What’s an Ozempic Face and How to Avoid it

Ozempic face is the skeletal appearance of the face after losing a lot of body weight quickly.

Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, a cosmetic dermatologist, coined the term “Ozempic face” to describe many of his patients who lost a lot of facial fat after losing weight with Ozempic.

In a Business Insider report, Dr. Frank said the rapid weight loss results in hollowed-out cheeks and a deflated look. It is for this reason that patients come to him. He treats the “Ozempic face” by inserting fillers to increase the volume of the face.

The condition is more likely seen in those above 40 because that is when the skin loses its natural elasticity, according to Dr. Frank. At younger ages, the skin can still shrink and expand.

What an Ozempic face looks like. Source: By William Withey Gull, Bart, M.D., F.R.S.; Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8905017

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is the active ingredient in Ozempic and is a prescription drug for weight loss and type 2 diabetes.

Semaglutide helps lose weight by slowing the transit of food from the stomach to the intestines and gives a sense of fullness.

Semaglutide lowers blood sugar by increasing the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin pushes the blood sugar into the liver and the skeletal muscles.

They cause hyperinsulinemia because of the continuous stimulation of the pancreas.

Hyperinsulinemia is an article I wrote about it.

Other brand names of semaglutide

Semaglutide is also sold under the brand names Rybelsus and Wegovy. They differ in how they are taken and FDA indications.

Ozempic has been FDA-approved since 2017 to lower blood sugar levels for type two diabetes patients, along with diet and exercise. Ozempic is given as an injection weekly.

Side note: The use of Ozempic for weight loss is one off-formulary use of an FDA-approved drug. Ivermectin is an FDA-approved drug for river blindness and intestinal parasites in humans. But it can be used off formulary for scabies and COVID-19.

The FDA approved Rybelsus(tablet) in 2019 to lower blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetes patients along with diet and exercise, and it is taken as a tablet once a day.

Wegovy was FDA-Approved in 2021 for weight management for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m2 or greater (overweight) who have at least one weight-related ailment or in patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater (obese). It is given as an injection weekly.

Weight loss from semaglutide is not permanent. Model Remi Bader gained back all the weight she lost when she stopped Wegovy.

All three can potentially cause an ‘Ozempic face” since all of them can cause rapid weight loss,

Hyperinsulinemia

Semaglutide is indicated for type 2 diabetes because it lowers blood sugar due to increased insulin secretion. That may seem reasonable because the fasting blood sugar and Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) results will be lower.

Note: HbA1c is a three-month average of blood sugar monitoring in people with diabetes.

However, it does not address the underlying problem of diabetes, which is the constantly high insulin levels or hyperinsulinemia.

High insulin affects many other organs and is responsible for the chronic complications of diabetes.

That is why people will continue to have diabetes complications like kidney problems, peripheral arterial disease, and others, even though they control their blood sugars well with medications that increase insulin, like semaglutide.

Diet and exercise

If you notice the FDA approvals on the three drugs, they all include the phrase “along with diet and exercise.”

In reality, diet and exercise can work on their own without medications. The drugs are ineffective without them, so diet and exercise are always included. It is like the story of The Stone Soup.

The common problem is it is faster to prescribe than to give a 30-minute conversation about intermittent fasting and how to exercise.

Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is an effective way to lose weight, lower cardiovascular risks of strokes and heart attacks, improve hypertension, and reverse type 2 diabetes.

I have several articles about fasting below, or you can learn about it from The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr. Jason Fung.

Autophagy

The absence of caloric intake while fasting triggers autophagy. Auto means self, and phage means to eat. Autophagy breaks down old, precancerous, dysfunctional, and previously infected cells and recycles the amino acids to make new cells.

That includes loose and excess skin in the belly, face, arms, or anywhere when you lose weight. The same cannot be said for people with gastric bypass or those who get Ozempic.

Autophagy can also prevent long COVID symptoms by getting rid of cells previously infected by the SARS-CoV-2 — Intermittent fasting for Post-COVID Vaccine Syndrome: Autophagy.

And by decreasing inflammatory monocytes – High Monocyte Levels Persist in Recovered COVID-19 and Long COVID Syndrome and How Intermittent Fasting Helps

For those who had previous abdominal surgery, Autophagy can prevent adhesions: the most common cause of bowel obstruction.

Doing exercises can also promote autophagy Exercise alone can induce autophagy.

Physical fitness and strength have been shown in multiple studies to prolong life. Physical Activity Prolongs Life.

Take away message

Ozempic face can also happen with Rybelsus and Wygovy.
Intermittent fasting and exercise make medications for weight loss and diabetes more effective.
Before starting any medicines for type 2 diabetes, hypertension or obesity, ask your doctor if you can do intermittent fasting first.

Below are several of my articles about intermittent fasting.

Exercise articles

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