In a recent June 2023 survey from the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (
AAFPRS), 60 percent of facial plastic surgeons report seeing an increase of patients presenting with “Ozempic Face” — a side effect of the weight loss drug Semaglutide that results in facial deflation and, ultimately, a prematurely aged appearance.
A total of 15 percent of facial plastic surgeons surveyed recommend treating Ozempic Face exclusively with facial filler; 12 percent recommend face and neck lifts; and 2 percent recommend fat grafting. Worth noting is that less than 25 percent of patients elect to have surgery, and 25-50 percent of patients, according to AAFPRS members, opt for injectables. Finally, when asked how patients will do long-term with injections and/or surgery, 45 percent of facial plastic surgeons surveyed responded that it’s too soon to know—and there’s good reason for this.
“Until now, we’ve been able to correct facial gauntness caused by extreme weight loss very easily with filler—but facial gauntness caused by Ozempic is a bit more complicated,” says
Theda Kontis, MD, facial plastic surgeon and President of the AAFPRS. “If the weight comes back, that filler can start to look very distorted if it has not been placed precisely.”
Dr.
Mark Hamilton, AAFPRS Chair, Public Information Committee adds, “The good news is that we can treat many of the aesthetic side effects of these weight loss medications with either injectable fillers, implants or surgery. The caveat is that to maintain the results of the aesthetic treatments and the weight loss, patients will need to make changes in their diet and lifestyle.”
Trust Your Face to a Facial Plastic Surgeon
Dr. Kontis and Dr. Hamilton remind all patients to select a physician based on qualifications. Credentials, knowledge and experience have always been important when it comes to choosing a board-certified facial plastic surgeon. Board-certified facial plastic surgeons specialize in surgery of the face, head and neck. To find an AAFPRS member in your area click
here.