Losing Hair on a GLP-1? What I'd Want You to Know Before You Book Extensions
A lot of women are losing hair right now while they're on GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound. If that's you, I get it. I was diagnosed with hereditary hair loss in 2018, so I know what it's like to see more hair in the brush every week and wonder how much is going to be left.
My hair loss has a different cause, but the questions are the same. So here's what I'd want to know as a stylist who installs extensions on thin hair every week, and as someone who's been where you are.
Can you wear extensions while you're shedding?
Sometimes, yes. It depends on how much hair you have to work with, and that's what the consultation is for.
Extensions are attached to your own hair. With wefts, your stylist builds a row of small beads and sews the wefts onto it, so every bead holds a little section of your natural hair and carries part of the weight. If your hair is shedding heavily, there's less of it holding on, and you want your stylist to see that before anything goes in.
When someone sits in my chair with thinning hair, I look at:
How full the hair is where the row would sit
Whether the scalp is tender or irritated
How much of her own length is left to blend with
Whether she's still losing a lot, or the shedding has slowed
If you're in the middle of heavy shedding, waiting a little while can be the smarter choice. A good stylist will tell you that honestly, even if it means booking you later.
Less hair, placed well
The biggest mistake I see on fine hair is too much hair. More isn't always better. Too much weight on too little hair is what causes damage.
For thinner hair, I'd usually rather:
Do one row placed lower on the head instead of two
Use K-tips around the part, the fringe or above the ears, where a row would show. Ours are 1 gram each, so the weight on every section stays light
Add just enough to fill in the thin spots, not double the volume
Hand tied wefts are a nice fit here because they lie flat and they're light. And because we sell every weft on its own, your stylist can add just one or two where you need them.
Sometimes extensions aren't the kindest option at all. If there isn't enough hair to hold a row, a topper or a wig can give you the fullness you want without putting any weight on your own hair. I'd always rather tell a client that than install something her hair can't hold.
Taking care of fragile hair with extensions in
If you do get extensions while your hair is recovering, home care matters even more:
Use a shampoo without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Brush from the ends up while holding the hair at the base, so the pull goes into your hand and not into the bead
Keep heat off the bead and the bond
Sleep with it dry, in a loose braid
Keep up with your move ups, so the row doesn't sit too low as your hair grows
Extensions done well should never hurt. You might feel a little tightness at first, since something new is attached to your hair, but pain, burning, redness or bumps mean something isn't right. Call your stylist right away.
Questions to ask before you book
Have you worked with clients who are losing hair?
How much hair are you planning to add, and why?
Where will you place the row on my head?
What happens if my hair keeps shedding after the install?
Would a topper or a wig be a better fit for me right now?
Finding the right stylist
Every stylist on our Find a Stylist page is certified in our method, and the consultation is part of what they learn.
If you're a stylist and you're seeing more of these clients lately, our online course covers the install and the consultation, which is the part that matters most with thin hair.
Losing your hair is hard, whatever the reason. Give yourself some grace, and when you're ready, find a stylist who'll be honest with you about what your hair can hold.
Kenzie Moon is a licensed stylist and the owner of Wefts + Waves in Grantsville, Utah. She has lived with hereditary hair loss since 2018 and has been making hair for her own salon clients since 2021.
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