Revealed: Ozempic’s very unflattering side effect… and the expert’s guide to fixing it

The more we discover about the drug Ozempic, the more excited we become. It is licensed here for use by diabetics, but is sold privately as a weight loss treatment. It has helped many already achieve their target size and shape, with little sense of hardship.

But there is a problem. With rapid weight loss comes sagging, and lots of it. If you lose the fat but leave the excess skin behind, parts of the body that have been smooth and toned – the face, neck, stomach, even the tops of the knees – will suddenly look wrinkly and old.

There’s no point in feeling confident enough to restock your wardrobe in a smaller size if your ‘Ozempic Face’ makes you want to hide.

Naturally, the cosmetic industry has come up with a whole range of solutions. ‘The Post-Ozempic Makeover is really a thing,’ says Dr Raj Thethi of the Yorkshire Skin Centre, which has seen a surge in requests for skin laxity treatments.

“Patients want solutions for the loss of volume in the front of the face, the hollowing around the eyes and cheeks, and the loose skin on the body.”

In London, Esther Fieldgrass, owner of the EF Medispa clinics, agrees. ‘There has been a huge increase in the number of women using Ozempic seeking treatments for facial volume loss. Requests for under-eye tear fillers in our clinics have increased by 70% in the past year alone.”

Tired, sunken eyes are a giveaway, estheticians say, but not all solutions involve injectables. NeoGen Power Glow Tightening Treatment (from £500; neogenplasma.co.uk) targets the under-eye area with thermal energy to rebuild fibroblast cells that boost collagen.

A virtually painless treatment that takes less than five minutes, with mild skin redness for just an hour afterwards. It is a favorite among wealthy women across the country.

What about the neck? To reshape post-Ozempic turkey cheeks and wobbly jawlines, many cosmetic practitioners use Sculptra (from £550 consultingroom.com), an injectable collagen booster made from Poly-L-Lactic Acid, which is inserted into the skin via a cannula. areas that have lost volume.

Patients can expect some tenderness, swelling and occasional bruising, but this will go away after a few days. The ultimate stealth treatment – ​​meaning friends can’t put their finger on what makes you look so good – Sculptra delivers subtle results after around six weeks, peaking four months after treatment as new collagen networks begin to form.

A course of two treatments six weeks apart is recommended, with results lasting approximately two years.

Brazilian doctors – who else? – are also pioneering a new Sculptra protocol available at London’s The Taktouk clinic to brighten flat, saggy buttocks (drwassimtaktouk.com). With prices starting from £3,000 it doesn’t come cheap.

Other post-Ozempic problem areas with sagging skin include the tops of the knees and arms and the abdomen, which is prone to wrinkling, especially around the belly button.

The new Morpheus8 3D body treatment is also an uncomfortable, expensive option (£1,000 per session; inmodemd.co.uk), but claims to remodel and tighten the skin’s underlying framework – tightening the connections between collagen and elastin fibers enhanced – using radio energy waves via 40 gold-plated micro pins.

For best results, a course of three sessions every four to six weeks is recommended. Results will continue to improve for 12 to 18 months.

However, the makeover is not just about the cosmetic clinic. To keep the pounds from piling back on, trainer Dalton Wong of Twenty-Two Training, who counts actress Jennifer Lawrence among his clients, recommends focusing on strength training in the gym.

To maintain muscle mass, key exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts and push-ups should take priority over cardio training.

‘After Ozempic, people’s energy levels tend to be lower because they’ve eaten a lot less, so I recommend focusing on shorter 30-minute sessions, three to four times a week,’ he says.

Rose Ferguson, celebrity nutritionist and partner at London’s newest wellbeing club, The Surrenne at Claridges Hotel, adds: ‘After Ozempic, it is crucial to consume a balanced diet rich in whole, nutritious foods . Prioritize lean proteins such as fish, poultry and plant-based sources such as beans and lentils to support muscle mass.’

Finally, it is important to change your eating habits while taking Ozempic to prevent what doctors call ‘Ozempic rebound’, as a large number of users report rapid weight gain after they stop taking the drug.

Adopting healthy eating habits is the key to extending and maintaining the longevity of the Ozempic makeover.

Olivia Falcon is the founder of @deeditorslijst