A scroll through social media reveals a flood of celebrity before-and-after photos that seem too dramatic to be explained by diet and exercise alone. For many, the explanation is Ozempic — but the reality behind those transformations is more complicated than a quick fix. This article weighs the celebrity buzz against clinical trial data to show what the photos don’t capture: side effects, discontinuation rates, and the challenge of keeping the weight off.

4 related posts

Average weight loss (trials): 14.9% body weight · Weight loss at 4 years (SELECT): 10.2% · GI side effects: most common cause of discontinuation

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether weight loss can be maintained after stopping the drug (JAMA)
  • Which celebrities use Ozempic without public admission (JAMA)
  • Whether “Ozempic face” is reversible (JAMA)
3Timeline signal
  • 2021: Wegovy approved for chronic weight management (Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire)
  • 2022–2023: Celebrity usage becomes widely reported; “Ozempic face” enters public discourse (Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire)
  • 2023–2024: Mounjaro (tirzepatide) gains traction as an alternative (Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire)
4What’s next
  • Sustained weight loss of 15.2% after 104 weeks shown with semaglutide plus behavioral intervention (Nature Medicine)
  • SELECT trial found weight loss maintained for up to 4 years (PubMed / SELECT analysis)
  • Strategies for weight maintenance after drug discontinuation are still being studied (Nature Medicine)
The gap

Celebrity before-and-after images sell a quick transformation, but clinical reality shows the hardest part is keeping the weight off after the drug stops. The photos never show the nausea, the gallbladder stones, or the year‑two weight regain.

Five key figures from the clinical evidence — one pattern: the numbers are consistent across multiple trials, but they also reveal where the celebrity narrative stops and the science begins.

Metric Value Source
Average weight loss at 68 weeks (STEP 1) 14.9% of body weight Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire
Participants losing ≥5% in STEP 1 83.5% Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire
Mean weight loss at 104 weeks (Nature Medicine) 15.2% Nature Medicine
Mean weight reduction at 208 weeks (SELECT) 10.2% PubMed / SELECT analysis
Most common adverse events Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire
Discontinuation due to GI events Common (FDA labeling) U.S. FDA label
Gallbladder stone risk Increased (SELECT data) EASO
Suicidal ideation warning Present in FDA label U.S. FDA label
Bottom line: The pattern: clinical data shows consistent weight loss across trials, but the celebrity narrative stops where the side effects and maintenance challenges begin.

What celebs admit to using Ozempic?

Celebrities who have openly discussed Ozempic

  • Whoopi Goldberg reportedly mentioned using Mounjaro on The View
  • Tori Spelling has discussed using Ozempic for weight loss in interviews
  • Sharon Osbourne publicly talked about her Ozempic use and the side effects she experienced

Celebrities rumored to use Ozempic based on before-and-after photos

Many celebrities are speculated to use GLP-1 drugs based on dramatic before-and-after images shared on social media. Yet without confirmation from the individuals or their representatives, those remain rumors. The number of celebrities who have actually admitted use is small — perhaps a dozen, according to media compilations — but the speculation far outpaces the confirmations.

The pattern

The online gallery of “Ozempic before and after” creates an illusion of widespread celebrity adoption. In reality, most transformations remain unattributed, and the few who speak out often do so to caution others about side effects.

The implication: the celebrity narrative is built on speculation, not admission.

How long does it take to lose 20 pounds on Ozempic?

Typical weight loss timeline on Ozempic

  • In the STEP 1 trial, participants lost an average of 14.9% of body weight over 68 weeks (Novo Nordisk / PR Newswire)
  • A JAMA study reported mean weight loss of 10.6% after a 20-week run-in on semaglutide 2.4 mg (JAMA)
  • The SELECT analysis showed weight loss continuing over the first 65 weeks and sustained for up to 4 years (PubMed / SELECT analysis)

Factors that affect weight loss speed

Starting weight, dose escalation schedule, and individual tolerance all influence how quickly pounds come off. Higher doses of semaglutide are linked to greater weight loss but also more gastrointestinal side effects — nausea and vomiting being the most common, per a 2021 review of SUSTAIN, PIONEER, and STEP trials (PubMed Central review). For someone weighing 200 pounds, losing 20 pounds (10% of body weight) could take 3 to 6 months, consistent with the early slope of the STEP 1 weight‑loss curve.

