Lipohypertrophy

Adverse events on the FDA labels, with the canonical evidence anchors.

Definition

Localized swelling or thickening of subcutaneous fat at recurrently-used injection sites — common in patients who inject GLP-1s in the same spot weekly. Lipohypertrophic tissue absorbs the drug erratically, causing unpredictable appetite suppression and weight-loss outcomes. Prevention: rotate at least 2 inches between consecutive doses, cycling abdomen → thigh → upper arm over 8 weeks.

Injection-site rotation cheat sheet →

Definition curated by Weight Loss Rankings — sourced from FDA labels and peer-reviewed PubMed literature, never AI-generated summaries.

Related terms in Side effects

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Ileus
Telogen effluvium
Ozempic face
Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC)
Lean mass loss
GLP-1-induced gastroparesis
Pancreatitis (acute)
Pancreatic cancer risk (GLP-1 myth check)

Looking for more depth?

Injection-site rotation cheat sheet
Browse the full GLP-1 glossary (124 terms across 8 categories)
Research articles — primary-source deep dives
Tools and calculators
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