“Ozempic face” is a snarky term born from celebrity gossip, but you don’t have to be an A-lister to experience it. Losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time can lead to unwelcome changes in the face like hollowed cheeks, sagging skin and drooping jowls.
As the name suggests, these changes often occur when people take GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Ozempic. “There’s no evidence that GLP-1 medications are directly changing the appearance of your face,” says Alison Boucher, M.D., a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health. “Rather, anything that causes rapid weight loss can result in these changes.”
If you’re losing weight—from medications, bariatric surgery or lifestyle changes—this facial transformation might not be entirely welcome. Dr. Boucher shares what you can do to prevent and treat Ozempic face.
What Causes Ozempic Face?
Dermatology At Henry Ford
GLP-1s are prescription weight-loss medications like semaglutide (sold under the brand names Ozempic® and Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro® and Zepbound®). These medications slow down digestion in the gut and reduce appetite and food cravings in the brain. They can be very effective for helping people lose weight—a result that often comes with other health benefits.
But because GLP-1s work so well, people often lose a lot of weight very quickly. That’s also true for major weight-loss interventions like bariatric surgery. Losing weight leads to loss of fat in the face, causing hollow areas in your cheeks or under your eyes. And rapid weight loss can also reduce the skin’s elasticity, contributing to wrinkles and sagging.
“Rapid weight loss is the biggest factor when it comes to ‘Ozempic face,’” says Dr. Boucher. “When you lose weight more slowly, your body has more time to compensate for the changes.”
Once your weight stabilizes at a new number, the changes to your face will stabilize, too—even if you don’t stop taking weight-loss medications. “Still, you won’t necessarily regain the volume you’ve lost in your face,” Dr. Boucher adds. Luckily, though, there are things you can do to prevent and address those facial changes.
Managing Weight Loss and Sagging Skin
When it comes to weight loss, faster isn’t always better. Besides taking a toll on your skin, rapid weight loss can cause muscle loss, fatigue and malnourishment. If your weight loss is too intense, consider talking to your doctor about whether a different medication or a lower dose might be better.
Since GLP-1s can reduce your appetite, it’s important to make sure you’re still eating a balanced diet. Eating from all the food groups will help your body stay strong and healthy, of course. But good nutrition is also better for your skin.
“Make sure you’re eating plenty of protein,” Dr. Boucher recommends. Protein will help you maintain muscle mass—something that’s important for your overall health and your facial structure.
Your body also uses protein to produce substances like elastin, which gives skin its stretchiness, and collagen, a key building block for skin and other tissues. To get enough protein in your daily diet, choose animal products like milk, meat and eggs, or plant-based proteins like soy and beans.
Treating Wrinkles from Weight Loss
When you lose a significant amount of weight, some changes to your face are inevitable. If you aren’t crazy about those changes, there are products and procedures that might help, Dr. Boucher says.
- Sunscreen: This one is a must for everyone, not just people on a weight-loss plan. Sun damage speeds up the aging process, making wrinkles worse. “Using sunscreen every day is the most important thing you can do to prevent UV damage and slow the loss of collagen and elastin,” Dr. Boucher says.
- Topical retinoids: Retinoids are a class of topical medications that contain vitamin A. Retinoids increase collagen in the skin, improving skin tone and reducing wrinkles. They’re available in both over-the-counter and prescription products.
- Vitamin C serums: Dr. Boucher recommends topical products that contain vitamin C, a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants help protect skin cells from damage and may also boost the production of collagen.
- Collagen supplements: “Lots of my patients ask about oral collagen supplements and powders,” Dr. Boucher says. “Unfortunately, they won’t help plump up the volume lost from weight loss. But there is some limited evidence that these products might help improve fine wrinkles,” Dr. Boucher says.
- Fillers: Fillers are injectable treatments done in a dermatologist’s office. They are injected into the face or lips to restore some of the fullness lost with aging or weight loss. There are a variety of filler types, Dr. Boucher says. Some, like hyaluronic acid gel, fill in hollows in the skin to give immediate results. Others, sometimes called biostimulatory fillers, stimulate your body to produce more collagen, leading to a gradual plumping effect that develops over several weeks.
- Collagen-producing treatments: Dermatologists offer other in-office procedures to boost collagen production and improve the look of wrinkles and sagging skin. These treatments include microneedling, which uses tiny needles to puncture the surface of the skin, or laser resurfacing, which uses light energy to heat the skin’s outer layers. By creating “micro” injuries to the skin, these treatments trigger the body’s healing response, kicking off collagen production.
Some people might benefit from a combination of treatments, Dr. Boucher adds—for example, hyaluronic acid gel fillers to replace lost volume plus laser resurfacing to address wrinkles.
“Everyone’s face is a little different, so there’s no single best approach for addressing the changes known as Ozempic face,” Dr. Boucher says. “The best thing to do is to have an evaluation with a dermatologist who can make recommendations based on your concerns and your skincare goals.”
Reviewed by Alison Boucher, M.D., a dermatologist at Henry Ford Health. Dr. Boucher sees patients at Henry Ford Dermatology in Detroit, Plymouth and West Bloomfield.
