Ozempic finger is diet drug's latest side effect

June 15, 2023
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People on Ozempic aren’t just dropping pants sizes for hot girl summer — finger and wrist sizes are shrinking, too.

Now, women desperate to shed pounds who have turned to Hollywood’s go-to rapid weight-loss drug are terrified of losing their precious engagement rings and Cartier LOVE bracelets thanks to their slimmer hands and arms.

Jessica, a part-time preschool teacher from Houston, started Ozempic injections in October and claimed she lost 17 pounds in just six weeks.

She’s kept the weight off but noticed that she couldn’t keep her ring on.

“I never realized weight loss also happened in your hands, but my ring suddenly didn’t fit,” the 40-year-old told The Post.

“I noticed it was flipping and it almost fell off. I was worried I would lose it.”

The mother of three immediately took her wedding ring back to jeweler LeMel and had them resize it in January for $75.

Houston resident Jessica lost 17 pounds during her first round of Ozempic injections — but she noticed an unexpected side effect involving her ring finger. Courtesy of Jessica

The 40-year-old had to pay $75 in January to get her ring resized after losing weight — and she’s already desperate to get the ring resized again. Courtesy of Jessica

Jewelers have reported that women are coming in droves to size down their rings and bracelets, up 150% compared to last year.

“Usually the summer is a very quiet time for jewelers, but this year we are seeing a huge influx of jewelry repairs due to clients losing weight,” LeMel co-founder Melanie Fitzpatrick told The Post.

“Customers are coming in left and right, getting their rings sized down and bracelets shortened.”

Often, the first place people notice they have lost weight is in their hands since rings are literally falling off their fingers.

“Weight loss doesn’t just happen in your stomach or butt — it’s your full body,” Fitzpatrick said.

While sizing rings has been the most common request, fashionistas are also coming in asking for help to shorten their necklaces and keep their $6,000 Cartier bracelets — which famously come with a tiny matching screwdriver to be locked on — from sliding off.

Ozempic is being touted as a quick way to drop a few pounds. Getty Images

“Cartier LOVE bangles are a common problem with customers losing weight in their wrists,” Fitzpatrick said. “The bangles are too big, and they are unable to be sized.”

The fix she recommends? Buy more bracelets.

“We have come up with a solution, having customers stack their bangles with $125 stretch bracelets on either side,” she said. “This helps keep the bracelet in place.”

Another option is to pay to have a beloved piece resized. LeMel Jewelers charges between $50 to $100 per ring for resizing and starts shortening bracelets at $40.

That means people paying upward of $1,000 a month for this weight-loss drug are adding yet another expense to the cost of rapidly dropping weight.

Jessica recently refilled her Ozempic prescription and dropped eight more pounds and another half of a ring size.

Women have also complained that their Cartier LOVE bracelets, which are screwed on, are becoming too big. LeMel

“I actually need to get the ring sized again because it started to flip because I am continuing to lose weight,” she said to The Post.

“I luckily haven’t had any side effects from Ozempic. If altering my jewelry is my only side effect, that’s fine by me!”

But jewelry expenses aren’t the only added costs for many Ozempic users.

Those taking Semaglutide drugs have begun complaining of a worrying list of side effects including “Ozempic face” — when facial skin sags as a result of the dramatic weight loss.

People are now flocking to dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons for pricey fixes as they clutch their bracelets and wedding rings.

Source: New York Post