Allergan Data Validates Multimodal Protocols for GLP-1 Patients: What This Means For You and Your Patients

At the 2026 American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) Annual Meeting, Allergan Aesthetics (an AbbVie company) presented Phase 4 clinical data evaluating aesthetic treatments for individuals taking GLP-1 weight-loss medications, who often experience facial volume loss and changes in skin quality:

• HARMONY IN DIVERSITY (Cohort 2) evaluated 30 adults on GLP-1 medications receiving a multimodal treatment combining hyaluronic acid (HA) injectables, onabotulinumtoxinA, and a designated skincare regimen. Results showed a statistically significant 42.4-point increase in FACE-Q (a modular, patient-reported outcome measure used to evaluate facial aesthetic treatments and procedures from the patient’s perspective) Satisfaction With Facial Appearance scores at 30 days post-neurotoxin treatment, along with significant improvements in skin quality, social function, and psychological well-being.
• HALO Study: Interim analysis of 25 adults on GLP-1 medications treated with HA injectables showed a 39.6-point improvement in FACE-Q facial appearance satisfaction at Month 3. High patient satisfaction was reported, with 95.7% stating they still looked like themselves and 82.6% agreeing their results looked natural.
• Safety: Adverse events in both studies were predominantly mild, non-serious, and resolved without intervention, with no distant spread of toxin detected.

What This Means For You

For aesthetic providers, these findings offer clinical, commercial, and operational guidance for treating patients on GLP-1 weight loss therapies

1. Proof of Concept for “GLP-1 Face” Protocol. Rapid, significant weight loss often causes sub-dermal fat depletion, soft tissue laxity, and changes in skin texture (often referred to clinically as “GLP-1 face” or “Ozempic face”).

• Validation of Multimodal Care. The HARMONY IN DIVERSITY trial demonstrates that single-modality treatments (e.g., filler alone) are often insufficient. Practitioners can confidently recommend a tri-tiered protocol—hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers for structural volume loss, neurotoxins for dynamic lines, and daily targeted skincare (or topical exosomes) for skin quality.
• Safety Confirmation. The lack of unexpected adverse events or distant spread of toxin provides high clinical confidence when combining multiple injectables and topical therapies simultaneously in this specific patient cohort.

Safety Confirmation. The lack of unexpected adverse events or distant spread of toxin provides high clinical confidence when combining multiple injectables and topical therapies simultaneously in this specific patient cohort.

2. Overcoming Patient Hesitancy: Natural-Looking Outcomes. A major barrier for GLP-1 patients seeking cosmetic procedures is the fear of looking over-filled or unrecognizable.

• The “Look Like Yourself” Data: The HALO study provides objective, evidence-based metrics to share during consultations. Telling patients that 95.7% felt they still looked like themselves and 82.6% felt their results looked natural directly addresses fear of unnatural volume distortion.
• Expectation Management: Providers can use validated scales like FACE-Q and SKIN-Q metrics to set realistic baseline expectations before initiating treatment plans.

3. High-Value Patient Acquisition and Retention

• A New Patient Funnel: GLP-1 therapies act as a entry point into aesthetic practices, bringing in patients who may have never considered cosmetic procedures previously.
• Addressing Psychosocial Needs: Patients undergoing body transformations often experience shifts in facial self-image. Showing statistically significant improvements in psychological and social function positions aesthetic practices as partners in a patient’s overall wellness journey, rather than just cosmetic service providers.

4. Expansion of Comprehensive Treatment Packages

• Bundled Care Plans: Practices can move away from à la carte syringes and toward structured GLP-1 Aesthetic Support Programs combining full-face HA revolumization, neurotoxins, and post-procedure regenerative skincare (such as topical exosome serums).
• Skincare as a Clinical Component: The strong outcomes tied to study-specified skincare confirm that home-care regimens are critical clinical components of injectable retention and overall skin quality, rather than optional add-ons.