Expert Advice on How to Address
‘Ozempic Face’ refers to the after effects when rapid weight loss leaves the face looking hollow, saggy, or prematurely aged. “The so-called ‘Ozempic Face’ isn’t a medical term or a typical side-effect but the result of the rapid loss of weight from taking the medication,” says Dr. Donn Chatham, Medical Director of Chatham Facial Plastic Surgery. Dr. Chatham explains, “with rapid weight loss, especially with GLP-1 medications like Ozempic® or Mounjaro®, patients don’t just lose fat from the waistline and stomach. Fat is also rapidly lost from the face, resulting in sunken cheeks, hollow eyes, loose skin, and an overall tired or worn-out appearance.”
Dr. Chatham explains that similar changes can occur following any form of significant rapid weight loss, regardless of the method.
How does Ozempic and Other Similar Drugs Affect the Face?
Losing facial fat and volume naturally occurs with aging. However, for those individuals who lose a rapid amount of weight quickly, the results show prominently in your face.
In fact, one study found approximately a 7% mid-facial volume loss for every 10 kg of weight lost in patients using GLP-1 agonists. Older patients or those with reduced collagen production are at higher risk of sagging and hollowing.
Taking GLP-1 weight loss drugs can result in:
- Decreased facial fat (subcutaneous fat), which is needed for facial structure, so your face is not hollow and sagging. The rapid weight loss can cause you to lose subcutaneous fat.
- Skin to lose elasticity by decreasing the levels of two important proteins in your skin: elastin and collagen.
- An increase in the visible signs of aging.
As with any rapid and significant weight loss, the more weight you lose, the more likely you will experience ‘Ozempic Face.’ If you are concerned about facial volume loss, schedule a consultation with Dr. Donn Chatham to discuss the best surgical or non-surgical option(s) to address your aesthetic concerns.
How To Manage Facial Volume Loss
“When volume and fullness are lost, it makes sense to try to replace the volume in a safe and aesthetic way,” says Dr. Donn Chatham. In my Facial Aesthetics Practice, I have found that the artistic use of injectable fillers can often help replenish lost volume.”
Two of the biostimulators Dr. Chatham recommends to address facial volume and fat loss are:
- Sculptra® Aesthetics – This (poly-L-lactic acid) injectable is performed gradually and carefully over a period of a few months as Sculptra® stimulates the patients’ own collagen. We believe the new collagen survives for about a year and a half (and sometimes longer). Yes, it is a bit like sculpting!
- Radiesse® – This calcium-based injectable can also stimulate new collagen and can provide a more immediate result in some cases.
Additional facial fillers, such as, Restylane® and Juvéderm® contain hyaluronic acid (a natural sugar found in the body) and can also be used to compliment the other fillers. Dr. Chatham counsels his patients that when an immediate strengthening of deflated cheeks is desired, these two dermal fillers are a good choice. It is important to note that results may last 6-12 months and sometimes longer. (See Before/After Facial Sculpting Patients)
Use of fat grafting could also be an option, with the hope that the transplanted fat will survive. However, when there is a combination of fat loss and skin laxity, typically seen in older patients, facial enhancement surgery may be the best strategy. Facelift surgery can help reposition sagging tissues, but surgery alone does not produce more volume. Used in conjunction with volume replacement fillers, the dual effect can be extremely helpful. (See Before/After Facelift Patients)
Schedule a Consultation to Explore Your Options
Every person is unique and every patient that Dr. Donn Chatham sees during their personalized consultation has their own special facial story. Younger patients may require only a bit of ‘tweaking’ while other patients might do best with a combination of strategies. While the health benefits of weight loss are significant, cosmetic concerns around ’Ozempic face’ are valid. Once our patients have successfully achieved their weight loss goals, we strive to make specific and individualized recommendations to help safely and effectively make them look and feel their best.
