Tiktok and Instagram are currently abuzz with discussions over ‘Ozempic face’ – a term used to describe the hollowed-out cheeks, sunken eyes, and excess skin that can sometimes arise from significant, rapid weight loss.
The controversial term has “consumed the media” for over a year now, and some experts argue it is derogatory, misleading, and possibly scaring patients away from a drug that could benefit their health, even without taking weight loss into account.
Currently, it is unknown whether changes to the face are a novel side effect of GLP-1 agonists, or a natural consequence of weight loss, similar to what can happen after bariatric surgery.
There is no scientific evidence that suggests GLP-1 agonists specifically target fat in the face, and clinical trials have yet to measure the occurrence or extent of the side effect, which means we don’t even know how common it is.
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Studies show that patients who experience massive weight loss in general are more likely to look several years older in the face than those who don’t.
Perhaps this explains what is happening with medications like Ozempic. But research on how these medications affect those without diabetes is still in its infancy.
