealed there have been 940 reports of hair loss relating to tirzepatide – the active ingredient in Mounjaro – since the start of 2025.

At least 312 reports have been filed linked to Wegovy and Ozempic.

Previous analysis suggests the hair loss is a form of non-scarring alopecia, where hair follicles remain intact meaning there is potential for hair to regrow.