Ozempic is the brand name of semaglutide, one of the new popular antihyperglycemic, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) Receptor Agonists. It was originally for diabetics, but has been found to really help with weight loss. It is now everywhere and many are using it who likely don’t need it. This is the Hollywood drug, supposedly being handed out like candy. It’s the magic weight loss injection.
Other brand names are coming quickly, and they are almost all version of the same thing- some are a little stronger, some are supposed to have less side effect. Brands are:
- Wegovy
- Ozempic
- Mounjaro
- Rybelsus
They are used in diabetics and in those who are obese (BMI 30) or overweight with other issues (BMI 27 + high blood pressure, diabetes, etc). The studies and results are impressive. You can see the original published study in my blogs HERE, but many people lose up to 20% of their body weight. This improves all of the other issues that high BMI has- blood pressure, diabetes, joint issues, etc. Please read my blogs about the underbelly- there are side effects, and it is not clear when/if you can stop them.
But with this awesome weight loss, you also lose weight all over. THIS INCLUDES THE FACE. This is not news. We see facial changes in major weight loss patients. We also see these facial changes in anyone who is getting older, particularly when you enter your 40s or older.
So what can you do?
Your major options are the same as if you were just aging. You need to address what is going on with the right treatment. For sure, you need to add volume back.
VOLUME LOSS:
- In the office, you correct this with dermal fillers. As for which filler, it depends on where you are injecting. There are 3 major brands of filler, and which one lasts longer varies from patient to patient.
- I do not recommend Sculptra or PDO threads or ulthera if you want to ever do fat grafting
- In the OR, I love love love doing facial fat transfer. This is where we use your own body fat to replace the fat you lost. It can last for years, it has stem cells which improves the quality of your skin, and the injections in the face are scarless.
LAXITY
- When the skin is loose, it is a question as to how much. You cannot just keep filling the face – you will end up looking like a cabbage patch doll. But for most younger patients (this is those in their early 50s or younger), you likely don’t need skin tightening for the face yet.
- If you lost a ton of weight (call it 25% or more), you are older, you have poor skin tone, or other, you may need to tighten skin.
- To tighten the skin on the face, this is a facelift. Many people will call these other names: necklift, lower facelift, dual plane facelift, deep plane facelift, SMAS facelift. They are all variations of the same thing. They involve tightening the deeper layer of tissue and the skin, which addresses the cheek, jawline, and neck.
- YOU CANNOT TIGHTEN THE FACE MUCH AT ALL WITH NONINVASIVE METHODS. I am happy to chat with you in a consultation about this, but lasers, ulthera, nuface, renuvion, thermi, and others all state they tighten the skin. Is this tightening permanent? No. Does it tighten much? No. Can this cause other issues? Yes. Many of these treatments can reduce your facial fat. Please please understand how this is working against what we want. We spend so. much. time. getting fat and volume back in the face. Don’t zap it away. Trust me – I have looked into these treatments for myself. If they worked, I would be bathing in it.
So what to do?
VOLUME + TIGHTENING. How much, exactly where, etc will vary from person to person. Ozempic face is real. Just as facial changes from any major weight loss is real. Just like facial changes from aging and menopause is real. But you have options.