February 9, 2025 — If it feels like everyone is on semaglutide for weight loss, it’s because a significant portion of adults are. About 15.5 million people have taken a GLP-1 drug, according to a recent national Gallup poll. In just a few years, GLP-1s like Ozempic®, Wegovy®, and Mounjaro® have gone from clinical tools to cultural staples, with nearly 75% of Americans familiar with them, and more than half believing they’re a strong option for managing obesity or weight-related health challenges.
With this surge comes a new and unexpected aesthetic conversation: patients are thrilled with their weight loss but shocked by the changes they see in their skin.
In practices across the country, providers are hearing a similar sentiment:
“I love my weight loss… but I look older.”
Leading experts in dermatology and plastic surgery are noticing the same pattern. Rapid weight loss is contributing to hollowing in the cheeks, under-eye depressions, laxity along the jawline and neck, and an overall decline in skin quality: what the internet now calls “Ozempic Face.”
This is where aesthetic providers can play an important role, offering customized laser and light-based treatment for Ozempic face that helps patients regain confidence while supporting their weight-loss journey.
Keep reading to explore how Sciton’s treatment suite can help providers address the skin changes that often accompany GLP-1 use.
The GLP-1 patient: Why more are turning to aesthetic providers
Many patients today are experiencing the fastest weight loss of their lives, and for a large percentage, semaglutide is their first-ever aesthetic or wellness treatment.
They’re thrilled with their progress until facial changes begin appearing faster than expected:
- Flattened cheeks
- Deepened folds
- A “tired” or hollowed look
- Dull, lackluster skin
- New wrinkles or sagging
- Texture changes
Aesthetic concerns weren’t part of their original journey, but suddenly, they’re front and center.
The problem: Why GLP-1 skin behaves differently
Many of these changes to the facial appearance stem not only from the loss of fat volume but also from emerging hypotheses about how GLP-1s affect skin integrity. Top key opinion leaders (KOLs), dermatologists, and surgeons who treat these patients every day are raising the same red flags:
What they’re seeing clinically:
- Hollowing of the anterior face, under-eye area, and jowls
- Increased laxity in the face, neck, arms, and abdomen
- Loose, redundant skin after facial volume drops
- Dull, dehydrated, “lifeless” skin tone
- A decline in skin elasticity and radiance
- Skin behaving “older” than the patient’s age
Dr. Saami Khalifian, MD, FAAD, a double-board-certified dermatologist in Encinitas, CA, and a Sciton luminary, explains that GLP-1 patients are fundamentally changing how providers approach skin quality in aesthetic dermatology. “What we’re seeing with rapid weight loss isn’t just volume depletion but a complete restructuring of skin architecture,” he says. He explains that these patients experience accelerated changes in collagen integrity, elastin fiber networks, and dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT), a previously underrecognized component of the skin that plays a critical role in skin quality, texture, and structural support.
When patients lose 20–30% of their body weight in a year, Dr. Khalifian notes that the changes go far beyond what’s visible on the surface. Rather than isolated concerns, providers are seeing profound shifts across multiple layers of the dermis—changes that require a more thoughtful, strategic approach to intervention.
“I have loved using Sciton’s new HALO® TRIBRID™ in this context, as it allows me to address the entire spectrum of GLP-1–related skin changes. The 2940 nm wavelength targets superficial concerns and epidermal remodeling; the 1927 nm wavelength works at the dermal-epidermal junction, where critical structural changes occur; and the 1470 nm wavelength penetrates deeper dermal layers to stimulate true collagen remodeling, elastogenesis, and potentially dWAT restructuring. With a single device and treatment pass, we’re addressing multi-layered tissue changes that occur during rapid weight loss, which was something that previously required multiple technologies and treatment sessions.”
Dr. Khalifian also emphasizes that combining HALO TRIBRID with BBL® HEROic™ for pigmentary correction and vascular improvement, along with filters such as SkinSmooth™ and SkinTyte™ for textural and tightening effects, creates a true systems-based strategy for managing metabolic skin changes. For providers, the key takeaway is clear: GLP-1 patients require early, strategic, multi-depth intervention. Together, these modalities form comprehensive solutions for Ozempic face, shifting the focus from treating isolated concerns to supporting the entire dermal matrix during accelerated physiological change—an evolution in preventive and therapeutic aesthetics.
