Expert explains signs of 'Ozempic mouth' side effect from weight-loss drugs

Amongst the drugs used for weight loss, Ozempic is the one everyone seems to know the name of, even if there are other alternatives, such as Wegovy and Mounjaro.

Ozempic isn't approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight loss; instead, it is only approved for treating type 2 diabetes.

More so, it's the semaglutide present in the drug which is approved for weight loss but under a different name, like Wegovy.

But while Ozempic gets all the plaudits, it also gets embarrassing nicknames connected with unpleasant side effects.

So when some of the impacts of taking drugs for weight loss become visible, they get called things like 'Ozempic face', which a doctor told LADbible had taken off as a term to describe the 'somewhat hollow appearance of the face' after taking the drug.

Dr Carolina Goncalves explained that it was generally a rare occurrence, while Dr Mary Branch pointed out that when losing weight, you don't get to pick and choose which parts of your body shed the mass.

Another term swirling around is 'Ozempic mouth,' a fairly similar phenomenon that generally only appears around a person's mouth.

There are plenty of people taking Ozempic, though rapid weight loss can have an impact on your body (George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Speaking to The Sun, Dr Ed Robinson praised Ozempic as being particularly effective at tackling weight loss, but noted that the consequences of losing so much weight so quickly can have an impact on one's appearance.

He explained: "With such rapid weight loss, we’re increasingly seeing aesthetic side effects - notably ‘Ozempic face’, ‘Ozempic neck’, and now, what’s being referred to as ‘Ozempic mouth’.

"Ozempic mouth describes the hollowing and skin laxity that can occur around the mouth as fat is lost from the lower face.

"This can lead to deeper nasolabial folds (laughter lines), more prominent marionette lines (the vertical wrinkles that extend from the corners of the mouth down towards the chin), and downturned corners of the mouth.

"It often creates a tired or prematurely aged appearance."

Experts have warned that you don't really get to pick where the weight comes off, and losing it in the face can make you look gaunt (Getty Stock Photo)

He went on to say that the difference can be 'quite stark', especially in those who've 'lost a significant amount of weight quickly, as the skin struggles to keep up with the changing facial structure'.

The expert said that while it may be termed 'Ozempic mouth', the actual changes were in the parts of your face around the mouth rather than your talking hole itself.

He said it could give you 'sunken cheeks, saggy jowls, deeper lines around the mouth' and generally make someone look older as they now had more lines on their face and saggy skin to boot.

On the other hand, the health benefits from shedding the weight are likely to more than make up for any changes in appearance.

Ozempic isn't for everyone, however, as some famous faces who've used it have talked about it leaving them 'bedridden' or having little to no discernible impact.