Few pop culture trends have hit as hard as weight-loss meds like semaglutide (Ozempic®/Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Zepbound®/Mounjaro®) did. GLP-1s are so prevalent that anyone paying even minor attention to viral topics on TikTok and other social media has heard of “Ozempic face.”
While not a medical term, it is a real phenomenon. Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications are incredibly effective in helping patients lose weight, but they don’t only target fat deposits on specific parts of your body.
Even your face may show signs of weight loss, and rapidly losing weight around your face can make you look gaunt. Fortunately, Ozempic face doesn’t happen to everyone, and there are steps you can take to prevent it from happening to you.
What Is Ozempic Face?
Ozempic face refers to the physical changes that can happen to your face as you dramatically lose weight. Typically, that means your face may appear hollowed, gaunt, malnourished, or older due to the loss of fatty deposits, particularly around your cheeks.
The term Ozempic face is a misnomer, however. Neither Ozempic nor any other GLP-1 medication causes these changes.
Instead, Ozempic face is caused by dramatic weight loss, and it can result from the use of any GLP-1 medications.[1]
In fact, changes in your facial appearance can come with almost any method of weight loss that has rapid, significant results. Extreme crash diets, bariatric surgery, and other methods can have the same effect. But that doesn’t make Ozempic face inevitable.
Does Everyone on Ozempic Get Ozempic Face?
No. Although some clinicians have characterized it as relatively common in people who lose weight rapidly, Ozempic face is by no means universal.[2]
While facial changes from weight loss aren’t new, Ozempic face specifically is a fairly recent phenomenon, so there are too few scientific studies to say exactly how common it is. We do know, however, that some groups are more likely to be affected than others. For instance, it is far more common among those in their mid-40s and older.[3]
Understanding why Ozempic face happens to some people and not others requires looking at how GLP-1–induced weight loss affects facial fat compartments and structural support.
Why Ozempic Causes Facial Changes
Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs mimic the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) hormone, which stimulates the release of insulin to lower blood sugar and slows stomach emptying to help you feel fuller faster. The result is you consume fewer calories and your body begins to burn its fat stores, wherever that fat is located, whether your midsection or face.
Those fat deposits are one of the elements that help make up the shape of your face. As we grow older, these deposits diminish—think of a toddler who loses their chubby cheeks.
Usually, this loss of fat deposits is gradual, but dramatic weight loss may affect the density of the proteins in your face, including collagen and elastin.[4]
These are essential to your face’s volume and firmness as well as preventing your skin from sagging. Losing these proteins causes further changes in the structure and appearance of your face.
The support, elasticity, and youthful volume those fatty deposits provided are gone, and your facial bones become much more prominent, leading to a gaunt, hallowed appearance.
Many people, particularly those that follow the steps we outline below, use GLP-1s without showing significant facial changes. However, when these structural changes become noticeable, they tend to follow recognizable patterns in facial appearance.
What Ozempic Face Looks Like: Common Symptoms
Again, Ozempic face is a colloquial term, not an accepted medical condition, so there is no “official” list of symptoms.
However, people described as having Ozempic face often exhibit the same few symptoms:
- More noticeable lines and wrinkles: As we age and lose fat or structural support from our faces, lines and wrinkles may appear. Dramatic weight loss at any age may have the same effect.
- Sagging or loose facial skin: When you lose volume from your face, skin that once appeared taut may now sag.
- Hollowed cheeks: Your cheeks hold a lot of the fat deposits in your face, and as those deposits disappear, they may look notably diminished.
- Gaunt appearance: Your face may thin out to the point that it looks more hollow or angular, especially to people who haven’t seen you since you lost weight.
- Sunken eyes: Your face also stores fat under your eyes. As those fat deposits disappear, your eyes may appear deeper set.
- Older, tired-looking features: This is the cumulative effect of all the above symptoms. More wrinkles, sagging skin, and sunken eyes may make you look older and more tired.
It may seem bleak now, but proactive steps during weight loss may help limit the degree of facial volume loss and visible aging.
How to Prevent or Reduce Ozempic Face
Luckily, you can do a number of things to lose the weight you want without drastically affecting your facial appearance. Discuss these options with your doctor for more individually tailored guidance.
Steps You Can Take at Home
Your personal approach to weight loss, along with a few simple lifestyle and diet changes, can make a significant difference:
Set Appropriate Weight-Loss Goals
The appeal of losing weight quickly is what attracts a number of patients to GLP-1s. However, many of the symptoms of Ozempic face arise from the speed at which you shed the pounds.
