For all the miraculous effects attributed to GLP-1s like Ozempic — from craving suppression to fighting inflammation — Hollywood’s favorite drugs do not defy the law of gravity. As they’ve grown in popularity and availability, so has the need for treatments that target that drooping skin that follows rapid weight loss.
Surgeons like New York-based Macrene Alexiades have made a specialty of it. “I have successfully treated and reversed GLP-1 sagginess in my patients with radiofrequency treatments for skin laxity reduction, combined with PRP plus artful strategic filler placement to restore key areas of atrophy,” Alexiades tells THR. “Usually two treatment sessions, a month apart, is enough to achieve a full correction and restoration.”
Dermatologist Simon Ourian, meanwhile, focuses “on restoring collagen and muscle mass, which are often depleted during rapid weight loss.” He says, “We use our proprietary [hyaluronic acid-based] Neustem regenerative protocol to rebuild structural support, enhance muscle tone, and restore vitality to the face and body without the risk of overfilling. For the body, we combine regenerative solutions with energy-based skin tightening and contouring to address loose skin and improve definition in areas like the abdomen, arms and thighs.”
Image Skincare’s Vol.U.Lift cream.
Courtesy of Brand
Paul Jarrod Frank recommends second-generation scarless skin removal — a technique known as Ellacor fractional micro-coring — to treat crepey skin on the face, neck, arms, abdomen, legs and back. “Unlike microneedling, which punches holes in the skin and delivers heat, Ellacor punches holes and literally cores out just under a millimeter of skin, done thousands of times over each area to remove a significant percentage with each treatment,” the dermatologist explains. “The advantage is that you are removing, lifting and tightening skin without having to do a more aggressive surgical intervention. Holes close in 24 hours, with full recovery in five days.”
Beverly Hills dermatologist Rhonda Rand (Angelina Jolie is a longtime client) leans into a combo of facial fillers, plus “radiofrequency microneedling to help tighten the skin and high-intensity focused ultrasound to stimulate collagen at deeper levels.” She tells THR, “In severe cases of facial wasting, even a facelift would be appropriate. When the skin is sagging so much, noninvasive procedures may not be enough.”
GLP-1s have also ushered in a new wave of skin care products. Chicago-based plastic surgeon Julius Few (who has collaborated with Gwyneth Paltrow for Goop) recently added a $300 topical DermaReverse serum to his product line “designed specifically for GLP-1 users experiencing GLP Face” as well as a $195 Skin Tightening + SPF 30 with Dermatight to target sagging and laxity on the body. Image Skincare, which has a strong Hollywood following, has introduced $134 Vol.U.Lift, developed by the company’s plastic surgeon co-founder to address volume loss, sagging and other side effects of GLP-1 usage.
Launching a whole new industry? Add it to that list of miraculous effects.
This story appeared in the July 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
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