Key TakeawaysSome patients who use diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss have reportedly noticed facial aging and sagging.A New York-based dermatologist referred to this type of skin sagging due to rapid weight loss as “Ozempic face.“Experts say this phenomenon is common among patients who lose too much weight too quickly.
Key Takeaways
Some patients who use diabetes drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss have reportedly noticed facial aging and sagging.A New York-based dermatologist referred to this type of skin sagging due to rapid weight loss as “Ozempic face.“Experts say this phenomenon is common among patients who lose too much weight too quickly.
While type 2 diabetes drugs likeOzempic (semaglutide)are still in high demand for rapid weight loss, more users are noticing an unwanted side effect: the “Ozempic face.”
What Is Ozempic Used For?Ozempic is a prescription injection that is FDA-approved for managing blood sugar level in adults with type 2 diabetes. The FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss, but some providers could prescribe the drug for off-label use.
What Is Ozempic Used For?
Ozempic is a prescription injection that is FDA-approved for managing blood sugar level in adults with type 2 diabetes. The FDA has not approved Ozempic for weight loss, but some providers could prescribe the drug for off-label use.
Steven Heymsfield, MD, a professor whose research focuses on obesity and weight loss treatment at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., said the term “Ozempic face” is misleading.
“It’s a side effect of all weight loss, it’s nothing unique to Ozempic that I’m aware of,” Heymsfield told Verywell.
Rapid weight loss canlead to sagging skinand stretch marks on other parts of the body too, not just the face. “When people lose weight, they lose it everywhere,” he said. “People are talking about Ozempic face because you can see it.”
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Is Ozempic Face Preventable?
Gradual weight loss can help prevent sagging skin, but experts say that diet and exercise also play a role intightening the skin.
Rocio Salas-Whalen, MD, a double board-certified physician specializing in obesity, diabetes, and thyroid disorders, said she recommends increasing protein intake during the weight-loss process to build collagen and elastin, which help with skin elasticity.
She added that patients using Ozempic or a similar drug should drink 1-2 liters of water each day to stay hydrated. “These medications can cause dehydration,” she said. “When the skin is dry from dehydration, it’s more prone to wrinkles and loss of elasticity.”
Building muscles through resistance training can also help tighten skin on certain parts of the body, but this likely won’t prevent Ozempic face.
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What Are the Other Side Effects of Ozempic?
“GLP-1 agonists affect gastric motility, and that means that people will have nausea and vomiting and they may have some reflux,” Heymsfield said.
Wegovy comes in five doses ranging from 0.25 mg to 2.4 mg.According to Wegovy’s website, patients should increase doses every four weeks. Patients who follow this schedule would not reach the full 2.4 mg dose until week 17.
Heymsfield said patients often ask him to start at the highest dose, but he’d advise them to “go slow, eat a healthy diet, and change your ways. You’ll probably be a lot better off in the long run.”
While some people are spendingthousands of dollarsa month to get these drugs off-label for rapid weight loss, plenty of people are usingWegovy and Ozempicas intended to manage chronic conditions.
For people with type 2 diabetes, there is a risk of developing low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, when taking these drugs along with insulin. There is alsosome evidenceto suggest that these drugs may lead to rare side effects, such as pancreatitis, gallstones, and kidney failure.
“I think that the majority of people that are on these medications truly benefit health-wise from them,” Salas-Whalen said, “The expertise of their prescriber is key in the success and to minimize the side effects of the medication.”
What This Means For You
Correction - February 6, 2023: A previous version of this article misstated an old affiliation of Rocio Salas-Whalen, MD. This article has been updated to reflect her latest title.
1 SourceVerywell 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.Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity.N Engl J Med. 2021;384(11):989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
1 Source
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.Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity.N Engl J Med. 2021;384(11):989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
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.
Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity.N Engl J Med. 2021;384(11):989-1002. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
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