Just when you thought Ozempic had run out of ways to surprise us, it delivers yet another side effect.
A recent picture of Kylie Jenner in West Hollywood triggered a wave of speculation about her “Ozempic hands” - a term now used to describe the veiny, skeletal look that can appear on the hands after rapid weight loss.
The use of Ozempic comes with the enticing promise of losing fat fast. But behind the hype of these weight-loss medications is an ever-growing list of effects that take over the body from head to toe.
Highlights
- Behind the hype of weight-loss medications is an ever-growing list of effects that take over the body from head to toe.
- A recent picture of Kylie Jenner in West Hollywood triggered a wave of speculation about her “Ozempic hands.”
- "Ozempic hands" refers to the thinning of skin and the popping of veins on one’s hands after rapid weight loss.
"Ozempic hands" join a growing list of side effects spotted in celebrity Ozempic before-and-after photos - from gaunt "Ozempic face" to dramatic body shifts on the red carpet.
A recent picture of Kylie Jenner in West Hollywood triggered a wave of speculation about her “Ozempic hands.”
Image credits: kyliejenner
GLP-1 medications—like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro— were originally designed to treat diabetes. In recent years, they have surged in popularity for their powerful ability to suppress appetite and trigger rapid weight loss.
But trimming waistlines is not the only impact of GLP-1 prescriptions.
These appetite-suppressing medications led to several effects, colloquially referred to as the Ozempic tongue, the Ozempic teeth, the Ozempic feet, and the Ozempic butt.
Now, “Ozempic hands” has entered the list of effects that take over one’s body.
Image credits: BACKGRID
“Ozempic hands” refers to the thinning of skin and the popping of veins on one's hands after rapid weight loss.
A recent picture of beauty mogul Kylie in a silver mini dress had netizens questioning whether she was using Ozempic.
They particularly fixated on her hands, with one claiming, “She forgot to Photoshop her Ozempic hand.”
“She forgot to Photoshop her Ozempic hand,” one netizen commented on Kylie's recent photo
Image credits: BACKGRID
The phenomenon, dubbed “Ozempic hands,” is a “common finding” among not only GLP-1 users but also those who have undergone major weight loss from surgeries or through dietary restrictions.
“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, Pharmacy Practice, UConn School of Pharmacy, told Bored Panda via email.
This weight loss could be from “GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide or tirzepatide, gastric bypass or lap band surgery, or very low-calorie dieting,” he added. “It is just a cosmetic thing for most people.”
While explaining the physiological effects of fat loss, the expert pointed out how fat is distributed across the body, including the face, feet and hands.
Image credits: David Trinks/Unsplash
“When people are overweight, they don’t only have fat in their hips and bellies but it is distributed across their body,” he said. “This includes the face, feet and hands.”
Hence, in cases of extreme weight loss, there is fat and muscle that is consequently lost in all these areas.
“When you lose that weight, you lose fat in all those places, you also lose muscle there as well, and your skin sags,” White went on to say. “Some of the sagging goes away if you maintain that weight for a period of time, so keeping your new lower weight stable over time can help.”
Stars like Khloé Kardashian often come on the radar, with fans speculating whether she has taken Ozempic to aid her weight-loss journey.
Khloé Kardashian has spoken about Ozempic but never admitted to taking it
Image credits: khloekardashian
One particular 2022 picture of Khloé inside a car, with long beige nails, had people exclaiming, “Those hands.”
“What kind of satanic cult ritual them hands been through,” one said, while another asked, “What happened to your hands and feet? Fr tho.”
While the reality TV star has spoken about Ozempic before, she has never admitted to using it for weight loss.
“I’m just mad [Ozempic] wasn’t around 10 years ago,” the reality TV star once said
Image credits: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images / khloekardashian
“Even if people get surgery or [get on] the Ozempic craze, I’m like, ‘Who cares!’ As long as people feel good about themselves, who am I to judge?”
“I think it’s ridiculous, the judgment on that. I’m just mad [Ozempic] wasn’t around 10 years ago,” she added.
Oprah Winfrey is one among several stars who have been open about their experience with GLP-1 medication.
Image credits: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images / khloekardashian
In 2023, the former talk show host said she was seven pounds away from hitting her goal weight of 160 lbs.
After she started taking the GLP-1 medication, she said she no longer struggled with “food noise,” described as intrusive thoughts related to hunger or cravings.
Oprah Winfrey said she no longer struggled with “food noise” after taking the weight-loss medication
Image credits: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
The What I Know For Sure author said she “released” her “shame” about using the medication.
“I now use it as I feel I need it, as a tool to manage not yo-yoing,” she told People in 2023.
Image credits: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Fellow weight-loss medication user Sharon Osbourne previously assured fans that it’s “not a sin to use Ozempic if you have a weight problem, so why not talk about it?”
She revealed in February 2024 that she lost about 42 pounds in four months but called it “too much.”
“I can't put on weight now, and I don't know what it's done to my metabolism, but I just can't seem to put any on, because I think I went too far,” she told Howie Mandel during an April 2024 podcast episode.
“I can't put on weight now, and I don't know what it's done to my metabolism,” Sharon Osbourne said
Image credits: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images /sharonosbourne
It also added to widespread speculation about whether she was experiencing the “Ozempic feet” phenomenon, which sees floppy and wrinkly skin on the feet.
Image credits: GVK/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images /sharonosbourne
Acting icon Kathy Bates has also addressed whether she has used GLP-1 medication over the years.
The Matlock actress, who was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes around 2017, said she lost 100 lbs. over seven years.
But she clarified that she lost 80 lbs. through her diet and lifestyle changes and the remaining 20 lbs. with Ozempic.
“There’s been a lot of talk that I just was able to do this because of Ozempic,” she told People last year. “But I have to impress upon people out there that this was hard work for me, especially during the pandemic. It’s very hard to say you’ve had enough.”
Kathy Bates said she lost 100 lbs. over roughly seven years, and Ozempic was part of her weight-loss journey
Image credits: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images / Francis Specker/CBS
When it comes to dealing with the effects of weight-loss medications, White suggested ways to target the fat and to lose less muscle in the process.
“One way to lose less muscle and better target just the fat is to add exercise to your regimen and to increase the amount of protein that you are eating,” he said. “By providing sufficient protein in the diet but still having a calorie deficit, you can lose weight without looking as deflated.”
While undergoing a calorie-deficient diet, he said it would be helpful to consider taking daily multivitamin/multi-mineral supplements.
Expert says it would be best to target fat and try to lose less muscle during the weight-loss process
Image credits: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images / Francis Specker/CBS
“Some people with ‘Ozempic hands’ or ‘Ozempic feet’ are complaining of some hand and foot tingling or slight tremor. This can indicate a vitamin deficiency because you are not getting enough vitamins in your diet with so few calories coming into your body each day,” he continued.
“Most Americans don’t need to take a multivitamin, but it may be a good idea for people attempting significant weight loss,” he added. “Don’t go crazy with vitamins and minerals, though. Getting 80-100% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) is plenty.”
Image credits: pikisuperstar
The expert urged people to let their doctor or pharmacist know if they have any kind of tingling or burning sensation in their hands and feet, cracked corners of their lips, or a red sore tongue.
These “could put you at risk for more severe manifestations of vitamin or mineral deficiency,” he said. “They can test your levels and more personally design a multivitamin and multi-mineral regimen for you.”
“Excuse me while I throw up,” a critic harshly commented on Kylie's photo