If you set a more conservative timeline and take lower dosages of your GLP-1 in order to shed 1–2 pounds a week, rather than trying to lose it all at once, you stand a much better chance of mitigating or avoiding Ozempic face.[2]
However, it’s important that your dose is monitored by a licensed healthcare provider.
If you want to take lower doses of your GLP-1 to avoid Ozempic face, don’t try to stretch your pens or vials beyond the label’s instructions. Speak to your doctor or prescribing professional instead.
Increase Your Protein Intake
Since rapid weight loss can reduce fat and lean tissue that make up your facial structure, increasing the amount of protein you eat may help prevent collagen loss.
Eating more protein on Ozempic is often more difficult than it sounds because of your diminished appetite, so start each meal by eating your protein first. General current guidelines recommend consuming 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight while on a GLP-1.[5]
Eat Healthy Fats
Another food group you should prioritize is healthy fat, like omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in foods such as nuts (particularly walnuts), avocados, and fish.
Healthy fats may help reduce inflammation and support overall skin health, which can keep your skin flexible and soft.[6]
Eat Fruits and Veggies or Use Vitamin Supplements
Some vitamins, especially vitamin C, can help support the production of collagen. Vitamin A also stimulates collagen production, although its effects on collagen are more often seen with the topical form.[11] Both vitamins are accessible through fruits and vegetables, but with a diminished appetite, you may want to consider supplements.
If you do go the supplement route, be sure to follow a doctor’s guidelines. It is possible to get too much of any given vitamin.
Hydrate Well
Drinking enough water is a big part of maintaining your skin’s elasticity, which can help support a healthy appearance.[7] For most people, this means drinking between 1–2 liters of fluids per day (33–67 ounces).
But this is especially important for patients taking GLP-1 medications, since these drugs may decrease a person’s fluid intake.[8] In addition, they may also cause dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea.[8][9]
Begin a Skincare Routine
Taking extra-good care of your skin while on a GLP-1 may also help support overall skin health during weight loss. Start by making sure you’re always using sunscreen and moisturizer.
With the help of a dermatologist, you might also try specific products for renewing the skin, such as retinoids. Different skin care products work with different skin types, so there may be some trial and error until you find out what works for you.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Quality sleep helps your body deliver nutrients to the skin as well as boost skin hydration. The term “beauty sleep” actually holds up to scientific scrutiny, so make sure you get your rest.[10]
Start Strength Training
Strength training helps your body in general so that you don’t lose lean muscle mass in addition to fat.[12] Following a resistance-training plan while taking a GLP-1 like Ozempic may be a helpful way to make sure your weight loss sticks around long term.
Even though there aren’t a whole lot of exercises you can do for your facial muscles, regular strength training alongside a balanced diet can help limit the loss of muscle mass. Still, facial changes are mainly caused by a loss of fat rather than muscle.
Medical Adjustments
Always take GLP-1s with proper medical guidance and routine check-ins with a doctor. If you do notice facial changes, your doctor can tell you if they’re a reason for concern.
If the cause is weight loss and not an unrelated disorder, your doctor may switch your GLP-1 medication, lower your dose to promote more gradual weight loss, or, in some cases, suggest alternative weight-loss solutions.
Other weight-loss methods, like the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), may help improve skin health and appearance through its effects on skin tone and hydration.[13] Diets like the Mediterranean Diet can target visceral fat and are linked to more sustainable weight loss, which could make it less likely to experience extreme facial changes.[14]
Quitting GLP-1 use
If the downside of Ozempic face outweighs the benefits of overall weight loss for you, you may consider quitting GLP-1s entirely.
Just keep in mind that although stopping your use of Ozempic or other GLP-1s typically leads to regaining weight, it’s important to note this may not completely reverse the symptoms of Ozempic face.[15]
While it’s well documented that many patients regain weight after quitting GLP-1s, doctors warn that fat doesn’t always redistribute to the same places it was before beginning treatment.[16] That means not all the symptoms of Ozempic face will automatically reverse themselves.
Cosmetic & Dermatology Options
Cosmetic surgery is becoming an increasingly common supplement to GLP-1 weight loss.
Once your weight stabilizes following your GLP-1 use, a number of cosmetic surgery options, including minimally invasive procedures, can make the facial effects from your weight loss much less pronounced.
