In recent years, weight loss injections like Ozempic and Wegovy have gained immense popularity. While initially approved by the FDA for treating type 2 diabetes, Ozempic's ability to regulate blood sugar levels and slow digestion led to significant weight loss in patients. This spurred Novo Nordic, the manufacturer of Ozempic, to release Wegovy, specifically FDA-approved for weight loss treatment.
However, rapid weight loss often brings unwanted side effects, particularly in the face. When individuals lose a substantial amount of weight quickly, skin elasticity struggles to keep pace, leading to facial volume loss and skin laxity (sagging). This can result in wrinkles, fine lines, hollow areas, and jowls along the jawline.
Fortunately, dermal fillers offer a non-surgical solution to address these concerns, restoring facial contours for a more youthful appearance.
The Impact of Weight Loss on the Face
Both Wegovy and Ozempic can trigger rapid weight loss. The skin's elasticity may not keep up with the fat loss, leading to loose, sagging skin on the face and body. Facial fat pads can also diminish, creating a hollow or gaunt appearance. This sagging skin and loss of fat pads can accentuate signs of aging, such as fine lines, wrinkles, and jowls. This phenomenon is often referred to as "Ozempic Face."
While starting with a lower dose of injectable treatments can help the skin adjust to fat loss, dermal fillers offer an effective solution for those already experiencing these side effects.
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What are Dermal Fillers?
Dermal fillers are injectable treatments used to restore lost volume, sculpt the jawline, reduce wrinkles and jowls, and enhance facial features like lips, cheeks, and chin. They offer a non-surgical alternative to plastic surgery, providing noticeable results without downtime. Touch-up appointments can maintain results every six months to two years.
Types of Dermal Fillers
Several types of dermal fillers are available, each with unique properties and applications:
- Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Fillers (e.g., Juvederm, Restylane): HA is a naturally occurring substance in the skin that keeps it hydrated and supported. HA fillers offer immediate results, lasting six to eighteen months. The Restylane and Juvederm families offer a variety of particle sizes and cross-linking technologies to address different areas of the face.
- Poly-L-Lactic Acid Fillers (e.g., Sculptra): Sculptra stimulates the body's natural collagen production, enhancing structural support for tighter, firmer skin. It is particularly effective for midface volume loss and is best for patients who have reached their target weight. Results can last up to two years.
- Calcium Hydroxylapatite Fillers (e.g., Radiesse): These fillers stimulate collagen production and provide structural support.
Can You Get Fillers While Using Weight Loss Injections?
Yes, dermal fillers can address "Ozempic Face" caused by rapid weight loss. They can restore volume in the midface and temples, lift the skin, and reduce hollows. Fillers can also eliminate jowls along the jawline and provide structure to the under-eye area, reducing shadows.
Dermal Fillers vs. Botox
While dermal fillers restore volume to reduce wrinkles and fine lines, Botox addresses dynamic wrinkles (e.g., crow's feet, forehead lines). Dynamic wrinkles form when making facial expressions and can become more visible with sagging skin due to rapid weight loss. Botox can be used alongside weight loss injections to target these dynamic wrinkles.
Choosing the Best Fillers After Weight Loss
The best dermal filler depends on the individual's needs and where they are in their weight loss journey. There is no single "best" filler; rather, one may be more appropriate than another.
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- Restylane and Juvederm: These HA fillers can be used throughout the weight loss journey for immediate results.
- Sculptra: This collagen-stimulating filler is best used after reaching the ideal weight to address sagging skin and facial hollows.
Can Fillers Make You Look Thinner?
While it may seem counterintuitive, adding volume with fillers in the right places can make the face look thinner. Sagging skin and loss of fat pads can cause drooping along the jawline, making the face appear heavier. Dermal fillers lift the skin, improve cheekbone and jawline definition, and reduce jowls.
Fillers to Slim the Face
A slim, youthful face is characterized by full cheeks and tight skin. Fat pads that create fullness in the cheeks can disappear with rapid weight loss, leading to sagging skin. Cheek fillers like Juvederm Voluma, Restylane Lyft, or Sculptra can create lift in the cheekbones, slimming the face.
Addressing Sagging Skin After Fillers
Dermal fillers can reduce the impact of sagging skin by creating lift and support. For significant skin sagging, laser therapy, such as Thermage radiofrequency treatment, can be combined with fillers for skin tightening.
What Happens to Fillers If You Lose More Weight?
