As Ozempic use soars among women chasing rapid weight loss, an unexpected side effect is taking a toll – both physically and financially – with some spending over $2,500 on procedures to restore sagging, deflated intimate areas caused by sudden fat loss.
Despite repeated warnings that Ozempic isn’t meant for weight loss, millions worldwide continue using it off-label to shed pounds.
Originally developed to manage blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes, this GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist has rapidly surged in popularity for its dramatic weight loss effects.
Unexpected changes
But with dramatic results often come dramatic consequences – and the latest reported side effect has taken social media by storm: “Ozempic vulva” or “Ozempic vagina.”
Although this isn’t an officially recognized side effect by the drug’s manufacturer, physicians are beginning to weigh in.
“If you’re using a GLP-1, and you’re losing weight too rapidly, it’s going to have a massive impact on the tissue and muscles everywhere,” Kathy Kates, nurse practitioner and pelvic floor specialist told USA Today. “People talk about ‘Ozempic face.’ It’s the same thing. You’re losing fat, you’re losing tissue integrity, and all those things matter for a healthy pelvic floor.”
Dr. Michael Tahery, a Los Angeles-based urogynecologist, explained on his website that rapid fat loss can affect the vulva in multiple ways. These include sagging of the outer labia, weakened vaginal muscles, and increased dryness – symptoms associated with a weakened pelvic floor, including bladder leakage and painful sex.
In short, the drug doesn’t discriminate between fat stored in the abdomen and fat stored in more delicate areas of the body.
