K-Beauty wants to fix the ‘Ozempic face’ problem
A South Korean firm plans to launch an injectable skin booster made from donated human fat to restore lost facial volume.
Ozempic users are facing the so-called "Ozempic face," a term referring to hollow cheeks and sagging skin caused by the weight-loss drug's effects. South Korean biotech company L&C Bio plans to capitalize on this trend by launching an injectable skin booster made from donated human fat. The company, led by CEO Lee Whan-chul, has been pioneering the use of donated human tissue in K-beauty skin boosters since five years ago.
L&C Bio holds patents on the technology in South Korea, the US, and China. The new product, tentatively named MegaAdipoECM, processes donated fat into an extracellular matrix that allows patients' own fat cells to repopulate treated areas, restoring lost volume naturally. The treatment addresses the "Ozempic face" issue while also providing a biological alternative to silicone breast implants, which have long-term health risks.
L&C Bio previously faced regulatory hurdles in South Korea, where donated fat was classified as medical waste, but the law changed in 2026, allowing the company to manufacture and launch the product by late 2027. Analysts predict the global dermal filler market will more than double to US$17 billion by 2035, with Asia leading the expansion due to surging demand for non-surgical facials and an aging population.
The volume segment, currently dominated by traditional fillers and bio-stimulators, may see competition from L&C Bio's innovative product. Critics argue that commercializing donated human matter could undermine altruistic donations and divert scarce material from trauma patients, but L&C Bio insists that donors explicitly consent to aesthetic use and that shortages are overstated.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
