Having experienced a meteoric buzz in almost every form of media (especially TikTok) over the last year, semaglutide injections (better known under brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy) are becoming more common than ever before.
The prescription drug — which in part, mimics a hormone in the body that helps suppress appetite and may encourage significant weight loss — has also earned a reputation for a myriad of side effects, everything from gastrointestinal distress to the dramatic impact it may have on your appearance.
Part of that phenomenon was examined earlier this year when drug users complained of "Ozempic face," where weight loss had prompted saggy, drawn facial skin due to weight loss just weeks into using semaglutide.
Now, more experts and users are raising awareness about the same effect that may occur in other areas of the body, too, including the derrière. The term "Ozempic butt" is becoming more common as some patients didn't intend to experience loose, sagging skin after losing weight.
For those who aren't aware, semaglutide, a drug that belongs to a class of medication called GLP-1 agonists, was initially approved for type 2 diabetes treatment and stimulating the pancreas; it also helps decrease appetite and the movement of food through the gastrointestinal system, which is often how users begin to lose weight. Semaglutide doesn't officially cause skin issues by any means — but weight loss alone can prompt sagging, loose skin, explains David Nazarian, M.D., medical director of MyConciergeMD, a private practice in Beverly Hills.
"When a person loses a significant amount of weight, the skin may not fully bounce back to its original tautness," he adds. "This is more evident if the weight loss occurs more rapidly."
What is "Ozempic butt"?
Experiencing loose, undefined skin that appears to be deflated is not a new phenomenon for anyone who has experienced weight loss, by any means. But experts are concerned that the rate at which some patients are losing weight while using semaglutide medications (particularly in the first few doses) can exacerbate the problem.
Because semaglutide influences hunger and satiety levels, many patients may be unintentionally curbing the necessary nutrients they need through proper nutrition. Some may also be using the drug for weight loss efforts alone, and can dangerously pair semaglutide with other dieting tactics (severe portion control or skipping meals and fasting, for example) that healthcare providers wouldn't recommend in the first place. It's a reality that Dr. Nazarian and other providers are seeing firsthand, he tells us.
The combination of losing weight fast and malnutrition may lead to poor skin elasticity in areas that are usually well-defined on the body. For some, it may "age" the face in creating a more concave, hollowed-out look — but for others, the same effect can occur around your rear end.
It may be because your skin can't catch up to the pace of weight loss you are experiencing. If you lose weight too quickly (especially if you have held excess body fat for a prolonged period of time), skin can't reshape itself to your new form as it normally would over an extended period of time, experts maintain.
Nutrition may also play a role here, as muscles in the buttocks' region could be impaired by a diet that isn't sufficiently nutrient-dense, Dr. Nazarian adds.
"We are seeing many patients who are not having the proper nutritional input, medical and follow-ups they need when they're prescribed these medications," he says. "Many patients are not aware they need to have enough protein in their diets when on these medications to avoid muscle breakdown as well as fat loss; muscle breakdown can further exacerbate saggy skin appearance."
All areas of the body that naturally contain more body fat (think areas like the thighs, cheeks, belly — and yes, the butt!) may be more prone to sagging, loose skin than others.
