Loose skin caused by weight-loss injections dents our confidence

After losing nearly six stone since December with the help of weight-loss injections, Emilly Murray has been left with an unwanted reminder of her former body – loose skin.

“I can’t wear what I want to wear,” says the 35-year-old from Liverpool. “I cannot get my legs out because the skin hangs over my knee so much.”

While she doesn’t regret losing weight for the benefit of her health, Emilly says the loose skin on her thighs “really does get me down” as it makes her feel self-conscious, and the way she looks naked makes her feel like a “catfish”.

“It looks okay when it’s all pulled in, but then I feel like, when I take my clothes off, I look like a 90-year-old woman. It is horrendous.”

This month marks two years since the weight-loss injection Wegovy became available on the NHS to particular patients attending weight-loss management clinics in England, Wales and Scotland. It has been available privately since spring 2023.

Another weight-loss drug, Mounjaro, became available privately in February 2024 and via the NHS in June. The drugs, which work by suppressing appetite, are not suitable for everyone and can have severe side effects.

Many people credit the at-home jabs with helping them quickly lose weight, but some are finding their self-confidence has been dented by how their arms, stomach, breasts and thighs now look.

Some also notice loose skin on their cheeks and neck, leading to what has been dubbed “Ozempic face” on social media.

When someone gains weight, their skin adapts and stretches, but when they lose weight their skin can remain stretched, explains Nora Nugent, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (Baaps).

“The more rapid [the weight loss], the more loose skin,” she adds.

In some cases, loose skin can cause irritation and lead to infection, but for many people, the effects are less severe and more of an unwanted nuisance.

In online communities dedicated to weight-loss drugs, people share tips about how they hope to reduce loose skin through building muscle, taking collagen supplements and using lotions.

But Ms Nugent says that after “significant” weight loss, surgery is the only effective option. And, for those who have overcome weight issues, the cost of an operation often presents a further challenge.

There are several kinds of procedures to remove loose skin, collectively known as body contouring, but they are rarely available on the NHS and only if patients meet specific criteria.

They would need to show that their loose skin is significantly interfering with everyday tasks like washing and dressing themselves, says Mark Soldin, a plastic surgeon who works in private practice and for the NHS.

Tackling obesity is a priority for the health service, as losing weight can reduce the risk of developing serious illnesses associated with obesity. These include cancer and heart disease, the treatment of which is estimated to cost the NHS about £11bn a year.

But Mr Soldin says body contouring is largely seen as cosmetic surgery and a low priority for NHS managers who must decide how to use limited government funding.

“There are more important things for the NHS to deal with – people that have had trauma like broken legs, heart attacks and so on,” he tells us.

He says that some patients in the area where he works – London and nearby Surrey – might face costs as high as £40,000 if they cannot access surgery on the NHS and choose to go private.

Though this depends on the amount of loose skin they have and the particular procedures they want. The most common are for the face, tummy, thighs and breasts.

Emilly aims to have enough money for surgery by next spring. “I’m trying to save up but I’ll also, maybe, have to look at loans or credit cards.”

Grace Parkin, who lives in Sheffield, has saved enough money for the procedures she wants – a tummy tuck, liposuction and breast uplift – but is going abroad to have them done because it is cheaper.

“I’ve put the effort in, lost nine stone (57kg), and spent years and years hating the way that I look,” says the 34-year-old. “I want to look how I want to look.”

Though going abroad for surgery is also something that should be carefully considered.

“I know [some] people go without a problem, but we are collecting data on people who return from surgery overseas with complications,” says Ms Nugent.

Her organisation, Baaps, represents plastic surgeons working privately in the UK.

“Tummy tucks are one of the most common procedures to return with a complication from,” she adds.

The NHS says people considering surgery abroad should discuss it with their GP beforehand.

Charmaine Hines views surgery as a “last resort” because of the costs involved and the possible scarring she might be left with.

And because skin removal surgeries can take up to six hours, they carry a higher risk of medical complications like hypothermia, pressure sores and infection.

Like Emilly, Charmaine lost about six stone (38kg) and has similar frustrations about how her body looks now.

Though in case she changes her mind, she has been putting some money aside for a tummy tuck.

“You have in your head that it’s this fairy tale – you’re going to get to the end and you’ll have this perfect body and you’re going to look in the mirror and feel fantastic,” says the 35-year-old from Newtown in mid-Wales.

“But sadly, that isn’t the case, because there is the [loose] skin that goes with it.”

Though not everyone is as unhappy with their loose skin.

“I just embrace it,” says Laura Hughes, 47, from Aberdeen. “It doesn’t bother me.”

She wasn’t concerned about developing loose skin when she started taking weight-loss medication a year ago and has lost 12 stone (76kg) since then.

During that time, she noticed loose skin appearing gradually, especially on her arms.

Laura says the medication has “completely changed” her life as before she could hardly walk and “didn’t go out” much.

Now she’s posting selfies on social media and has started DJ lessons, something she never felt confident enough to do before.

“I’m making up for lost time.”