Dr. Julius Few, MD, a Sciton luminary, key aesthetic industry opinion leader, and a leading plastic surgeon, told Allure Magazine that patients on GLP-1s often have skin that doesn’t “snap back” the way it typically does in non–GLP-1 weight loss. In his experience, these changes are distinct from those of patients who lose weight through gastric bypass or traditional dieting.
After repeatedly hearing the same concerns from GLP-1 patients, Dr. Few, in his interview with Allure, says he began reviewing the available research to identify a plausible mechanism. Some early studies suggest that GLP-1 medications may contribute to skin thinning or disrupt signaling pathways involved in cell turnover, collagen formation, and elastin production. This disruption may explain why some patients present with hollowing, sagging, and an overall dullness that feels out of proportion to their weight loss alone.
These observations suggest that providers need effective tools to address GLP-1–related skin changes.
Recent research supports what clinicians are seeing. A study published in the Journal of Biomedical Science and Engineering found that gradual, lifestyle-based weight loss tends to preserve skin integrity more effectively than rapid weight loss associated with GLP-1 medications. Even with proper supplementation and a nutrient-rich diet, some GLP-1 patients still reduce their overall food intake enough to create gaps in key nutrients, such as vitamin D, B12, and protein, that are critical for maintaining skin elasticity, hydration, and overall resilience. In other words, even when patients do everything right, the skin may still struggle to keep up.
And it’s not just clinicians seeing the shift; patients are feeling it, too.
A 2024 analysis found that online searches for “Ozempic face” have skyrocketed, up more than 4,600% since semaglutide was approved for weight management. Interest in “before and after” photos and corrective options has climbed at a similar pace. What’s even more telling is that this surge in online searches closely mirrors national prescribing trends, meaning that as more people start GLP-1 medications, more of them begin looking for answers about the changes they’re seeing in their faces.
All of these points point to a clear takeaway: GLP-1 patients benefit from early conversations and proactive skin strategies. As the number of users continues to grow, helping patients understand what to expect and how to support their skin along the way will become an increasingly important part of aesthetic care.
This creates an opportunity for providers to play a more active role in supporting patients.
Guiding patients through GLP-1–related skin changes
As more patients turn to GLP-1 medications, they’re looking to their aesthetic providers for reassurance that these changes can be managed, along with a plan to address them. Many are surprised by how quickly facial changes appear and aren’t sure what’s normal or what can be improved.
This is where your expertise becomes essential. You can offer a skin-revitalization strategy and treatment protocol to support them as they progress through their weight-loss journey. Sciton’s portfolio gives you clinically proven tools to enhance skin renewal, improve texture, correct tone, and restore a natural, refreshed look.
This is also an opportunity to keep patients within your ecosystem. If your practice offers both weight-loss injections and lasers, your patients stay with the provider who understands their goals, not the one who only meets part of their needs.
Providers are already adapting their approach to support these patients:
“I have found the use of MOXI, BBL, and HALO, by Sciton, invaluable in the support of GLP-1 affected skin- GLP skin and GLP face. Even in patients who are having facelift surgery, the ability to add state-of-the-art laser technology, made by the best engineers in the business, has allowed me to make up for the internal deficits created by GLP-1 related skin change.” — Dr. Julius Few, MD
The approach: How to support GLP-1 patients
Patients don’t just want answers; they want a plan. A thoughtful, staged approach provides effective treatment for Ozempic face while helping patients feel supported as they continue their weight-loss journey.
Set expectations through early conversations
Before changes become visible, providers can walk patients through what to expect and introduce a preventive skin-health strategy. These early touchpoints help set realistic expectations and keep patients from feeling caught off guard later.
Align treatments with injection schedules
Because GLP-1 patients are already following a scheduled injection cadence, it’s easy to align laser treatments with that rhythm. Pairing appointments in this way boosts consistency, keeps patients engaged, and simplifies their overall care plan.
