Weight-loss drug side effect sparks surge in plastic surgery

Health & FitnessLifestyle
16 Apr 2026 • 1:00 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Weight-loss drug side effect sparks surge in plastic surgery

  • Facial cosmetic surgery procedures, including facelifts and eyelid surgery, are on the rise in the UK, partly due to side-effects from weight-loss drugs like "Ozempic face".
  • New data from the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) shows an 11 per cent increase in face and neck lifts and an 8 per cent rise in eyelid surgery.
  • Surgeons attribute this surge to the gaunt or aged appearance caused by rapid weight loss from GLP-1 drugs, which can negatively impact skin elasticity and collagen levels.
  • Conversely, demand for breast augmentations and abdominoplasties is falling, with a 38 per cent drop in superficial gluteal lipofilling (SGL) procedures.
  • This shift suggests a growing preference among patients for more natural proportions and comfort, with social media also influencing perceptions of modern facial surgery.

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