Top plastic surgeons are reporting a surge in patients seeking nip-and-tucks after rapid weight loss on the thin jab Ozympic – and warn many would be disfigured or disfigured without the surgeries.
Pioneering injections can help dieters shed up to a fifth of their body weight in a year, but sudden fat loss can cause body problems, with middle-aged and older users hit hardest.
A growing number of Ozympic users on social media are complaining about their facial contours, ‘melted wax’ skin, ‘bare’ breasts and hair loss – not a direct side effect of the drug, but a dramatic effect. Slimmer.
While in some cases these complications are cosmetic, experts who spoke to The Mail on Sunday warn that they often have a serious impact on health. People with excessive skin folds may have trouble with basic hygiene, leading to fungal infections, sores, and inability to move. Unhappy with their bodies, shame and embarrassment are increasing their risk of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Sharon Osbourne’s Olympic journey to regain her weight has been difficult. Right: before treatment
The numbers on the weight loss jabs spiral – with the government suggesting 35,000 Britons are currently eligible for treatment on the NHS – the cost of dealing with these knock-on injuries could reach £100 million a year, according to analysis shared alone. with this newspaper.
British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) president Manny Ragbir last night urged health authorities to consider surgeries to remove excess skin.
He said: ‘Over-exfoliation is not easy, it can lead to serious and even life-threatening infections. These procedures are one of the most important factors in helping patients complete the process of becoming healthy.
‘Given the cost of treating skin infections, non-healing wounds and the misery of not exercising or bathing properly, treating these patients with surgery makes financial sense – a one-time cost and an ongoing burden.’
Until recently, reconstructive surgery after weight loss was only required after major surgery to remove a portion of the stomach. Because of the risks and costs, such options were typically seen as a last resort, with fewer than 7,000 performed on the NHS each year.
But plastic surgeon Mark Soldin Ozimpik, who works at St George’s and Kingston Hospital in London and works on reconstructive surgery following massive weight loss, says the numbers are on the rise.
“In some cases, injectable drugs can be as good as surgery for patients to lose weight,” Mr. Soldin said. ‘This is positive, because reversing type 2 diabetes, stopping high blood pressure and reducing the number of heart attacks and strokes are problems that cost the NHS billions every year.
A social media user posted the results of her weight loss. ‘Too much is not only irritating to the skin, but can lead to serious and even life-threatening infections,’ says Bapras president Manny Ragbir.
But now we are seeing more and more patients with problems with the body due to excess skin.’
While younger skin, which is naturally more elastic and supple, can shrink back after serious weight loss, patients in their 30s and older often ‘look like a deflated balloon or a melted candle,’ explains Mr Soldin. There are four parts of the body that are most affected – lower trunk, abdomen, sides and buttocks, inner thighs, breasts and inner arms.
Patients with skin folds hanging around the abdomen and bare and hollow breasts are extremely difficult to care for – they sweat, which means that the areas are prone to fungal diseases. Ulcers and swelling can also develop, and infections can cause problems, especially if the patient has diabetes.
“In addition to the serious practical issues, patients who are mentally vulnerable after living with obesity for many years – report feeling extremely self-conscious.
They don’t like to undress even in front of their spouses. Some suffer worse depression and anxiety, and even quit work.’
British actor and TV presenter Stephen Fry has died after taking weight loss injections. However, he blamed the drug for being ‘very ill’.
There are different surgical interventions. Collectively known as body contouring, they all involve cutting away excess skin and sewing back the area to create a smoother silhouette. However, they are not commonly offered on the NHS, and going privately costs around £60,000.
A decade ago, Mr. Soldin and his colleagues developed guidelines on body adjustment after weight loss. ‘We did our best but no one seemed to be listening,’ he said. ‘The NHS helps people lose weight, but nothing comes close if they look terrible and have other problems with their bodies.
And that was back when there were only post-surgery patients. It’s less likely that someone will get a tummy tuck or arm lift on the NHS now that we’ve got all these extra Olympic patients.’
He said it is not uncommon for some people who are unhappy with their damaged bodies to simply decide to put the weight back on.
Mr. Soldin and his BAPRAS colleagues said the economic impact of not treating these patients — from wound and infection care, mental illness, and inability to work due to pain — is high.