Dermal Fillers
Dermal fillers are injections made directly into your face to restore facial volume. They have become increasingly popular with GLP-1 patients, and small studies and manufacturer-reported clinical data already show that they’re an effective treatment for Ozempic face.
According toThe Dermatology Digest, more than 85% of patients receiving dermal fillers to treat Ozempic face were satisfied with the results nine months after a series of injections.[17] Some products act as biostimulators. For example, Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) may stimulate the body to produce more of its own collagen for long-term structural support in the skin.
Noninvasive Skin-Tightening Procedures
A number of noninvasive procedures, like Ultherapy and Thermage, may also reduce the appearance of Ozempic face. They don’t replace lost volume in the face, but they can help work on loose or sagging skin.
Both treatments help tighten loose skin by stimulating collagen production. Ultherapy uses ultrasound technology, while Thermage uses radiofrequency treatment. They are relatively painless procedures, although patients typically feel bursts of heat followed by tingling.
Thread Lifts
Thread lifts are a minimally invasive treatment done under local anesthesia, in which thin threads are inserted under your skin. These threads lift any sagging skin and can also stimulate collagen production. They have modest effects that are temporary, lasting for several months to a year.
Botox
Like dermal fillers, Botox is injected directly into your face, but it does not provide volume. Instead, it relaxes muscles to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
Fat Grafting
If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, fat grafting typically has longer lasting results, although it is a more complex procedure with longer downtime. The results can vary since transferred fat is naturally reabsorbed over time.
Your doctor will remove fat from one part of your body, often from your hips or thighs, and inject this fat into other areas, such as your cheekbones, to provide you with more facial volume.
When to See a Doctor or Dermatologist
Ozempic face typically doesn’t require medical attention unless your facial changes occur very rapidly or the sagging of your skin is particularly severe. This may indicate chronic dehydration or malnutrition.
Despite the general safety of using Ozempic, you should stay in fairly regular contact with your doctor while using any GLP-1s. Beyond Ozempic face, a number of other side effects associated with GLP-1 use may require medical intervention.
The most common GLP-1 side effects are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If any of these symptoms become too severe, talk to your doctor. They may indicate more serious side effects, such as pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, or kidney issues.
Finally, be aware that psychological issues may result from Ozempic face, which has become a scarlet letter of sorts. Patients who have finally achieved their weight loss goals with GLP-1s are sometimes maligned for their gaunt appearance, which can lead to feelings of shame and isolation.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your doctor or a psychologist or dial 988 if you’re struggling with your mental health.
Final Thoughts on Managing and Preventing Ozempic Face
The term Ozempic face has taken on a life of its own. The truth is these changes in facial structure aren’t specific to Ozempic or to GLP-1s. They occur whenever someone successfully sheds a lot of pounds.
Fears of Ozempic face alone shouldn’t hold you back from seeking treatment for obesity or overweight. You can minimize the likelihood or severity of Ozempic face:
- Prioritize steady, healthy weight loss over dramatic results.
- Optimize your hydration and nutrition.
- Sleep well, use skincare products, and lift weights.
- Stick to an entry-level dose as long as possible.
If facial changes do happen, and you can rule out more serious causes such as malnutrition or chronic dehydration, try to look at them as a sign of progress in your overall health. You can always address aesthetics later, but you only get one metabolism to take care of now.
FAQs
Does Ozempic face go away?
Although some of the symptoms of Ozempic face go away after you quit Ozempic or other GLP-1s, some of them may persist. After quitting GLP-1s, many patients regain some of the weight they lost. However, weight regain may not come back in the same places, leaving some people with lasting Ozempic face even after they’ve stopped taking GLP-1s.
What does Ozempic do to the face?
Ozempic itself doesn’t do anything to your face, but the sudden weight loss that Ozempic can cause may dramatically alter your facial appearance. Rapid weight loss can cause more noticeable lines and wrinkles, a gaunt appearance, sunken eyes, sagging skin, and the overall appearance of premature aging, among other changes.
How can you tell if someone has Ozempic face?
Someone may have Ozempic face if their face shows signs of rapid weight loss. Such signs can include sunken eyes, loose skin around their neck, hollowed cheeks, or more prominent cheek bones. In general, those exhibiting Ozempic face may appear to age rapidly, always look exhausted, or, in extreme cases, appear malnourished.
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