The growing use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (RAs) for weight management is creating new challenges for aesthetic medicine, particularly in managing the physical changes associated with rapid weight loss.

“While these drugs are revolutionizing weight management, they also present new aesthetic challenges,” Nicolas Georgieu, MD, president of the French Society of Aesthetic and Plastic Surgeons (SOFCEP), said.

“Loss of facial volume, skin laxity, and changes in skin quality mean practitioners must now offer tailored solutions to address these effects and support patients through rapid body changes,” said Georgieu, plastic surgeon based in Bayonne, France.

‘Ozempic Face’

In the US, recent annual online surveys of academy members conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the world’s largest association of facial plastic and reconstructive surgeons, highlighted the growing demand for aesthetic procedures related to GLP-1 RA-associated weight loss.

In the December 2025 survey, 67% of respondents reported an increase in patients seeking treatment for aesthetic changes associated with rapid weight loss, representing a 45% increase compared with 2024. For the second consecutive year, the respondents also reported a 50% increase in facial fat grafting procedures.

“As facial fat disappears quickly, patients experiencing ‘Ozempic face’ are seeking remedies to unintended accelerated signs of aging such as hollowed cheeks, increased skin laxity, and more pronounced jowls,” said Anthony E. Brissett, MD, facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and president of AAFPRS, in a news release.

Beyond the Face

The aesthetic effects of rapid weight loss are not limited to the face, Michel Rouif, MD, plastic surgeon based in Tours, France, and secretary general of the SOFCEP, said during a session titled “Ozempic and GLP-1 Agonists: The New Aesthetic Challenge.”

Rouif noted that several recent studies have reported increases in abdominal skin laxity, breast ptosis, and excess skin of the extremities after substantial weight loss. Consequently, some patients treated with GLP-1 RAs resemble those who have undergone bariatric surgery, although the changes are generally less pronounced.

“In this context, aesthetic surgery must adapt to a new patient profile,” Rouif said. “Tissue quality may be compromised, with thinner, less elastic skin that could theoretically affect suture strength and facelift outcomes. However, clinical data remain limited and do not currently support a significantly increased risk of complications.”

Rouif also highlighted findings from a recent study showing no significant difference in complication rates after body-contouring surgery according to the weight-loss method, suggesting that GLP-1 RAs themselves are unlikely to represent a major surgical risk factor.

Among the 1002 patients who underwent body-contouring surgery after weight loss, the complication rates did not differ significantly according to the preceding weight-loss strategy, including bariatric surgery (67.9%), lifestyle intervention (14.3%), GLP-1 RA therapy (7.8%), or combination therapy (10.1%).

The researchers reported that panniculectomy, brachioplasty, thighplasty, and breast procedures demonstrated their expected procedure-specific complication profiles. A higher BMI at the time of surgery and diabetes independently predicted an increased risk for complications.

Perioperative Considerations

Rouif also emphasized the perioperative implications of GLP-1 RA therapy. Because these medications delay gastric emptying, they may increase the risk for retained gastric contents and aspiration during anesthesia.

Rather than recommending routine discontinuation of treatment, several professional societies now advocate an individualized approach on the basis of factors such as the stage of GLP-1 RA therapy, the presence of gastrointestinal symptoms, and the type of surgery planned.

“This shift underscores the importance of close collaboration among plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, and the clinicians prescribing these medications,” Rouif said.

This story was translated from Medscape’s French edition.