As weight drops fast, cosmetic clinics see surge in ‘Ozempic face’ fixes

Cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists Mint spoke with say they are seeing a growing influx of first-time patients seeking procedures such as fillers, skin tightening and minimally invasive cosmetic surgeries, to reverse the side effects of GLP-1 drugs, which suppress appetite.

“I would say 20-25% of patients coming in are on GLP-1s as of now,” said Gurgaon-based plastic and cosmetic surgeon Dr Anmol Chugh. “This is significant because these are all new patients, people who haven’t heard of aesthetics, but are worried about the fact that their face is dull and skin is loose.”

While side effects don’t manifest the same on everyone, about three to four out of 10 patients on GLP-1s have grappled with the sunken, hollow look being associated with the drugs, according to Mumbai-based celebrity dermatologist Dr Satish Bhatia. Especially, people aged 30-45 years—particularly in urban centres—are among the most common cohorts showing up at clinics, doctors say.

Experts caution that the use of these drugs needs to be closely monitored by specialists, including endocrinologists, gynaecologists, cardiologists and dermatologists, highlighting an increase in off-label or unauthorised use already.

Such monitoring can help reduce the side effects on the face. “You don’t know if they are getting the right dosage, or the right drug,” said Dr Bhatia.

At the same time, the rise in demand is fuelling concerns around unlicensed or non-board certified aesthetic clinics. “It gives me sleepless nights,” said Dr Chugh.

“I have seen a lot of complications due to improper use of fillers,” said Dr Parag Sahasrabudhe, a cosmetic and plastic surgeon in Pune, warning that procedures carried out without proper understanding of the side-effects can lead to serious reactions.

Doctors liken this to trends seen in the hair transplant and IV therapy space, where unauthorised treatments have led to severe side effects and deaths.

The numbers are expected to grow significantly, as cheaper versions of the patented drugs flood the market after the active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, lost patent exclusivity this March, opening the door for Indian pharma companies to launch their own versions that are 50-90% cheaper.

Concerns over off-label or over-the-counter use are increasing as well, with many doctors highlighting that these drugs are being prescribed by unauthorised individuals or being used for cosmetic purposes already. If unchecked use of these drugs continues, it could lead to a “pandemic of loose skin”, cautioned Dr Chugh.

Since then, the term is being used synonymously for patients losing face fat on various weight loss injections. A McKinsey report from May 2025 notes that GLP-1s are not only fuelling a demand for aesthetic products and services, but also reshaping the industry.

For one, 63% of patients seeking facial aesthetic products or procedures were not active users of medical aesthetics services, the report said. Additionally, US medical aesthetic providers were enthusiastic about developing therapies tailored specifically to these patients, the report said. In June 2024, skincare giant Galderma's CEO Flemming Ornskov told Wall Street Journal that the company sees an opportunity in the ‘Ozempic face’.

Although the Indian industry is nascent in comparison—weight-loss drugs are expected to comprise a $200-billion global market by 2030, with US patients more than doubling to 25 million, according to JP Morgan Global Research—the pickup of aesthetic treatments in India is mimicking the developed market.