Bottom line: Clinical trials show that a 10% weight loss — roughly 20 pounds for a 200‑pound person — is achievable within months, but the speed depends heavily on dose and how well the person tolerates GI side effects. Celebrity “one‑month” transformations are outliers, not the norm.

Has anyone gone off Ozempic and kept weight off?

Weight regain after stopping Ozempic

  • A JAMA trial tested whether continued weekly semaglutide versus placebo helped maintain the 10.6% weight loss achieved during a 20‑week run‑in. The placebo group regained weight (JAMA)
  • In the Nature Medicine study, sustained 15.2% weight loss at 104 weeks relied on continued semaglutide plus behavioral intervention — not on the drug alone (Nature Medicine)

Strategies to maintain weight loss

Evidence suggests that gradual tapering under medical supervision, combined with intensive lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, behavioral coaching), may improve the odds of keeping weight off after discontinuation. The SELECT trial, which followed participants for four years, found that weight loss plateaued and was maintained at about 10% reduction, but that was with continued semaglutide use (PubMed / SELECT analysis). For those who stop, the data is sobering: most regain a significant portion of the lost weight.

The catch

Nearly every clinical trial that followed participants after drug cessation showed weight regain. The celebrity “after” photos are taken on the drug; what happens a year off the drug is a different story.

The pattern: staying on the drug is the only proven way to keep the weight off.

Does Ozempic face go away?

What is Ozempic face?

“Ozempic face” refers to the hollowed, sagging appearance of the face that can occur with rapid, significant weight loss on GLP‑1 drugs. It is not a medical diagnosis but a cosmetic observation that has become widely discussed on social media and in celebrity coverage.

Can Ozempic face be reversed?

Because Ozempic face is essentially the result of lost facial fat, it may improve if weight is regained — which, as noted, happens in many people after discontinuing the drug. Cosmetic treatments such as dermal fillers or fat grafting can also address the appearance, but there is no clinical data specifically tracking the reversal of facial changes caused by semaglutide‑induced weight loss. The phenomenon underscores the trade‑off between rapid weight loss and aesthetic side effects.

The trade-off

The face that appears in the “after” photo may look thinner — but it also looks older to many viewers. Celebrity before-and-after comparisons rarely show the face at the same angle or lighting, which inflates the perceived transformation.

The catch: Ozempic face is a cosmetic cost of rapid weight loss that the before-and-after photos do not capture.

Which celebrities use Mounjaro for weight loss?

Celebrities on Mounjaro vs Ozempic

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer GLP‑1/GIP receptor agonist that has been reported as an alternative to semaglutide. Whoopi Goldberg has mentioned using Mounjaro on The View, and some other celebrities have reportedly switched from Ozempic to Mounjaro in hopes of greater or faster weight loss. Clinical head‑to‑head trials suggest tirzepatide can lead to more weight loss than semaglutide, but long‑term data on maintenance and side effects are still accumulating.

Mounjaro before and after results

No large‑scale study has directly compared celebrity experiences, but the role of Mounjaro in the celebrity weight‑loss landscape reflects the broader trend: as new GLP‑1 drugs come to market, the public interest shifts to whichever delivers the most dramatic before‑and‑after photos, regardless of long‑term evidence.

Bottom line: Mounjaro is following the same celebrity arc that Ozempic did — excitement over rapid results, before‑and‑after photo sharing, and a delay in confronting the weight‑maintenance question. For celebrities who switch, the same trade‑offs apply: GI side effects, cost, and the risk of regain after stopping.

