Tirzepatide in dermatology: cutaneous adverse events, emerging therapeutic roles, and cosmetic implications – A comprehensive review

Tirzepatide, a dual Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP) and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist. Tirzepatide was first approved by the FDA for type 2 diabetes in May 2022 and subsequently for obesity in November 2023, and has demonstrated significant efficacy in glycemic control and weight reduction. Beyond its metabolic benefits, recent evidence highlights its relevance in dermatology. This review explores the dermatologic implications of tirzepatide, including its cutaneous adverse effects, therapeutic potential in inflammatory skin diseases, and cosmetic benefits. Cutaneous side effects such as hypersensitivity reactions, injection-site reactions, and rare severe dermatologic events have been documented. Across the SURPASS clinical trials, injection-site reactions occurred slightly more frequently, comparable to other GLP-1 receptor agonists as semaglutide. Meanwhile, tirzepatide's immunomodulatory properties suggest potential therapeutic roles in conditions like psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa; however, current evidence is limited to case reports and small studies. Additionally, its profound effects on fat distribution raise interest in its cosmetic implications. Tirzepatide's induced rapid weight loss may lead to aesthetic changes, including facial volume loss, which warrants cautious interpretation. This narrative review summarizes current data from clinical trials, case reports, and pharmacovigilance sources, based on a literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar up to May 2025, focusing on skin-related adverse events, therapeutic effects, and cosmetic outcomes of tirzepatide.