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Botox and dermal fillers were the go-to treatments for adults looking to soften the signs of aging. But plastic surgeons say the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs is accelerating a new trend: more Gen X patients are considering facelifts sooner than they expected as they try to address the facial volume loss commonly known as “Ozempic face (1).”
The phenomenon describes the hollowed cheeks, loose skin and more pronounced wrinkles that can occur after rapid weight loss reduces fat in the face. It’s an effect that can happen with any significant weight loss, but has become closely associated with GLP-1 medications because of how widely they’re being used.
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While Gen X already spends heavily (2) on Botox and fillers, many don’t expect weight-loss medication to create an entirely new beauty bill.
Danielle Fewings, founder and CEO of Get Clear Beauty (3), knows those tradeoffs firsthand. As a beauty industry professional who also experienced facial volume loss after GLP-1 weight loss, she’s seen how quickly patients can go from routine injectables to weighing far more expensive options.
“My facial volume loss came from significant GLP-1 weight loss,” Fewings told Moneywise. “My first instinct was actually a facelift, but the surgeon turned me down — he said I didn’t have enough to lift surgically yet, and he made a point that stuck with me: your skin realistically only allows for about three facelifts in a lifetime, so doing one at 40 just burns one you’ll want later.”
For many patients, the financial planning doesn’t end when they reach their goal weight. It shifts from paying for weight-loss medication to deciding how much they’re willing to spend maintaining the results they see in the mirror.
The economy of filler
Fewings expected restoring the volume in her face would be relatively straightforward. She even planned to have the procedure done while travelling in Southeast Asia, assuming it would cost far less than it would in the U.S.
Instead, she found that one of Bangkok’s top clinics wasn’t the bargain she expected. After getting a second opinion, another provider suggested Sculptra rather than the treatment she had originally planned.
“I’d heard mixed things, but I let her guide me, and I could not be happier with the result,” she said. “She used two vials of Sculptra plus one syringe of Juvederm in my cheeks to lift and restore volume, along with Botox.”
She paid about $700 per vial of Sculptra and roughly $500 for a syringe of Juvederm, almost exactly what she would have paid in the U.S.
“I was already prepared to spend $15,000 or more on a facelift, so restoring my face with Sculptra, Juvederm, and Botox felt like a genuine deal by comparison,” she explained. “What I didn’t fully account for going in is that it’s recurring — I probably need two more vials of Sculptra for the ideal result, and this becomes an ongoing cost rather than a one-time fix.”
The facial investment
Dr. Rachel Mason, a board-certified plastic surgeon and founder of La Femme Plastic Surgery (4), said she’s seeing this more often as GLP-1 use becomes more widespread.
“When someone has experienced significant facial deflation or major skin laxity, fillers can only do so much,” Dr. Mason told Moneywise. “Trying to chase that level of volume loss with syringes alone often looks unnatural and gets incredibly expensive.”
The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (5) reported a 50% increase in fat-grafting procedures in 2024, with many surgeons linking the rise to facial volume loss following rapid GLP-1 weight loss. One in four surgeons also expects the medications to continue driving demand for cosmetic procedures.
That demand is being fueled largely by middle-aged adults. A 2025 survey from the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (6) found that Gen Xers and older millennials are increasingly seeking treatments that help them look as young as they feel, with wrinkles and facial volume loss ranking among their biggest concerns.
The long-term investment
That’s one of the biggest conversations Dr. Mason says she has with patients considering facial rejuvenation after significant weight loss.
“Fillers need upkeep every six to 18 months, while surgery requires a larger upfront investment, the results can easily last a decade or more,” she said. “For patients who have reached their goal weight and plan to stay there, surgery often ends up being the more cost-effective route over time.”
According to Dr. Mason, fillers may seem less expensive at first, but the costs can add up over time. She said fillers typically cost several hundred to more than $1,000 per syringe, while comprehensive facial rejuvenation surgery generally ranges from $10,000 to $25,000, depending on the procedures involved.
She also advises patients to wait until their weight has stabilized before pursuing facial rejuvenation, since continued weight loss can change surgical results and affect the longevity of those procedures.
For Fewings, that lack of transparency around costs is one of the reasons she launched Get Clear Beauty. After navigating the decisions herself, she wanted to help others better understand not only what different treatments involve, but what they actually cost.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Fortune (1); American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2); Get Clear Beauty (3); La Femme PS (4); American Association of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (5); American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (6)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
