Recently, a woman who lost half her weight thanks to Ozempic went viral on TikTok after sharing the aftermath of her dramatic weight loss.
On October 3, Amy Kane, 35, who was once the heaviest at 300 pounds, received 1.7 million views (@amyinhalf) when she lifted her jumper to reveal excess skin on her stomach. did. In the video, she sarcastically asks, “Can you believe Ozempic did this?” She continued, “Thanks to Ozempic, I was able to lose 160 pounds.”
The video includes a screenshot of a comment that reads, “Why does everyone in Ozempic always look like a skin sac? No muscle definition, just skin.” And she stressed that there was nothing on the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug that caused her “sagging skin.”
said the Chicago-based content creator. newsweek: “You’re ashamed that you’re struggling with your weight, but then you’re also ashamed that you’re using drugs to lose weight.”
TikTok/@amyinhalf
What is GLP-1?
According to the University of Chicago Medicine, drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro have been around for years, but have recently become a hot topic due to their increasing popularity as weight loss drugs. These drugs belong to a class known as glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), which mimic a hormone in the body (GLP-1) that helps control insulin and blood sugar levels while promoting satiety. .
According to Gallup, 6 percent of U.S. adults, or 15.5 million people, have used or currently use injectable diabetes medications, and 3 percent of those use them specifically for weight loss.
Sagging skin after weight loss
Kane was motivated to respond to comments on the video that type 2 diabetes and weight loss drugs do not cause sagging skin.
In the video, she shares that she loves her current body shape as her overall health has improved significantly since going from a size 24 to a size 4.
Her statement was supported by Hazim Sadideen, a consultant plastic surgeon at the Cadogan Clinic in London, UK.
he said. newsweek: “People who lose more than 100 pounds are very likely to develop excess skin, which is unrelated to any particular weight loss method.”
Ms Kane said she was sharing videos about her journey online to “reduce shame”.
Health risks associated with excess skin
Dr. Samuel Lin, a board-certified plastic surgeon and associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, said: newsweek Regarding physical and psychological effects.
“While the health risks of obesity far outweigh the problems associated with loose skin, the effects of excess skin are still significant. Physically, loose skin folds can be caused by mechanical irritation. “It can cause intertrigo (a condition caused by prolonged exposure to moisture between the folds).” This leads to inflammation, skin damage, and ulceration.
“The moist environment of the skin folds breeds bacteria and fungi, increasing the chance of infection and other skin complications. There are also site-specific concerns. Excess skin in the midsection can cause urinary incontinence. This can interfere with daily life and emphasizes the functional limitations associated with severe skin laxity.
A new relationship with food
Ms Kane has polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age, and is insulin resistant. Each symptom included increased hunger, which contributed to her struggles with food.
“Losing weight has always been very difficult for me,” she said. newsweek. “This led to years of disordered eating and an unhealthy relationship with food.
“I suffered so much from postpartum depression that I eventually gave up trying to lose weight. I ate what made me feel good, not what gave my body energy.”
Currently, she eats in moderation, with an emphasis on protein and hydration. She doesn’t restrict herself or eliminate food groups, but instead eats mindfully.
she said newsweek: “I’m so proud of myself and how hard I’ve worked. I’m still working on accepting my new body, but overall I’m embracing it and I feel much more comfortable in my own skin.”
Looking to the future, she plans to undergo abdominoplasty, a cosmetic surgery that removes excess fat and skin from the abdomen while tightening the abdominal muscles.
“My self-esteem has changed dramatically,” she said. newsweek. “Society treats me like a completely different person than I did when I was bigger.”
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