{"id":399867,"date":"2026-04-27T12:20:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T12:20:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/399867\/"},"modified":"2026-04-27T12:20:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T12:20:24","slug":"ozempic-face-is-real-but-these-easy-exercises-can-help-prevent-sagging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/399867\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Ozempic face\u2018 is real \u2013 but these easy exercises can help prevent sagging"},"content":{"rendered":"

Right now, it feels like every conversation about weight loss leads back to GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, and that includes unwanted side-effects commonly dubbed \u2018Ozempic face\u2019. Issues such as sagging, hollowing and wrinkling are common complaints and are caused by rapid weight loss (not the jabs themselves). Now a major new review<\/a> has found that patients are losing significant muscle mass<\/a> as well as fat, which helps explain what people are seeing in the mirror \u2013 and, crucially, how facial exercise can help. <\/p>\n

Experts have long believed that loss of muscle is a key factor behind \u2018Ozempic face\u2019, and the UNC findings<\/a> support the view of skin doctors such as integrative dermatologist Dr Raja Sivamani<\/a>, who advises taking muscle-protecting measures during GLP-1 treatment, starting with lifestyle. He tells GH, \u2018A high protein diet helps to preserve muscle mass including facial muscle mass. Facial exercises can be helpful to maintain muscle mass as well.\u2019<\/p>\n

Why is facial exercise so important?<\/p>\n

Facial exercise<\/a> has definitely taken on a new supportive role in the GLP-1 era, confirms face yoga expert Anastasia Goron<\/a>, aka social media\u2019s @allyoucanface<\/a>. \u2018Rapid weight loss can accelerate muscle wasting, known as sarcopenia,\u2019 she tells GH. \u2018Your facial muscles are part of that equation. Without adequate protein and without engagement, those muscles lose tone, and the entire internal scaffolding of the face weakens.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempicprimipil \/ Getty images<\/p>\n

Your facial muscles are affected by rapid weight loss<\/p>\n

This consequence is something she now commonly hears about from her huge online community. \u2018I hear from women who tell me they lost the weight they wanted, but now they don\u2019t recognise their own face,\u2019 she says. \u2018They describe looking hollow, deflated, suddenly older. Some say they feel like they traded one insecurity for another.\u2019<\/p>\n

Thankfully, if anyone knows about tightening and toning the face, it\u2019s Anastasia, who has amassed more than two million followers with her expert face yoga videos. Speaking to GH, Anastasia tells us which areas of the face are most affected by \u2018Ozempic face\u2019, and the exercises that can help.<\/p>\n

What areas of the face are most affected by rapid weight loss?<\/p>\n

According to Anastasia, the mid-face \u2013 particularly around the cheeks \u2013 tends to be most impacted, and can appear especially ageing. \u2018This is where your superficial fat pads sit,\u2019 she explains. \u2018These create the soft, youthful curves we associate with a healthy face. When they shrink rapidly, the cheeks flatten and hollow, and the transition between the under eyes and cheeks becomes harsh rather than smooth.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempicAlena Savina<\/p>\n

The mid-face tends to be most impacted<\/p>\n

The loss of these fat pads can also have a knock-on effect elsewhere, Anastasia explains. \u2018Without that cushioning from the deeper fat pads, shadows deepen and the eyes look sunken and tired.\u2019 Smile lines may become more noticeable, too: \u2018The nasolabial folds also become more pronounced because the cheek tissue above them no longer provides natural lift.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Then there\u2019s the jawline and neck<\/a>,\u2019 she says. \u2018When volume drops quickly, the skin and fascia that were stretched to accommodate the fuller face have nothing to hold on to. The result is sagging along the jaw and loose, crepey skin on the neck. <\/p>\n

How can face yoga help to address these concerns?<\/p>\n

\u2018Face yoga, or facial training as I prefer to call it, works because it addresses the very things that rapid weight loss compromises,\u2019 says Anastasia. \u2018It is not about adding volume back artificially. It is about rebuilding the internal support system of your face from the inside out.\u2019 <\/p>\n

\"ozempicMaria Korneeva \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

Face yoga exercises can help rebuild the support system of your face<\/p>\n

Which exercises can help \u2019Ozempic face\u2018?<\/p>\n

So, how can this translate into a simple routine, quick enough to do every day? Anastasia tells GH it consists of four simple exercises and takes just eight minutes \u2013 making it easy to fit into a busy day. \u2018All of these of these exercises can be found in my book Face Yoga,\u2019 she adds.<\/p>\n

\"Face<\/a><\/p>\n

Now 27% Off<\/p>\n

Credit: amazon<\/p>\n

The Big 6 Lymphatic Activation<\/p>\n

\u2018This involves massaging six key drainage points in sequence. Begin at the collarbones and work through the neck, underarms, belly, groin, and behind the knees. This only takes about four minutes and opens up pathways so everything can flow.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempicMarcel Nestler<\/p>\n

Anastasia demonstrates the \u2019Big 6 Lymphatic Activation\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempic<\/p>\n

Marcel Nestler<\/p>\n

The Neck Tap <\/p>\n

\u2018To do this, tilt your head to one side and gently tap down your neck toward the shoulders, 30 seconds each side. This supports circulation and the jawline.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempicMarcel Nestler<\/p>\n

Anastasia demonstrates the neck tap<\/p>\n

\"ozempic<\/p>\n

Marcel Nestler<\/p>\n

The \u2018Smiling \u201cO\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Form a narrow O with your mouth and smile diagonally upward using only your cheeks for 20 to 25 reps. This activates the zygomatic muscles that lift the mid face.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempicMarcel Nestler<\/p>\n

Anastasia demonstrates the \u2018Smiling \u201cO\u201d\u2019<\/p>\n

The Cat Eye Lift <\/p>\n

\u2018Press your palms gently into your temples, lift slightly, and squint downward. This instantly lifts the outer eye corners and reduces that tired, sagging look around the eyes.\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempicMarcel Nestler<\/p>\n

Anastasia demonstrates the \u2019Cat Eye Lift\u2019<\/p>\n

\"ozempic<\/p>\n

Marcel Nestler<\/p>\n

While these exercises are a strong starting point, Anastasia emphasises that lasting results come from understanding the deeper connections: \u2018How your posture shapes your face, what actually causes your facial muscles to change, and why what you see in the mirror is a symptom, not the cause\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u2018Everything from dark circles, sagging, to a tired expression are signals from your body. Once you understand what is driving them, you can work with your face instead of against it. That is where lasting change begins.\u2019<\/p>\n

Face Yoga: Sculpt, Lift & Tone In Just 10 Minutes A Day by Anastasia Goron (DK, \u00a316.99)<\/p>\n

Related Story