FROM nausea to constipation, we've all heard about the possible brutal side effects of fat jabs – but how familiar are you with ‘Ozempic neck’?
Ozempic has become almost as famous as the bold-faced stars who may (or may not) be using it.
The medication, originally used by diabetes sufferers, has now been hitting headlines around the world for how quickly it allows people to shed stubborn pounds.
Ozempichas quickly become the poster child for a new wave of weight loss injections that can help people drop up to a fifth of their body weight but other brands include Mounjaro, Wegovy and Zepbound.
The drugs, which have been called a miracle by some, work by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone released in the body when we are full.
While many celebrities, including Amy Schumer, 43, and Sharon Osbourne, 72, have lost huge amounts of weight and openly talked about using Ozempic, we’ve also all heard about a host of potentially negative side effects.
You may have seen and heard of ‘Ozempic face’ or ‘Ozempic butt’, but now it’s time to familiarise yourself with the latest side effect blighting the red carpet – ‘Ozempic neck’.
The new term refers to excessive skin or ageing around the neck after using fat jabs – and it's not just seen in those who have used Ozempic, but also Mounjaro too.
It’s not something any celebs have discussed as of yet, but according to experts, it's something they're seeing on a rapidly increasing scale.
Speaking exclusively to Fabulous, Dr Nora, a cosmetic and medical dermatology doctor at Rejuvenation Clinic, says: “'Ozempic neck’ is becoming an increasingly common concern among patients using semaglutide medications like Ozempic for weight loss, which I'm seeing in the clinic frequently.
“As the face and neck lose fat rapidly, the skin often doesn’t have time to adapt, leading to sagging and a more aged appearance in the neck area.
“It’s getting the spotlight on the red carpet currently as the neck and face appear out of balance.
“While Ozempic is effective for weight loss, it doesn’t discriminate between the fat you want to lose and the fat that supports facial structure and skin tautness.
“The neck, already prone to skin laxity with age, becomes one of the first areas to show signs.
“Sharon Osbourne, for example, has spoken candidly about her experience with weight-loss injections and has been photographed with more pronounced facial hollowing and skin laxity around her jawline and neck.
“Similarly, Whoopi Goldberg appears visibly slimmer, but with that comes a loss of facial volume and skin firmness, particularly in the lower face.
“These are classic examples of how rapid weight loss – especially in women over 60 – can unmask age-related changes like collagen loss, making the skin appear looser or more deflated.”
Not only this, but plastic surgeon Dr Lisa Friederich also reveals to Fabulous: “‘Ozempic neck’ is one of the most talked-about side effects of rapid weight loss, especially in celebrities.
“The loose and sagging skin around the neck and jawline can develop when the weight drops too fast for the skin to adapt.
“Since fat provides structure and support, losing it too quickly can leave the lower face looking hollowed and prematurely-aged.
“The rapid weight loss from Ozempic can leave celebs with softer jawlines and sagging skin, making them not look as sculpted as before.”;
Sharon Osbourne, for example, has spoken candidly about her experience with weight-loss injections and has been photographed with more pronounced facial hollowing and skin laxity around her jawline and neck
Dr Nora
But that's not all, as Medical Doctor Dr Veronica exclusively shares: “The rise of what's being called ‘Ozempic neck' is a reflection of the broader societal obsession with quick fixes and rapid results.
“I'm particularly concerned by how this phenomenon is being normalised, especially among high-profile figures like Sharon Osbourne and Whoopi Goldberg.
“What we're seeing in celebrities like Osbourne, Goldberg, and even Tori Spelling is not just the aftermath of Ozempic but also the intersection of extreme weight loss, unrealistic beauty standards, and the pressure to look youthful.”
Here we take a closer look at celebs who have admitted to taking Ozempic, and let you decide who may have fallen victim to the dreaded ‘Ozempic neck’…
SHARON OSBOURNE
Back in 2023, Sharon Osbourne admitted to using the drug in order to shed 42 pounds.
Now, the Celebrity Big Brother star has candidly discussed the side effects.
While speaking to Piers Morgan, the 72-year-old confessed: “You don't throw up physically, but you've got that feeling.
“It was about two, or three weeks where I felt nauseous the whole time. You get very thirsty and you don't want to eat.
“That's why I keep saying you've got to keep this stuff away from younger people because they will go berserk on it, and it's not right.”
She also revealed she no longer uses the drug, adding: “It's just time to stop, I didn't actually want to go this thin but it just happened.”
What are the other side effects of weight loss jabs?
Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects.
Common side effects of injections such as Ozempic include:
Nausea: This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts.
Vomiting: Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea.
Diarrhea: Some people experience gastrointestinal upset.
Constipation: Some individuals may also experience constipation.
