In this post:

‘Ozempic face’ is caused by rapid weight loss from GLP-1 medications, leading to facial volume loss and skin laxity.
When it comes to how to fix Ozempic face, multiple treatment options exist, from dermal fillers to surgery, each requiring specific training.
Medical professionals need specialised knowledge to safely treat post-weight loss patients.
Proper patient consultation and realistic expectation management are crucial for treatment success.

For those who struggle with their weight, the recent emergence of weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro has been a game changer. We’ve seen celebrities, influencers, and even people in our personal lives drop a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time with these medicines.

However, as more and more people turn to weight loss medications, there comes a growing concern for one of the most common side effects: Ozempic face.

At our Liverpool-based aesthetics clinic Smileworks, we’re increasingly seeing patients seeking solutions for the facial changes that accompany significant and/or rapid weight loss. As a medical injector, it’s crucial that you know not only how to treat Ozempic face, but also why and how it happens. In this blog post, we’ll cover all of that and more.

What is Ozempic Face?

Ozempic face describes the gaunt, aged appearance that can result from rapid weight loss. The principle of Ozempic face is nothing new. When someone loses a significant amount of weight in a short period of time, they’ll notice a hollowness in their face that wasn’t there before. This can happen with or without the use of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic.

If you lose weight rapidly, your face will lose the underlying fat that provides structure, volume, and youthful contours. The skin, which may have been stretched over a fuller face for years, suddenly lacks the support it needs, resulting in sagging and a hollowed appearance.

On Ozempic, patients can experience a weight loss of 4-8lbs per week. This is considered incredibly fast weight loss and explains why so many people are developing gaunt faces after taking the medication.

Recognising the Signs of Ozempic Face

Understanding the clinical presentation of Ozempic face is essential for proper patient assessment. The most common signs include:

Volume Loss: Sunken cheeks and temples create a gaunt appearance, with the mid-face losing its natural fullness and support structure.
Skin Laxity: Loose, sagging skin around the jawline and neck area becomes apparent as the underlying fat diminishes. The skin’s elasticity cannot keep pace with the rapid volume changes.
Accelerated Ageing Signs: Increased visibility of nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and under-eye hollows make patients appear significantly older than they actually are.
Structural Changes: Loss of facial fat pads affects the natural contours, making cheekbones and other bony structures more prominent.

These changes can be particularly distressing for patients who have successfully achieved their weight loss goals but find themselves dissatisfied with their new facial appearance.

Non-Surgical Treatment Options

After experiencing a significant weight loss, patients lose facial fat, and their collagen and elastin stores have been depleted. On top of this, their cell turnover rate has slowed. All of this needs to be addressed when treating Ozempic Face.

When beginning treatment, most people will turn to non-surgical treatment options before considering surgery. And the good news is these treatments can be highly effective in reversing Ozempic face.

Below are some of the most effective non-surgical treatment options. Oftentimes a combination of multiple treatments will yield the best results.

Dermal Fillers

Hyaluronic acid-based fillers provide immediate volume restoration to sunken areas. Common treatment sites include the cheeks, temples, nasolabial folds, and marionette lines. However, treating post-weight loss patients may require different techniques than standard facial rejuvenation, as the volume loss is often more extensive.

Biostimulators

Biostimulators like Sculptra are an excellent option for treating Ozempic face. As a collagen biostimulator, it addresses both volume loss and skin quality by stimulating natural collagen production. The gradual, natural-looking results make it particularly suitable for patients wanting to avoid the immediately obviousness of dermal fillers.

Skin Boosters

Injectable skin boosters containing hyaluronic acid help address the skin quality issues associated with rapid weight loss. These treatments improve hydration, elasticity, and overall skin health while providing subtle volume enhancement.

Energy-Based Treatments

Radiofrequency microneedling treatments like Morpheus8 combine collagen induction with skin tightening. This procedure addresses both texture and laxity concerns, making it a valuable addition to a comprehensive treatment plan.

Laser skin resurfacing, including fractional CO2 and ND:YAG lasers, can also be a great option for those looking to improve skin quality and texture post-weight loss. These treatments stimulate cellular renewal and boost collagen production, helping to restore the skin’s natural glow and firmness.

