The Difference Between “Ozempic-Face” and “Mounjaro-Babies”

Followers of social and other media will have by now heard the term “Ozempic-” or “Wegovy-face”, which refers to the facial changes associated with the use of the anti-obesity medication semaglutide. These facial changes have been said to deepen facial folds, increase wrinkles, and often make people look older and, in extreme cases, rather unhealthy. Nothing about this is in anyway directly attributable to the specific action of semaglutide. In fact, these are the very facial changes that we routinely see in anyone losing a significant amount of weight, irrespective of the reason. Thus, we could call this “Keto-face”, “Atkin’s-face”, “Formula-diet-face”, “Gastric-Bypass-face”, or even “Marathon-face”, if that’s the reason you went and lost a significant amount of weight, respectively. Thus, “Ozempic-face” has nothing to do with any particular biological action of semaglutide that specifically affects facial body fat depots but, rather, is simple the natural consequence of weight loss. This, however, is not entirely the case for “Mounjaro-babies”, a term that has been used for the occasional unplanned pregnancy in patients taking the GLP-1/GIP dual agonist tirzepatide or Mounjaro. Part of this is of course related to the fact that weight-loss (by any means) will increase fertility in women of child-bearing age. The impact of weight loss on fertility is well-known, but the specific effects of GLP-1 analogues on gastro-intestinal motility and emesis can also lead to unplanned pregnancies. This is due to the medication's effect on delayed gastric emptying, which can alter the effectiveness of oral contraception. As a result, women of child-bearing age taking GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP analogues should be aware of this potential risk and take necessary precautions. The FDA label for Mounjaro advises females to switch to a non-oral contraceptive method or add a barrier method for four weeks after initiation and each dose escalation. Pregnant women using Mounjaro are also advised to use the medication only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus.