Why The Simon Cowell 'Ozempic Face' Rumors Don't Make Sense, According To Expert

Simon Cowell has always been the subject of rumors and speculation about everything from his past feud with "American Idol" co-star Paula Abdul to the work he's gotten done, which has made him unrecognizable in the past few years. One of the most prominent recent rumors is that the changes to Cowell's face are the result of using weight loss drugs such as Ozempic. The rumors began to proliferate in May 2025, when Cowell shared a video to Instagram ahead of the season finale of "Britain's Got Talent," and his sunken visage left many fans concerned about his gaunt appearance.

Cowell has denied using Ozempic or any other GLP-1 for weight loss. When asked about the speculation regarding whether or not he's taken the medication to aid in his notable weight loss, Cowell told The Sun in December 2025, "No, I have never been tempted, sorry." One person who thinks Cowell's transformed appearance isn't the result of so-called "Ozempic face" is Dr. Brandon Richland, a board-certified plastic surgeon at  Richland MD and Richland Aesthetics. Dr. Richland spoke with The List about why he feels Cowell's face is "an example of how the aging process can be complicated by trying to do too much with non-surgical treatments."

According to Dr. Richland, when looking back at photos of Cowell from around 2017, it appears as though he had already been heavily using fillers and Botox injections. "His face had significant volume, particularly in the lower face and cheeks," Richland explained. "This often happens when filler is used to try to lift sagging skin instead of actually removing the excess skin surgically. It creates a puffy or 'pillow-face' effect that can actually make a person look more tired because the weight of the filler pulls down on the tissues over time."

Simon Cowell has changed a lot over the past decade, both when it comes to being a nicer and more supportive human being and "America's Got Talent" judge, and in regards to the shape of his eyes and general look of his face. According to plastic surgeon Dr. Brandon Richland, it's likely because of Cowell's over-use of Botox, which may have fundamentally changed elements of his skin and face shape. "The forehead and glabella are very smooth, which is uncommon for a male of his age, which tells me there is a very high, consistent dose of Botox or other neuromodulators being used to freeze those expressive wrinkles," Dr. Richland told The List. The only problem is that the use of injectables can cause unintended consequences.

"When we over-paralyze the forehead, the brow often loses its natural arch and begins to descend," Dr. Richland shared, adding that this could be "exactly why his eyes look so much heavier and more crowded now than they did a few years ago." As Richland explained, Cowell's gaunter, drastically transformed face doesn't mean he's among the slew of celebs with extreme cases of "Ozempic face." Instead, he more likely numbers among the many stars who seriously need to cut it out with Botox and fillers.

Cowell has admitted that he's definitely gotten Botox in the past, telling The Sunthat he's gotten "thousands" of injections over the years. However, he said that he has stopped using fillers entirely. "I used to have filler but then one day I saw a picture of myself and thought, 'Oh God, I look like a real weirdo,'" Cowell shared. "So I had everything dissolved."