The holy grail of weight loss might give you more than just a leaner physique – a constellation of zits gracing your face, perhaps? According to a recent retrospective study, those popping GLP-1 drugs to shed those extra pounds, beware! You may be signing up for a surprise acne break-out, with the ladies being the most likely victims.

Out of more than 162,000 GLP-1 drug-lovers, 34% have been found to receive a fancy invitation to the Acne party within a year. Sorry ladies, you are 53% more likely to develop acne – something men on GLP-1 drugs don't have to worry about.

When we asked Stan Tolkachjov, MD and a Senior Author of the study, he agreed it wasn't highlighted as an after-party in the major GLP-1 clinical trials. He did, however, notice increased horror stories of breakouts on social media and from fellow dermatologists.

Weight loss usually equals better hormonal balance, which means less chances of ancient teenage acne forms revisiting you as grown-ups. But in this peculiar love triangle between weight, hormones, and acne, it's the women who are getting the short end of the stick, defying doctors' predictions and patients’ hopes.

“It’s like watching an unexpected plot twist in a movie when data doesn’t make sense,” Tolkachjov comments.

Anthony Rossi, MD with a dermatologist tag to his name, thoroughly believes weight loss should mostly lead to acne improvements, particularly given how GLP-1 drugs take care of insulin sensitivity and inflammation, enemies of a clear skin in their own rights. He suggests the blame might lay with the spooky short-term fluctuations in hormones and insulin sensitivity while the body adjusts to a new medication regime, not the GLP-1 drugs themselves.

To resolve this acne-fed conundrum, we need more data comparisons between the skin outcomes of people taking GLP-1 drugs and teetotalers.

So, if you're noticing a sudden onset of fiery pimples while on a weight management drug mission, before going on a shopping spree for anti-acne creams, have a word with your dermatologist. A deeper dive into your hormonal profile might unmask the true villain behind your breakout saga.