WHAT IS 'OZEMPIC BUTT'? DOCTORS EXPLAIN AND SHARE TIPS TO AVOID IT

Demand for weight-loss drugs is steadily increasing with over 2 million Americans taking semaglutide, a type of medication made by Novo Nordisk, in 2021, according to Pew Research Center.

In fact, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy, all semglutide medications that can induce weight loss, brought in about $21.1 billion for the company in 2023.

But as more people take these medications, some are starting to notice side effects and unexpected changes to their bodies, such as Ozempic face and another phenomenon known as Ozempic butt.

While changes to the appearance of the buttocks when taking a weight-loss drug can be surprising, experts tell TODAY.com that it’s something that can occur with any dramatic weight loss and may be avoidable.

Here's what to know about "Ozempic butt."

What is Ozempic butt?

"Ozempic butt" refers to the wrinkly, loose and sagging skin that some users of weight-loss drugs have noticed on their backsides after using the medications for an extended period and losing substantial weight. Ozempic butt is not an official medical diagnosis.

The medication that inspired the term, Ozempic, is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat Type 2 diabetes. Its active ingredient is semaglutide, which releases a synthetic version of a hormone that the body creates when eating, reducing appetite. Ozempic's sister drug, Wegovy, also contains semaglutide and is FDA-approved to treat obesity.

“Because the weight loss can be so rapid" on Ozempic, Wegovy and similar drugs, users may see sagging skin around their rear ends, Dr. F. Clarissa Yang, dermatologist-in-chief at Tufts Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.

“However, you can see this with any rapid weight loss," she adds.

Asked about reports of Ozempic butt, a Novo Nordisk spokesperson tells TODAY.com: "At Novo Nordisk, patient safety is a top priority. We work closely with the (FDA) to continuously monitor the safety profile of our medicines. We do not have clinical data evaluating the effect of Wegovy or Ozempic on sagging skin on the buttocks. We recommend that any patients experiencing side effects while taking Wegovy or Ozempic contact their health care provider.”

In addition to rapid weight loss, Ozempic butt can also happen to people who experience massive weight loss, usually at least 100 pounds or more than 40% of one’s excess body weight, Dr. John Burns, a board-certified plastic surgeon and the president at Dallas Plastic Surgery Institute, tells TODAY.com.

The resulting flabby skin can occur in any area of the body where fat had been stored, including the stomach, thighs and arms — “but two of the most common areas of complaint are the face and butt,” he says. In both areas, “the amount of excess skin generally tracks with the amount of lost weight, meaning the more weight that is lost, the more excess skin that is usually left behind,” Burns adds.

What causes Ozempic butt?

Both rapid and and massive weight loss, usually due to a weight-loss medication (not just Ozempic), can cause Ozempic butt.

Excess skin associated with weight loss sags or appears wrinkly primarily because it loses elasticity and collagen as it expands, so the skin can’t retract as well once the weight is lost.

“Think of a balloon that’s losing air,” Dr. Samuel Lin, an associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School and a Boston-based plastic surgeon, tells TODAY.com. “As the balloon deflates, you notice wrinkles and extra material where the air once filled."

Ozempic butt is especially likely in older people since the proteins collagen and elastin, which promotes elasticity, diminish as we age.

“The younger you are, the more elastic your skin is and the more likely it is to bounce back like a rubber band,” Dr. Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist and an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, tells TODAY.com. “The older you are, the more likely your skin is going to sag.”

How Ozempic affects skin and muscles

Losing a lot of weight quickly, which can happen on a weight-loss drug like Ozempic, can impact both muscle and skin.

Muscle loss

“When you lose weight, you can lose muscle and bone, in addition to fat,” says Yang.

Some patients may see even more muscle loss on weight-loss drugs because they “decrease appetite, which in turn decreases a person’s food and nutrient intake tremendously," Dr. Iman Saleh, director of obesity medicine at the bariatrics department of Northwell Health South Shore University Hospital, tells TODAY.com.

“Patients on Ozempic or Wegovy lose both fat and muscle while on these medications,” she adds.

The combined loss of fat and muscle can contribute to a flatter and more poorly shaped butt, “and if you lose a significant amount of muscle and fat from the buttocks, the sagging skin can appear even more pronounced,” Dr. Dustin Portela, dermatologist and founder of Treasure Valley Dermatology in Boise, Idaho, tells TODAY.com.

A spokesperson for Novo Nordisk previously told NBC News that even though semaglutide can reduce a person's muscle mass, the medication improves a person's ratio of lean body mass (everything in the body but fat) to total body mass.

Excess skin

Weight gain damages the proteins elastin and collagen, which help the skin stay firm and stretchy. So, often times when the weight is lost, the skin isn't able to retract as well as it did before the weight gain.

And while our skin does have what are called “viscoelastic properties,” which allow it to recoil to a certain extent after being stretched, “with significant weight loss, there inevitably is more excess skin than can retract,” says Burns.

How to avoid Ozempic butt

Though it’s not always possible to completely avoid Ozempic butt or other adverse outcomes related to significant weight loss, it is possible to minimize the effects.

“It is always best to lose weight slowly, so you may want to have your doctor monitor the dose of the medication and lower the dose if you’re losing weight too fast,” offers Jaliman.

Portela agrees that losing weight at a rate of two to four pounds a week “can make it easier for the skin to adjust.”

It's also important not to neglect exercise.

“Focus on strength training the large muscles of your legs, hips and buttocks,” Portela advises. “Strengthening these muscles helps to increase the muscle volume to compensate for the fat loss in these areas and will also help your body process sugar more efficiently and improve your metabolic health.”

Yang says it’s also crucial to maintain a nutritionally dense diet. “Be mindful of protein intake along with micronutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc, copper, magnesium and iron,” she advises, as they can help improve the appearance of skin.

She also recommends getting enough selenium, omega-3s, calcium, potassium, biotin, magnesium, vitamins K, E, D, and the B vitamins “to maintain muscle strength and mass and to minimize loss of volume.”

How to treat Ozempic butt

If you’re already experiencing Ozempic butt, there are techniques and treatment options available.

Burns says these include:

Rebuilding lost muscle through exercise
Working to tighten your skin with proper diet and hydrating skin care
Talking with your doctor about safe medical devices and procedures that tighten skin

Many of Burns' patients also turn to volume-replacement cosmetic products to treat Ozempic butt. “For smaller volume deficits, fillers can be used to fill in these discrete areas and provide more volume to the butt and fill out loose skin,” he says.

In larger areas of lost volume, some patients turn to plastic surgery, where excess fat can be removed from one’s stomach or thighs and be injected into the butt to restore volume and shape. “For safety reasons, the fat is only injected into the fatty layer of the butt and not the muscle," he explains.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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