‘Ozempic face’: why it happens and what nutrition can do

What is ‘Ozempic face’?

‘Ozempic face’ is a popular term for changes to the face after rapid weight loss. A review of these medicines summarises them in three ways: less volume, looser skin and more noticeable wrinkles [1]. It is not a medical diagnosis or an injury caused by a particular active ingredient.

It is not exclusive to semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Mounjaro). The same review links it to how quickly fat is lost [1], which can also happen with a very restrictive diet or after bariatric surgery. What is new is that many more people are now losing weight rapidly at the same time.

Find out how these medicines work and what to expect from them in our guide to GLP-1 medicines.

Why is it more noticeable in the face?

Your face is the part of your body you look at most and the only part your clothes do not cover. A small change in volume can quickly show in your cheeks, temples or under your eyes. When fat is lost quickly, the loss of volume is accompanied by looser skin [1].

Losing facial volume does not mean that you are losing more muscle than in other areas, or that your treatment is going badly. In a study of tirzepatide, around three-quarters of the weight lost was fat [2]. This is a similar proportion to that in the group who lost weight through changes to their diet and activity alone. How fat is distributed across different areas varies considerably from person to person.

Does the speed of your weight loss make a difference?

Yes. The review describing ‘Ozempic face’ attributes more pronounced facial changes to rapid fat loss [1]. That is why, in consultations, we do not leave weight loss to happen without support. We adjust your diet with the person prescribing your medicine and pay attention to what you lose as well as how much.

The rate of weight loss does not depend on dose alone. How much you eat and whether you do strength training also matter. Adequate protein and strength training help preserve lean mass as your weight goes down [3]. Your plan will vary according to your starting point. Find out how to work on muscle in our guide to protein and muscle with a GLP-1 medicine.

What may help through your diet

Try to include protein-rich foods throughout the day. The amount you need depends on your circumstances. If a low appetite is preventing you from eating enough, speak to your registered dietitian-nutritionist.

Hydration matters too. When your appetite is low, you eat less and often drink less as well. If you also have nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, you lose more fluid. Drinking throughout the day without waiting until you feel thirsty is a simple habit to maintain.

A day when your appetite is low

• Breakfast. Plain yoghurt with chopped fruit and two or three walnuts.
• Lunch. Half a plate of vegetables, a palm-sized portion of pulses or fish, and 40 g of rice weighed uncooked.
• Afternoon snack. A glass of milk or a soya drink with at least 3% protein.
• Dinner. A plain omelette with stir-fried vegetables and a piece of bread.

If you cannot manage the whole plate, start with the protein and leave the side dish until last.

None of this restores the volume that has already been lost. What it does is help you preserve more muscle and reach the end of treatment with greater strength [3].

Your face changes because fat is lost quickly. What you can do is help the rest of your body preserve muscle.

What do we see in consultations?

• Comparing your face in photos every week. The change is easier to see when photos are months apart, and checking every day can only increase your worry.
• Blaming everything on the medicine. Sleep, sun exposure and age also affect your skin.
• Looking for an ‘Ozempic face’ cream or serum. There is no evidence that a cosmetic product restores lost fat.
• Using your face as a measure of how treatment is going. It is more useful to keep an eye on your strength, energy and eating than on the mirror.

If the change you see in the mirror causes a lot of distress, or leads you to eat less to ‘control’ it, mention it at your consultation. It is something you can also work on with a psychologist, and the sooner you talk about it, the better.

Can ‘Ozempic face’ be reversed?

Not through your diet. No food or supplement restores facial fat that has already been lost. What your diet can do is support you during treatment so that the change is as gradual as possible.

Aesthetic medicine treatments are available for facial volume. The same review notes that systematic studies of their effectiveness and safety in this context are lacking [1]. A specialist doctor can assess this; it falls outside a nutrition consultation.

If the change concerns you, mention it at your next review. The rate of weight loss can be adjusted. Only the person who prescribes your medicine can decide its dose.