Current:Home > InvestWhat is 'Ozempic face'? How we refer to weight-loss side effects matters. -EquityExchange
What is 'Ozempic face'? How we refer to weight-loss side effects matters.
View
Date:2025-04-18 13:13:02
Ozempic has taken the world by storm – largely due to the medication's weight loss effect and rumored use by celebrities and the wealthy.
But some physicians want to shift this narrative.
Ozempic was originally developed for Type-2 diabetes treatment, but has also been shown to cause weight loss. Wegovy, a medication often mentioned in the same breath as Ozempic, is the same medication but dosed and administered solely for weight loss purposes.
While these medications can improve the health and lives of many, they do have some side effects. Is the rumored "Ozempic face" one of them?
What is 'Ozempic face'?
Ozempic face is not a medical term and is generally not a problem for people who have taken the medication appropriately. Some people use the term to describe the appearance of sagging skin after weight loss.
Does Ozempic change your face?
No.
Ozempic does not cause excessive weight loss in the face. But, if someone loses a lot of weight in a short amount of time, most often when they weren’t overweight or obese to begin with, they may have a gaunt appearance.
Dr. Judy Korner is an endocrinologist and Professor of Medicine at Columbia University. She says the derogatory remarks about what one’s face looks like after weight loss are part of a pattern of abuse against obese patients.
“What’s been going on (with Ozempic) is the focus on people who are using it inappropriately. And it’s making a mockery out of obesity, which is a disease,” she says. “We now are finally having medications that can effectively target this disease, and the focus is completely on the wrong thing instead of focusing on the people who are taking the medication correctly and whose health has been improved because of that."
Understanding weight loss and saggy skin
If weight loss results in excess skin and you'd like to take action, there are a few cosmetic options.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association lists some of the ways to tighten loose skin:
- Skin-firming creams and lotions: Results in only subtle benefits
- Non-invasive skin tightening procedures: Ultrasound, radiofrequency and laser treatments, are more effective than creams and don't require any incisions or punctures
- Minimally invasive procedures: Invasive radiofrequency and laser resurfacing are the most effective non-surgical options but they do include more downtime
- Surgery: Facelifts, eye lifts and “tummy tucks” are the most effective procedures but also carry the most risk and cost
The bottom line – “Ozempic face” is not a medical term, and it is not a side effect of taking the medication. If you are considering taking Ozempic or Wegovy, you should talk to your doctor to make sure it’s the right option for you and your health.
Do weight loss pills work?Truth about controversial drugs and supplements
Just Curious for more? We've got you covered.
USA TODAY is exploring the questions you and others ask every day. From "What is the healthiest diet?" to "What are the worst foods for high cholesterol?" to "What is the rarest blood type?" – we're striving to find answers to the most common questions you ask every day. Head to our Just Curious section to see what else we can answer for you.
veryGood! (78819)
Related
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- Ex-NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik meets with special counsel investigators in 2020 election probe
- Russia strikes Ukraine blood transfusion center; multiple dead and injured reported
- Maine mom who pleaded guilty to her child’s overdose death begins 4-year sentence
- Have Dry, Sensitive Skin? You Need To Add These Gentle Skincare Products to Your Routine
- $1.55 billion Mega Millions jackpot is the 3rd largest in US history
- Chris Noth breaks silence on abuse allegations: 'I'm not going to lay down and just say it's over'
- Men often struggle with penis insecurity. But no one wants to talk about it.
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- Mississippi candidates for statewide offices square off in party primaries
Ranking
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Australian police charge 19 men with child sex abuse after FBI tips about dark web sharing
- Philadelphia Eagles sign veteran linebackers Myles Jack and Zach Cunningham
- Federal judge tosses Trump's defamation claim against E. Jean Carroll
- Person accused of accosting Rep. Nancy Mace at Capitol pleads not guilty to assault charge
- Federal judge says California’s capital city can’t clear homeless camps during extreme heat
- Student loan repayments will restart soon. What happens if you don't pay?
- Book excerpt: Somebody's Fool by Richard Russo
Recommendation
Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
Yellow trucking company that got $700 million pandemic bailout files for bankruptcy
Georgia kids would need parental permission to join social media if Senate Republicans get their way
Ciara Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby With Husband Russell Wilson
Rylee Arnold Shares a Long
Florida school board reverses decision nixing access to children’s book about a male penguin couple
Researchers create plastic alternative that's compostable in home and industrial settings
Let’s Make a Deal Host Wayne Brady Comes Out as Pansexual