Lose the weight. Keep the fat?
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
In the era of "Ozempic face," planning ahead might look like saving some fat before losing weight.
What's happening: "GLP-1 patients can have liposuction prior to their weight loss journey, bank their fat, and when they reach their goal weight they can treat their Ozempic butt/breast/face with their own fat," Johnny Franco, a board-certified Austin-based plastic surgeon, told Real Self.
- "Fat banking" is one trend the outlet reports will define 2026.
How it works: Fat transfer involves surgically removing fat from one part of a patient's body and injecting it into another part. For example, fat taken from the abdomen could be later injected into the face to plump cheek volume.
Reality check: This isn't a mainstream option yet, Darren Smith, a board-certified plastic surgeon and American Society of Plastic Surgeons member, tells Axios.
- "While we can technically freeze and store fat for future use, the safety and production protocols are not yet established to offer this on a mass scale," Smith says.
- "Practitioners performing liposuction and 'saving the fat for later in their freezer' are almost certainly not doing this in a safe, compliant way."
Donor fat is also an option.
- Case in point: AlloClae is a newer product made with fat processed from human donors who have died.
The big picture: Plastic surgery is becoming a normal part of post-GLP-1 life, as patients shed pounds rapidly and experience changes in skin and volume.
The bottom line: New cosmetic approaches are emerging for GLP-1 patients, but not all are ready for prime time.
