Dailymail.Com Senior Health Reporter Written by Luke Andrews
May 1, 2024 18:25, updated May 1, 2024 22:03
Ozempic has already been linked to a number of strange physical changes, including sagging skin and puffy cheeks.
But women are now reporting a side effect called “Ozempik breasts,” a condition in which the breasts become smaller or swollen.
Doctors say the former is to be expected because when you lose weight, the fatty tissue in your breasts also decreases, reducing breast size.
But the latter is even more surprising to experts. One idea is that hormonal fluctuations in the body cause temporary breast swelling and tenderness.
Another theory is that when people lose weight, their breasts simply become smaller. appear bigger.
Still, dozens of women have been disappointed or pleasantly surprised by this phenomenon.
New York City plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Peled told DailyMail.com: “In the case of Ozempic, what I noticed is that many people take high doses of weight loss drugs and then lose weight rapidly.”
“And when that happens, the skin doesn’t have time to retract and grow back.
She added: “You’ll lose weight in every area, your breasts will completely deflate, your butt will completely deflate, and your face will lose weight as well.”
New Jersey plastic surgeon Dr. Smita Ramanadam adds, “Most of the tissue in our breasts is actually fat, and generally when you lose fat, you also lose breast size.”
“What we have to remember is that weight loss affects the entire body, and one person’s experience is likely to be different from another person’s experience. Before using drugs It is best to consult a doctor.”
Both surgeons added that it was also “plausible” that fat loss could initially cause breast swelling, but that this was likely “rare.”
Jessica Kahn of Kansas City, Missouri, was among those who reported having smaller breasts after taking the miracle weight loss drug.
She lost 70 pounds in nine months while taking Ozempic’s sister drug, Wigovy, and was thrilled with her results. This means that your breasts can be reduced.
However, while taking the medication, she also shared a photo showing how her breasts started to shrink as she lost weight.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with my results and can’t wait to keep going,” she said. My own skin, and the chance to finally undergo a breast reduction. ”
And in a second case of breast reduction while taking the drug, Kentucky resident Jessica Brown, 47, said her breasts saggy after losing just 40 pounds on Ozempic.
“My breasts have definitely sagged,” she said. Los Angeles Times.
Additionally, there are many cases reported online of people whose breasts actually grew larger while taking the drug.
In a thread on Reddit, one man said his wife was upset because he didn’t seem to be losing weight, even though his breasts were getting bigger and his shirts were getting tighter.
“I think it’s bad for both of us because I’ve had zero weight loss,” he writes, “but I’ve noticed how upset she gets about her breasts and now she’s so uncomfortable and insecure about clothes, even more than usual.” It’s doubly bad for her.”
A second person also replied to the post and said they were going through something similar, writing: ‘I’m going through something similar and there’s no way I’m pregnant. I’m 100,000 percent sure.”
“In my case, I think it’s actually because I’ve lost fat in my armpits that my breasts look and feel bigger. It’s a situation where my armpit fat isn’t as noticeable as it used to be.”
One theory is that fat cells contain the female hormone estrogen.
When someone begins to lose weight, cells begin to release this hormone, causing a surge in levels in the body.
This can cause your breasts to swell. This is because higher levels allow the breasts to retain more water, or because breast tissue is temporarily stimulated to grow more, such as during the menstrual cycle.
Another theory suggests that the weight loss that patients experience may increase blood flow throughout the body, including areas such as the breasts, increasing breast size.
“When you lose a significant amount of weight by any means, your body changes,” Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, a San Francisco plastic surgeon, said in a TikTok video.
“As you lose fat, you’ll probably deflate a little. And as you lose fat, your skin will loosen and your face and breasts will start to sag.”
She added: “When it comes to the face, it can be treated with fillers and facelifts.
“But when it comes to your boobs, fillers don’t really help. You should start thinking about a bust lift to remove excess skin to make your breasts firmer again, or breast implants to restore some volume.” is.”
It is estimated that more than 5 million Americans will be taking weight loss drugs like Ozempic by the end of 2023, according to an analysis of electronic medical records by Epic Research.
And an estimated 42 percent of American adults suffer from obesity, and this number is expected to skyrocket.
Ozempic and many similar drugs are reserved for people with type 2 diabetes, but are often prescribed off-label by doctors for weight loss purposes.
Its sister drug, Wegovy, also uses semaglutide and is approved as a weight loss drug in the United States.