Boy George has revealed he’s been using type 2 diabetes medication for weight loss following a tummy tuck surgery.
The 62-year-old pop star shared in his new book, titled Karma: My Autobiography, that he underwent cosmetic surgery for weight loss “not long after” he had three hair transplants from 2015 to 2018. In the autobiography, which was published on 9 January, the “Karma Chameleon” singer described his tummy tuck as “the most painful thing” he’s ever done.
To maintain his weight loss, the British musician began taking type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic in 2022 following the procedure, but later switched to Mounjaro - the name brand for tirzepatide, a once-weekly injection similar to Ozempic, which replicates hormones in the body that regulate appetite and blood sugar levels.
“I have struggled with my weight most of my life and being under public and media scrutiny doesn’t help,” George wrote, according to excerpts obtained by People. “We are all guilty of saying, ‘Hasn’t so and so got big,’ even when we are carrying extra pounds ourselves.”
“I love food and I can’t control my appetite, but I think I have finally got it under control,” he continued. “Well, I’m on Mounjaro. Isn’t everyone? Trust me, anyone who was fat last year and is now skinny is on the wonder drug.”
Boy George - who’s real name is George Alan O’Dowd - explained that he had lost nearly 100 pounds from following a metabolic balance diet plan, which focuses on consuming unprocessed foods to regulate blood sugar and reset the metabolism. As a result of his diet, the Culture Club member ultimately decided to undergo the tummy tuck procedure “to get rid of the excess skin”.
A tummy tuck, also known as an abdominoplasty, involves the removal of excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen in order to tighten muscles in the abdominal wall, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“When anyone asks about my scar I say I had twins by Caesarean. I’ve never had Botox, though, and I might be the only person in show business with my own face,” he wrote in the book. “I’m not frightened of getting old and I think I’ve grown into myself. It might seem weird to say I feel sexier but I actually do. I used to joke over the years, ‘Sexy at 60.’ That was my ambition.”
Following the tummy tuck, George immediately went on tour with Cyndi Lauper “with the blood bag attached”, which he described as “the most painful thing I’ve ever done”.
Unlike Ozempic, which works by mimicking a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), Mounjaro is the first diabetes drug to target a second hormone, GIP. Meanwhile, Wegovy is another once-weekly injection that’s gained popularity for its weight loss side effects.
There are many side effects of taking medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the most common side effects of taking Wegovy includes nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal pain, headache, fatigue, indigestion, dizziness, and digestive disorders.
The FDA has also warned about more serious complications that can occur from use of the Wegovy or Mounjaro, such as the “potential risk of thyroid C-cell tumours,” pancreatitis, gallbladder problems, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal behaviour or thinking.
Meanwhile, taking Ozempic can lead to possible thyroid tumours, including cancer, pancreatitis, changes in vision, and kidney and gallbladder problems.
