What is Ozempic Face?
Ozempic face is a modern term that depicts how faces look after rapid weight loss due to taking Ozempic or similar drugs such as Wegovy, tirzepatide, or Saxenda. These drugs are part of a class of medicines called GLP-1 agonists designed to manage blood sugar in type 2 diabetics that also cause weight loss.
Rapid weight loss can occur with any of these drugs leading to loss of underlying facial fat and muscle. This loss can cause a hollowed appearance characterized by sagging skin around the lower face, and accentuated lines and wrinkles.
What causes Ozempic face?
Saggy skin is common after rapid weight loss, especially so with large amounts of weight loss. Facial changes are less noticeable with slower weight loss. People who use GLP-1 medicines often lose fat and some muscle when undergoing therapy.
Loss of subcutaneous fat from the face and neck leads to sagging and hollowing of skin. Tissues lose their elasticity due to lowered levels of the proteins, elastin and collagen, which provide support and structure to skin. The faster the weight loss the greater the problem. Additionally, an older person may see more severe changes due to existing reduced protein levels.
What Does Ozempic Face Look Like?
The hallmarks of Ozempic face typically include:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Sunken looking eyes due to loss of fat pads around the eyes
- Thinner lips
- Sagging skin on the face and other areas of the body
- Facial bones become more prominent
- The temples look hollow
How to Avoid Ozempic Face
The most important strategy is to avoid losing weight too rapidly. Start slowly with the dosage, and find the amount best suited for your weight loss. A two-pound weight loss per week is a safe pace. Your health consultant can help you with this.
It is important to use a good skincare program during your weight loss program to encourage healthy skin. You should also use a good sunblock to protect against sun damage. Eat enough protein during your weight loss to keep up your muscle mass, and drink plenty of water to improve skin elasticity.
What can be done to reduce the signs of Ozempic face?
At Profile MD, we have several procedures that reduce the impact of the listed symptoms for Ozempic face. Here are some of the treatment possibilities that our clinicians can design for your particular need(s).
- Intracel micro-needling with radio-frequency tightens and smooths sagging skin.
- A series of skin tightening treatments with the SkinTyte laser, or the GentleMax Pro to build collagen.
- Injectables like Botox to relax dynamic lines in combination with dermal fillers to fill in deep lines and to add support to sagging tissues.
- Fat Grafting using fat retrieved by laser liposuction from areas where you don’t want fat, to be injected into your cheeks, temples and lips.
What is the future of GLP-1 weight loss drugs?
Emerging trends in research have shown that this class of drugs improves brain health, reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks, and aids in keeping kidneys healthy. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that GLP-1 drugs appear to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s in the diabetic population.
SELECT clinical trials funded by Novo Nordisk showed that overweight adult patients who have taken GLP-1 drugs for three years or more have a 20% lower risk of stroke or heart attacks. SELECT trial findings also found that taking GLP-1 medicines resulted in a “22% lower risk of renal disorders.” It has a protective function for kidneys. These are exciting trends to follow in GLP-1 research. They are benefits that help to off-set the concern for what rapid weight loss can do to your skin.
Do the benefits outweigh the risks?
Social media tends to put the worst spin on concerns about Ozempic Face. Often, they showcase the most noticeable before and after photos without context. An extremely obese person who loses 60 pounds should be applauded for their achievement, not made anxious about what might be subtle changes in their appearance. Social media platforms should be more responsible concerning this. However, aesthetic medical providers can provide necessary education on how to minimize this condition, and how to improve the skin quality of those who experience problems.
The physicians at Profile MD understand these issues and are ready to assist you in your weight loss program and aftercare. Call 410-544-4600 for a FREE consultation.