With the approval and widespread availability of oral GLP-1 medications, weight loss is more accessible than ever. Medications like semaglutide are now available through major pharmacies, telehealth platforms, and national retailers, making meaningful weight loss possible for many people who struggled before.
For some patients, this is a life-changing step toward better health. For others, it raises new questions about their body, their appearance, and what comes next after the weight comes off.
As a plastic surgeon with a strong focus on wellness and longevity, I see both sides of this shift every day.
Weight Loss Is Only Part of the Story
GLP-1 medications can be effective tools for weight loss when used appropriately. Studies show significant reductions in body weight, especially when combined with dietary changes and increased activity.
What these medications cannot control is how the body responds structurally to rapid or significant weight loss.
After weight loss, some patients notice:
- Loose or excess skin around the abdomen, arms, thighs, or breasts
- Loss of volume in the face, leading to a more tired or aged appearance
- Changes in body shape, including flattening of the buttocks
- A disconnect between how healthy they feel and how their body looks
These changes are not failures. They are predictable physiological responses to weight loss, especially when it happens quickly.
The Rise of Excess Skin After Medical Weight Loss
Skin has limits. When weight gain stretches the skin for years, it does not always retract once the weight is gone. This is especially common after losses of 15 percent or more of body weight.
Patients often tell me they feel healthier, lighter, and more energetic, yet frustrated by the loose skin that remains. In some cases, it affects comfort, mobility, or confidence. In others, it becomes a barrier to fully enjoying the benefits of weight loss.
Procedures such as tummy tucks, body lifts, arm lifts, and thigh lifts can help restore proportion and comfort after significant weight loss. These surgeries are not about vanity. For many patients, they are about finally aligning the body with the health gains they have worked hard to achieve.
Facial Volume Loss and the “Ozempic Face” Conversation
Another common concern after GLP-1–assisted weight loss is facial volume loss. Fat loss in the face can soften youthful contours, but rapid or significant changes may leave patients looking older or more fatigued than they feel.
Facial balancing procedures, whether surgical or non-surgical, can help restore harmony to the face without overfilling or altering natural features. The goal is subtle support, not transformation.
This is where individualized planning matters. Not every patient needs intervention, and not every concern should be treated aggressively. Thoughtful evaluation makes the difference.
Addressing Changes in the Buttocks and Lower Body
Loss of fat in the buttocks is another concern patients raise, often referred to as “Ozempic butt.” While the term is informal, the experience is real.
For patients who desire more balance after weight loss, fat transfer procedures such as a Brazilian Butt Lift can restore shape using the patient’s own tissue. When done conservatively and safely, this approach can complement weight loss rather than compete with it.
Again, surgery is not a requirement. It is an option, and only when it aligns with a patient’s goals, anatomy, and overall health.
Where Longevity and Surgery Intersect
Weight loss is often the catalyst that inspires patients to think differently about their health. Many begin asking questions about nutrition, muscle preservation, metabolic health, and how to maintain their results long term.
This is where I believe care should expand, not stop.
Surgery can address structural changes. Wellness strategies support what comes next. Muscle preservation, adequate protein intake, resistance training, sleep quality, and metabolic monitoring all play a role in long-term success, especially for patients using GLP-1 medications.
That is why my practice integrates education and wellness alongside surgical care.
Supporting the Whole Journey
For patients who want guidance beyond procedures, I offer several educational and coaching resources:
- The Free Longevity E-Book introduces foundational principles for aging well and supporting long-term health.
- The Wellness & Longevity Course provides structured education for patients who want to build sustainable habits after weight loss or surgery.
- The Free Body Recomposition E-Book explains how fat loss and muscle preservation work together.
- The Body Recomposition Coaching Program offers individualized support for patients focused on body composition, strength, and long-term wellness.
These resources are designed to support patients wherever they are in their journey, whether they pursue surgery, medical weight loss, or both.
Looking Beyond Weight Loss
The widespread availability of oral GLP-1 medications is changing how people approach weight loss. For many, it is a powerful first step toward better health.
What matters most is what happens next.
When weight loss is paired with thoughtful evaluation, appropriate surgical options, and a focus on long-term wellness, patients can achieve results that feel complete, balanced, and sustainable.
If you are navigating weight loss and wondering how to address the changes that follow, the conversation should be comprehensive, personalized, and grounded in your long-term health.
That is the approach I believe patients deserve.
References
- Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al.
Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.
New England Journal of Medicine. 2021;384:989–1002.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183 - Wharton S, Lingvay I, Bogdanski P, et al.
Oral Semaglutide 25 mg in Adults with Overweight or Obesity (OASIS 4).
New England Journal of Medicine. 2025;393:1077–1087.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2500969 - Novo Nordisk Inc.
FDA Approves Wegovy® Pill, the First Oral GLP-1 Medicine for Weight Loss.
Press Release, January 5, 2026.
https://www.novonordisk-us.com/media/news-archive/news-details.html?id=168244 - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Adult Obesity Facts.
Last accessed 2025.
https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts
