They dropped — and then they drooped.
Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs have become extremely popular for their ability to manage Type 2 diabetes symptoms and spur weight loss. A recent study found that about 4% of Americans took these meds last year.
As GLP-1s have become widely used, there’s been a corresponding increase in awareness of their potential risks and side effects. Add another one to the list — “Ozempic vulva” or “Ozempic vagina.”
“[The rapidity of] weight loss can cause visible skin sagging, laxity and wrinkles throughout the body,” Dr. Sherry Ross, an OB-GYN in Santa Monica, CA, and author of “She-ology” and “She-ology, the She-quel,” told HealthCentral.
“All areas of the body can show visible skin changes in response to this significant weight loss,” she added, “including the lower belly, pubic mons and inner and outer labia.”
The vagina is surrounded by two sets of “lips” or folds of skin. The labia majora are the outer, larger folds, while the labia minora are the inner, smaller folds.
They extend from the mons pubis, the rounded, fatty area over the pubic bone.
Some GLP-1 users have complained that their weight loss has led to a decrease in the volume of their labia majora, causing it to appear deflated or aged.
Labia puffing may help. The procedure restores volume and fullness to the labia majora via dermal fillers or fat grafting.
Dr. Michael Tahery, a board-certified OB/GYN in LA, notes on his website that the fillers used in labia puffing are comparable to facial fillers. The tiny injections can last up to eight months a session and don’t require recovery time.
With fat grafts, a doctor injects a small amount of fat from the patient’s thigh, abdomen or elsewhere in their body into the labia.
“The benefit of this treatment is that it does not pose risks for rejection because it uses the patient’s own fat,” Tahery wrote. “The fat is easily reabsorbed by the body over time.”
Labiaplasty to reshape the labia and vaginal tightening to restore firmness to the vaginal canal may also provide relief.
Dr. Justin Perron, a specialist plastic surgeon in Australia, said he’s fielded a surge in vaginal rejuvenation consultation appointments as GLP-1 drugs have grown in popularity.
“I personally see these requests several times a week,” Perron told The Daily Mail.
Other unusual side effects of GLP-1 drugs, which suppress appetite by mimicking a hormone the body naturally produces after eating, include Ozempic finger, Ozempic breasts, Ozempic face and Ozempic butt.
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are among the more common consequences of these meds.
