Move over ‘Ozempic face,’ eagle-eyed observers are now noticing a new side effect of the popular weight loss drugs ─ ‘Ozempic feet.’ Coined to describe a peculiar side effect of taking Ozempic, the phenomenon includes sagging or aging skin of the feet due to rapid weight loss.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Barry Weintraub, a New York-based board certified plastic surgeon says the rapid loss of fat impacts water retention in the body, which causes the sagging appearance in feet. This is one of the latest concerns added to a growing list of side effects tied to speedy fat loss, including ‘Ozempic face’ and ‘Ozempic butt.’
Recent photos of celebrities Sharon Osbourne and Oprah Winfrey, both of whom have admitted to taking weight-loss drugs, are fueling rumors that these stars may be among the first to show signs of Ozempic feet.
“Without having had the opportunity to examine Sharon in person, the veiny and sagging skin on the top and sides of the foot might be a result of the new lack of water retention due to a decreased BMI caused by Ozempic or other such weight-loss drug,” Weintraub said. “As the heart becomes less taxed with extra weight, the water retention decreases, and the substructures of the foot (veins, tendons, bones) often become more visible.”
Ozempic, or semaglutide, is a GLP-1 agonist approved by the FDA to treat Type 2 diabetes, and often used off-label for weight loss. It's sister drug, semaglutide (Wegovy) is the formulation approved for weight loss. Other GLP-1 drugs approved for weight loss include Zepbound and Saxenda.
Recent data found that one in eight Americans has used a GLP-1 drug.
Fans spotted the wrinkling on 71-year-old Oprah’s feet when she appeared at the 55th NAACP Image Awards last year. Osbourne, 72, posted a photo of herself with her grandson on Instagram, garnering similar criticism about her extreme weight loss and wrinkling of her feet. Weintraub told the Daily Mail that Ozempic feet can be fixed with a “foot lift,” where incisions are made on the side of the foot where they can be hidden.