A quick search for “Ozempic face” on TikTok will take you down a rabbit hole flooded with more than 7 million views with a range of reactions, from people sharing their body transformation experiences with the medication to conspiracy-theory discussions about the weight loss boom in Hollywood. The injectable drug, which was originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes, has been propelled to the spotlight for its off-label use as a weight loss treatment with rapid results.
Overall, anecdotal videos on the streaming platform have generated more than 700 million views, and the drug has also risen in Google searches, revealing a hunger for news related to its promised get-thin-quick effects.
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Chelsea Handler last month called attention to the surge in interest in Ozempic for weight loss during the Critics’ Choice Awards.
“For those of you who don’t know, gaslighting is when someone tries to convince you that your own perceptions of reality are wrong,” said Handler, “like when celebrities say they lost weight by drinking water but really it’s because everyone’s on Ozempic. Even my housekeeper’s on Ozempic.”
More recently, a trending topic came from within the Ozempic discussion — the “Ozempic Face.” Videos are going viral from people who claim that their use of Ozempic led to rapid weight changes that caused skin laxity and volume loss in the face, bringing a saggy and droopy appearance. According to Dr. Jason Emer — an L.A.-based physician who performs cosmetic surgery and aesthetic procedures — “this is not anything new.”
“With any extremes in weight loss or gain, the facial appearance changes. We are just seeing early signs of aging in patients taking Ozempic more rapidly because of the number of clients taking it and the amount getting significant weight loss quickly.”
Despite what some TikTok users have claimed online, Emer doesn’t believe the medication is directly responsible for affecting facial appearance. “Time will tell but I do not believe this to be true,” he said.
For those suffering from skin laxity, like what has been described by some “Ozempic face” testimonials, Emer said to mitigate the effects, someone might need different treatments to address textural changes like wrinkles, under-eye hollows and looseness.
“Lasers, peels and proper skin care protocols help with this tremendously,” he explained. The physician also recommends his practice’s Emerage Skin’s Aerify Kit. “It is like doing a medium-level peel at the doctor’s office but at a far lower cost, and you get to experience the treatment in the comfort of your own home — it resurfaces the skin over two to three days,” he explained.
Another treatment that can help improve the appearance of “Ozempic face” is micro-needling to facilitate nonsurgical skin tightening. “Combine this treatment with proper skin care protocols, and patients should see a beautiful, and much-improved result,” Emer said.
Fillers, fat grafting and injections are other ways that can replace lost facial collagen and volume, he added. Depending on the case and patient’s goals, plastic surgery might also be needed. “If a patient has lost a lot of weight, surgical face and neck lifting may need to be considered.”
The sagging and volume loss due to rapid weight loss can affect not only one’s face, but other parts of the body, including breasts, knees, elbows, tummy and more. “Even the vagina can be affected by weight loss, causing wrinkles and sagging to that area, affecting women’s self-esteem,” Emer said.
Although anecdotes of “Ozempic Face” have surged in recent weeks, many people are still willing to try the medication for its promising effects. “People notice weight loss immediately, sometimes in the first two to three weeks, averaging around 10 pounds,” Emer said. “I have clients who have lost almost 100 pounds in a six-month time period.”
However — besides potential side effects to health from using the drug in ways not intended when it was developed for diabetics — the other issue to ponder is the possible yo-yo effect to the user’s weight, Emer said. “You can gain the weight back after stopping the medication if you do not make lifestyle modifications. The medicine should be used along with diet, exercise, supplementation and long-term lifestyle modification.”