Oprah Winfrey's 'Ozempic Neck' Is So Obvious In Up-Close Photos

By now, you've probably heard the term "Ozempic face," a phrase used to describe that hollowed, sunken look people can get from losing weight rapidly due to a weight loss medication. A lot of celebrities have Ozempic face, whether it's subtle like Melissa McCarthy or it's gone too far, like Ryan Seacrest. However, did you know there's also such a thing as Ozempic neck? Yep, and Oprah Winfrey is a prime example.

Though Winfrey hasn't copped to taking Ozempic specifically, she has admitted to taking a similar prescription weight-loss drug in a December 2023 interview with People. "I'm absolutely done with the shaming from other people and particularly myself," the legendary host declared, noting that she changed her mind about GLP-1 agonists, which also includes Wegovy and Mounjaro, after talking to weight loss experts and doctors for her special, "The State of Weight." She told the magazine that she balanced the medication with regular diet and exercise, adding, "I know that if I'm not also working out and vigilant about all the other things, it doesn't work for me."

Kevin Winter/Getty & DFree/Shutterstock

Comparing her photos from 2014 to 2024, it's clear that Winfrey exhibits signs commonly associated with GLP-1 use, including sagging and wrinkled skin on her neck. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of her Ozempic neck, though, are the multiple vertical bands along her neck and the hollow spaces between them. Granted, hers is hardly the most striking case of Ozempic face, but it absolutely shows in her neck.

Based on her Ozempic neck, it appears that Oprah Winfrey may have rushed her use of the weight-loss drug. The good news is that there are multiple procedures available to treat this unwelcome side effect, from radio-frequency microneedling to minor surgery such as a facelift.

Prevention is always better than a cure, though, so doctors strongly recommend that people take things slow if they do use these drugs. "While taking GLP-1 medications, your healthcare provider will monitor the rate at which you're losing weight to prevent rapid weight loss that can increase the chance of the loose skin that some see as 'Ozempic neck,'" physician Raoul Manalac, M.D., told Good Housekeeping. It's also important to pair it with hydration, quality sleep, exercise, and diet, which are all essential for skin regeneration.

Winfrey knows that using GLP-1 drugs isn't a miracle solution; it also requires hard work and patience — a lot of it. "You need to start slow and gradual," she told People in 2025. "If you start by taking too much at one time, you have more of a chance of messing yourself up." Alongside the treatment, she has removed alcohol from her diet and prioritized exercise, no matter how busy her schedule gets.

Alas, she still ended up with loose skin on her neck as a result of Winfrey's weight loss transformation, from losing nearly 50 pounds with the help of said medication. For Winfrey and others, though, the pros will always outweigh the cons. Explaining how life-changing her weight loss has been, the TV host told People, "Everything is just calmer and stronger. ... I hardly recognize the woman I've become." She added, "But she's a happy woman."