Since relocating from the sunny Bondi Beach to the bustling streets of South Yarra four months ago, I’ve noticed a few changes—most notably, a few extra kilos on the scale.
It’s nothing dramatic; I can still fit into my Henne jeans, Nadia Bartel’s popular brand. But life here is deliciously tempting.
Winter is brutal, and my social life has shifted from long coastal walks to long dinners in some of Melbourne’s finest restaurants with my new girlfriends.
The Melbourne Weight Loss Craze
I have to admit, I’ve occasionally thought about joining the trend sweeping the city: using injections like Mounjaro to lose weight quickly.
These days, it seems like every woman around Melbourne is doing it.
In Toorak, Mounjaro pens outnumber haircuts, while in Brighton, securing a prescription for Ozempic is more competitive than booking a Friday lunch at Henry’s.
Women aren’t sneaking off to powder their noses anymore—they’re heading to the bathroom to jab their thighs.
From Weight Loss to Anti-Ageing
What’s fascinating is that these injections aren’t just for losing weight anymore.
The new obsession is anti-ageing. I’ll admit, if there were a magic potion to freeze time, I’d be first in line. But does it really work?
Mounjaro, also known as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, mimics a hormone that regulates blood sugar, reduces appetite, lowers inflammation, and can even decrease risks for heart disease, strokes, and dementia.
While these are serious medical benefits, cosmetic rejuvenation isn’t on the list.
Yet everywhere I look, women chasing youth with these injections are ending up looking older.
Think hollow cheeks, sagging jawlines, and tired, sunken eyes.
Even celebrities like Sharon Osbourne, who openly use the medication, appear to have aged.
The Rise of ‘Ozempic Face’
Melbourne is seeing a surge of what cosmetic surgeons now call ‘Ozempic face.’
Women who were once vibrant and glowing are now seeking fillers and tweakments to combat the hollowing effects of rapid weight loss.
The injections deliver on appetite suppression and health benefits, but youth restoration? Not so much.
These ‘Mounjaro mums’ even form WhatsApp groups to swap tips on sourcing the injections.
One petite friend told me she was approached by another woman urging her to ‘get on the sema’ to look younger.
My friend, 34, laughed it off: she didn’t want to end up looking like the others.
And she’s right—after three months on Mounjaro, I saw a friend in her forties, once a healthy size 12 with a glowing face, looking gaunt, tired, and ten years older.
Fitness vs. the Shortcut
I have no judgment for women or men using injections, surgeries, or creams to look younger.
I spend thousands on skincare, Pilates, Botox, and more, and I understand the desire to buy time. But if you want youth, you need something that works.
The contrast between Sydney and Melbourne is striking.
Bondi women still sweat it out on Pilates reformers at dawn, take ice baths, and invest in personal trainers. They’re toned, fit, and glowing.
Melbourne women, by contrast, are socializing over lattes and choosing shortcuts like injections instead of sweating it out at the gym.
Embracing Natural Aging
Ultimately, if this is what anti-ageing looks like, I’ll gladly embrace my wrinkles.
Melbourne’s obsession with injectable youth might be booming, but it’s clear to me that a healthy, active lifestyle is the real fountain of youth.
I’d rather age naturally than look hollowed out chasing a shortcut that doesn’t deliver.