Almost every week now, someone sits down in my chair, pulls up a photo from a year ago, and says some version of the same thing: "I lost the weight, I feel great, and I look older." They're on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound, the medication is working, and their face has changed in a way they didn't expect.
That change has a nickname: Ozempic face. Here's what it actually is, what causes it, and what helps, from someone who treats it every week in Streeterville.
What Is Ozempic Face?
Ozempic face isn't a medical diagnosis. It's the popular name for the hollow, older look some people get after losing a lot of weight quickly on a GLP-1 medication. The same thing can happen after any big weight loss; the medications just made fast weight loss common, so far more people are seeing it at once.
The signs I see most often:
- Hollow cheeks and temples
- Deeper lines from the nose to the mouth (nasolabial folds) and from the mouth to the chin (marionette lines)
- Sagging along the jawline and jowls, and looser skin on the neck
- Under-eye hollows that make you look tired
- Thinner, crepey skin with more visible fine lines
What Causes It
Your face has pads of fat that give it shape: in the cheeks, the temples, around the eyes and along the jaw. When you lose weight, you lose some of that fat too, not just the weight around your middle. Lose it fast, and your skin doesn't have time to tighten up behind it.
Age makes it more noticeable. After about 40, skin makes less collagen and elastin every year, so it doesn't bounce back the way it used to, and sun damage speeds that up. That's why two people can lose the same amount of weight and only one of them ends up with Ozempic face. You're more likely to notice it if you:
- Lost a large amount of weight, or lost it quickly
- Are over 40
- Have had a lot of sun over the years
- Already had a lean or angular face
Ozempic Face Is Two Problems, Not One
This is the part most people miss, and it's why one treatment rarely fixes it. Ozempic face is usually a mix of:
- Lost volume. The fat that's gone from your cheeks, temples and under your eyes.
- Loose, thinner skin. The skin that used to be stretched over that volume and hasn't tightened back up.
Volume needs to be replaced. Skin needs to be tightened and rebuilt. A good plan usually does some of both, in the right order.
How We Treat Ozempic Face in Chicago
1. Restoring volume: dermal fillers
Hyaluronic acid fillers are the most direct way to replace lost volume. Placed in the cheeks, temples, under the eyes and along the jawline, they bring back the shape the fat used to provide, and you see the results right away. Filler also softens the deeper nose-to-mouth and marionette lines.
At our clinic, fillers are done by Yvonne, RN, our nurse injector. The goal is to look like yourself before the weight loss, not overfilled. Results typically last 6 to 18 months, depending on the product and the area. More on our injectables page.
2. Tightening loose skin: Venus MP2 radiofrequency
For skin that has loosened along the jaw, neck and lower face, I use the Venus MP2. It combines multi-polar radiofrequency with pulsed electromagnetic fields to heat the deeper layers of your skin, which triggers new collagen and elastin. Skin firms gradually over a series of treatments.
It feels like a warm stone massage, there's no downtime, and many people see a difference after two or three sessions. A typical plan is six to eight weekly sessions.
3. Rebuilding skin quality: microneedling, Laser Genesis and peels
Thin, crepey skin needs new collagen. Microneedling creates tiny channels that set off your skin's repair response, and we pair every session with AnteAGE MD growth factors and exosomes. Laser Genesis is a no-downtime laser that builds collagen and evens out tone. And a VI Peel takes care of dullness, rough texture and dark spots.
What doesn't work
No cream or serum can put back lost fat. Good skincare and daily sunscreen protect the skin you have and are worth doing, but if a product promises to fix Ozempic face on its own, be skeptical.
Should You Wait Until You're Done Losing Weight?
For skin tightening and collagen treatments, you don't have to wait. Starting Venus MP2 or microneedling while you're still losing weight can help your skin keep up.
For fillers, it's usually better to wait until your weight is stable or you're close to your goal. If you keep losing, your face keeps changing, and the filler plan would have to change with it. Tell us where you are in your journey at your consultation, and we'll time things around it.
What About Ozempic Arms, Stomach and Thighs?
The same thing happens on the body. Loose skin on the upper arms (people call it "Ozempic arms"), the stomach and the thighs is one of the most common things I'm asked about after weight loss. The Venus MP2 treats the arms, abdomen, thighs, buttocks and back, and it works well for mild to moderate looseness.
I'll be honest about the limits: if you've lost a very large amount of weight and have a lot of excess skin, no non-surgical treatment will remove it. If that's you, I'll say so at your consultation and suggest you talk to a plastic surgeon.
For the butt, breasts, neck and thighs, see Ozempic Body: Butt, Breasts, Neck and Thighs.
What Ozempic Face Results Look Like
The best results don't look "done." Friends say you look rested, or ask whether you changed your hair. Filler results show right away. Tightening and collagen treatments build over the weeks and months after your series, as new collagen forms. We take photos at your first visit, so you'll have your own before and after to compare.
What a Plan Might Look Like
Every face is different, but here's a typical plan for someone who lost 40 pounds over a year and is now close to their goal weight:
- Filler in the cheeks and temples to restore volume, in one or two visits, with results right away
- A series of six to eight Venus MP2 sessions for the jawline and neck
- Microneedling or Laser Genesis every few weeks to rebuild skin quality
- Daily SPF and a medical-grade skincare routine to protect the results
Frequently Asked Questions
Book a Consultation in Streeterville
If your face has changed since you started a GLP-1, come in for a consultation. We'll look at volume and skin quality separately, tell you honestly what will help, and build a plan around where you are in your weight loss.
Book online or call (312) 539-5818. We're at 220 E Illinois St, Suite 703, in Streeterville.
Ozempic® and Wegovy® are registered trademarks of Novo Nordisk. Mounjaro® and Zepbound® are registered trademarks of Eli Lilly and Company. Skin Laser & MedSpa is not affiliated with either company. This article is general information, not medical advice.