Hollywood's Favorite Plastic Surgeon Spills The Truth About What 'Ozempic Hands' Really Means

Ozempic hands are a potential side effect of weight loss from Ozempic or other GLP-1s, referring to a transformation in a person's hands after losing weight, where the hands look thin, veiny, and hollow. To better understand 'Ozempic hands,' board-certified obesity medicine specialist and board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow spoke to our sister site, Glam, to provide his expert take. 

"'Ozempic hands' is a phenomenon much like Ozempic face or Ozempic butt — it simply refers to the loss of subcutaneous fat that can happen after rapid weight loss from GLP-1 medications," Dr. Dubrow told Glam. The term is trending as more celebrities turn to weight-loss medications, with rapid weight loss creating startling changes in the body. It most commonly shows up in the face, hence the myriad side-by-side pictures of celebs who've fallen victim to Ozempic face. But the gauntness and hollowing aren't reserved only for the face. There's also Ozempic neck, another GLP-1 side effect, where the fat in a person's neck disappears faster than the skin's natural abilities to adapt. Ozempic hands are just one more iteration of speedy weight loss, and celebs like Kelly Osbourne have fueled 'Ozempic hands' accusations. "The appearance of 'Ozempic hands,' where the hands look bonier, and rings fall off people's fingers, is a common finding whenever there is major weight loss," C. Michael White, Pharm.D. Distinguished Professor and Chair of the UConn School of Pharmacy explained to Bored Panda. But there are treatments available for this phenomenon. 

Celebrities like Khloe Kardashian and Kelly Osbourne have been called out for "Ozempic hands," after people noticed their long, thin hands. Dr. Terry Dubrow told Glam that Ozempic hands are common when someone's losing weight quickly, typically (though not always) from a GLP-1. "[Ozempic hands are] really tied to rapid weight loss, so if you're losing weight quickly, you may start to notice fat loss in areas like the hands. It's not a separate condition — it's part of the overall fat loss process," he said. Professor of UConn School of Pharmacy, C. Michael White, told Bored Panda that sagging skin in the hands goes away over time as people's weight stabilizes after weight loss. 

While the thin hands can look surprising, Dr. Dubrow said that one needn't treat Ozempic hands too quickly. "It may be temporary, so I wouldn't rush to do anything right away," he began. "If it persists after weight stabilization, you can thicken the soft tissue with either fat transfer or filler injections." The phenomenon isn't just relegated to celebrities either. The New York Post wrote that jewellers are reporting a 150% increase in ring and bracelet resizing, as people need to make their jewelry smaller to fit on their newly-thin fingers and wrists after taking Ozempic.