We've spent thousands on ‘Mounjaro makeovers' – it's the king of fat jabs but it left us with shocking side effect

Scottish Sun

4 hours ago

WITH Mounjaro users shedding nearly double the amount of weight compared to its other counterparts, it's no wonder the injection is being dubbed the 'king' of fat jabs.
But with such drastic results, it's becoming all too common for users to experience side effects they may never have expected - and when that happens, you get yourself booked in for a £10,000 'Mounjaro makeover'.
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Abbie Rose, 28, started taking Mounjaro in December but was stunned at the shocking side effect
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Abbie says the fat jab helped her achieve her dream body - but she still had to go under the knife
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Claire Wilson, stomach pictured, was left with an abundance of loose skin after losing three stone on Mounjaro
After injecting the wonder drug for mere months and watching the weight drop off stone by stone, Brits up and down the country are feeling healthier and sexier.
But when the fat is gone and all but stretched skin remains, many will feel disheartened at not having achieved their dream body with a quick fix.
Mounjaro users are more likely to experience saggy, excess skin compared to those using other brands of fat jabs because of rapid weight loss, according to cosmetic surgeons.
Mum-of-three Claire Wilson was one of them - shedding three stone on Mounjaro, she was left with an abundance of loose skin around her middle, which she just couldn't stomach.
She told The Sun how the fat jab completely changed her life when she hit 13st after turning 40.
But it wasn't the end of her weight loss journey as she'd hoped - and she decided to go under the knife for a £10,000 'Mounjaro makeover' to achieve her dream figure.
The makeover is a combination of cosmetic procedures sought by patients to remove excess skin after rapid weight loss.
Claire had four pounds of flabby skin removed, finally hit her goal weight of 9st and cried with joy when she looked in the mirror for the first time.
The 43-year-old from Swansea told Fabulous: 'I've spent decades hating my body.
'But I burst into tears the second I saw my new, flat stomach.
Mounjaro Weight Loss injection from Ozeias Se Silva Known As Ozzy Tudo
'I used to hate my reflection and looking at myself but the second I had the surgery and saw how different I looked, I just couldn't believe it. It's changed my life.'
'King' of fat jabs
Mounjaro - dubbed the "King Kong" of weight loss jabs - helped people shed significantly more weight than it's rival Wegovy, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found.
Though both drugs were effective for weight loss, Mounjaro not only helped people shed more pounds, but they also lost more inches around their waist.
Mounjaro's active ingredient is tirzepatide, while Wegovy's is semaglutide - the same active drug in diabetes jab Ozempic.
One study, by weight loss programme Second Nature, found that Mounjaro users experienced a 21.4% reduction in body weight, while Ozempic patients saw a 11.2% reduction over a 40 week period.
I've had three children so like lots of mums I ended up with loose skin but losing weight on Mounjaro it became even more evident.
Claire Wilson
Dr Darren Smith, a New York cosmetic surgeon, explained how the rapid weight loss from Mounjaro can contribute to excess skin laxity.
Explaining the trend, which is rising in popularity in the US, he told his Instagram followers: 'The term 'Mounjaro Makeover' is increasingly popular, and this is a term I use to describe any combination of operations that we're performing to help you get rid of extra skin that you're seeing after weight loss with Mounjaro.
'In many cases, patients that are using Mounjaro and losing a significant amount of weight over a very short period of time might experience even more significant skin laxity than patients that are doing it with Ozempic.
'Patients on Mounjaro are often achieving nearly bariatric surgical levels of weight loss, and these patients are having operations similar to those patients after bariatric surgery to get rid of extra skin.'
'I hated my excess skin'
Claire weighed 13st at her heaviest and while she would have liked to work off her weight gain in the gym, like she had done in the past, she noticed her metabolism slowed down when she hit 40.
She says: 'I've gained and lost around three stone three or four times in my life.
'I'd ended up around 13st but I'm only 5ft 2in and when I tried to exercise and diet the weight off this time around, I simply couldn't.'
Claire began researching fat jabs and decided to try Mounjaro.
She added: 'I saw so many people on social media losing over 9lbs a week. I was keen to try it for myself.'
Claire started using the jabs in May 2024 and the weight began to drop away at a rapid rate.
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Mum-of-three Claire, stomach pictured, spent thousands on a 'Mounjaro Makeover' and had four pounds of flabby skin chopped off
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Like Claire, Abbie also had a makeover which consisted of a tummy tuck, muscle repair and liposuction
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Abbie reveals she was 'over the moon' after seeing the results of her makeover
She says: 'It was amazing. It totally changed my appetite. I was on a 2.5mg dose to begin with, which went up to 5mg. That was my maximum dose which I'm still on now. It's a maintenance dose I take every two weeks to keep my appetite low."
But by September of that year, she noticed that her excess skin was becoming an issue.
