Fact checked by Nick Blackmer
Medications that can cause weight loss, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, have gained popularity over the past year.
There is growing concern about "Ozempic Butt" and "Ozempic Face," a possible side effect of weight loss medications.
However, any kind of rapid and/or noticeable weight loss, whether by medication or otherwise, can lead to sagging, drooping, or aging skin.
Medicines that can lead to weight loss, such as Ozempik or Vegovy, are becoming more popular. However, it is increasingly said that the drug can cause sagging, sagging, or aging skin, which is a cosmetic concern for some people.
In particular, "Ozempic Face" and "Ozempic Back" are very popular on the Internet. Some people have criticized the drug for quickly and dramatically changing the appearance of some users.
Essentially, these medications can cause relatively rapid weight loss, and as a result, the skin on a person's face, buttocks, or other areas can appear loose or wrinkled, said Andrew Craftson, MD, clinical assistant professor and director of the division of endocrinology. Weight and Navigation Program at Michigan Health University.
d said Kraftson is healthy . She added that there is now less tissue left on the skin, which makes it appear less full or saggy.
Here's what the experts say about whether Ozempic face or butt is dangerous, when to expect it, and how to deal with this unwanted "side effect" of weight loss.
Related: How long does it take to lose weight and keep it off?
Skin changes after losing weight
Although Ozempic seems to get the most attention and is associated with terms like Ozempic face and Ozempic butt, there are actually many different medications that have been linked to this problem.
Ozempic (semaglutide): This is FDA-approved for type 2 diabetes.
Wegovy (semaglutide): FDA-approved for the treatment of overweight and obesity
Mounjaro (tirzepatide): The FDA has been approved to treat type 2 diabetes.
Wegovy is the only drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat overweight and obesity. The other two, Ozempic and Mounjaro, are said to be used off-label for weight loss.
These three drugs work in a similar way: Semaglutide and tirepatide both stimulate insulin release from the pancreas when blood sugar levels are high and help delay stomach emptying, making people less hungry and thus losing stored fat.
These medications can help people with type 2 diabetes and/or overweight and/or obesity become healthier by lowering the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. But the rapid weight loss that people experience with these medications often leads to the unwanted problem of sagging skin, otherwise known as Ozempic Face or Ozempic Bites.
The skin on our bodies has the ability to change or return to shape when stretched: this is known as skin elasticity and depends on a number of factors including age, lifestyle and genetics. Collagen content and skin moisture can also affect skin elasticity.
Age, in particular, is one of the main risk factors for losing skin elasticity. "As we age, our skin's elasticity decreases," said the doctor. Craftson.
In addition to biological factors and a person's lifestyle, the speed of weight loss and the amount of weight lost can also affect the elasticity of the skin: for example, if you lose a lot of weight too quickly, the skin may have a more difficult time. d said. Craftson.
Related: 10 Possible Weight Loss Effects
Loose skin, which is most noticeable on the face and bottom
While people's faces and backs are mentioned prominently online, these aren't necessarily the only places on the body where sagging skin can occur. Anything that looks full when you gain weight, like your thighs or breasts, may look older or less full after you lose weight, the doctor says. Craftson.
In general, however, many people store excess fat in their lower and midsection, said Shanina Knighton, PhD, assistant clinical professor at Case Western Reserve University College of Nursing. He added that people taking semaglutide can lose a lot of fat in these areas, which may partly explain the "Azempian return."
Losing weight on the face often has a big impact because of how fat is stored in the body.
"When we automatically start losing weight, someone says, 'Oh, I noticed your face got thinner.'" "That's because there haven't been many of them yet," Knighton told Health . "It's going to be one of the most visible."
For this reason, it is often said that the "azhy face" is aging people, and the skin is no longer firm. The doctor said that people undergo facelifts to look younger and prevent wrinkles. Craftson, the loss of facial tissue has the opposite effect.
Related: 5 ways to prevent wrinkles while you sleep
Treatment of sagging skin after losing weight
Although weight-loss and diabetes medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have become prime targets for loose skin after weight loss, these side effects aren't specific to the drug—they happen with any type of rapid weight loss. this is important.
d said Craftson. "It wouldn't be any different from drugs."
In most cases, loose skin is primarily a cosmetic problem. However, the early appearance of aging is still a source of concern or insecurity for some people. And more excess skin can lead to health problems.
d said Craftson. "This may be the case if there is skin damage, skin irritation, rashes, hygiene issues, or activity restriction due to excess skin."
Loose or sagging skin cannot be completely avoided as it is a natural result of fat loss. But Knighton said some people can "minimize" these negative side effects.
She added that some weight loss plans that use drugs like Wegovy last about 18 months. She said this gradual application can give the skin enough time to "absorb more of these changes," rather than trying to lose weight in a shorter period of time.
"If you're concerned about excess skin, you may be able to use a slower treatment plan where you can stay on a lower dose for longer," the doctor explained. Craftson.
Living a healthy lifestyle while trying to lose weight is also an important way to protect yourself from "Space Butt" or "Space Face," Knighton added.
NEWS is a good acronym to remember when losing weight: nutrition, exercise, hydration, and sleep. They're mainly weight-loss advocates: Good nutrition and exercise may be obvious, but more sleep is linked to weight loss, as is proper hydration.
These four can also reduce the elasticity of loose or sagging skin after weight loss, Knighton added.
She said the body goes through a "dramatic process" when people lose a lot of weight, and it's important that the body has everything it needs to deal with it successfully.
"If we don't take care of [our cells], they won't heal fast enough to take care of us," Knighton said. “Eating nutritious foods helps with that. Exercise helps, too.”
Proper hydration and sleep, both of which can improve skin elasticity, are two other important ways to support the body and overall cell regeneration during weight loss, Knighton added.
"I know it sounds simple enough," she said. “Are you properly hydrated? Are you eating nutritious food? Are they exercising and then getting enough sleep to allow their bodies to heal and recover?”
Weight loss and skin elasticity are very individual, Knighton said, so they may not work for everyone. The doctor added that many people may think that they can get rid of loose skin after losing weight just by exercising. "It rarely happens," Craftson added.
People can see a doctor if they are concerned about sagging skin. The doctor said sometimes plastic surgery can be a good option. Kraftson, especially when people want to remove skin from the abdomen, arms, or legs.
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Read the original article on Hello.