Upsides

  • Clinically proven weight loss: average 15% body weight in trials (STEP 1)
  • Durable weight maintenance possible if drug is continued (SELECT, 4‑year data)
  • Improved cardiometabolic risk factors (Nature Medicine, 2‑year data)
  • FDA‑approved for chronic weight management (Wegovy, 2021)

Downsides

  • GI side effects: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea — most common cause of discontinuation
  • High discontinuation rates: ~50% within a year in real‑world use
  • Risk of gallbladder stones (SELECT data)
  • Weight regain after stopping — no reliable maintenance protocol
  • “Ozempic face” — cosmetic side effect from rapid fat loss
  • Suicidal ideation warning on FDA label
  • Cost and insurance coverage limitations

Notable voices on Ozempic

“I have used Ozempic to help with weight loss, and it was effective — but the side effects were tough.”

Tori Spelling, in interviews

“I use Mounjaro. It works differently from Ozempic, and I’ve had good results.”

Whoopi Goldberg, on The View

“I took Ozempic and lost weight, but I also experienced nausea and fatigue. It’s not a miracle drug.”

Sharon Osbourne, in public statements

“We saw dramatic before‑and‑after transformations, but many stars combine the drug with strict diets and personal trainers — the drug alone rarely produces those results.”

People.com compilation of celebrity GLP‑1 use

Editor’s note: Quotes have been paraphrased from public statements; exact wording may vary. The People.com reference is a compilation article that aggregates celebrity admissions.

The celebrity before‑and‑after photos tell an appealing story of effortless transformation, but the clinical evidence tells another one — of nausea, gallbladder risks, weight regain, and the “Ozempic face” that the camera rarely lingers on. For anyone considering these drugs, the choice is clear: weigh the proven weight loss against the real‑world side effects and the near‑certainty that maintaining the after will require staying on the drug indefinitely, or accept a likely return to the before.

Additional sources

nypost.com, goodrx.com, thelist.com, tcop.touro.edu, women.com

While before-and-after photos of Ozempic celebrity transformations often dominate headlines, the clinical reality includes significant side effects and weight regain.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Ozempic?

Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable GLP‑1 receptor agonist originally approved in 2017 for type 2 diabetes. It works by mimicking a hormone that regulates appetite and slows gastric emptying. A higher‑dose version, Wegovy, was approved in 2021 for chronic weight management.

How does Ozempic work for weight loss?

Semaglutide activates GLP‑1 receptors in the brain, increasing feelings of fullness and reducing appetite. It also delays stomach emptying, making food feel more satiating. This leads to a reduction in calorie intake and subsequent weight loss.

Is Ozempic the same as Wegovy?

Both contain semaglutide, but Wegovy is a higher‑dose formulation specifically approved for weight management. Ozempic is approved for diabetes treatment at lower doses, though it is sometimes prescribed off‑label for weight loss.

Can you drink alcohol while taking Ozempic?

There is no direct contraindication, but alcohol can increase the risk of side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Some people may also experience lower blood sugar levels. It is advisable to consult a healthcare provider.

Does insurance cover Ozempic for weight loss?

Insurance coverage varies widely. Many plans cover Ozempic for diabetes but not for weight loss. Wegovy may be covered under some plans with prior authorization for obesity, but out‑of‑pocket costs can be several hundred dollars per month without coverage.

What is the difference between Ozempic and Mounjaro?

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual GLP‑1 and GIP receptor agonist, whereas Ozempic (semaglutide) targets only GLP‑1. Clinical trials suggest Mounjaro can lead to greater average weight loss, but head‑to‑head long‑term data are limited.

How long do you stay on Ozempic?

For weight management, Wegovy is prescribed as a chronic therapy. The SELECT trial followed participants on semaglutide for up to 4 years. Stopping the drug typically leads to weight regain, so many experts recommend indefinite use for sustained results.