BALANCING THE SCALES:
ADVANCING AESTHETICS IN THE ERA OF MEDICATION-DRIVEN WEIGHT LOSS TRANSFORMATIONS
The use of prescription weight loss medications has increased expontentially in recent years. Beyond reshaping weight loss, this trend is also giving rise to a new type of aesthetic patient.
As the pure-play dermatology category leader committed to medical education and training, Galderma set out to study the effects weight loss can have on the skin. The result was a groundbreaking report and pioneering guidelines that aim to equip healthcare professionals with the necessary tools and knowledge to help their patients achieve the radiant appearance they desire1,2.
UNDERSTANDING THE AESTHETIC IMPACTS OF SIGNIFICANT AND RAPID WEIGHT LOSS
THE GLOBAL RISE OF MEDICATION-DRIVEN WEIGHT LOSS
KEY FACTS
1 in 8
adults in the U.S. has already taken
prescription weight loss medications3
100 billion USD
global sales of prescription weight loss medications
forecasted by 20304
+300%
prescriptions from 2020
and 20224
19.2%
CAGR projected for the global market
2023-20295
300 million
views on TikTok for posts about prescription
weight loss medications6
53%
of U.S. aesthetic clinics anticipate that the increase in use of these medications will drive demand for treatments addressing facial changes7
“Prescription weight loss medications are creating a new group of patients whose attitude towards health and their bodies has fundamentally changed. They feel more in control and able to take steps towards looking and feeling their best for the longest they can, including by using aesthetic solutions.”
Anne-Cécile Chevrier
Head of Marketing for Injectable Aesthetics
Galderma
Through our close collaborations with healthcare professionals, Galderma was quick to pinpoint the trend for patients seeking aesthetic solutions after weight loss around the world.
So, we commissioned a global research project that surveyed over 1,300 patients1. Results revealed that most medication-driven weight loss patients noted changes to their face.
These insights help give shape to this emerging new consumer group in aesthetics. For these patients, their weight loss journey is about looking and feeling healthier and more confident, with an external appearance that aligns with their internal transformation – including a radiant, slim, well-defined face1,8.
When patients experience significant and/or rapid weight loss, several key physiological processes take place and cause changes to their facial appearance. These include fat loss, the degradation of essential skin proteins (such as collagen and elastin), and the depletion of vital nutrients like fatty acids.9
The resulting facial changes can vary from sagging skin or patients developing a gaunt or hollowed-out appearance, to the most severely impacted patients looking up to five years older than their true age.9
By understanding the science behind these transformations, aesthetics practitioners are better able to offer solutions that help patients feel confident and comfortable in their evolving appearance.
To support the aesthetics community on this emerging challenge, we worked with a global, multidisciplinary panel of experts—including clinicians, researchers and industry leaders—to establish the first international consensus guidelines that provide a practical framework for practitioners to address the specific needs of these patients, published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.2
Discover key insights from the first international consensus guidelines in the full report.
Click below to download.
REFERENCES
[1] Galderma MAC research. 2024
[2] Nikolis A, et al. Consensus Statements on Managing Aesthetic Needs in Prescription Medication-Driven Weight Loss Patients: An International, Multidisciplinary Delphi Study. JCD. 2025;24: e70094. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70094
[3] KFF. KFF Health Tracking Poll May 2024: The Public’s Use and Views of GLP-1 Drugs. Available online. Accessed July 2025
[4] JP Morgan. The increase in appetite for obesity drugs. Available online. Accessed July 2025
[5] Market Insight. The semaglutide revolution study. October 2024
[6] Everyday Health. Ozempic shortage: how a weight loss fad has slashed access to a diabetes drug. Available online. Accessed July 2025
[7] Medical Insight. GLP-1 market & impact on the aesthetic provider. October 2024
[8] HAVAS. Prosumer report: welcome to the GLP-1 revolution. Available online. Accessed July 2025
[9] Humphrey CD & Lawrence AC. Implications of Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists for facial plastic surgeons. Facial Plast Surg. 2023;39:719-72. doi:10.1055/a-2148-6321