You’ve Lost the Weight—Now What?

Managing the Aftereffects of GLP-1 Medications

By Dr. Glenn Lyle, Lyle Plastic Surgery & Aesthetics Center

Many individuals who have experienced rapid weight loss, whether on their own through diet and exercise or by using therapies like GLP-1 medications, face undesired side effects such as excess loose skin, depleted facial volume, and thinning hair.

Fortunately, there are remedies for these issues that can be tailored to your individual needs.

When excess skin is a concern, energy-device modalities like Renuvion and Sofwave can help tighten the skin, depending on your age and the amount of excess skin. When devices aren’t enough, body contouring surgery is often the best option, where removal of excess skin from areas such as the abdomen, arms, thighs, back, and neck can make a dramatic impact. Sometimes liposuction is also used, on occasion with fat transfer to other areas of the body, to further shape and contour.

Depleted facial volume is another aftereffect which, alongside loose-fitting clothing, can be one of the first noticeable signs of weight loss. Though we can cover up our bodies, our faces show the effects of rapid weight loss much more significantly.

Energy-based skin tightening devices and the use of biostimulators can help give a one-two punch to restore lost facial volume and reduce wrinkling by helping increase your collagen and elastin fiber production. Fillers and even your own fat can also be used to restore facial volume and balance. Improvements usually involve a series of treatments and are best addressed during the beginning stages of your weight-loss journey.

Thinning hair, whether caused by genetics, hormonal imbalances, stress, or GLP-1 therapy, can be quite disheartening as well—especially for women. Multi-modality treatments can address the issue, but again, starting early on is key. A blend of energy-device treatments, nutritional supplements, topical solutions, and even therapeutic use of your own blood products can drastically slow down the thinning and provide regeneration of the hair shaft, while supplying the body with the proper nutrients to redirect hair loss.

Losing significant weight—or even just those few extra pounds—can feel incredibly rewarding. Formulating a proper treatment course, with physician-guided expertise, can get you set up for success and help combat some of the drawbacks so you can achieve your goal weight.