Talk about losing face.
By now, people are well aware of “Ozempic face,” the phenomenon in which people on GLP-1 medications notice saggy skin, sunken eyes and gaunt cheeks.
Now, “temporal wasting” is the latest side effect that prematurely ages weight loss drug users, and has doctors concerned.
The temples may be the last thing on a patient’s mind when they visit a plastic surgeon, focusing on fillers and collagen-stimulating procedures.
That’s all changing, though, thanks to the effects of medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, which can result in “temporal wasting” or “temporal hollowing.”
Rapid weight loss from the drug also leads to a loss of volume in the temples, making it seem like they’ve caved in overnight.
Similar to the sagginess that occurs everywhere else in the face, GLP-1 users may have a body that looks younger but a face that’s aged, an effect that’s jarring to patients.
“Changes in the face seem to be more enhanced because of it,” Dr. Patrick Byrne, president of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), previously told The Post.
Other plastic surgeons have also seen an uptick in patients beginning to notice the effects.
“A patient will come in and go, ‘Why do I look disturbed? Why do I look suddenly older? What is it about me?’” reality star and Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow told USA Today.
Despite full cheeks usually getting the spotlight of a youthful complexion, temples that have wasted away are the real hallmark sign of “Ozempic face.”
While an overlooked area of the face, Dubrow says the temples are actually significant in portraying youth and are easily affected by the slightest changes.
“It takes your face out of its youthful balance,” he said. “When you look at a youthful face — when you look at kids, babies — the temple area is very full.”
To reverse “temporal hollowing,” patients typically go for a common option like filler or may opt for a fat transfer.
But the temples are a high-risk zone for filler and injections due to the amount of blood vessels and facial nerves present.
Complications from an injection gone wrong can include visual loss, loss of nerve or muscle function or blocked blood vessels.
A line of dietary supplements from Replenza was also created specifically to reverse facial deflation by supporting digestive health and muscle recovery.
Gradual weight loss may also reduce the risk of “temporal wasting,” according to Dubrow.
However, many skip this with the rise of the peptide gray market, where people are eschewing the doctor’s office to buy compounded Ozempic on the cheap.
