The data were presented at the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) annual meeting in San Diego. They are among the first prospective results on aesthetic treatment in this fast-growing group of patients.
People taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss reported large improvements in how satisfied they were with their faces after toxin and hyaluronic acid (HA) filler treatment, according to two phase 4 studies released by Allergan Aesthetics on 8 November. The findings are encouraging but early. Both studies are open-label, company-sponsored and lack a control group. The press release gives no counts of adverse events.
What the studies did
HARMONY IN DIVERSITY is a multicentre phase 4 study at 10 US sites. It enrolled 130 adults. One cohort of 100 people aged 22 to 65, across Fitzpatrick skin types I to VI, received combined treatment of the face and neck. A second cohort of 30 adults on stable doses of GLP-1 medication received onabotulinumtoxinA (BOTOX Cosmetic), HA injectables and a skincare regimen. Allergan describes it as the first study of combined toxin and filler treatment in adults on GLP-1 drugs.
The second study, HALO, is a single-arm phase 4 study of HA injectables across the face in adults on stable GLP-1 doses. It plans to enrol 75 people. The results released this week are an interim analysis of the first 25.
What they found
Both studies measured outcomes with FACE-Q, a validated questionnaire in which patients rate their own appearance on a 0–100 scale.
- In the GLP-1 cohort of HARMONY, satisfaction with facial appearance rose by a mean of 42.4 points from baseline. The release ties this to 30 days after toxin treatment and calls the change statistically significant.
- The general cohort of 100 improved by a similar 42.0 points.
- In HALO’s interim group, satisfaction rose by 39.6 points at month three. 95.7% said they were satisfied or very satisfied that they still looked like themselves, and 82.6% with how natural they looked.
Allergan reports that treatment-related adverse events in both studies were mostly mild, non-serious and resolved without intervention. It reports no distant spread of toxin effect.
Why it matters
GLP-1 drugs such as semaglutide and tirzepatide have changed the aesthetic consultation. Rapid weight loss can reduce facial fat and volume and make skin laxity more visible. Clinicians have been treating these patients with little trial evidence to guide them.
The key finding is that results in the GLP-1 cohort looked much like those in the general cohort. That suggests standard toxin and filler approaches can still meet patient expectations during weight loss. Patients also valued looking like themselves, which matters for a group already living with a changing face.
Limitations and open questions
These data should be read with care.
- No comparison group. Open-label, single-arm designs cannot separate treatment effect from expectation, natural change or regression to the mean. Large gains on patient-reported scales are common in uncontrolled aesthetic studies.
- Small and interim. The GLP-1 cohort had 30 people. HALO reports one-third of planned enrolment.
- Safety detail missing. The release gives no adverse-event counts, rates or types. Filler behaviour as facial volume keeps changing is not addressed.
- Which drug, what dose? The release does not name the GLP-1 drugs, doses, treatment duration or amount of weight lost. Results may differ during active weight loss versus at a plateau.
- Short follow-up. HARMONY’s GLP-1 result is reported at 30 days after toxin; HALO at three months. Durability is unknown.
- Conflicts of interest. Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie company, sponsored the studies and makes the products used. Results have not yet appeared in a peer-reviewed journal, and no trial registry numbers were given.
The bigger picture
At the same meeting, Allergan presented a digital image analysis comparing its investigational fast-onset toxin, trenibotulinumtoxinE, with onabotulinumtoxinA. It reported only “similar” outcomes for frown-line severity and brow position, with no figures. It also showed four studies of a topical exosome cosmetic serum.
For clinicians, the practical message is unchanged: assess GLP-1 patients for weight stability, set expectations about further change, and document consent carefully. Controlled trials with full safety reporting are still needed.
Key takeaways
- Two Allergan-funded phase 4 studies report gains of about 40 points in FACE-Q facial satisfaction after toxin and HA filler in GLP-1 users.
- GLP-1 users improved about as much as a general cohort (42.4 vs 42.0 points), but neither study had a control group.
- No adverse-event counts, drug names or weight-loss data were released; peer-reviewed publication is pending.
Sources
- Allergan Aesthetics. “Allergan Aesthetics Reports Improved Satisfaction With Facial Appearance Following Aesthetic Treatment in Two Studies of Patients on GLP-1 Medications.” PR Newswire, 8 Nov 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allergan-aesthetics-reports-improved-satisfaction-with-facial-appearance-following-aesthetic-treatment-in-two-studies-of-patients-on-glp-1-medications-302932241.html
- AbbVie. “Allergan Aesthetics to Present New Research on Aesthetic Care Following Medical Weight Loss and Evolving Patient Needs at ASDS 2026.” 3 Nov 2026. Link https://news.abbvie.com/2026-11-08-Allergan-Aesthetics-Reports-Improved-Satisfaction-With-Facial-Appearance-Following-Aesthetic-Treatment-in-Two-Studies-of-Patients-on-GLP-1-Medications
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