Stomach pain or discomfort: Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort.
Reduced appetite: This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss.
Indigestion: Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating.
Serious side effects can also include:
Pancreatitis: In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Kidney problems: There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon.
Thyroid tumors: There’s a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic.
Vision problems: Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin.
Reflecting further on her experience on Good Morning Britain in November 2023, Sharon claimed she “could do with putting on a few pounds” as she issued a stark warning about the injections.
Speaking to GMB hosts Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway, Sharon warned: “I fear for teenagers, I'm scared for those aged 16 to 20 as it's so easy to take it and think, ‘I can eat what I want'.
“It needs to be in the hands of only people who totally understand it.”
WHOOPI GOLDBERG
While many may experience physical side effects with weight loss injections, it appears that Whoopi Goldberg has struggled with the implications it has had on her style.
The actor and TV personality, 69, opened up to The View about her weight loss after turning to Mounjaro saying: “I will tell you, I weighed almost 300 pounds when I made [the film] Till.
“I had taken all those steroids, I was on all this stuff, and one of the things that's helped me drop the weight is Mounjaro. That's what I use.”
Stylist Tavia Sharp then said the Color Purple star does not know how to “fit into her new body”.
Tavia told The US Sun: “Since she’s been on the weight loss drug, Whoopi is in between sizes and wants to feel comfortable.
“She does not want to commit to a new look yet and is unsure how to fit into her new body.
“Whoopi has been pretty heavy-set for many years and is now going through the process of physically changing her shape. It is a big change, even if it's a good change.
“She would be saying my body is changing, and it feels uncomfortable, so she wants to cover up.
“Right now, she is not embracing the new body.”
TORI SPELLING
Tori Spelling is another celebrity who has been open about using Ozempic to shed the pounds.
On an episode of her “misSPELLING” podcast, the 50-year-old actress shared that she tried Ozempic and Mounjaro after her fifth child, son Beau, was born in 2017.
She revealed: “I tried Ozempic and it didn't work for me. So I went on Mounjaro, which did do the trick and I did lose weight.”
The Beverly Hills: 90210 star recognised that she doesn't feel “shamed” by sharing her experience.
She also said she was “really fortunate” to lose the baby weight after giving birth to her other four children but “couldn't lose the weight” after trying exercise and intermittent fasting.
She recalled: “At my heaviest, I was 120 pounds my entire life. And after Beau, I was 160 pounds.
“I did whatever anyone told me to do that was safe and it just wasn’t working. The weight wouldn’t come off.
“I’m no longer on it but I did lose weight and I haven’t been on it since the end of January.
“I had hit my ideal weight and I felt like I didn't want to get any thinner.”
OPRAH WINFREY
American telly personality Oprah Winfrey was one of the first celebrities to openly admit to using skinny jabs back in 2023.
The 71-year-old said ‘food noise’ – a term used to refer to the constant, intrusive thoughts about eating – caused her to never stop eating until she was full.
She revealed on her podcast: “One of the things that I realised the very first time I took a GLP-1 was that all these years, I thought that thin people just had more willpower.
“They ate better foods, they were able to stick to it longer, they never had a potato chip.
“And then I realised the very first time I took the GLP-1 that, ‘Oh, they're not even thinking about it’.
How to fix ‘Ozempic neck’
IF you’ve got ‘Ozempic neck’ and want to fix it, fear not, you’ve come to the right place.
Plastic surgeon Dr Lisa Friederich tells Fabulous: “For anyone looking to tighten and lift without surgery, Morpheus8 Burst and Forma are my go-to treatments.
“These non-invasive, radiofrequency-based technologies boost collagen and elastin, helping to firm and sculpt the neck and jawline.
“Unlike surgery, they deliver gradual, natural-looking results, perfect for tackling mild to moderate skin laxity after rapid weight loss.”;
Not only this, but Dr Nora, a Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology Doctor at Rejuvenation Clinic, shares with Fabulous: “Luckily, there are aesthetic treatments that can help improve skin texture and firmness, including radiofrequency skin tightening, collagen-stimulating injectables like polynucleotides and certain skin boosters such as Sisthema Hevo-T and Profhilo, and even surgical options in more severe cases.
“Prevention-wise, gradual weight loss, good skincare, and early intervention can make a big difference.”;
“They're only eating when they're hungry, and they're stopping when they're full.”;
Now, Oprah has referred to weight loss injections as a “maintenance tool”; rather than a quick solution.
Following her use of fat jabs, Oprah stepped down from her role as a WeightWatchers ambassador.
She said it was due to her desire to “be able to talk about whatever I want to talk about”; regarding weight loss issues.
LOTTIE MOSS
Lottie Moss is another celeb who has bravely opened up about her use of Ozempic.
