Ozempic has previously been linked to a host of bizarre body changes, including sagging skin and sunken cheeks.
But now women are reporting a side effect dubbed “Ozempic breasts,” which is when their breasts shrink or enlarge.
Doctors say the first case is normal because as a person loses weight, the fatty tissue in the breasts also decreases, making them smaller.
But the latter surprises experts more. One idea is that hormonal fluctuations in the body cause temporary breast swelling or tenderness.
Oprah Winfrey previously admitted to using weight loss drugs for her dramatic body transformation, after denying she would ever take weight loss drugs. She is pictured above in 2019, left, and in December last year
The above shows Jessica Dennis, a mother of four currently in South Dakota, who said her breasts shrank during her treatment at Ozempic.
Another theory is that as people get skinnier, their breasts appear bigger.
However, dozens of women feel disappointed or pleasantly surprised by this phenomenon.
Dr Andrew Peredo, a plastic surgeon in New York, told DailyMail.com: “With Ozempic, what I noticed is that a lot of people take a high dose of the weight loss drug and then lose weight very quickly .
“And when that happens, the skin doesn’t have time to retract and rebound.
He added: “They will lose weight everywhere, chest will be totally deflated, butt will be totally deflated, and they will also lose weight in the face.”
Dr. Smita Ramanadham, a plastic surgeon in New Jersey, added: “For our breasts, the majority of our tissue is actually fat, and usually when you lose fat, you also lose that size in your breasts. .
“I think what we need to remember is that any weight loss affects the whole body and one person’s experience will likely be different from another’s.” It is best to consult your doctor.
Among those who reported that their breasts had shrunk after taking the wonder weight loss drugs was Jessica Kahn of Kansas City, Missouri.
She lost 70 pounds in nine months while taking Wegovy, Ozempic’s sister drug, and was thrilled with the results, which allowed her to have a breast reduction.
But while she was taking the medication, she also shared photos showing how her breasts had started to shrink as the weight came off.
“I couldn’t be happier with my results and can’t wait to continue,” she said. “The side effects are sometimes brutal, but for me it’s worth it in exchange for the boost of confidence, the comfort I feel in my own skin and the chance to finally get a breast reduction.
And in a second case of breast shrinkage during treatment, Jessica Brown, 47, of Kentucky, said that after losing just 40 pounds with Ozempic, her breasts saggy.
“My breasts have definitely gotten saggier,” she told the Los Angeles Times.
There are also a number of cases reported online of people experiencing enlarged breasts while taking this medication.
Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, plastic surgeon in San Francisco
In a Reddit thread, a man talked about how upset his wife was because she didn’t seem to be losing weight even though her breasts were growing and making her shirt tighter.
“I feel bad for both of us about the zero weight loss,” he wrote, “but doubly bad for her how upset she is about her chest and being so sore. “comfortable and insecure about her clothes, even more now than usual.”
A second person responded to the post saying they were also going through this, saying: “I’m going through this too and I’m 100,000% sure there’s no chance I’m pregnant.”
“I think in my case it’s actually that I’m losing fat on my sides, which makes my breasts look and feel bigger.” This is a situation where they don’t blend into my side fat as much as they used to.
One theory is that fat cells house the female sex hormone estrogen.
When a person begins to lose weight, cells then begin to release this hormone, causing levels in the body to increase.
This can then cause breast swelling, as higher levels can cause them to retain more water or, as in the menstrual cycle, stimulate them to temporarily develop more breast tissue.
Another theory suggests that the weight loss patients experience helps increase blood flow throughout the body, including to areas such as the breasts, leading to an increase in their size.
Dr. Jonathan Kaplan, a plastic surgeon in San Francisco, said in a TikTok video: “Anytime you lose a lot of weight by any means, your body is going to change.
“It’s going to be somewhat deflated because you’re going to lose fat. And as you lose fat, your skin becomes looser, so the face and breasts start to sag.
He added: “When it comes to the face, you can treat it with fillers or… a facelift.
“But when it comes to breasts, filler really won’t do the job.” We should just start thinking about a breast lift to remove excess skin and restore its beauty, or breast implants to restore volume.
More than 5 million Americans are estimated to be taking a weight-loss drug like Ozempic by the end of 2023, according to an analysis of electronic medical records by Epic Research.
And this figure is only expected to increase: it is estimated that 42% of adults in the United States suffer from obesity.
Ozempic and many similar drugs are intended to be reserved for patients with type 2 diabetes, but they are often prescribed off-label by doctors for weight loss.
Its sister drug Wegovy, which also uses semaglutide, has been approved for weight loss in the United States.
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