Sharon Osbourne’s latest public appearance has reignited debate around the controversial weight loss dr*g Ozempic and the long-term impact of not only its usage, but the lesser-known adverse effects it might have.
Dressed in a loose-fitting white sweatshirt and cream pants, the 72-year-old was photographed walking with shopping bags through a tree-lined street. Fans had a hard time ignoring her significantly diminished frame, which they described as “unrecognizable.”
Highlights
- Sharon Osbourne's fans expressed concern after she was spotted in an "unrecognizable" state.
- Osbourne said Ozempic permanently altered her metabolism, making it impossible for her to gain weight after stopping the drug.
- Experts warn psychological issues may lead to addictive cosmetic procedures, a cycle Osbourne has openly acknowledged battling.
Interestingly, Osbourne herself predicted that this would happen in a 2023 interview, when she admitted that Ozempic had seemingly altered her body permanently despite having stopped the injections.
“I can’t put on weight now,” she said at the time. “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.”
Fans are worried after seeing Sharon Osbourne’s ever-thinning physique following her going “too far” on Ozempic
Image credits: sharonosbourne / Instagram
While she didn’t specify what “too much” meant in terms of dosage, the TV personality reportedly lost close to 42 pounds in just four months before stopping the dr*g.
Osbourne then attempted to regain some of the weight she had lost for health reasons, trying to strike a healthy balance between her weight and looks—but she was unable to.
Image credits: The Sage Steele Show / YouTube
“I need to put on 10lb, but however much I eat, I stay the same weight,” she confessed, explaining how the constant need to “perfect” her appearance had led her down a rabbit hole of constant interventions and invasive treatments.
Image credits: The Image Direct / Vidapress
“I’ve had enough. I’ve given up on all interventions. I couldn’t have much more facial surgery,” she said, adding that her body simply couldn’t take anymore.
“There’s not that much skin left to stretch, pull or cut. And I won’t have any more fillers or Botox.”
According to a study by the University of South California, people suffering with psychological problems, such as body dysmorphia or depression, are approximately 15 times more likely to become addicted to plastic surgery.
Research explains that, in trying to solve an internal problem, these patients end up tackling what they perceive to be external flaws, but as the true issue lies in their psyche, they end up engaging in a vicious cycle where no single procedure is enough.
Osbourne has been open about her plastic surgery addiction and issues with self-acceptance in the past
Despite her decision to stop pursuing cosmetic enhancements, the aftermath of years of procedures appears to linger.
As Bored Panda previously reported, recent photos of Osbourne—particularly one showing her enjoying time with her grandson—sparked an avalanche of comments accusing her of overusing filters or Photoshop.
“What has she done with her face?” one commenter wrote. “Too much money, I suppose.”
Image credits: sharonosbourne / Instagram
Others zoomed in, noting, “Her feet speak the truth,” implying that digital alterations had been applied only to her face. “Beautiful airbrushed photo but feet tell your age,” said another.
One post bluntly claimed, “It’s from her taking Ozempic. She was a really beautiful lady.”
Image credits: sharonosbourne / Instagram
Osbourne has differentiated herself from similar celebrities by being completely honest not only about her long history with cosmetic surgery—which includes facelifts, a tummy tuck, an eyelift, breast implants, and recurrent Botox—but also about the physical and emotional toll these procedures have taken.
Image credits: sharonosbourne / Instagram
“I don’t think I’ll even be happy with the way I look,” she revealed in an interview with The Guardian.
“But I’m now satisfied. It’s taken years for me to say this, but I’ve learned my lesson. This is me. It’s finally time to leave well alone.”
Ozempic has become one of the most popular weight-loss drugs in the world, but its side-effects are seldom discussed
Image credits: Rex Features / Vidapress
Ozempic, and associated brands such as Wegovy and Rybelsus, contain Semaglutide, a compound originally designed as anti-diabetic medication, helping patients control their blood sugar levels.
It acts by both suppressing appetite and slowing down metabolism, lowering blood sugar levels along the way.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) unanimously approved the compound to be used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in October 2017. It remained that way for close to four years, with Ozempic being the first brand approved and others joining on the way.
Image credits: Eva Rinaldi / Flickr
However, in June 2021, the FDA made the controversial but profitable decision to approve a higher-dose, injectable version of Wegovy as an anti-obesity medication for long-term weight management in adults.
Image credits: sharonosbourne / Instagram
Since then, Ozempic became one of the most profitable dr*gs on the market, so much so that its manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, has become Europe’s most valuable company, with a market value that exceeds the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of its home country, Denmark.
Image credits: The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan / YouTube
It does, however, come with a host of side effects—including risks of thyroid cancer—many of which have been disclosed openly by the company but glossed over by media discussions.
“The doctors can’t figure it out,” Osbourne said, confused as to what the drug might’ve done to her body. “But I think it’s just because I’m getting older, and as you get older, you lose weight anyway and shrink and shrivel off.”
"Ruined." Netizens took to social media to share their thoughts on the TV personality's physique
