More Brits than ever are going under the knife to fix ‘Ozempic face’

Ozempic is an injectable medication used to treat type 2 diabetes (Pictures: Getty/Reuters) The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) revealed that in 2025, facial enhancements are the fastest rising cosmetic surgeries. Brow lifts top the list (up by 27%), followed by eyelift surgery (up by 8%), and face and neck lifts (up by 11%). While breast augmentation remains the UK’s most popular, there’s been a sharp decline, with surgeries down by 8%. Superficial Gluteal Lipofilling (SGL), a safer alternative to the BBL, has also plummeted by 38%. It’s no coincidence that this shift away from what BAAPS’ annual audit refers to as ‘exaggerated curves’ coincides with the explosion of Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy. An estimated 1.6 million UK adults were on some form of weight-loss drug from early 2024 to early 2025, and additional 3.3 million said they’d be interested in taking them over the next year. That’s millions of men and women who are losing weight, and dealing with the side effects of these drugs — one of which is ‘Ozempic Face,’ which former BAAPS president, Rajiv Grover, says has ‘driven medical reasons for patients seeking facial aesthetic procedures.’ How much do the most popular facial procedures cost? The most popular facial surgeries in the UK currently are blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), face and neck lift, and eyebrow lift. A blepharoplasty is cosmetic surgery to remove excess skin or fat from the eyelids. The surgery can change the look of drooping eyelids or eye bags. The cost for this procedure can range from £2,500 to £6,000. Prices vary rather dramatically depending on whether you’re getting an ‘upper eye lift’ or a ‘lower blepharoplasty’, with the latter typically costing more. The cost of a face and neck lift will depend entirely on how invasive your procedure is. While ‘mini face lifts’ can be more affordable, around £5,000, a combined face and neck procedure can cost upwards of £10,000 to £12,000. A surgical eyebrow lift is not considered to be an extremely expensive procedure, with most clinics quoting approximately between £3,000 and £4,000. What is ‘Ozempic face’? This phenomenon refers to sagging, ageing and lacklustre appearance of the facial skin and structures,’ according to Dr Adil Sheraz, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson. He says: ‘The face has a layer of fat that essentially stretches the skin. Ozempic results in rapid weight loss and does so very effectively. This, of course, will lead to rapid loss of subcutaneous (under the skin) facial fat. ‘The overlying skin however will not be able to shrink at the same rate, resulting in a sagging, droopy and wrinkled appearance.’ The world is fascinated by Ozempic, but it’s not something to mess around with. (Picture: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Dr Paul Jarrod Frank, a dermatologist in New York thought to have coined the phrase, told the New York Times he’s started seeing Ozempic face ‘every day’ since these drugs hit the mainstream. He notes: ‘A 50-year-old patient will come in, and suddenly, she’s super-skinny and needs filler, which she never needed before. I look at her and say: “How long have you been on Ozempic?” And I’m right 100 per cent of the time.’ This isn’t necessarily specific to Ozempic. As Dr Sheraz explains, this change in facial features can occur with any type of rapid weight loss. Features resembling ‘Ozempic face’ can also be more common with age. Dr Sheraz added: ‘Ozempic face may be more of an issue in older individuals as there is less collagen and elastin in our skin as we age, therefore its ability to adapt reduces.’ Have you experienced 'Ozempic Face'? Yes, and I got facial surgery to combat the effectsCheck No, my face has hardly changedCheck Sign up to Metro's The Slice newsletter for your guide to what's on in London, with trusted reviews, offers and giveaways. Because the term ‘Ozempic face’ references the off-brand use of the drug – i.e. incorrect usage by people who don’t have type 2 diabetes, but who want to use it for weight loss – Novo Nordisk, the company that manufactures Ozempic, couldn’t comment on ‘Ozempic face’ specifically when Metro first reported on the trend back in 2024. However, a spokesperson told Metro at the time: ‘Regarding safety, the most common adverse events among people treated with Ozempic (semaglutide) for its indicated use, are gastrointestinal events including nausea, diarrhoea and vomiting. ‘Most events were transient, and mild or moderate in severity and resolved without permanent treatment discontinuation’. What are the risks of taking weight loss drugs recreationally? Taking semaglutide without medical guidance is not recommended, making the black market of weight loss injections worrying. It can impact the body’s ability to absorb nutrients and cause changes in intestinal health or even pancreatic inflammation (also known as pancreatitis). Short-term, it can also facilitate hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) which, in severe cases, can lead to seizures. Ozempic has seen a global surge in popularity over the past three years (Picture: Getty Images) Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert says: ‘More often than not, these types of products and the way they are marketed prey on people’s vulnerabilities and exacerbate the expectations to look an “ideal” shape or size. ‘Not only do these products discourage healthy eating habits and may potentially cause disordered eating, [but] they’re often purchased online, which may be dangerous as there is a lot less regulation when buying through the internet. ‘There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to our health and wellbeing.’ Fake weight loss drugs are on the rise A concerning trend that’s garnered traction recently is the spread of counterfeit weight loss drugs. An MHRA report released in January this year revealed that more than 6,500 counterfeit products claiming to contain Ozempic were seized in the UK in just over two years. One victim of this insidious underbelly is Michelle Sword, 47, who first started taking weight loss jabs in 2020. Having previously bought her first pen of Ozempic through a legitimate online pharmacy, Michelle later secured a new supply from a company on Facebook. After it arrived, she noted that although the pen itself looked identical to the previous ones, with a blue plastic cover and Ozempic sticker, there was one warning sign that something wasn’t right. Michelle had found it increasingly difficult to source ‘legitimate Ozempic’ (Picture: Victoria Blissett / SWNS) ‘It just kept clicking. I didn’t really know what the dose was, so I just decided to stop after a few clicks. The common airport mistake that could get your phone confiscated at security The three-word phrase women use during sex that men say makes them ‘feel like a failure’ Balanitis is the penis issue 11% of men have — and it leaves an 'unpleasant smell' ‘When I looked at the inside of the vial, the liquid didn’t seem to have gone down that far, so I remember thinking I might have to take some more later.’ Dismissing her concerns, she proceeded with the injection. But just 20 minutes later, ‘everything went black’ and Michelle collapsed on the floor. Tests later revealed the pen was full of insulin, which had essentially caused a diabetic coma — and although Michelle’s condition eventually stabilised, this near miss led to her to swear she’d ‘never touch jabs again’. Ahsan Bhatti, pharmacist and owner of UK online pharmacy Quick Meds, urges people to remember that ‘under no circumstance should you trust weight-loss pens sold on apps such as TikTok, messaging apps or via unverified websites’. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk. Arrow MORE: My husband’s found a ‘younger version of me’ — should I get a facelift? Arrow MORE: Gogglebox star unrecognisable after life-changing 8 stone weight loss Arrow MORE: A third of dieters in the UK’s jab capital are on Mounjaro or Ozempic — how does your city rank? Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source The Slice Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.

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