Ozempic is a medication mostly used for managing type 2 diabetes. It has gained popularity for its weight loss effects. However many patients have reported getting a condition known as “Ozempic Face”. This phrase means that your face may look hollowed or skeletal after going through the Ozempic treatment. Ozempic may have a huge impact on your weight loss from your face as well as your body.
As per the hypertension specialist Raoul Manalc, your face may look wrinkled due to fat loss under your skin.
This blog will explore Ozempic Face, its causes, implications, and solutions for those already affected by it.
What is Ozempic?
Ozempic is the brand name for semaglutide. The medication is taken via a weekly injection. It is often prescribed along with lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. The injection is taken under the thigh skin, upper arm, or abdomen every week. This injection increases insulin secretion in response to meals and slows down gastric emptying, which promotes fullness.
It is found that some people prefer taking it to attain the desired body weight. United States reports show a scarcity of Ozempic injections due to high demand.
The Rise of Ozempic Face
Ozempic, having the generic name semaglutide, works by regulating the blood sugar level and promotes weight loss. Generally, it reduces appetite by slowing gastric emptying. This can help the body weight loss between 15 to 20%. However, the unusual reduction of weight can lead to the loosening of facial skin. According to doctors, Ozempic treatment is quite safe, but the after-effects can cause abnormal facial fat loss.
Facial fat is very essential for maintaining a good look as well as elasticity. Ozempic Face may look hollow and saggy due to the rapid weight loss associated with the treatment. As an individual loses fat up to 15 to 20 pounds so some visible changes that can be noticed are:
- Hallowed Skin – The rapid fat loss can make your cheeks look empty and hallowed. The skin looks loose and less full.
- Saggy Skin – The ozempic treatment makes the skin look loose underlying fat support. Due to this, your skin may say and develop wrinkles
- Increase lines and wrinkles – As the loss of skin fat will reduce the volume, facial lines of aging may be visible. Few signs of aging, along with wrinkles, may appear on your face.
- Ozempic treatment can cause Lipodystrophy which affects how the body accumulates and stores fat. A person with this condition can get fat accumulation around the face, torso, and neck and no fat in areas like arms and legs.
All these changes mentioned above appear because the skin loses its structural support from fat deposits. Gradually, this leads to a gaunt or aged appearance. According to Dr. Michael Rose, a plastic surgeon, “Without facial fat to support it, the skin can start sag and droop downwards”. This results in increased facial linings and your cheeks and jawline might look deflated.
Some Other Side Effects of Ozempic:
No doubt that Ozempic treatment helps in curbing diabetes or seeking weight loss. However, it is important to keep an eye on the possible side effects of Ozempic treatment. A few common side effects of Ozempic treatment are :
Few Gastrointestinal diseases including Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea, and Constipation. These are a few health issues frequently reported after Ozempic treatment.
The treatment may lead to cause few allergic reactions. During clinical trials, few patients get mild rashes and severe anaphylaxis.
The use of semaglutide may cause thyroid cancer. There is a major warning regarding the risk of getting thyroid tumors.
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that may increase in the patients taking the semaglutide injections.
Few skin reactions like rashes or irritation have been reported as side effects of Ozempic treatment.
How to Prevent Facial Side Effects?
It’s very important to maintain skin elasticity and volume during weight loss. However, a person who may take Ozempic as prescribed medication may not be able to prevent the facial side effects.
Preventing facial changes during Ozempic treatment may include a few strategies:
Always try to work on gradual weight loss rather than rapid weight loss. The gradual weight reduction can help the skin to adapt in a better way. This can reduce the skin loosening to some extent.
While going through the treatment always remember to stay well hydrated. This helps the skin to maintain elasticity and freshness. Try drinking plenty of water as it supports overall skin health.
Following a nutritious diet is extremely important to reduce the facial side effects. Try adding proteins, vitamin C, Omega 3 fatty acids, and collagen to your diet. These nutrients help in supporting the skin structure. You may intake foods like fish, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables to maintain good skin health.
Using some skincare like hyaluronic acid or moisturizer may help in skin tightening. You may add retinoids to improve the skin texture. Retinoids also help in improving elasticity.
