Emergence of “ozempic face”: addressing unintended consequences of rapid weight loss

Dear editor,

Diabetes and obesity is a global health concern. Medications like Ozempic (Semaglutide);GLP-1 receptor agonists, are being prescribed for those who are struggling with these morbidities. However, one noticeable side effect “OZEMPIC FACE” is being reported by many patients^[1]. This term describes sudden fat loss on the face, giving an aged appearance to the person .While weight loss may be helpful, the aesthetic impact of the face is alarming for the person. It affects self confidence and causes emotional distress. This medicine is being prescribed by doctors and dispensers without any proper counselling^[1]. In this letter, awareness among doctors and the public about this concern and the need for a proper counselling and follow up for these medications has been highlighted.

GLP-1 drugs are being used for weight reduction and, after a year or so, can help obese people lose an average of 15%–25% of their body weight^[2]. Prescription volumes for GLP1 agonists like semaglutide, and other medications, with comparable mechanisms of action, increased by 300% between early 2020 and the end of 2022. These medications, which were first authorized for medical use in 2017, have seen a sharp increase in use in recent years, resulting in more and more patients losing weight quickly^[3].

According to American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Inc, some recent statistics suggest that, facial plastic surgeons report 50% increase in face grafting procedures in past year due to rising trend of “OZEMPIC face.” Additionally, one in four surgeons anticipate GLP-1 agonists will drive a growing demand for nonsurgical procedures like injectable fillers and skin tightening procedures. https://www.aafprs.org/Media/Press_Releases/2024_Annual_Trends_Survey.aspx

Several studies have been conducted on the use of alternatives to semaglutide for weight loss, one of which states the natural alternatives like magnesium, cinnamon, ginger as well as supplements, e.g. PhenQ, Amiclear, Leanbean. These comes with much less side effects and better outcome^[4].

In conclusion, the use of semaglutide was originally for the treatment of diabetes and obesity, its effect on face is evident as it causes loss of facial fat thus making the face of a person to appear gaunt. The undesirable side effects is concerning and to avoid this, preliminary screening of patients, proper referral for diet optimisation, a referral to the providers and post-op plan should be considered^[5]. Thus, this study aims to analyze the unintended consequences of GLP1 agonist that is,ozempic face,and the challenges it offers to both the doctors and patients.

This letter to the editor adheres to the Transparency in the Reporting of Artificial Intelligence in Research (TITAN) guideline^[6]. During the preparation of this manuscript, generative AI tools (DeepSeek, DeepSeek Inc., June 2025 version; temperature parameter = 0.7) were used only as auxiliary aids to assist in formatting standardization, organization of background information, and language consistency checks.

All AI-assisted text was thoroughly reviewed, edited, and refined by the authors. The conceptualization, literature interpretation, synthesis of ideas, and manuscript writing were performed entirely by the authors, ensuring the academic rigor, accuracy, and originality of the review.

Ethical approval

Not applicable – this article does not involve original research on human or animal subjects.

Patient consent

Not applicable – no patient identifiable data are included.

Sources of funding

None.

Author contributions

Z.J. contributed to the conception of the work, drafting of the initial manuscript, and review of the literature. K.S. participated in data organization, interpretation of relevant evidence, and preparation of the analytical framework. M.Y. assisted in manuscript writing, editing, and ensured intellectual consistency throughout the paper. H.A. contributed to critical revision for important intellectual content and formatting of the final draft. R.K.M. supervised the overall development of the manuscript, provided expert review, and finalized the editorial for submission.

All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in accordance with the ICMJE authorship criteria. R.K.M. is the corresponding author and guarantor of this work.

Conflicts of interest disclosure

None declared.

Guarantor

Raghabendra Kumar Mahato.

Research registration unique identifying number (UIN)

This is new and not registered anywhere.

Peer and provenance statement

Not commissioned, externally peer reviewed.

Data availability statement

No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.