'I've had three children so like lots of mums I ended up with loose skin but losing weight on Mounjaro it became even more evident,' she says.
'I absolutely hated it, which is when I started thinking about a Mounjaro makeover.
'I spent over £1,000 on Mounjaro and then saved £10,000 to have tummy tuck surgery.
'I hated the excess skin and what I looked like, my self-esteem was terrible and it affected every area of my life.'
Claire's surgery last month - after she hit her target weight of nine stone - was the culmination of 13 months of weight loss.
I'm so happy with the new body I have, getting rid of my flabby tummy has changed my life
Claire Wilson
Her surgeon, Iain Whitaker; professor of Plastic Surgery, and The Welsh Representative on BAAPS Council, performed a 'fleur de lys' surgery with a horizontal and vertical incision before removing around 4lbs(1.75kg) of Claire's excess skin.
She says: 'I couldn't believe the amount of skin they removed, there was so much, the video (taken by the medical team) was incredible when I first saw it, around 1.75kg of skin was removed.
'I've been in a bit of discomfort but the recovery has been incredible. I'm still bound at the moment to help reduce scarring but then the surgery was only recently.
'My recovery is ongoing but I'm so happy with the new body I have, getting rid of my flabby tummy has changed my life.'
Claire says she can't wait to get into a bikini this summer.
She adds: 'It's incredible how much my confidence has changed.
'Having a Mounjaro makeover has completely changed how I feel about myself. I feel sexier than I have in years and have had loads of compliments from friends.'
'Easy way out'
Meanwhile, Abbie Rose, 28, started taking Mounjaro in December and credits it with helping her achieve her dream body.
The mum of three from Shropshire says: 'I was a size 12 and weighed 11 stone 9lbs.
'I think there can be some negativity around weight loss injections but they're amazing.
'I think if they help people and give them their confidence back, that's amazing.'
But, like Claire, she was left with extra skin around her stomach, so she booked in with Professor Whitaker to help her hit her ideal weight of 9st 7lbs.
She says: 'My Mounjaro makeover consisted of a tummy tuck, muscle repair and liposuction, it was £9,000.
'It was uncomfortable but manageable when it came to the pain and the recovery. I was over the moon when I first saw my results.
The Mounjaro Makeover can remove skin from anywhere with the most common areas being the abdomen, arms, breasts, or thighs – or a combination
Professor Whitaker
'I spent £300 on Mounjaro injections and the Mounjaro makeover isn't something I went into with my eyes closed.
'I spoke to lots of friends and family about it and they were supportive of my decision and knew it was something I had wanted for a long time, around seven years.'
Claire agrees - despite having received negativity, she says she simply couldn't have achieved the body she has now by exercise and diet alone.
She told The Sun: 'It's easy for people to say Mounjaro and Mounjaro makeovers are cheating and are the easy way out.
'But I've battled with my weight for years and, thanks to the injections and Professor Whitaker, I'm at the exact weight I want to be, and I have a body I've always dreamed of having.'
Professor Whitaker says a patient should be at or near their target weight, with a BMI around 25 or lower, before considering surgery.
He says: 'That ensures the skin is looser and the fat thickness is reduced, which reduces tension on the closure, better blood supply, reduced complications and leads to better results.
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She took the plunge once she hit her ideal weight of 9st 7lbs
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Abbie says her friends and family were supportive of her choice to get the makeover
'Surgery is most successful when the weight is stable. Some people may still have a bit to lose post-surgery, but they've already done the hard work.'
He adds: 'The hashtag #mounjaromakeover started in the US but like a lot of trends, it's come to the UK. Now dozens of women have shared their Moujaro makeovers online."
Mounjaro is approved for weight loss in the UK, while Ozempic is only approved for type 2 diabetes.
Gemma Collins and Jeremy Clarkson are two of the Brit stars who have admitted using Mounjaro, while Sharon Osbourne, Amy Schumer and Oprah Winfrey have discussed their Ozempic journeys.
Prof Whitaker adds: 'The Mounjaro Makeover can remove skin from anywhere with the most common areas being the abdomen, arms, breasts, or thighs – or a combination.
'Each has its pros and cons, but the abdomen is by far the most common and the area I'm asked for when it comes to Mounjaro Makeovers the most.'
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients' sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: 'One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.'
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients' mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
Prof Whitaker says surgery after large weight loss on Mounjaro is honestly the only option.
'The reality is, once you've lost that kind of weight, no matter what anyone says, it's unlikely you can bring the abdominal muscles back together through physio or exercise alone. And you certainly can't remove the excess skin without surgery.
'The idea that injections, lasers, suction, or radiofrequency devices can meaningfully tighten that skin after this volume of weight loss is, frankly, complete nonsense.
'None of those approaches are effective for the kind of skin laxity we're talking about here. The only real solution is surgery.'