How to fix ozempic face?

The New York Times and TikTok are both abuzz about "Ozempic face," a very 2023 phenomenon.

You have only heard of Ozempic unless you have type 2 diabetes or you are taking medicine for obesity. But, during the past several weeks, the hashtag OzempicFace has received half a million views on TikTok, and the Times wrote an article on it with a haunting image of what appears to be a strangely distorted Phantom of the Opera mask.

When Kim Kardashian first appeared in public with "a more sculpted, less volumized face," rumors about "Ozempic face"—a hollowed-out, loose-skinned, droopy appearance—began to spread, according to Jennifer Levine, MD, a New York facial plastic surgeon who has treated many patients whose faces have lost fat and elasticity when they've lost weight quickly. Since then the drug has received a lot of attention. Although basic information about the drug such as who should take it and how exactly it may alter your face has been overlooked.

What is Ozempic?

It all starts in 2017 when FDA approved Ozempic, an injectable drug that contains active ingredients like Semaglutide. Amy Rothberg, MD, a clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Health and spokesperson for the Endocrine Society explains, Ozempic was first approved to manage type 2 diabetes. It is weekly injected in the thigh, upper arm, or stomach. In trials, the medication helped up to 73% of people with type 2 diabetes lower their blood sugar levels.

It was also noted that the drug is effective in weight loss. In 2021 FDA approved Ozempic for weight loss. The FDA later approved a higher dose of Ozempic in 2022, and it is now available in 1mg and 2mg dosages.

Wegovy was FDA-approved in 2021 specifically to treat adults with obesity or who were overweight and had at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or type 2 diabetes. Wegovy contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic but in an even higher dose (2.4 mg).

There are other similar medications, and one of them is Mounjaro or Tirzepatide. The FDA has fast-tracked the study of Mounjaro, for the treatment of obesity, says Dr. Rothberg. The FDA has approved Mounjaro because it is "more effective than the other diabetic medications with which it was compared in clinical tests" for controlling blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

Side effects of Ozempic

According to Dr. Rothberg, the main side effects of Ozempic and similar medications include GI issues like nausea, vomiting, constipation, and/or diarrhea because these medications slow down the passage of food through your GI tract. Rare side effects include pancreatitis or kidney injury. Despite little evidence in people, animal studies have raised concern that they may increase the risk of thyroid cancer.

But Ozempic face has received the most attention, a side effect of rapid weight loss that causes your face to appear gaunt and hollowed-out making you appear older.

What causes Ozempic face?

According to Dr. Levin, your skin loses elasticity when your body loses fat. Your face will appear good if your body is a little plumper, but the skin will sag a little if you lose weight throughout your body in addition to your face. This can happen with any form of rapid weight loss, such as gastric bypass surgery or extreme diets, says Dr. Levine.

So, Ozempic face is another name for rapid weight loss.