Your body goes through a bunch of changes when you lose weight. For one, you may notice that you look a little different—including around your face. Here’s what you need to know about Ozempic® and skin changes when losing weight.
Your body goes through a bunch of changes when you lose weight. For one, you may notice that you look a little different—including around your face.
Like elsewhere in the body, your face and neck can decrease in volume (read: become smaller) when your weight drops. The skin can then become loose or sag: your cheeks might be a bit less plump than you remember, or your skin may not feel as firm.
It’s a common part of the weight loss process, regardless of whether you’re taking Ozempic. Yet these effects on the skin have been nicknamed “Ozempic® face”.
Here’s what you need to know about Ozempic® and skin changes when losing weight.
Ozempic® face is a term coined by a dermatologist in the US, to describe the changes to people’s facial appearance while using the drug to support weight loss.
But these changes don’t just happen to people taking Ozempic®. They’re caused by weight loss in general.
When you lose a significant amount of weight, you also lose fat in your face and neck. This can cause your collagen fibres, which provide your skin with structure and support, to shrink—and damage another protein called elastin, which makes your skin elastic. So, your skin can become looser, giving a “sagging” appearance.
This won’t necessarily happen to everyone taking Ozempic®. Your skin’s elasticity is also influenced by other factors, such as age, diet, and sunlight exposure.
You can’t stop your face and neck from being affected by weight loss, but you can take steps to care for your skin and keep it as healthy as possible while you’re taking Ozempic®.
Eating a balanced, healthy diet is one of the most important ways to support your skin health. Notably, this can help repair damage and combat the effects of skin ageing.
Not getting enough nutrients in your diet can make any existing skin issues worse—including looseness. Some key nutrients for skin health are vitamin C, A, D, E, zinc, cooper, and selenium.
Ozempic® is meant to be used alongside healthy changes to diet and exercise anyway, so this is something that should already be on your radar.
Water is essential for our skin. Among other things, it supports the skin’s structure and can give it a healthier, more youthful appearance.
In fact, how our lips and facial skin look is a direct reflection of how well-hydrated the body is.
It’s recommended that you drink at least two litres of water per day. Getting enough water has been found to help with roughness, dryness, and skin elasticity in scientific research.
Taking care of your skin can help keep it healthy, soft, and firm—and even counter the effects of ageing.
Moisturisers can strengthen the skin barrier and, as the name suggests, keep your skin hydrated. They can be used to treat dry skin (which can also be brought on by weight loss), and can make your face feel smoother and softer.
There’s also a range of products called retinoids, which are known for their anti-ageing properties. They are made with natural and synthetic forms of vitamin A, and work to strengthen the skin’s protective function, protect collagen from damage, and support the production of more collagen. This can help improve skin elasticity and reduce the appearance of ageing, like fine lines and wrinkles.
Finally: don’t forget to wear sunscreen. It protects your skin from the sun’s UV rays, which can cause wrinkles, looseness, roughness, and more. It’s even been reported that UV exposure accounts for about 80% of skin ageing on the face. Scientific evidence suggests that applying sunscreen every day, with an SPF protection factor of 30 or more, can help prevent these effects.
Side effects from taking Ozempic® are usually to do with the gut—think nausea, vomiting, and constipation. But, less commonly, it can cause an allergic reaction which may make you break out in a rash or hives.
In rare cases, an allergic reaction might bring on swelling of the face, tips, and tongue. If that happens to you, you should see a doctor straight away.
Changes to how your face and neck look may well be a part of your weight loss journey, even if you aren’t taking Ozempic®. But reaching your health goals is worth it: losing just 5% body weight is enough to improve your cholesterol and blood pressure.
Most people taking semaglutide, which is the active ingredient in Ozempic®, will lose at least 5% of their body weight after using it for at least a year.
Our weight loss programme is designed to help you lose weight sustainably and gradually—and will teach you habits that help you keep it off.
People on the programme receive a repeat prescription for weight loss medication like Ozempic®, plus weekly advice from a dietician and regular check-ins with us, so you can make lifestyle changes that last. Scientific evidence shows that Ozempic® is effective when used in this way: alongside healthy changes to diet and exercise.
Check if you’re eligible for the programme by filling out this short form, it takes less than five minutes.
As with any medication, not everyone can take Ozempic®. If you have type 1 diabetes, or are pregnant or breastfeeding, Ozempic® isn’t for you. And if you’ve ever had issues with your thyroid, pancreas, or kidneys, tell your prescriber before you use Ozempic®.
There have been reports of people having thoughts of suicide and self-harm when taking Ozempic®. If this happens to you, see your doctor right away.
In the UK, if you don’t have type 2 diabetes then you can only get Ozempic® via private prescription. Our healthcare providers can write you a prescription when you join the weight loss programme, that repeats every four weeks.
Get started by checking your eligibility.
