weight
Image by Alan Ko on Unsplash

Controversy can arise when messages go viral about medications for weight loss. Coverage of TV personality Gemma Collins and GLP-1 medication led to an advertising ban from the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for promoting a weight-loss app and medication. Advertising prescription-only medications is illegal. The app and medication used were part of a weight-loss program Collins touted on Instagram and elsewhere, according to the BBC.

The Importance of Doctor-Led Care

Instead, Dr. Natalie Geary, medical director of the Light Touch Clinic, explains how the face ages with rapid fat loss, how nonsurgical methods can help, and when to avoid quick fixes. Doctor-led care is key to excellent outcomes, for a multitude of reasons, with experience at the top of the list.

Rapid weight loss, whether from GLP-1 medications or intense dieting, can cause a sudden reduction in facial fat pads. Dr. Geary explains that this contributes to hollowing around the cheeks and temples, deeper nasolabial folds, and sharper jowl contours because the skin does not have adequate time to adapt. Collagen and elastin support may already be declining due to age, making the loss appear more dramatic. This combination is what many now refer to as 'Ozempic face'.

According to Dr. Geary, the issue is not the medication itself but the speed of fat loss. Gradual weight changes allow the skin to remodel; rapid shifts often do not. For patients experiencing these changes, she emphasises that careful assessment is key to determining whether the face needs volume restoration, skin tightening, or simply time to recover on its own.

Dr. Geary has performed over 500,000 cosmetic treatments and has been named one of the UK's leading aesthetic experts by top publications, such as Tatler and Elle. She pioneered the use of an iPad-based medical record system, now widely implemented across UK clinics.

She founded the clinic to fill a gap between traditional cosmetic treatments and the level of medical-based care she believes patients deserve. Her practice focuses on filtering out what is fashionable and anchoring innovations and care on what is effective, whether through a new device, technique, or trend. The clinic's offerings are varied, from microneedling to anti-wrinkle treatments, dermal fillers, laser and LED therapy, facials, and much more.

A Foundation in a Holistic Approach

Dr. Geary's approach is patient-first and driven by good medicine. She believes aesthetics should increase confidence and avoid altering identity. Bespoke recommendations are based on clinical assessment and long-term skin care. Dr. Geary believes treatments must incorporate two features: they must be both safe and 'beautifully natural'.

When addressing rapid weight-loss-related facial changes, Dr. Geary favours nonsurgical interventions that restore structure without creating an artificial look. Options may include targeted dermal fillers for volume loss, radiofrequency or laser-based tightening for laxity, and medical-grade skincare to support collagen production. She cautions that overtreating early can lead to an unbalanced result; a measured approach over several months often achieves the most natural outcome.

Her medical training is a major part of her holistic journey. It was completed with experts such as Dr. Zein Obagi in Beverly Hills, and she studied functional medicine at the American Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine (A4M), major influences on Dr. Geary's holistic approach. As a qualified medical doctor, she has more than 20 years of experience in aesthetic medicine. After clinical training in general medicine, she moved on to advanced skin treatments and ended up exclusively in her field. She has since built a team of skilled practitioners who work daily to enhance patients' natural beauty using personalised aesthetic treatments.

Commitment to Patient Safety

Dr. Geary's belief in honouring the safety of her patients starts with a simple premise: any claim that a treatment is available at the clinic should reflect genuine offerings. That level of accuracy and honesty is important for full transparency, and supporting Dr. Geary, her CQC-regulated clinic, they base their care and quality on the five key principles: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led.

She also warns that rapid weight loss can tempt some patients into 'quick fixes' such as excessive filler, unregulated fat-dissolving injections, or aggressive lifting procedures performed too early. Dr. Geary advises avoiding these shortcuts, noting that improper or premature treatment can exaggerate ageing rather than improve it. A thorough consultation allows clinicians to identify when supportive care (hydration, skincare, or slower treatment pacing) is safer than intervention.

The expectation is that Light Touch Clinic will continue to set the standard for doctor-led aesthetic care in Surrey, Dr. Geary said. She hopes to enlarge the educational component of the clinic to support patients and practitioners with clear, clinical guidance on safe aesthetics.

'I've spent my career combining medical knowledge with an artistic eye to deliver natural, refined results for patients who value safety and subtlety', she said, in a release.