Ozempic is a hot topic right now. An injectable drug originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes is now being used as a weight loss aid — somewhat controversially. “Ozempic is a semaglutide that's used to treat diabetes and is very effective for weight loss,” explains New York-based facial plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD. “It works by making the pancreas secrete more insulin and reducing the amount of glucagon produced by the liver, which suppresses appetite and slows stomach motility, making you feel full for longer. It's popular in Hollywood.”
Although the ins and outs of Ozempic usage is another topic – read Stylish Explainer for more details – here's a related skin condition we bring to you today. “Ozempic face” is the new skin concern on the block, as dermatologists and aesthetic doctors across the globe begin to see what rapid weight loss can do to your face.One (non-obese) user told New York Times Said she was “in good health but my face looked tired and old” after taking the medicine.
“Rapid weight loss can lead to a loss of facial volume, but it can also affect the collagen and elastin in the skin,” says Dr. Levin. “The Ozempic face looks gaunt, sagging, and sagging. Think raisins instead of grapes!” Face and skin that look sunken, saggy, and saggy are all common signs of an Ozempic face—all of which are key contributors to accelerated aging. However, according to aesthetic doctor Dr. Sophie Shotter, it's worth noting that it's not the medication itself that's causing these skin changes, but rapid weight loss.
“With rapid weight loss, it's difficult for the skin around the new shape to ‘shrink,' which means the facial skin can become redundant, feel looser, and pinch more easily,” she explains. “Having some facial fat certainly helps us age better, and people who have more fat tend to have fewer wrinkles.” Conversely, too much facial fat is also problematic and can create thick lines, such as those on the face. Puppet (around the mouth). As always, a balanced body weight is the best path to healthier skin.
For those with Ozempic face, there are some outpatient treatments that can help. “I would combine some form of skin tightening therapy such as Sofwave or Profound RF, which can help boost collagen and elastin levels to help the skin shrink around the new facial shape, combined with facial fillers to strategically restore volume and makes the skin look healthy and in proportion to the rest of the patient,” says Dr. Shotter. She's also a fan of biostimulants like HArmonyCa, which uses cross-linked hyaluronic acid to instantly lift and plump, and calcium hydroxyapatite, to stimulate collagen production and improve skin laxity over time.
Dr. Levine uses a similar treatment regimen, but also likes to use devices like the Ultherapy and EmFace to help lift, improve sagging, and stimulate collagen and elastin production. “In extreme cases,” she says, “a face or neck lift may be needed to address looseness.”
If you're reading this and appalled by human vanity, you're not the only one. From buccal fat pad removal – the latest “trend” to surgically remove fat in the cheekbone area – to Ozempic faces, treated by injecting volume back with fillers (and more), can sometimes feel like a global treatment of the skin Therapy goes too far. Let's just say prevention is better than cure – why put up with an Ozempic face if you don't have to?
