I’m a Registered Dietitian On A GLP-1 and These Are The Derm-Recommended Skincare Items That Saved My Skin

I’ve been on a GLP-1 (Zepbound) for over two years, and it’s completely changed my skincare regimen. While it’s brought some of the most positive changes in my life, like thinking about food less with less guilt around eating, having better workouts, and just feeling freer overall, it’s also brought some challenges, particularly with my skin. I’ve always had combination skin, but over the last two years, it's become much drier and more sensitive. I’ve also noticed more fine lines and wrinkles.

Dr. Charles Puza, a board-certified dermatologist in both medical and cosmetic dermatology at New York Dermatology Group, is seeing more patients coming in with concerns about skin changes after starting GLP-1 medications. He explains that rapid weight loss, regardless of the method, can reduce subcutaneous fat, which plays an important role in maintaining the skin’s structure and cushioning. “Combined with the reduced caloric intake many patients experience due to appetite suppression, patients may notice increased sensitivity and dryness,” says Puza.

Thankfully, there are numerous products available to help reduce skin dryness, improve laxity, strengthen the skin barrier, and prevent hair shedding, another concern when on the medication. Below is a list of my go-to skincare products.

So, when moisturizing on a GLP-1, it’s helpful to look for a combination of humectants, emollients, and occlusives — what dermatologists call the “three-layer” approach to hydration, says Puza. He recommends ingredients such as ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin to help draw in and retain moisture. This layered approach may help to replenish hydration while also supporting the skin barrier.

While serums likely can’t add back lost facial volume that comes with GLP-1-related weight loss, aka “Ozempic face,” adding one to your routine may improve overall skin quality. Focus on ingredients that support the skin barrier while targeting dullness, dryness, and loss of firmness. Puza recommends niacinamide, vitamin C, and peptides to brighten, calm inflammation, and firm skin.

Rapid weight loss puts the body through physiological stress that can lead to hair thinning, or telogen effluvium, around three to six months later, according to Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd, MD, FAAD, double board-certified in dermatology and lifestyle medicine and director of the Skin of Color Division for the University of Miami Department of Dermatology. If you’re experiencing hair thinning on a GLP-1, keep in mind that “results take time; it can take up to three months to see reduced shedding and up to six months to see hair growth.”

Prioritizing a healthy diet with enough protein for your specific body’s needs, essential fatty acids, and micronutrients, along with staying hydrated, can help reduce the risk of dryness, dullness, and increased sensitivity, according to Dr. Shah. “I also see patients unintentionally overcorrect by reaching for aggressive exfoliants or high-strength actives too quickly, which can further disrupt the barrier.”

Topically, Puza recommends switching to a ceramide-rich moisturizer applied in the morning and at night, not just when the skin feels dry. He explains that niacinamide in serum can help with dullness and uneven tone by supporting the skin's natural luminosity and reinforcing the barrier. And sun protection becomes even more important, because with reduced subcutaneous fat, the skin is more vulnerable to UV-induced photoaging.

He recommends being proactive and starting collagen-supporting topicals early, not after changes have already occurred. Ingredients like retinaldehyde and firming peptides, including Argireline and Matrixyl 3000, can help support skin elasticity during that process. Equally important is barrier support. Using ceramides, humectants, and antioxidants can help maintain hydration and resilience while the skin is under stress.

Hair shedding in this context is almost always telogen effluvium —“a well-characterized physiological response to physiological stress, including rapid weight loss, caloric restriction, and nutritional deficiencies,” says Puza. He explains that normally, about 85–90% of hairs are in the anagen (growth) phase at any time. When the body perceives significant metabolic stress, a larger-than-normal cohort of hairs shifts prematurely into telogen (resting) and then sheds roughly two to three months later. “Patients are often alarmed because the shedding seems to start just when they're feeling their best about the weight loss.”

The good news is that telogen effluvium is almost always reversible if the underlying trigger is addressed, he says. Puza recommends ensuring adequate protein intake, checking and replenishing ferritin — iron stores, not just hemoglobin — since ferritin below 70 ng/mL is strongly associated with telogen effluvium; ensuring sufficient biotin, zinc, and vitamin D. He also adds that sometimes adding a comprehensive hair supplement like Nutrafol Women's Balance, wellbel, or Viviscal Pro can help. For topical support, minoxidil 5% foam, applied once daily to the scalp, has solid evidence supporting it and can help accelerate recovery and maintain density during the shedding phase, he adds.

Start with a gentle, non-stripping cleanser and a barrier-repair moisturizer to maintain hydration, Shah recommends. From there, incorporate a nightly treatment with encapsulated retinol or retinaldehyde, paired with peptides, to support collagen and elasticity over time. He also recommends adding an antioxidant in the morning and being diligent about daily sunscreen, since the skin can become more reactive during this time.

“In the office, I recommend collagen-stimulating procedures, like microneedling and fractional resurfacing lasers. At times, I’ll recommend either biostimulatory fillers or hyaluronic acid fillers to replace the volume loss,” he adds.

If your budget only affords two to three products, Puza recommends a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen, ideally with antioxidants for starters: “I cannot overstate how much an unprotected, volume-depleted face ages faster.” Second, a ceramide-rich moisturizer is used twice daily. “This is your barrier support — the single most important step for dryness, laxity, and sensitivity.” Third would be, “a niacinamide or vitamin C serum for addressing dullness, supporting collagen, and giving the skin resilience against the environmental stressors it's now less equipped to handle on its own.”

If they can only pick two, he says, go for the moisturizer and the sunscreen, “those two alone will make a meaningful difference in how your skin looks and feels during this transition.”