Cosmetics Procedures to Prevent Facial Side effects during Ozempic treatment include dermal fillers. You can consult a dermatologist for those already experiencing changes in their skin. The dermal fillers help in skin tightening and can also restore volume as well as improve appearance.
Plasma injections, which are made from the growth protein, can help in reducing wrinkles and improve overall skin texture.
To insert collagen into your skin Microneeding can be used. The collagen-induced in the skin helps in skin tightening and elasticity.
You can do certain surgeries which involve fat transfer from one body part to the face. This will help your hollowed face to look a bit normal.
A very invasive method known as face or neck lifting can also be used to tighten the skin of the face and neck. This procedure is a bit invasive but has long-lasting results. It is very helpful for aged patients who cannot retain their facial shape even after putting fillers.
After-effects of Stopping Ozempic:
Discontinuation of Ozempic treatment can lead to several outcomes. Weight gain and facial changes are a few of the issues associated with finishing the Ozempic treatment.
It is seen that many individuals have regained their weight after stopping Ozempic. This is mostly seen in the cases where the patients ignore a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, and diet. As the fat is regained, your face and other body parts may look inflamed. Facial fullness is a visible change after weight regain.
The skin has a nature adjusting according to the body shape. After the treatment is over your body may take back the original shape. It can result in better skin elasticity as compared to the older ones. The skin, after Ozempic treatment, will retrieve the collagen and elastin lost previously. The body automatically makes skin adjustments after the injections are over.
Few long-term changes are also associated with the Ozempic treatment. Many aged patients who have experienced facial sagging during treatment might be permanent. Many older adults don’t retain their normal facial shape even after the treatment is completed. The most probable reason is the age which makes the process slow down.
A few other changes associated with the Ozempic treatment are increased cravings and a blood sugar level spike.
What is The Right Time to Contact a Doctor?
Patients using the semaglutide injections need to be vigilant every time. Any visible changes or abnormalities seen or felt must be immediately reported to the doctor.
It is recommended to visit the dermatologist from the beginning of the Ozempic journey.
If you face any symptoms like breathing problems, swelling of the face or throat, or severe rashes, then immediately consult a doctor.
Gastrointestinal issues like nausea or diarrhea observed in the patients taking Ozempic need medical attention.
Any sudden vision change could indicate a worsening of diabetic retinopathy. Patients must immediately report to the doctor.
If you observe any symptoms like a lump in the neck or difficulty while swallowing, discuss them with a doctor immediately. These symptoms during Ozempic could indicate thyroid tumors.
It is very important to consult a doctor during the treatment of diabetes using Ozempic injections. They will help you to reduce the side effects of Ozempic as well as check your diabetes regularly. Regular check-ins result in well-controlled diabetic health.
If you consult health experts from the beginning of Ozempic journey then unwanted facial changes can be avoided. The health experts will help you manage the dosage as per your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs):
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Does Ozempic Change Your Face?
Yes, Ozempic can change the shape of your face in most cases. This treatment leads to sudden fat loss, which results in the loss of face tissues. Your face might look hollow and gaunt. However, by consulting a good dermatologist, you can reduce the facial changes.
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Is Ozempic Safe for Long-Term Use?
Ozempic is believed to be good for long-term use but you need to monitor the side effects. In case of any abnormalities like facial changes, allergies, nausea, or vomiting, you must immediately consult a doctor.
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Will my Face Return to Normal After Stopping Ozempic?
Many individuals experience improvement in facial fullness after stopping Ozempic. But in some cases, if you are an elderly man, then the changes might be irreversible even after the treatment. Consult doctors and dermatologists for detailed information.
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Are There Any Alternatives to Ozempic?
Ozempic is a preferable treatment used for type 2 diabetes. Still, many other medications are also available. Discuss with your doctor. He can help you to determine the alternative treatments as per the individual needs.
Ozempic has significant results in treating type 2 diabetes. However, the side effects related to changes in facial shapes must be taken seriously. Preventive measures must be taken to reduce the side effects.