Why We Ask About GLP-1 Medications and Peptides.

Plus Why It Matters

One of the things I value most about our clinic is the relationship we build with each and every patient. My team and I are committed to creating treatment plans that are safe, evidence-based and completely tailored to you. That is why I want to explain why we always ask you to tell us about all medications, supplements and injectable treatments you are using, including GLP-1 medications and peptide therapies.

This isn’t about judgement. In fact, many of these treatments have transformed people’s health and quality of life. Our role is simply to ensure we have the complete picture so we can make the safest and most effective recommendations for your skin.

What are GLP-1 medications?

GLP-1 receptor agonists are medications originally developed to help manage type 2 diabetes. They are now widely prescribed for weight management because they help regulate appetite, slow stomach emptying and improve blood sugar control. You may know them by brand names such as Ozempic®, Wegovy® or Mounjaro®.

As these medications become more common, we’re seeing changes that are relevant to aesthetic medicine. Significant weight loss can affect facial volume, skin quality, hydration and tissue support. This doesn’t mean aesthetic treatments aren’t appropriate but it simply means your treatment plan may need to be adjusted to achieve the best possible outcome.

What are peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as signalling molecules within the body. Some are licensed medicines prescribed by healthcare professionals, while others are marketed online or through wellness clinics with claims ranging from accelerated healing and fat loss to improved muscle growth, anti-ageing and enhanced performance.

The challenge is that not all peptides have the same level of scientific evidence, quality control or regulatory oversight. Some products sold online or imported from overseas may not have undergone the rigorous testing required for licensed medicines, meaning their purity, dosage and long-term safety may be uncertain and in fact many of those that have been confiscated and tested have been harmful toxins, medications, and even things like lead! 

Why does this matter for your aesthetic treatments?

Many medications and peptide therapies can influence how your body responds to treatment. They may alter inflammation, healing, collagen remodelling, hydration, immune responses or tissue quality.

This means they could:

• Change how we assess your skin and facial anatomy.

• Influence which treatments are most suitable.

• Affect healing times or your response to certain procedures.

• Alter the expected results from regenerative or collagen-stimulating treatments.

• Increase or change the risk profile of some procedures.

  
  

For example, if someone is experiencing rapid weight loss while having facial rejuvenation treatments, we may recommend a different treatment sequence or timing than we otherwise would. Likewise, if a patient is using a peptide that influences inflammation or tissue repair, we need to consider how that could interact with the treatment we’re planning.

None of this automatically means treatment cannot go ahead, it simply helps us make better, safer clinical decisions.

Why we’re particularly interested in unregulated peptides

Recently, social media has seen an increase in the promotion of research peptides and other injectable compounds marketed as shortcuts to weight loss, anti-ageing or enhanced recovery. While the marketing can be persuasive, many of these products have limited high-quality human research and may not be manufactured to pharmaceutical standards.

In some cases, the ingredients, concentration or sterility of these products cannot be independently verified. This introduces uncertainty—not only about their effectiveness, but also about potential interactions with other treatments and their impact on your body’s healing processes.

That uncertainty is one of the biggest reasons we ask you to tell us if you’re using them.

Our promise to you

Our consultation room is a judgement-free space. We know people choose different approaches to improve their health, wellbeing and confidence, and we respect those decisions.

The more information you share with us, the better we can personalise your treatment plan, explain any additional considerations and help you achieve the safest, most predictable results.

If you’re ever unsure whether something is relevant, whether it’s a prescription medication, a peptide, a supplement or an injectable treatment then please tell us. We’d always rather have more information than less.

Thank you for trusting us with your care. Honest conversations and personalised planning are at the heart of everything we do, and together they help us deliver the safest and best possible outcomes for every patient.

Please don’t be offended if we ask this question to you in your next consultation with one of the La Ross ladies. 

Thank you for supporting us as we prioritise your health and wellbeing always.