EADV: Nail Disorders Occur Frequently With GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Exposure

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Nail disorders and hair and scalp changes occur frequently among glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) users, according to two studies presented at the annual meeting of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 3 in Vienna.Bianca Maria Piraccini, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Bologna in Italy, and colleagues conducted a multinational cross-sectional study involving 575 GLP-1 RA users and 1,329 controls without exposure to GLP-1 RAs. Overall, weight loss over three months was reported more often for GLP-1 RA users than controls (76.3 versus 47.3 percent). The researchers found that at least one nail disorder was reported by 66.3 and 52.8 percent of GLP-1 RA users and controls, respectively. The most prominent nail disorder was nail detachment, with a higher prevalence in the exposed group (39.3 versus 8.7 percent; odds ratio, 6.84). The differences between the groups remained significant when the analysis was restricted to patients who lost weight.Bruno Halioua, M.D., from Société Française des Sciences Humaines de la Peau in Paris, and colleagues characterized alopecia in the same multinational cohort. The researchers found that the exposed group had significantly higher prevalence rates of hair and scalp involvement. Unusual hair loss was reported in 50.4 and 33.5 percent of exposed and nonexposed participants, respectively (odds ratio, 4.49), with new-onset hair loss reported in 26.1 and 11.6 percent, respectively (odds ratio, 2.67). Loss of hair volume/density affected 42.4 and 19.3 percent of exposed versus nonexposed participants (odds ratio, 3.23). Scalp erythema also occurred more frequently (odds ratio, 3.05)."These changes are frequent, usually benign, and are not a reason to stop an effective treatment on one's own initiative," Halioua said in a statement.The study was conducted with the institutional support of Ducray Dermatological Laboratories.Press ReleaseMore Information.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

EADV: Nail Disorders Occur Frequently With GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Exposure

Related Stories

EADV: Autonomous AI Can Increase Clinical Capacity for Dermatologists

GLP-1s Show Benefit For Kids With Type 2 Diabetes

Odds Of Losing Your Nails, Hair Rise With GLP-1 Use

Air Pollution Tied to Higher Risk for Suicide