Demand for weight-loss drugs is set to increase exponentially as more than 2 million Americans take semaglutide, a brand of medication made by Novo Nordisk, by 2021, according to the Pew Research Center.
In fact, Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, all semglutide weight-loss drugs, will bring in about $21.1 billion for the company by 2023.
But when many people take this medicine, some start to notice side effects and unexpected changes in their body, like Ozempic face and something else known as Ozempic butt.
RELATED: 18 famous people who admitted to taking Ozempic or weight loss drugs
Although the changes in the appearance of the walls when taking weight loss drugs can be surprising, experts tell TODAY.com that it is possible. any significant weight loss and can be avoided.
Here’s what you need to know about “Ozempic butt.”
What is ozempic butt?
“Ozempic butt” refers to the wrinkled, loose and flabby skin that some weight loss drug users have noticed on the back after long-term use of the drug and weight loss. . Ozempic butt is not an official medical test.
“Because weight loss can be so fast” on weight loss drugs, users may notice sagging skin around their rear ends, Dr. F. Clarissa Yang, chief dermatologist at Tufts Medical Center and professor at Tufts University School of Medicine tells TODAY.com. “However, you can see this with rapid weight loss,” he adds.
The drug that inspired the term, Ozempic, is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat Type 2 diabetes. Its active ingredient is semaglutide, which releases a synthetic version of the hormone that the body creates when you eat, you reduce your appetite. Ozempic’s sister drug, Wegovy, also contains semaglutide and is FDA-approved to treat obesity.
When asked about the Ozempic butt reports, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson told TODAY.com: “At Novo Nordisk, patient safety is our top priority. We are working closely with the (FDA) to continue to put monitor the safety profile of our medicines. Medical data evaluating the effect of Wegovy or Ozempic on skin irritation We encourage any patients who experience side effects while taking Wegovy or Ozempic to contact their health care provider.
In addition to rapid weight loss, Ozempic butt can also occur in people who lose a lot of weight, usually at least 100 kilograms or more than 40% of excess body weight, Dr. John Burns, board certified plastic surgeon and president. at the Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, tells TODAY.com.
Flaky skin can appear anywhere on the body where fat has been stored, including the stomach, thighs and arms – “but the two most common areas of complaint are the face and butt,” he says. In both areas, “the amount of excess skin generally goes hand in hand with weight loss, which means that as weight decreases, excess skin tends to stay behind,” Burns adds.
What does ozempic cause?
Rapid and significant weight loss, often due to a weight loss medication (not just Ozempic), can cause Ozempic side effects.
Excess skin associated with weight loss or wrinkling appears mainly because it loses elasticity and collagen as it expands, so the skin will not shrink back once the weight is lost.
“Think of a deflated balloon,” Dr. Samuel Lin, an assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and a Boston-based plastic surgeon, tells TODAY.com. “When the balloon collapses, you see bubbles and other things where the air used to be.”
Ozempic butt is more likely to occur in adults as collagen and elastin proteins, which promote elasticity, decrease as we age.
Dr. Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at the School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai, says: TODAY.com. As you get older, your skin is more likely to sag.
How Ozempic affects the skin and muscles
Rapid weight loss, which can occur with weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, can affect the muscles and skin.
Muscle loss
“When you lose weight, you can lose muscle and bone, in addition to fat,” says Yang.
Some patients may experience more muscle loss with weight loss drugs because they “suppress appetite, which depletes a person’s food intake and nutrients,” Dr. Iman Saleh, director of obesity medicine in the Bariatrics Department at Northwell Health South Shore. University Hospital, tells TODAY.com.
He adds: “Ozempic or Wegovy patients lose fat and muscle while using these drugs.”
The combined loss of fat and muscle can contribute to a flatter, more misshapen complexion, “and if you lose too much muscle and fat from the buttocks, sagging skin can become more noticeable.” and more,” Dr. Dustin Portela, dermatologist. and founder of Treasure Valley Dermatology in Boise, Idaho, tells TODAY.com.
A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk previously told NBC News that while semaglutide can reduce a person’s muscle mass, the drug improves a person’s average body mass (everything in the body but fat) to total body weight.
Excess skin
Excess body weight breaks down elastin and collagen proteins, which help the skin stay firm and elastic. So, often when weight is lost, the skin is not able to absorb as well as it did before the weight gain.
And although our skin has what are called “viscoelastic properties,” which makes it loosen to a certain extent after being stretched, “with a significant drop in the weight of the body, there is no doubt that there is more excess skin than it can shrink,” says Burns.
How to avoid Ozempic butt
Although it is not always possible to completely avoid Ozempic butt or other negative effects related to weight loss, it is possible to reduce the effects.
“It’s always better to lose weight slowly, so you may want your doctor to check the dosage and reduce the dose if you lose weight quickly,” Jaliman offers.
Portela believes that losing weight at a rate of two to four kilograms per week “can make it easier for the skin to adapt.”
It is also important not to neglect exercise.
“Remove the intensity of training the large muscles of the legs, hips and buttocks,” advises Portela. “Strengthening these muscles helps increase muscle tone to compensate for fat loss in these areas and will also help your body process glucose more effectively and improve metabolic health.”
Yang says it’s also important to maintain a healthy diet. “Be careful about eating protein along with micronutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc, copper, magnesium and iron,” he advises, as they can help improve the appearance of the skin.
RELATED: Foods to avoid if you are taking Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss
He also recommends getting enough selenium, omega-3s, calcium, potassium, biotin, magnesium, vitamin K, E, D, and B vitamins “to maintain strength and muscle mass and reduce tone loss.” .”
How to treat Ozempic acne
If you already have Ozempic butt, there are methods and treatments available.
Burns says these include:
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To restore lost muscles through exercise
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It works to strengthen your skin with the right food and hydrating skin care
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Talk to your doctor about safe medical devices and skin tightening procedures
Many Burns patients also use quality-altering creams to treat Ozempic butt. “For small volume deficits, fillers can be used to fill these discrete areas and give more volume to the butt and fill in loose skin,” he says.
For larger areas of lost volume, some patients turn to plastic surgery, where excess fat can be removed from the abdomen or thighs and injected into the buttock to restore volume and shape. “For safety reasons, the fat is only injected into the fat layer of the butt and not the muscles,” he explains.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
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