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Many have reported losing substantial weight after taking the trendy drug semaglutide, which has the brand name Ozempic or Wegovy. But plastic surgeons say they're seeing a rise in patients coming in with saggy, loose skin that appears after dramatic weight loss — a phenomenon known as "Ozempic face" or "Ozempic body."
Semaglutide works by suppressing the appetite by balancing out hormones such as insulin. Initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat diabetes in 2017, semaglutide became the first FDA-approved drug for weight management in 2021.
Ozempic itself does not cause loose skin more than any other form of weight loss, endocrinologist Rocio Salas-Whalen previously told Insider. But the drug can cause patients to lose weight faster than other forms of weight management, including bariatric surgery.
During bariatric surgery, surgeons remove parts of the stomach, which can lead to weight loss by reducing appetite-inducing signals related to the hormone ghrelin, which is produced in the stomach.
Though many plastic surgeons are used to seeing patients come in with loose skin after bariatric surgery, Ryan Neinstein, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York City who specializes in advanced liposuction and a collection of procedures that is know as "mommy makeover surgery," told Insider he's increasingly seeing more people with the same issue after taking Ozempic.
Neinstein said many of his patients on Ozempic have lost a considerable amount weight in a short amount of time, leading to even stretchier, looser skin than his bariatric surgery patients might have.
"The phenomenon with Ozempic is, with muscle mass and fat decreasing so quickly, the skin's becoming stretchier than it is purely with the bariatric surgery, from what I'm seeing," he said.
Loose or saggy skin following weight loss can be temporary. Most people see skin return to normal between 6 to 18 months following bariatric surgery, and people can see faster results if they exercise or adopt other healthy habits like quitting smoking, Insider previously reported.
Since Ozempic has only been around a few years, doctors are still figuring out whether loose skin is more likely to persist after taking weight-loss drugs, Neinstein said. But his first approach in helping Ozempic patients is the same as with bariatric surgery patients: encouraging patience and exercise.
If his patients have tried other approaches and still want plastic surgery, Neinstein will talk to them about a "tummy tuck" procedure, in which he trims off excess skin and fat from the torso and sometimes the arms, and thighs and stitches together what's left.
The average cost of a tummy tuck is $6,154, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, but varies depending on the surgeon's expertise and location. Most health insurance plans do not cover tummy tucks or their complications, per ASPS, but doctors will often work with patients on flexible payment plans.
Neinstein said the surgery lasts three to four hours, and patients stay overnight for monitoring. Patients typically are on bed rest for two weeks after the procedure, but recovery from bruising, pain, and swelling usually clears up within seven days.
Patients on weight loss drugs must stop taking the medication two weeks before the tummy tuck surgery, Neinstein said, because he has found the drugs interfere with anesthesia. But, for the most part, the procedure is safe and effective when done at the hands of a board-certified plastic surgeon, he said.
