#Ozempic face: what is the viral hashtag and how to fix it with hyaluronic acid fillers?

Written by Dr. Kriti Ural

Are you on a great weight loss journey but not too excited about your exhausted and taut face? You’re not the only one using the #Ozempicface hashtag going viral on social media .

The trend gets its name from semaglutide or Ozempic, a type 2 diabetes drug accused of causing “accelerated aging” of facial skin. It generally refers to rapid weight loss on the face, along with sagging skin and facial aging as a result. This is what facial weight loss is called.Let’s understand what Ozempic is, the different effects of this drug, and what to do if you have excessive weight loss on your face.

ozempic, medicine

Ozempic is a US FDA (Food and Drug Administration)-approved antidiabetic drug used to treat type 2 diabetes. This medicine is injected into the skin (subcutaneously) once a week. The drug is also known to reduce appetite and delay stomach emptying, thus making you feel full faster. For these reasons, it has found off-label use as a weight loss aid.

What does Ozempic do to your face?

The term #Ozempicface was coined by New York-based dermatologist Paul Jarrod Frank. When drugs cause rapid weight loss, the skin looks saggy and dull, like dried grapes and raisins, making the face look more aged and aesthetically unsatisfactory. Considering the fact that it is not available locally, the scenarios are relatively small.

Sudden weight loss leads to dull and sagging skin, similar to what happens to the abdominal skin after childbirth. Even more striking is the reduction in volume across the face, especially the cheeks. This is what dermatologists call the cheek and sub-cheekbone areas, resulting in a very aged or skinny look.

How can a dermatologist help?

Some people may love the new sculpted facial contours, but many may not. You don’t have to live with it. There are a variety of options available to modify this Ozempic face, ranging from topical products to professional in-office procedures.

Your doctor can discuss treatment options depending on whether you just want to improve your skin’s texture and sagging, or add some plumping to your skin.

“I just want to look good”

If you’re just looking to improve the appearance of your skin, topical creams containing skin boosters such as vitamin C, ferulac, retinol, hyaluronic acid, moisturizers with ceramides, and sunscreens can help your skin lose it. Adequate hydration and a balanced diet are also important.

“I want my face to be full”

If you want to regain the elasticity and lost volume in your face, you need more than a topical cream can deliver (though they might claim so).

dermal filler

When it comes to volume loss with Ozempic, dermal fillers (soft tissue fillers) are one of the most effective and immediate corrections to volume loss. These are pre-filled injections containing substances that help replace or enhance lost volume from the skin or subcutaneous fat. There are soft tissue fillers. These fillers improve skin quality and restore skin structure and elasticity. So if your budget isn’t constrained, this method could be a stand-alone treatment for improving facial volume and skin texture.

filler limit

These treatments also have many limitations. Considering that the main area for focused weight loss is the cheeks, there are fewer FDA-approved fillers to add volume to these specific areas. Another limitation is that this is not a permanent fix. The effectiveness of fillers gradually diminishes over six months to two years, depending on the type of filler used, the patient’s lifestyle, and metabolic rate. Therefore, patients should be touched up regularly with a syringe or two. However, when injected by an experienced injector, it gives very nice and natural results.

autologous fat graft

Another method of replenishing lost volume is autologous fat grafting. This procedure removes fat from your hips or abdomen, processes it, and reinjects it into the areas you need or want. Fat can be placed anywhere there is a shortage. However, this should ideally be done by a plastic surgeon.

skin tightening

Another modality that helps in skin tightening is the use of energy-based devices such as microneedling firming radiofrequency (MNRF). The FDA approved it for treating the face and body in 2019. In this technology, multiple tiny needles pierce the skin and send radio waves under the epidermis to stimulate the formation of collagen. are a type of controlled skin injury that stimulates the formation of new, healthy skin, and when combined with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), results are maximized. It is a minimally invasive in-office procedure that benefits the face of Ozempic.

For individuals of normal age, one session provides desirable results. However, in patients with rapid weight loss from medication, he may need 3 or more sessions depending on his metabolic rate.

There is no “one size fits all” solution

Treatments for Ozempic facial correction vary from patient to patient. Regardless, the stand-alone treatment that gives the greatest benefit is said to be dermal fillers. It is correct to do