New GLP-1 Skincare Studies Report Early Skin Improvements

By Regina Bonham Bordeaux

September 17, 2026 · 3:40 p.m. ET

Two very small studies are adding early data to a fast-growing beauty question: does special skincare make a meaningful difference to skin changes during medical weight loss?

Allergan Aesthetics reported today that participants using a multi-product skincare regimen, with or without DiamondGlow dermabrasion, showed improvements in selected measures including dryness, crepiness, roughness, texture, lines and wrinkles, and skin-tone evenness. The studies included people taking medical weight-loss medications, including GLP-1 receptor agonists.¹

The findings are worth watching, but they do not establish that people taking GLP-1 medications need a special skincare routine. Only nine people completed the skincare-only study, and 11 people completed at least one post-treatment assessment in the skincare-plus-DiamondGlow study.¹

What changed today

Allergan Aesthetics announced results from two single-center studies being presented at the 2026 Science of Skin Summit in Austin, Texas, from September 17 through September 20.¹

The 12-week study used a regimen consisting of a growth factor serum, a neck cream, and a firming and toning body lotion. Nine participants completed the study. A separate six-week study combined a topical skincare regimen with DiamondGlow dermabrasion, with 11 participants completing at least one post-treatment assessment.¹

The company did not identify the individual skincare products by name in the public announcement.

What the studies reported

According to Allergan, investigators found statistically significant improvements in selected skin-quality measures across the face, neck, upper inner arms and distal thighs. In the skincare-only study, some improvements were observed as early as week two. In the combination study, selected improvements were reported immediately after DiamondGlow treatment.¹

Participants also rated their facial skin as looking younger. In the skincare study, participants reported that facial skin appeared about 10 years younger after four weeks of twice-daily growth factor serum use. In the combination study, participants reported an appearance about 7.5 years younger after three DiamondGlow treatments and six weeks of topical skincare.¹

Those numbers describe participant perception. They do not show that the treatments reversed biological aging or restored lost facial volume. Dermatology Times also highlighted the small sample sizes, single-center design and reliance on satisfaction and perception outcomes as important limitations.³

What shoppers still need to know

The studies used several skincare products together, and one study also included a procedure. That makes it impossible to tell from the public results which individual product, ingredient or treatment produced each reported improvement.

The announcement also does not provide enough detail to tell shoppers how large the visible changes were in practical terms, how the regimen compares with a standard moisturizer or other skincare routine, or how durable the improvements are after treatment stops.

Allergan describes these findings as early data and says larger populations are needed to better characterize the results. The studies are being presented as conference e-posters; the public materials available today do not identify a peer-reviewed publication for either study.¹

Why this matters for shoppers

Products marketed around “GLP-1 skin” and post-weight-loss skin changes are becoming easier to find. These studies give that category some direct clinical data, but they do not prove that a dedicated GLP-1 skincare routine works better than well-formulated conventional skincare.

They also do not show that topical skincare corrects significant skin laxity. Improving dryness, texture or temporary surface plumping is different from restoring lost volume or substantially tightening loose skin after weight loss.

The Beauty Briefing takeaway

There is early evidence that a targeted skincare regimen can improve some visible skin-quality measures during medical weight loss. The evidence is still too limited to support broad claims that GLP-1 users need specialty skincare or that topical products reverse loose skin.

For now, the most useful next step is better evidence: larger controlled studies, clearer effect sizes and results that separate the contribution of individual products from procedures.