Celebrities, the wealthy and even some members of the general public have been attracted to prescription drug brands such as Ozempic and Wegovy associated with easy and rapid weight loss.
But semaglutide, the medication sometimes sold under the brand name Ozempic, in fact intended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and commonly-used ‘off-label’ for weight-loss purposes, can cause what is coming to be known as “Ozempic Face”, an unsightly sagging of the skin accompanying speedy weight-loss.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is a brand name for the medication known as Semaglutide, which is an anti-diabetic and anti-obesity medication.
It is meant to be used alongside dietary changes and exercise to help sufferers of diabetes control their blood sugar levels, and was approved in 2017 for medical purposes in the US.
Difference Between Ozempic and Wegovy
Ozempic and Wegovy are often spoken about in the same breath when referring to weight-loss drugs, and they do share the same active ingredient in Semaglutide.
However, they have different dosages and make-ups and only one of them, Wegovy, is intended as a medication for obesity. Ozempic is usually prescribed for type-2 diabetes.
Semaglutides Come With a Number of Side Effects
Although there are many health benefits to weight loss above and beyond aesthetics, Semaglutides also carry a number of risks.
They can cause dizziness, flatulence, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea as well as several forms of inflammation. It is also unknown if they can cause medullary thyroid carcinoma, a form of cancer.
Unique Side Effect
Aside from the side effects already mentioned, Semaglutide use has another potential side effect that has come to be known as ‘Ozempic Face’, named after one of the most common Semaglutide brands. Ozempic Face is a distinctive, sagging, aged facial appearance.
“The face has a layer of fat that essentially stretches the skin. Ozempic results in rapid weight loss and does so very effectively. This, of course, will lead to rapid loss of subcutaneous (under the skin) facial fat.” says a British Skin foundation dermatologist, Dr Adil Sheraz.
Ozempic Has Gone Viral in the US
Ozempic use as a weight-loss drug, while not its intended purpose, has become popular since its approval in 2017.
A New York dermatologist, Dr Paul Jarrod Frank, says that he sees it “every day”. He continues: “A 50-year-old patient will come in, and suddenly, she’s super-skinny and needs filler, which she never needed before. I look at her and say: ‘How long have you been on Ozempic?’ And I’m right 100 percent of the time.”
Several Celebs Admit to Using Ozempic for Weight-Loss
Celebrities have come out as being Ozempic or Wegovy users after difficult-to-explain, rapid body transformations.
Elon Musk admitted to using it to help his weight-loss goals after being inspired by photos of him online going viral. Oprah Winfrey is another high-profile celebrity who, although initially denying she used it, admitted it had helped her to combat ‘yo-yo’ dieting.
How Does Ozempic Work?
The theory on its mechanism of action is that it mimics a hormone in your body, GLP-1, which causes blood sugar levels to decrease.
At the same time, it has an effect on the brain that causes a feeling of satiety, or fullness, which prevents overeating.
Effects Elsewhere on the Body
This new line of weight-loss drugs not only affects the face, but can also cause physical alterations at the other end of the body, a side effect that’s become known as ‘Ozempic Butt’.
As the name suggests, it is a similar phenomenon to Ozempic face, in that it causes sagging and aging of the skin during periods of rapid weight loss, but on a person’s rump instead of their face.
Will it Last Forever?
There is good news for those worried about their new look following a course of treatment of Wegovy or Ozempic, as the condition is not necessarily permanent.
Skin is naturally elastic and, over time, the skin is able to re-form over the new body shape caused by loss of subcutaneous fat.