About one-third of patients with hyperpigmentation develop infections or other serious skin conditions such as ulcers. A recent study found that the cost of treating a non-healing wound – including medicine, nursing time and hospital treatment – could be as much as £7,886 per patient.
Meanwhile, one in ten patients are likely to experience depression or anxiety, and one in 20 will be severely affected. The surgeons estimate that the cost of treating severe mental illness is around £5,000 a year.
Australian actress Rebel Wilson says Ozympic has played a role in her dramatic weight loss in recent years.
With more than 35,000 people to be offered weight-loss drugs – such as the diabetes drug semaglutide – and thousands more paying privately, the total cost of tackling weight-loss problems could be £100m a year, BAPRAS says.
Facial surgeons are now calling patients after Ozympic, whose faces have been damaged by age.
Celebrities, including former X-Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, have been visibly spotted after using slimy jabs. In a recent interview, she said that she was unhappy with her appearance and wanted to gain weight again but couldn’t.
“Semaglutide is meant to treat obesity, but we’re seeing patients who are a bit overwhelmed and see it as a simple fix,” says Kshem Yapa, a facelift specialist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Instead, it leaves them underweight, and during this time facial fat layers, firmness and youthful appearance are lost.
We see hollowing on the temples and under the eyes and a generally dull or dull appearance. If patients are a little older, we see sagging and sagging of the skin, deep lines and jowls that go from the nose to the mouth. There may be fatigue in the neck.
The speed at which this is happening at Ozympic is shocking. For these patients, the changes can be permanent and the only option is filler injections or a face lift.’
Mr Yapa suggests that some patients who use the drug in this way, along with safety guidelines, may not be honest with their plastic surgeon.
“We always advise patients to stop taking Ozempic four weeks before the operation. It slows down the movement of food in the digestive system and there is a very dangerous risk, if the patient has a full stomach under general anesthesia, he may vomit and choke.”
Mr Yappa added that the increase in Ozympic weight loss is leading to younger patients seeking surgery. ‘The weight loss on this drug is causing structural changes in the face, which accelerates aging. Now I’m seeing patients in their 40s and 30s as candidates for facelifts.’
Dr. Surbi Virmani says facial changes caused by local fat loss can be treated with filler injections in the cheeks to restore fullness.
For less severe problems, cosmetic expert Dr. Sarbhi Virmani says there are several options.
‘In the 80’s and 90’s, the look of beauty seen in HIV patients is not the same as the fat reduction in their face as a side effect of some of the drugs they were given,’ she says.
‘In some cases surgery is needed, but if it’s not too extreme we can fix things with injections and skin tightening treatments.’
Cheek fillers called poly-L-lactic acid are particularly effective at restoring fullness, she says.
“It’s important that patients achieve a stable weight for six months before we start any treatment,” she added. “If we inject fillers and they build up weight on their face, it can end up looking unnatural.”
One of Dr Virmani’s patients, Kelly – who asked not to be named – recently underwent treatment to correct what she calls ‘Ozempic-face’. The 48-year-old sales consultant started taking the drug two years ago and has shed four stone from size 16 to size 10.
Then she switched to the same drug Wegovy, which contains the same drug as Ozempic – semaglutide – but in a higher dose.
‘That’s when I started coming of age,’ she said. ‘My cheeks were more hollow and my eyes sunken. I also had a double chin, which went away, but I was left with a lot of loose skin.
I expected to have loose skin on my stomach, but I was surprised by the way my face looked.
“Dr. Virmani gave me filler injections – a treatment called Profhilo that improves skin texture – Botox and a little lip filler. I’m very happy with the results. I’m not thinking about a facelift yet, but maybe when I’m older. I want to fix my chin and I’m also looking into a tummy tuck.’
Kelly says she’s generally happy to be prescribed weight-loss jabs.
‘I’ve always struggled with my weight,’ she added. ‘I was always very busy with work, eating out and entertainment. I was worried about that because I couldn’t overeat. Ozympic kept me from thinking about food all the time, and I thought I’d keep taking it because it was a relief.
‘But people need to know that it changes your appearance, and not always for the better.’