What is Ozempic Face?
Ozempic is a medication for adults with type 2 diabetes that is used to help control blood sugar levels. However, many other people use this medication to help with weight loss.
Some Ozempic users who use the medication off-label for weight loss have complained of “Ozempic face” as a side effect of their rapid weight loss, which causes the facial skin to sag and makes them look older. This is known to be one of the side effects of taking Ozempic.
The phrase “Ozempic face” describes the increased wrinkling or hollowing of the face that occurs when individuals taking the medicine Ozempic lose weight. A reduction of facial volume can give the face a haggard appearance by emphasizing facial features.
Ozempic face has gained attention recently thanks to TikTok and the hashtag #ozempicface. Videos using the hashtag have been viewed over 3 million times, bringing this condition to light.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic was originally a prescription medicine FDA-approved as a treatment for type 2 diabetes. It is available as an Ozempic prescription that is administered once a week to control blood sugar levels.
It has been used to treat type 2 diabetes for a while, but has recently been used as a weight-loss medication. Keep in mind that Ozempic is not yet FDA-approved for weight loss, however, it is currently under review.
Ozempic is now used for weight loss because clinical trials and other recent studies have shown that a side effect of Ozempic for diabetes is losing weight.
While the medication is not approved, many doctors have prescribed Ozempic to their non-diabetic patients to help them lose weight. An early look at these cases shows that Ozempic is an effective medication for losing weight.
Ozempic is currently approved for a handful of conditions. If prescribed by their physician, it can be taken by people who have been diagnosed with:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Insulin resistance or prediabetes
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Cardiovascular (heart) disease or at risk for it
Although it is not FDA-approved for this use, many people have begun taking Ozempic for weight loss.
How Does Ozempic Work?
The typical dose of Ozempic starts low and increases over time. Beginning doses are around .25 mg and can increase up to 2.4mg.
Ozempic works by lowering blood glucose levels after meals through the stimulation of insulin secretion from the pancreas. This is why those who have insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or cardiovascular disease, may be prescribed Ozempic.
The medication was made to lower blood sugar levels and hemoglobin A1C levels and there are three ways that Ozempic works to lower blood sugar:
- It helps your pancreas produce more insulin when your blood sugar is high.
- This helps bring the blood sugar back down.
- It prevents your liver from making and releasing too much sugar.
- It slows down the rate at which food moves through your digestive tract.
When these three things work together, it typically results in weight loss. This is why Ozempic is said to cause weight loss as a side effect and is the reason many people have begun to use Ozempic for weight loss.
Most people on Ozempic lose about 1-2 pounds per week and can expect to lose about 5% of their body weight by 3 months and 10% of their body weight by 6 months.
It is an effective tool for weight loss because, as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, it mimics
Ozempic works with your body in a few ways that promote weight loss, including:
Slowing digestion
GLP-1 is produced by your digestive system in response to eating and helps slow down the digestion of your food. Doing this slows down blood sugar and nutrient absorption, leading you to feel more full from the delayed digestion and also absorbing fewer calories from your food.
Suppressing appetite
Ozempic can inadvertently lower your appetite by delaying digestion. It curbs your appetite for an extended period of time and prevents overeating.
Lowering high-fat food cravings
Those who take Ozempic have fewer cravings for high-calorie, high-fat foods. By taking Ozempic, people experience weight loss as they eat better foods and fewer calories.
Ozempic Face as a Side Effect
The good news is that Ozempic face is caused by rapid, extreme weight loss. This means that it typically works for people who are using the medication to lose weight. Still, when weight is dropped too rapidly, it can cause the skin to sag. This leads to people who look much older than they are.
While weight loss may be the goal, it should be steady and controlled. When weight loss happens too quickly and too soon, lost fat tissue causes the facial skin to look old, wrinkled, and saggy.
If you are concerned with the Ozempic face, you may want to consider facial fillers. These fillers have different types, strengths, and lengths, so make sure you plan adequately.
How To Combat Ozempic Face
There are a few options for adding more form and contour, regardless of whether you have a prematurely aging face as a result of Ozempic or any dramatic weight loss. These options include:
Fillers
Fillers are the first-line treatment since they are less intrusive, need less recovery time, and cost less than alternative procedures.
Skin-tightening treatment
After fillers, the skin won't simply reappear exactly as it was before. Restoring the skin's elasticity from loss of collagen and elastin is a challenge because it doesn’t just return to how it was before after it has been stretched. You can, however, have skin-tightening treatments that help to shape your skin back so that it fits better.
Plastic surgery
While this may be the last choice for some, plastic surgery is an option when you have weight loss-induced issues.
Other Side Effects of Ozempic
Aside from Ozempic face, the medicine has a few common side effects and other warnings that are important to be aware of. The most common mild side effects are:
- Digestive upset
- Fatigue
- Injection-site reactions
- Dizziness
- Headache
- A minor increase in heart rate
There are also more serious side effects that have been reported:
- Diabetic retinopathy (nerve and blood vessel damage in the eyes)
- Gallbladder disease
- Kidney problems
- Pancreatitis (more common in those who drink alcohol)
- Increased risk of thyroid cancer
- Allergic reactions
- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
There are some digestive symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation that are extremely common. They occurred in close to 75% of people in a large 69-week study. For most people, however, these side effects were short-lived and were experienced in the first few weeks only.
Using Ozempic
Ozempic comes in a pen injector and is taken once a week in whatever dose is prescribed, between .25mg and 2.4mg. It is simple to take and should be taken as intended to minimize side effects and see results.
Losing weight is not always easy. If you feel like you’re doing everything right in terms of your diet, exercise, and lifestyle, yet you’re still not seeing the results you want, you may want to consider Ozempic.
Don’t forget that using Ozempic specifically for weight loss is not FDA-approved. However, many physicians have prescribed the medication to overweight patients who are not diabetic.
Make sure to weigh the risks next to the benefits of taking Ozempic with your doctor.
Ozempic Face FAQS
What is Ozempic Face?
The name Ozempic face was coined on TikTok and refers to the sagging skin that some people get after they lose weight rapidly. This weight loss often occurs from taking diabetes medications, so the term reflects that.
Does Ozempic Change Your Face?
No, Ozempic does not change your face. However, it can cause extreme, rapid weight loss. Fast weight loss can cause the skin to sag as the fat dissipates.
Is There Anything I Can Do About Ozempic Face?
There are some things you can do if you are experiencing Ozempic face. You can have your doctor install fillers, have a skin-tightening treatment, or even consider plastic surgery for extreme cases.
Is Ozempic Safe?
Like any medication, Ozempic comes with potential risks and side effects. There are a number of side effects that Ozempic users may experience, including Ozempic face. You should always weigh the potential risks alongside the benefits and talk to your doctor before using any medication.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Ozempic has not been FDA-approved for weight loss, however, it is an approved medication for Type 2 diabetes.
