More than 20 million Americans are now taking GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, but many are discovering an unwelcome side effect staring back at them from the mirror: a hollowed, sagging, and suddenly older-looking face.
The phenomenon has a name - “Ozempic face” - and it is drawing growing concern from facial plastic surgeons who say the rapid weight loss these drugs produce can strip the face of the very fat that keeps skin looking youthful and vibrant.
Dr. Charles M. Boyd, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., a Harvard-trained facial plastic surgeon and founder of Boyd Beauty in Metro Detroit, says the core problem is speed.
“You want a thin body, but not a thin face,” Boyd said in an appearance on Live in the D. When weight drops rapidly, he explained, the face loses volume in the temples, under the eyes, and along the sides - leaving skin with nowhere to go.
“If you took a balloon and you let half of the air out, you’d have laxity in that tissue,” he said.
The structural consequences go beyond loose skin. Boyd said patients present with “dark circles, hollowness, neck laxity, and all of those things can make you look older rather than younger.”
The underlying biology compounds the problem. Fat tissue beneath the skin contains hormones and compounds that help maintain skin hydration and elasticity. Lose that fat quickly and the skin can become drier, more lined, and more wrinkled - an accelerated version of normal aging.
“You’re seeing it just sped up,” Boyd said.
The good news, he says, is that Ozempic face is treatable - and even preventable. Boyd pointed to a recent study out of his practice showing that injectables and biostimulators can rebuild collagen and elastin before significant facial volume is lost. His advice: don’t wait until the weight is gone.
“If you can go to a place that’s familiar with it, I like to talk to my patients about their weight loss journey, and if you’re considering it, we can start a program so that you never lose the weight in your face, so you always look younger and healthy and more vibrant.”
Treatment, he stressed, must be tailored to the individual. “It’s all individualized. There’s no one size fits all or cookie cutter approach,” Boyd said, adding that patients should seek out a qualified professional who understands both their cosmetic goals and their weight loss journey.
Boyd Beauty operates three locations in Metro Detroit - Birmingham, Ann Arbor, and Detroit. More information is available at BoydBeauty.com.