The diabetes medication Ozempic has been life-changing for many, and its weight loss-promoting effects have also made it popular off-label. Unfortunately, it’s associated with an unintended effect referred to as “Ozempic face.”
Ozempic face can make you feel as though you suddenly look significantly older, often within just a few months of taking the medication. Thankfully, there are a few ways to avoid Ozempic face, as well as methods to deal with it when you first notice the signs that your face is changing. In this post, we’ll cover what Ozempic face looks like, why it happens, and how you can treat it.
What Is Ozempic Face?
The term Ozempic face refers to the significant loss of facial volume that can occur when taking Ozempic or similar semaglutide medications. As a direct consequence of rapid weight loss, Ozempic can make it seem as though your face has aged rapidly. So what does Ozempic face look like? The main signs include:
- A hollow or gaunt appearance
- New or deeper facial wrinkles
- Skin sagging or loss of firmness
Ozempic face won’t necessarily impact everyone who takes semaglutide, and the severity of the change can vary from person to person.
Why Does Ozempic Face Happen?
Ozempic face happens because of rapid weight loss. Ozempic (as well as similar medications like Wegovy and Rybelsus) is a semaglutide. It mimics the hormones released after eating, increasing satiation and controlling blood sugar levels.
Its effect also corresponds with weight loss, especially when it’s combined with other interventions like diet or exercise. In clinical research, participants taking semaglutide were able to lose as much as 10.9% of their body weight within 6 months of weekly injections.
So what does Ozempic do to your face? Simply put, weight loss doesn’t only impact the body. It can also occur in the face, leading to facial fat loss. Suddenly, your cheeks go from full to sunken-in, and skin that was stretched taut over the facial fat loses its support, leading to sagging and wrinkles. Taking Ozempic can also lead to excess loose skin over other body parts, like the legs, stomach, or arms.
Ozempic Face Side Effects
Aside from Ozempic face, side effects from taking semaglutide may include the following:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Abdominal pain
Not everyone taking Ozempic will experience these side effects, but they are considered the most common. Ozempic may also increase the risk of developing thyroid tumors. Other significant complications can occur with pre-existing conditions, such as pancreas or kidney problems. That’s why it’s important to only take Ozempic under a doctor’s guidance.
How to Prevent Ozempic Face
If you’ve just started taking Ozempic or you’re considering it, you can take steps to avoid Ozempic face, or at least reduce its chances of occurring.
- Talk to your doctor: Your doctor’s main focus is on your physical health outcomes, so they may not consider the aesthetic impact of rapid weight loss. Talk to your doctor about your concerns so they can recommend an appropriate diet plan or dosage that may help prevent Ozempic face and loose skin.
- Stay hydrated: It’s common to forget to drink water while on Ozempic, which can lead to dehydration that may worsen skin health. Make sure to drink water throughout the day, and to consume foods rich in liquid as part of your regular diet.
- Practice an anti-aging skincare routine: Use sunscreen and moisturizers daily, and consider products with anti-aging ingredients like retinoids, antioxidants, and peptides. These products will help keep your skin strong and supple from the outside.
- Get a skin tightening fix: Finally, consider undergoing skin and body treatments that will help maintain your facial firmness. There are many different kinds of treatments, including radiofrequency and microneedling, that can boost the skin’s production of collagen and elastin to ensure it remains tight even as you’re losing weight.
How to Treat Ozempic Face?
If you’re already experiencing the loss of tone associated with Ozempic face, these non-surgical treatments that can help tighten your skin and restore facial volume.
Restore Facial Volume
Dermal fillers are the best solution to address a hollow appearance and loss of plumpness. Made of hyaluronic acid, these injectables restore volume to precise areas of the face, helping to add fullness to your cheeks, temples, or under the eyes. Adding a bit of volume can also help lift the skin upwards, to address sagging.
To ensure natural-looking, flattering results, get your fillers injected by a provider who has an excellent understanding of facial balance, like our nurse injectors at SEV.
Tighten the Skin
Radiofrequency microneedling treatments like Morpheus8 or Potenza can reverse wrinkles and loss of tone. By delivering controlled heat to lower levels of skin, these treatments trigger the production of collagen and elastin. These connective proteins maintain the structure and elasticity of the skin, for a tightening effect that treats Ozempic face directly.
Skin-firming body treatments like Evolve Body Contouring can also help tighten loose skin in other parts of the body, such as the arms, abdomen, or thighs.
Address Ozempic Face at SEV
At SEV, we have the tools and expertise to help you fix or prevent Ozempic face through transformative skin-rejuvenating treatments. Feel free to reach out to us for advice about your treatment options, or book an appointment at your nearest SEV.