Whereas working on Ozempic sufferers, Dr. Few began to note a development: The pores and skin high quality of somebody on a GLP-1 was reminding him of an “previous, overused rubber band.” Mark Mofid, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in San Diego and La Jolla, makes an identical comparability—it’s just like the elastic waistband on a pair of underwear that has stretched out over time.
Dr. Diamond, who makes a speciality of facelift surgical procedures, has observed the SMAS layer is “positively thinner and weaker” on individuals who have been utilizing GLP-1s for weight reduction. (SMAS is an acronym for subcutaneous musculoaponeurotic system, a layer of connective tissues that helps the face.) Often, the SMAS thins naturally as you become older, which might contribute to facial ageing, like sagging across the cheeks, in response to a study printed in Aesthetic Surgical procedure Journal Open Discussion board. And if an Ozempic affected person has plans to turn out to be a facelift affected person, it’s price noting that the SMAS layer can be important for natural-looking outcomes. “The success of the facelift is basically based mostly on the power of the muscle layer,” says Dr. Diamond. “You’re not pulling out the pores and skin and utilizing that to get the carry. The muscle layer being skinny can positively have an effect on facelift outcomes.”
Dr. Few estimates that about 25 to 30 % of his sufferers are at the moment taking a GLP-1, and finds that their pores and skin “doesn’t maintain its elastic recoil the way in which it did.” Primarily based on his expertise, utilizing a GLP-1 “nearly appears to age the standard of the pores and skin, just like the pores and skin takes on an look of an older particular person.” He’s seen the pores and skin look extra worn and lose its skill to retain its form across the constructions of the face, which could result in sagging across the jawline, for instance. These are modifications he hasn’t observed in sufferers who’ve misplaced important weight in different methods—like via weight-reduction plan or gastric bypass surgical procedure—which makes him assume it’s distinctive to GLP-1 utilization.
We requested Novo Nordisk, the makers of Ozempic and Wegovy, about what some plastic surgeons are noticing, they usually despatched the next remark: “At Novo Nordisk, affected person security is a prime precedence. We work carefully with the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration to constantly monitor the security profile of our medicines. We aren’t conscious of any research wanting on the impact of semaglutide particularly on facial fats. We suggest that any sufferers experiencing unwanted effects whereas taking Wegovy or Ozempic contact their healthcare supplier.” Novo Nordisk additionally famous that, “though Wegovy and Ozempic each comprise semaglutide, they’re totally different merchandise with totally different indications, dosages, prescribing info, titration schedules, and supply kinds. The merchandise usually are not interchangeable and shouldn’t be used exterior of their authorized indications. Novo Nordisk is dedicated to the accountable use of our medicines. We’re taking a number of steps to make sure accountable use of our semaglutide medicines that are detailed on semaglutide.com.” These authorized indications, they continued, are as follows: “Wegovy 2.4 mg is FDA authorized together with a decreased calorie weight-reduction plan and elevated bodily exercise to cut back the chance of main cardiovascular occasions corresponding to loss of life, coronary heart assault, and stroke in adults with recognized coronary heart illness and both weight problems or obese; and to assist adults and kids aged ≥ 12 years with weight problems, or some adults with obese with weight-related medical issues, lose extra physique weight and maintain it off. Ozempic is FDA-approved for the remedy of kind 2 diabetes, to enhance blood sugar, together with weight-reduction plan and train, and scale back the chance of main cardiovascular occasions corresponding to coronary heart assault, stroke, or loss of life in adults with kind 2 diabetes and recognized coronary heart illness. Ozempic will not be authorized for persistent weight administration.”
The place they’re seeing it
You’ve in all probability heard about “Ozempic face,” a time period for the sunken look that may end result from fast weight reduction. In her apply, Umbareen Mahmood, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York Metropolis, has observed “accelerated ageing within the face” of sufferers who’ve misplaced a substantial quantity of weight on a GLP-1, noting “elevated nice strains, jowling, periorbital hollowness, and crepiness of the pores and skin.” However pores and skin modifications are additionally displaying up on arms, legs, and stomachs. Dr. Mahmood has seen “marked elevated laxity within the tissue of the breasts, stomach, arms, and medial thighs [the part of the thigh that includes the hips]” on sufferers who’ve taken a GLP-1 to drop pounds. In response, Dr. Mahmood has turned to instruments like Galaflex mesh help, which is also known as an “internal bra,” when doing a breast carry or carry with implants. “The pores and skin elasticity is weakened and wishes further help to carry up an implant or preserve a brand new form by itself,” she says.
