Whereas working on Ozempic sufferers, Dr. Few began to note a pattern: The pores and skin high quality of somebody on a GLP-1 was reminding him of an “outdated, overused rubber band.” Mark Mofid, MD, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon in San Diego and La Jolla, makes the same 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 seen the SMAS layer is “undoubtedly 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.) Normally, the SMAS thins naturally as you grow old, which may contribute to facial growing older, like sagging across the cheeks, in response to a study revealed 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 also be important for natural-looking outcomes. “The success of the facelift is basically primarily based on the energy 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 undoubtedly have an effect on facelift outcomes.”
Dr. Few estimates that about 25 to 30 p.c of his sufferers are at present taking a GLP-1, and finds that their pores and skin “doesn’t maintain its elastic recoil the best way it did.” Primarily based on his expertise, utilizing a GLP-1 “virtually 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 capacity to retain its form across the buildings of the face, which could result in sagging across the jawline, for instance. These are adjustments he hasn’t seen in sufferers who’ve misplaced important weight in different methods—like via food plan or gastric bypass surgical procedure—which makes him suppose 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 high precedence. We work carefully with the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration to constantly monitor the security profile of our medicines. We’re not conscious of any research trying 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 data, titration schedules, and supply types. The merchandise aren’t interchangeable and shouldn’t be used outdoors of their accredited 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 accredited indications, they continued, are as follows: “Wegovy 2.4 mg is FDA accredited together with a decreased calorie food plan and elevated bodily exercise to cut back the danger of main cardiovascular occasions equivalent to demise, 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 preserve it off. Ozempic is FDA-approved for the therapy of sort 2 diabetes, to enhance blood sugar, together with food plan and train, and scale back the danger of main cardiovascular occasions equivalent to coronary heart assault, stroke, or demise in adults with sort 2 diabetes and recognized coronary heart illness. Ozempic isn’t accredited for persistent weight administration.”
The place they’re seeing it
You’ve most likely heard about “Ozempic face,” a time period for the sunken look that may consequence from speedy weight reduction. In her apply, Umbareen Mahmood, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York Metropolis, has seen “accelerated growing older within the face” of sufferers who’ve misplaced a substantial quantity of weight on a GLP-1, noting “elevated high quality strains, jowling, periorbital hollowness, and crepiness of the pores and skin.” However pores and skin adjustments are additionally exhibiting 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 shed weight. In response, Dr. Mahmood has turned to instruments like Galaflex mesh assist, which is sometimes called an “internal bra,” when doing a breast carry or carry with implants. “The pores and skin elasticity is weakened and desires extra assist to carry up an implant or preserve a brand new form by itself,” she says.