New Chinese Supplement Claims to Reverse 'Ozempic Face

A new supplement promising to reverse the "Ozempic face" has landed on shelves across China, claiming its secret weapon is a specific plant extract. The product, known as Shou Chuan, suggests that nature holds the answer to weight-loss side effects that Western medicine often ignores. Users say it helps restore skin elasticity and facial volume after losing pounds rapidly with GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy.

However, experts warn that these claims rely heavily on limited data from small-scale studies rather than large clinical trials. The manufacturer states the formula contains a unique combination of herbs designed to boost collagen production without adding calories. Yet, there is no published evidence proving this specific blend works better than existing treatments for facial sagging. Most dermatologists agree that significant tissue loss requires time and nutrition, not just a bottle of pills.

Shou Chuan markets itself as a safe alternative for those who cannot access prescription weight-loss medications or wish to avoid them entirely. Some early reviews praise the texture and taste, noting fewer digestive issues compared to injectables. Others remain skeptical because the ingredient list lacks transparency regarding exact dosages or purity levels. Without independent verification from major health organizations, consumers are left guessing about real benefits versus marketing hype.

The controversy centers on whether traditional remedies can match modern pharmaceutical solutions in treating rapid weight loss complications. Regulators have not yet evaluated these specific products for safety or efficacy claims related to facial changes. Until more rigorous testing occurs, the promise of reversing Ozempic face remains largely unproven science wrapped in herbal packaging. People should weigh potential costs against uncertain results before trying such supplements.

TikTok is convinced a simple cream can fix the damage caused by weight loss injections, yet experts reveal the truth behind the viral hype. One of the most unwelcome side effects of the blockbuster jabs used by millions of Britons is 'Ozempic face'. This phenomenon leaves users with gaunt features, hollow cheeks, sagging skin, and sunken eyes. Despite its name, the issue stems from using these treatments more broadly, including Wegovy and Mounjaro.

A study published last year in the Journal of Clinical Medicine blamed the problem on rapid weight loss. These therapies can help patients shed a fifth of their body weight in just over a year. As a result, thousands of patients are scrambling for a solution. Now, according to an increasing number of TikTok users, the answer may lie in a treatment containing a plant extract long used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Volufiline, sold in creams and serums, has become a social media favourite with users claiming it restores fullness by plumping fat cells beneath the skin. But does it work? Volufiline contains an extract derived from the root of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, a plant native to China and Mongolia. The extract holds a compound known as sarsasapogenin, which is thought to encourage existing fat cells under the skin to hold more fat.

'This leads to increased volume beneath the skin, creating a plumper, fuller appearance,' Hadley King, a dermatologist from New York, told Vogue this year. One TikTok user with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome said she noticed changes after applying Volufiline to the left side of her face twice daily for just two weeks. Another influencer applies the product to his cheekbones because he wants them to look bigger. He even claimed it could give users 'cheekbones like Bella Hadid'. Scores more have described Volufiline as a 'filler in a bottle', sharing before-and-after images and videos that appear to show improvements.

The most frequently cited study relating to Volufiline was led by the manufacturer and involved 28 women applying it to one breast for almost two months. Researchers reported that the treated breast showed an average 2.2 per cent increase in volume compared with the untreated area. However, Dr Christopher Rowland Payne, a consultant dermatologist at The London Clinic, is sceptical. 'I'm not at all convinced by the evidence I've seen,' he said.

Dr Rowland Payne stated it would be 'almost not possible' for a topical product to penetrate deeply enough into the skin to reach fat cells in the face and significantly increase their volume. 'How this agent reaches the fat in the face I do not understand,' he added. Dr Rowland Payne acknowledged that some users may notice an improvement in their appearance. But he said this could be down to increased skin hydration – due to more water being in the skin from using the treatment – rather than changes in facial fat. 'This can make it look a little bit more glowy,' he explained. He also warned that this effect would likely wear off more quickly than established treatments such as lipofilling and filler injections.

Other experts told the Mail that people should be cautious about being swept up in a viral craze. 'You have to take everything that goes viral with a pinch of salt,' says Dr Sweta Rai, a consultant dermatologist at King's College Hospital. 'It's being marketed as an alternative to something that's injected into your skin for volumisation, and medically, I don't know how that would be possible.'

Several experts said more research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about Volufiline's effectiveness on the face. Volufiline's manufacturer, Croda, had been selling the ingredient for around a decade to relatively little fanfare. But the surge of TikTok users praising its plumping benefits, particularly for treating 'Ozempic face', has given it a new lease of life. Videos tagged with the treatment's name have attracted hundreds of millions of views on the platform.

However, Dr Rowland Payne said patients should focus first on the underlying cause of why they look gaunt rather than rushing for ways to treat it. 'If a patient has developed a gaunt face because of treatment with a GLP-1 agonist, the number one thing to do is seek medical advice,' he said. 'Perhaps the dose of the drug is too high and therefore the treatment is taken too far and you have lost too much weight.' Another step would be for the doctor to treat you by lipofilling, which is taking fat from a diet resistant part of the body, such as the abdomen, and injecting it into the face. Or, more simply, the doctor could do a filler injection into the gaunt part of the face.

Nevertheless, Croda's chief executive has acknowledged that growing interest has created a commercial opportunity for the company. Sales of Volufiline increased by 270 per cent in the first half of the year, according to a report in The Telegraph. 'It had been in our portfolio for a decade,' Croda's chief executive Steve Foots told the newspaper. 'Ozempic coming on the market has created a big opportunity, which we're capitalising on.' 'It can lead to facial hollowing, but we can innovate around that by plumping your skin.' Mr Foots told the Mail that Croda 'work closely with the world's leading beauty brands to bring new solutions to the market with science-led ingredients'. 'Two recent examples include Volufiline, a skincare ingredient that helps visibly plump areas where skin loses volume with age, and Silverfree, our peptide that helps reduce the appearance of grey hair,' he said. 'Both demonstrate how our scientists turn deep expertise and close customer collaboration into ingredients that can meet emerging consumer needs.