Surgical Solutions for Severe Cases

For patients with significant facial changes that don’t respond to non-surgical treatments, surgery may be necessary. These options include:

Facial Fat Transfer

Autologous fat grafting involves taking fat from other body areas and transferring it to the face. This procedure provides natural, long-lasting volume restoration using the patient’s own tissue.

Facelift Procedures

Traditional facelifts or mini-facelifts can address severe skin laxity and restore facial contours. This procedure may be combined with fat transfer for comprehensive rejuvenation.

Neck Lifts

Many patients suffering with Ozempic face require neck lift procedures to address the significant skin laxity in the lower face and neck area that often accompanies rapid weight loss.

Patient Consultation Considerations

When a patient comes to you with post-weight loss facial changes, the most important first step is to conduct a thorough consultation. It’s important to understand the full nature of the facial changes before you proceed with any treatment.

Conduct a Medical History Assessment

Understanding the patient’s weight loss journey, current medications, and ongoing health status is crucial. Patients may still be taking GLP-1 medications, which can affect healing and treatment planning.

Manage Patient Expectations

Post-weight loss patients often have complex relationships with their appearance. They’ve achieved significant health improvements but are left disappointed by the facial changes their weight loss has caused. Clear communication about what treatments can and cannot achieve is essential.

Stage Treatment Plans

Ozempic face often requires multiple treatments and staged approaches. Patients may need a combination of volume restoration with injectables, skin tightening with Morpheus8, and a new skincare routine, all of which are spread over multiple months. Full results take time.

Offer Ongoing Support

These patients benefit from long-term treatment relationships, as their faces may continue to change as their weight stabilises or if they discontinue medications. Often younger patients will see their facial fat restore to its normal state over time, while older patients need a more rigorous treatment plan.

The Business Opportunity for Medical Professionals

The growing prevalence of GLP-1 medications creates a significant opportunity for medical injectors. Patients achieving successful weight loss through these medications are often part of a motivated demographic willing to invest in maintaining their overall transformation. A new patient who comes to you for Sculptra to fill in their lost facial volume from Ozempic can easily turn into a long-term patient.

However, success in this area requires proper training. The techniques for treating post-weight loss facial changes can differ from standard aesthetic procedures. Volume requirements are often greater, skin quality concerns are more complex, and patient psychology requires careful management.

To do this well, comprehensive training is a must. Here’s where the Smileworks Aesthetic Training HUB comes in…

Learn From The Best in the UK

It’s time to properly introduce ourselves. We are the Smileworks Aesthetic Training HUB – an esteemed aesthetic training centre based in the UK. We pride ourselves on our wide range of online and hands-on courses tailored for every skill level.

There is a growing need for specialised training in treating post-weight loss facial changes. Our Sculptra & Skin Booster Masterclass is a great starting point and provides you with the essential skills for addressing the volume loss and skin quality concerns commonly seen in Ozempic face patients.

It doesn’t stop there. For top-tier ultrasound learning, look no further than our Foundation Facial Ultrasound Course and our Advanced Facial Ultrasound Course, two musts for all injectors. Ultrasound is the single most important tool for ensuring safe and effective treatments every time.

Maybe you’re still a beginner injector. Take our Foundation Botox & Lip Filler course to gain the best foundations in aesthetic injecting. All of our courses start online, so you can jump into the course material right away!

For those looking for more in-depth training, we recommend booking a one-to-one mentoring session with Dr MJ. These sessions are 100% customisable, and you’ll receive personalised instruction based on your skill level and goals.

Join us at the HUB. Let’s shape the future of aesthetic medicine together and ensure safe, effective, and transformative results for every patient.

Want to try out our courses before committing? Take advantage of our free trial for a taste of what learning at the HUB is like.

Related blog posts:

Tyndall Effect in Dermal Fillers: What It Is & How to Prevent It
Lip Filler Migration: Causes, Signs, and How to Prevent It
How Ultrasound Guided Injections Improve Filler Outcomes
How Safe is Botox? A Medical Professional’s Guide