Customize treatment plans as patients progress
Patients will need different levels of support depending on where they are in their weight-loss journey. A treatment plan may begin with prejuvenation options like MOXI™ and treatments that improve tone, texture, and skin quality, such as BBL® HEROic™, then progress to deeper resurfacing with HALO® TRIBRID™ and Resurfacing Perfected as changes become more noticeable. Together, these staged approaches provide reliable treatment options for Ozempic face.
A Sciton treatment approach gives patients a sense of continuity and positions you as their trusted long-term guide, someone who understands their journey and has the tools to support them every step of the way.
Sciton treatments that support Ozempic-era skin
HALO® TRIBRID™
HALO TRIBRID is a triple-wavelength resurfacing laser that combines 2940 nm, 1470 nm, and 1927 nm in a single, synchronized pass. This approach allows providers to address multiple depths of the skin without switching devices or layering separate treatments. Energy delivery is calibrated to the selected density for consistent, controlled treatment. The wavelengths can be used together or independently, depending on patient needs.
For GLP-1 patients, this level of versatility is especially valuable. MOXI targets early pigmentation changes and restores brightness, HALO supports dermal remodeling and skin renewal, and Erbium resurfacing targets deep wrinkles and textural irregularities. Used individually or in combination, these modalities may support healthier-looking skin during periods of rapid weight loss. Providers can easily adjust treatment depth based on a patient’s skin condition to achieve effective, personalized results.
BBL® HEROic™
BBL HEROic targets the appearance of redness, pigmentation, and the overall decline in radiance that GLP-1 patients frequently report. BBL HEROic can be performed year-round, pairs easily with nearly any Sciton treatment, and fits well into a maintenance rhythm, making it ideal for long-term support throughout the weight-loss process.
ClearSilk®
ClearSilk® is often considered the ideal entry point for GLP-1 patients who are new to laser treatments or prefer a gentle, no-downtime, year-round approach. Known as the “lunchtime facial,” this 1064 nm Nd:YAG treatment softens the appearance of fine lines, improves uneven texture, and reduces redness, flushing, pigmented lesions, and acne scars—concerns that can become more visible as facial volume shifts during weight loss.
Resurfacing with Sciton’s Erbium Technology
As localized fat diminishes, crepiness and fine lines can become more prominent, particularly around the eyes, mouth, and jawline. Sciton’s tunable Erbium resurfacing technology allows providers to precisely adjust ablation and coagulation to smooth the appearance of these areas without unnecessary thermal injury. This level of control is critical as GLP-1–related changes often vary widely between patients.
The results: Helping patients look like themselves again
When patients receive support throughout their GLP-1 journey, the changes go far beyond the mirror. Improving skin quality helps them maintain a natural, balanced look that reflects how healthy and confident they feel, and allows them to age gradually rather than experience sudden shifts in appearance.
For practices, this creates continuity of care. Patients stay engaged, notice steady improvement, and build long-term trust with the provider who guided both their wellness and aesthetic goals.
The next step: Learning, leading, and staying ahead at UP Xchange™
Caring for GLP-1 patients isn’t just about having the right technology; it’s about knowing how to stay ahead of what’s coming next. Trends are shifting quickly, and patients are asking new questions providers haven’t had to navigate before. That’s where UP Xchange™ becomes especially valuable.
UP Xchange is Sciton’s signature leadership development experience, built on one powerful belief: every provider has Unfiltered Potential™ waiting to be unlocked. UP—short for Unfiltered Potential™—reflects an honest approach to the mindset, skills, and strategies behind effective leadership in aesthetics.
Over two immersive days, providers learn how to select the right technology for specific patient demographics, design treatment plans for today’s patients, and create packages or bundles that drive measurable ROI. UP Xchange is also where the conversation around consultations really deepens: how to talk to patients about skin changes, set expectations early, and guide them through a long-term plan with confidence.
To learn more about Up Xchange’s session tracks and register for one of our upcoming cities, visit https://upx.sciton.com/.