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GLP-1 Decoder

Tirzepatide Face: How Common, How Long It Lasts, What Helps

The tirzepatide labels do not list face changes as a side effect. What people mean by it: a thinner or older-looking face after fast weight loss (often called Ozempic face).

In the label
Not listed
Most common in the label
Nausea 18%

Zepbound: the basics

Time it remains in your body
100%50%25%0%05.5 d11 d16.5 d22 d27.5 d50%25%12.5%time after the dose

The half-life ranges from 5 to 6 days; half remains after 5.5 d, and about 3% remains after five half-lives (27.5 d).

Main trial weight loss
SURMOUNT-1: 5 mg weekly15%SURMOUNT-1: 10 mg weekly19.5%SURMOUNT-1: 15 mg weekly20.9%Placebo3.1%

Over 72 weeks in SURMOUNT-1, the figure was 20.9% of body weight, compared with 3.1% on placebo.

Prices over time
202420252026$1,086.37$0List priceSelf-pay

Monthly prices in US dollars: the list price and self-pay offers, each taken from the maker's price page.

Sources: FDA label (DailyMed), Eli Lilly 1 2, cnbc.com.

What the Mounjaro label lists instead

The Mounjaro label does not list face changes. It lists these five side effects most often.

Table 1: Adverse Reactions from the Pool of Placebo-Controlled Trials Reported in ≥5% of MOUNJARO-treated Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Side effectPlaceboMounjaro 5 mgMounjaro 10 mgMounjaro 15 mgMore than placebo, 15 mg
Nausea4%12%15%18%+14 points
Diarrhea9%12%13%17%+8 points
Decreased Appetite1%5%10%11%+10 points
Vomiting2%5%5%9%+7 points
Dyspepsia3%8%8%5%+2 points

Source: Mounjaro label (DailyMed).

Source: FDA label (DailyMed).