Would you have the SKINNY JAB?

As new slimming injections hit the high street, we consider the consequences

- MISHAAL KHAN

Sharon Osbourne has never shied away from the fact she’s had a few ‘tweakments’, confessing to plastic surgery including a facelift. So it was no surprise that she was so open about the fact that she’s turned to weight-loss injections to help her lose weight.

They’re all the rage in the celeb world. Kim Kardashian was rumoured to have used them to fit into a Marilyn Monroe dress for the Met Gala. Elon Musk has admitted using them. As has actor Amy Schumer. Weight-loss injections have proven so popular in fact, that they are now available on the high street, as well as on prescription from the NHS.

But last month, Sharon, 70, was spotted looking skinnier than ever, leaving many questioning just how safe ‘skinny jabs’ are. Sharon has also described her experience on the drugs, talking about how unwell she felt. ‘I was very sick for a couple of months. The first couple of months, I just felt nauseous. Every day I felt nauseous, my stomach was upset.’ She said, ‘But listen, I took it for four months, I lost 30 pounds.’

And now, appetite-reducing jabs such as Saxenda are available over the counter (with Wegovy also recently approved), claiming to help people lose up to 10% of their body weight.

For many, the latest weight-loss drugs are controversial, with health chiefs concerned they could cause thyroid cancer after studies into rodents showed a potential risk. And some brands, including Saxenda, have a warning on the packaging highlighting the risks of thyroid cancer. Plus, many criticise the fact that trials show a possibility of the weight returning once patients stop taking them. But for others, they are seen as a chance to slim down, after years of struggling.