And while she hasn’t spoken about ‘Ozempic neck’, Lottie has candidly shared all of the horrendous side effects she faced, after she was rushed to hospital and suffered a seizure after taking high doses of the jab.
The 26-year-old reality star, who injected the medication into her leg, decided to jump on the Ozempic trend despite weighing just nine stone.
The jab was intended for someone double her weight and, as a result left her with side effects so severe Lottie said she'd “rather die than take it again”.
Speaking on the Exhibit A podcast with Abbey Clancy, the blonde beauty admitted she knew she wasn't ”overweight by any means”.
I'm not super skinny by any means, but I think I just wanted to be like, you know, like I'd seen in the press
Lottie Moss
But she said she felt pressured from ”seeing all these celebrities” using the drug.
The model, who dubbed the jab ”a quick fix”, admitted: ”I think I in myself just felt like I didn't feel happy with my body. It's just how I felt when I looked in the mirror.
”It was around the time when Kim Kardashian had been on it and I was seeing all these people getting skinny so quickly – and so skinny as well.
”I'm not super skinny by any means, but I think I just wanted to be like, you know, like I'd seen in the press.”
REBEL WILSON
After much speculation, actress Rebel Wilson admitted in April last year that she had used Ozempic to shed 80 pounds back in 2020.
The 45-year-old told Flying Ezeday Times: “Someone like me could have a bottomless appetite for sweets, so I think those drugs can be good.
“I feel strongly that young women shouldn't try to obsess over looking like Victoria's Secret models – they should just look like themselves
“I know that my relationship with food is complicated.”;
Ozempic - an expert's view
Dr Mitra Dutt, aGPfromLloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor, says: “Mounjaro works by activating two hormonal receptors (GIP and GLP-1), which enhance insulin production, improve insulin sensitivity and work to decrease food intake.”;
Saxenda, which contains the active ingredient liraglutide, is another weight loss jab that's been available on the NHS since 2020.
While Mounjaro is hailed as the “King Kong” fat jabs, a new weight loss drug dubbed “Godzilla” looks set to displace it.
Containing the active ingredient retatrutide, slimmers trying the drug lost up to 29 per cent of their weight in less than a year.
By comparison, trial results showed semaglutide, known as Ozempic, could lead to 15 per cent weight loss and tirzepatide, aka Mounjaro, to 23 per cent.
Retatrutide acts on three different receptors in the brain, “turbocharging”; calorie burning while dulling hunger pangs.
Existing weight-loss jabs only suppress appetite, whereas the new treatment also speeds up metabolism.
The new drug is still undergoing clinical trials so it's not yet known if it will be made available on the NHS.
Rebel previously claimed to have successfully reached her 165 pound goal weight through high-intensity interval workouts and long hikes, complemented by a high-protein, low-sugar diet.
The Australian actress originally decided to slim down following advice from her IVF doctor in 2019, but due to her trope of playing “fat funny characters”; in Hollywood films, she felt her weight loss wasn’t welcomed by her industry peers.
She said: “Basically no one apart from my mom wanted me to lose weight.
“People thought I'd lose my pigeonhole in my career – playing the fat funny character – and they wanted me to continue in that.”;
GEMMA COLLINS
After a decade of being TV’s poster girl for curvy women, Gemma Collins exclusively told Flying Eze how weight loss jabs transformed her life.
The reality TV icon, 44, once weighed over 23 stone and was a size 26, but after years of fad diets, has now dropped two stone after resorting to NHS-approved Mounjaro injections.
While she hasn’t yet addressed her side effects, she told Flying Eze just days ago: “I can’t believe I’ve finally found something that works.
I bet my house by May, I'll have six stone off. And it’s been effortless
Gemma Collins
“I’ve lost nearly two stone already and it’s been completely effortless – I don’t even want to eat anymore!
“I got on the scales and lost something like six kilograms in my first week.
“I bet my house by May, I'll have six stone off. And it’s been effortless.”
AMY SCHUMER
In 2023, Amy Schumer confirmed that she had tried Ozempic “about a year ago” but stopped shortly after due to the side effects.
During an episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Amy explained: “I was one of the people that felt sick, I couldn’t play with my son.”;
Despite seeing results, the American actor and stand-up comedian said it wasn't worth it, as she highlighted: “You’re like, ‘OK, this isn’t livable for me,’ but I immediately invested because I’m like, ‘Everyone and their mom is going to try it.”;
The comedian also encouraged other celebrities to be more honest if they are using Ozempic or similar medications.
She claimed: “Everybody (is) lying, everyone’s like, ‘Oh, smaller portions,’ like shut the f— up, you’re on Ozempic or one of those things.
“Just be real with the people.”;
