From Blood Sugar to Body Goals: The Rise of Mounjaro

Dr. Eunice Khor
Sep 26
4 min read

What It Is & How It Works

Mounjaro is the brand name for tirzepatide when used to treat type 2 diabetes. It is also prescribed off-label or under the name Zepbound for weight loss. Originally approved as a once-weekly injectable for type 2 diabetes, Mounjaro has gained attention for producing large, clinically significant weight loss.

In the context of an aesthetic clinic, its main role is medically supervised weight loss to improve the outcomes of body-contouring procedures and overall metabolic health but not as a magic “skin-tightening” shot.

Tirzepatide is a synthetic polypeptide and a dual agonist of the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptors. This unique combination helps improve blood sugar control, suppress appetite, slow gastric emptying, and enhance fat metabolism. The result? Stronger effects on both weight and glycemic control compared to traditional GLP-1 medications like semaglutide.

Real Results Backed by Science

Mounjaro’s dual mechanism makes it significantly more effective than semaglutide for weight loss, which only activates GLP-1 receptors.

In the SURMOUNT-5 clinical trial, participants taking tirzepatide achieved:

20.2% average weight loss vs. 13.7% with semaglutide at 72 weeks
Waist reduction of 18.4 cm vs. 13 cm with semaglutide at 72 weeks

Even more impressively, data from a 3-year extension showed that many users maintained their weight loss with minimal rebound especially those without other obesity-related health conditions.

However, a recent Cleveland Clinic real-world study found that actual weight loss outside of clinical trials tends to be lower—often because patients stop treatment early or use reduced doses.

Beyond Weight & Sugar: Extra Perks

Heart Health: A large Eli Lilly trial with over 13,000 participants showed Mounjaro reduced major cardiovascular events by 8% and overall mortality by 16% compared to Trulicity.
Cancer Research: Early animal studies suggest potential in reducing tumor size in breast cancer models (still very preliminary).
Muscle Preservation: Research shows it helps maintain muscle mass while reducing intramuscular fat, which is a potential win for fitness and metabolic health.
Brain & Mood: Analyses link GLP-1 medications to lower risks of dementia, addiction, and self-harm—but also highlight possible pancreas and kidney risks, which require monitoring.

Safety & Side Effects — What You Should Know

Common: Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and injection-site reactions (redness, itching)—most occur early in treatment.

Serious but rare: Gallbladder disease, acute pancreatitis, and a potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumors (seen in rodents, human risk unknown).

Pooled analyses suggest overall safety is acceptable with proper monitoring and careful patient selection.

Relevance to Aesthetic Medicine — Where Mounjaro Fits (and Where It Doesn’t)

Where It Helps:

Pre-op weight optimisation: Reducing weight before body-contouring surgeries (liposuction, abdominoplasty) can improve surgical safety and results.
Procedure planning: Faster, sustained weight loss can alter treatment plans—affecting fat volume, skin laxity, and timing of surgery or energy-based treatments.

Where It Doesn’t Replace:

Skin tightening: Weight loss alone can improve body shape, but it may increase loose skin; additional treatments (energy devices, surgery) may still be needed.
Spot fat removal: Mounjaro works systemically, not as a localised fat-dissolving injection.

Common Questions — Answered Simply

Will it make my face look younger?

Indirectly! Weight loss can change facial fullness and sometimes reveal more defined contours, but it can also make the face look gaunter if weight loss is rapid. Combine with skin-quality treatments if you want a refreshed but balanced appearance.

How long will I need to take it?

For obesity management, many patients continue long-term. Stopping can lead to partial weight regain. Plans should be personalised.

Is it safe for everyone?

No. It’s not suitable during pregnancy or for those with a personal/family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. We also screen for gallbladder and pancreatic risks.

Conclusion

Mounjaro is not a magic bullet but it is one of the most powerful tools we have today for tackling obesity and type 2 diabetes, especially when combined with lifestyle changes and long-term medical guidance. For patients aiming for more targeted contouring, Mounjaro can be paired with other treatments such as localized fat-melting injections or cryolipolysis to address stubborn areas that don’t always respond to systemic weight loss. These combination approaches can help refine results and create a more balanced, sculpted look.

If you’re curious whether Mounjaro could be right for you, come see me—Dr Eunice at Dream Clinic and we’ll explore the pros, cons, and best strategy for your health journey.

References:

Farzam, K., & Patel, P. (2024, February 20). Tirzepatide. StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK585056/
Aronne, L. J., Horn, D. B., Roux, C. W. L., Ho, W., Falcon, B. L., Valderas, E. G., Das, S., Lee, C. J., Glass, L. C., Senyucel, C., & Dunn, J. P. (2025). Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity. New England Journal of Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2416394
Jastreboff, A. M., Aronne, L. J., Ahmad, N. N., Wharton, S., Connery, L., Alves, B., Kiyosue, A., Zhang, S., Liu, B., Bunck, M. C., & Stefanski, A. (2022). Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 387(3), 205–216. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmoa2206038
Clinic, C. (2025, June 10). Cleveland Clinic Research finds injectable medications for obesity produce smaller weight loss in a Real-World setting, compared to randomized clinical trials. Cleveland Clinic. https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2025/06/10/cleveland-clinic-research-finds-injectable-medications-for-obesity-produce-smaller-weight-loss-in-a-real-world-setting-compared-to-randomized-clinical-trials