Do Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic Affect Your Breast Health?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsBreast ChangesCausesHormonal EffectsShould You Be Concerned?How to Manage at HomeOther Possible Side Effects

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Breast Changes

Causes

Hormonal Effects

Should You Be Concerned?

How to Manage at Home

Other Possible Side Effects

Breast Changes You May Notice

People with marked weight loss aftertaking Ozempicand other GLP-1 drugs may find that their breasts have changed. This can affect people of all ages, including the young. Changes are, of course, unique to each person. Some that you may experience include:

If youstop taking Ozempicand regain some weight, these changes may be reversed.

What Causes “Ozempic Breasts”?

With such sudden weight loss comes fat loss (connective adipose tissue loss) from all areas of the body, including the breasts. Loss of tissue volume can lead to changes such as drooping, sagging, and shrinking breasts, with bra cup sizes becoming smaller.

It’s also not uncommon for the skin to become loose without the same amount of tissue underneath. Nipple position can become lower too, much like after pregnancy or breastfeeding. But it is not the drug itself that causes this; it is the rapid weight loss that causes breast deflation.

GLP-1 Drugs Have Hormonal Effects

The purpose of GLP-1 drugs is to treat diabetes. When you eat, your stomach releases glucagon-like peptide-1. GLP-1 agonist drugs imitate this hormone and can have the following effects:

Because of these hormonal effects, GLP-1 drugs work to control sugar levels in type 2 diabetes and to reduce appetite. With these drugs, long after the meal is over, you continue to feel satiated (having a satisfied feeling of fullness) and do not feel the need to eat.

These three hormones work to keep hunger at bay:

Weight loss from the drugs may also impact estrogen and testosterone levels due to the loss of fat cells. Fat makes steroid hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. While these hormones are also produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands, in older people with ovaries, fat is responsible for almost half of the estrogen and up to half of the testosterone available.

While you may be unhappy with the appearance of your breasts after losing a significant amount of weight after using these GLP-1 drugs, this is a cosmetic, not a medical issue.

By reducing your weight, you may decrease your risk for conditions likecancer. Without certain cravings, you may also consume fewer processed foods, which otherwise might raise your risk of developing cancer.

Remember that the medication’s effects may be temporary. Although your breasts may not look quite as they did before weight loss, you can take practical steps to improve their appearance. Some measures to try include:

Besides causing sagging breasts, the GLP-1 drugs can also generate other side effects. While on them, you may find yourself contending with more mild gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, reflux, and cramping.Some people may experience constipation.

There can also be more severe side effects. Uncommon but significant side effects include:

Summary

Taking Ozempic or other GLP-1 medication can enable weight loss but may also be associated with unwanted changes in appearance, dubbed “Ozempic breasts.” Changes due to loss of fat tissue include breasts shrinking in size and changing shape, with breasts sagging and the skin becoming looser. Ozempic breast is a cosmetic change but does not pose a health risk.

10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neinstein Plastic Surgery.What is Ozempic breast?Ghusn W, De la Rosa A, Sacoto D, et al.Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight or obesity.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231982. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.31982American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Perking up for spring: why breast lifts are getting bigger than implants.NHS.Diabetes medicines: GLP-1 agonists.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Cancer benefits and risks from Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs.Utah University Learn Genetics.The friendly side of fat.UCI Health.Can saggy breasts be lifted naturally.DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, saline.Harvard Health.GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drug side effects: “ozempic face and more.“Sodhi M, Rezaeianzadeh R, Kezouh A, Etminan M.Risk of gastrointestinal adverse events associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss. JAMA. 2023;330(18):1795-1797. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.19574

10 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Neinstein Plastic Surgery.What is Ozempic breast?Ghusn W, De la Rosa A, Sacoto D, et al.Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight or obesity.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231982. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.31982American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Perking up for spring: why breast lifts are getting bigger than implants.NHS.Diabetes medicines: GLP-1 agonists.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Cancer benefits and risks from Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs.Utah University Learn Genetics.The friendly side of fat.UCI Health.Can saggy breasts be lifted naturally.DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, saline.Harvard Health.GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drug side effects: “ozempic face and more.“Sodhi M, Rezaeianzadeh R, Kezouh A, Etminan M.Risk of gastrointestinal adverse events associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss. JAMA. 2023;330(18):1795-1797. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.19574

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Neinstein Plastic Surgery.What is Ozempic breast?Ghusn W, De la Rosa A, Sacoto D, et al.Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight or obesity.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231982. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.31982American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Perking up for spring: why breast lifts are getting bigger than implants.NHS.Diabetes medicines: GLP-1 agonists.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Cancer benefits and risks from Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs.Utah University Learn Genetics.The friendly side of fat.UCI Health.Can saggy breasts be lifted naturally.DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, saline.Harvard Health.GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drug side effects: “ozempic face and more.“Sodhi M, Rezaeianzadeh R, Kezouh A, Etminan M.Risk of gastrointestinal adverse events associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss. JAMA. 2023;330(18):1795-1797. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.19574

Neinstein Plastic Surgery.What is Ozempic breast?

Ghusn W, De la Rosa A, Sacoto D, et al.Weight loss outcomes associated with semaglutide treatment for patients with overweight or obesity.JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(9):e2231982. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.31982

American Society of Plastic Surgeons.Perking up for spring: why breast lifts are getting bigger than implants.

NHS.Diabetes medicines: GLP-1 agonists.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Cancer benefits and risks from Ozempic, Wegovy, and other weight loss drugs.

Utah University Learn Genetics.The friendly side of fat.

UCI Health.Can saggy breasts be lifted naturally.

DailyMed.Ozempic—semaglutide injection, saline.

Harvard Health.GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drug side effects: “ozempic face and more.”

Sodhi M, Rezaeianzadeh R, Kezouh A, Etminan M.Risk of gastrointestinal adverse events associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss. JAMA. 2023;330(18):1795-1797. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.19574

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