Some fillers, like HA fillers, can be used throughout the weight loss journey, while others, like Sculptra, are best used after reaching the ideal weight. During a consultation, a dermatologist can develop a treatment plan tailored to the individual's weight loss process.
Dermal Fillers for Other Areas
Dermal fillers can also address sagging skin and volume loss in other areas, such as the buttocks ("Ozempic butt"). Radiesse and Sculptra are often used for non-surgical butt lifts to restore volume and create smoother, firmer skin.
Read also: Do Fillers Dissolve Over Time?
Timing of Dermal Filler Treatment
It is generally best to wait until after weight loss treatment has taken effect before getting dermal fillers. While HA fillers can be used throughout the process, collagen stimulators like Sculptra should be used after reaching the ideal weight.
What to Expect Before, During, and After Cheek Filler Procedures
- Before: A consultation with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon will assess your face, discuss your goals, and review your medical history, including allergies, autoimmune conditions, medications, and previous cosmetic procedures.
- During: The skin is cleaned, and a numbing agent is applied. Small amounts of filler are injected beneath the skin using a thin needle. The procedure typically takes 15 to 30 minutes.
- After: Cool packs are applied. Bruising, discomfort, and swelling are common for a few days. Results are usually visible immediately, with full results appearing within days or months.
The Benefits of Fillers After Weight Loss
- Volume Restoration: Fillers replace lost volume in the cheeks, temples, under-eye areas, jawline, and around the mouth.
- Enhanced Facial Features: Fillers enhance contours by defining the cheeks and jawline.
- Smoothing Fine Lines and Wrinkles: Fillers smooth out fine lines and wrinkles that become more prominent after rapid weight loss.
- Immediate Results: Dermal fillers offer immediate results, providing a noticeable enhancement.
- Non-Surgical Option: Dermal fillers provide a non-surgical option for facial rejuvenation with minimal downtime and fewer risks than surgical procedures.
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Fillers: A Closer Look
HA fillers are a popular choice for facial enhancement due to their versatility and natural-looking results.
Pros of HA Fillers:
- Immediate and Natural-Looking Results: HA fillers provide instant transformation, integrating smoothly with the skin for soft, natural contours.
- Non-Surgical and Minimally Invasive: HA fillers are an excellent alternative to surgical procedures, with no incisions, anesthesia, or significant downtime.
- Customizable and Precise: HA fillers allow for a tailored approach, targeting specific areas and adjusting volume as needed.
- Reversible and Safe: HA fillers can be dissolved if desired, providing flexibility and confidence. They are also FDA-approved and have an excellent safety profile when administered by qualified professionals.
- Versatility Across Facial Areas: HA fillers can enhance nearly every part of the face.
- Minimal Downtime: Most patients experience only mild swelling or redness for a day or two.
- Results That Last but Arenât Permanent: Results can last from 6 months up to 2 years, providing long-lasting enhancement without permanence.
Cons of HA Fillers:
- Temporary Result: HA fillers do not last forever and require maintenance treatments every 6â24 months.
- Possibility of Swelling or Bruising: Mild swelling, redness, and bruising are normal side effects.
- Cost Over Time: The cost can add up over time due to maintenance treatments.
- Risk of Overfilling or Asymmetry: Inexperienced injectors can lead to overfilled areas or uneven contours.
- Rare but Serious Complications: Complications such as vascular occlusion can occur, highlighting the importance of choosing a medically trained injector.
- Not a Substitute for Surgery in All Cases: Fillers cannot replace surgery for severe sagging or structural concerns.
Combining HA Fillers with Other Treatments
For even more refined and longer-lasting results, HA fillers can be combined with treatments like PDO thread lifts, PRF (Platelet-Rich Fibrin), and skin tightening and resurfacing treatments.
Facelift vs. Fillers After Weight Loss
Deciding between a facelift and dermal fillers after weight loss depends on volume loss, skin condition, and desired results. Facelift surgery delivers more dramatic, longer-lasting results by lifting and tightening deeper facial tissues. Dermal fillers are injectable treatments that use hyaluronic acid to restore lost volume and smooth wrinkles.
Facelift:
- Pros: Longer-lasting results (often 10 years or more), structural rejuvenation.
- Cons: More downtime (14 days off from work), swelling, bruising, and tightness.
Dermal Fillers:
- Pros: Little to no recovery, quick results.
- Cons: Temporary results, maintenance treatments required.
Choosing a Provider
Finding the right physician to perform your dermal filler procedure is key. Look for an experienced, board-certified dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon with a thorough understanding of facial anatomy and familiarity with the variety of available fillers and their respective injection techniques.