Research finds why Americans are experiencing a loss of identity

The study also examined how respondents navigated it, and how, for many, this identity shift has been intertwined with GLP-1 usage.

According to the findings, weight changes (gain or loss) (39%), major life events (e.g., getting married or divorced) (37%) and aging-related changes (31%) were the top drivers behind respondents’ evolving sense of self.

Respondents detailed how challenging and confusing major identity changes can be. One person described their experience by saying, “I just feel lost and unsure of all the things I used to be confident about.”

Another said their identity shift meant “that I don't see the person I used to be in the mirror anymore.”

These experiences demonstrate that identity changes can be as much physical as they can be mental. Investigating this further, respondents who said they’ve experienced a loss of identity said the change felt 25% internal and 75% external and lasted six years, on average.

The study was commissioned by Revance and conducted by Talker Research; it included 1,402 Americans who have used, or currently use, a GLP-1.

According to the findings, respondents’ top reasons for using these medications were to lose weight (32%), to feel more confident and comfortable in their bodies (31%) and to improve their mental and emotional well-being (30%).

However, GLP-1 usage isn’t always straightforward. The vast majority of GLP-1 users who’ve navigated an identity shift reported that change was in some way tied to the medication (83%).

Zooming in: while 67% of this group said they experienced a loss of identity before using a GLP-1, 24% reported their loss of identity happened after using a GLP-1.

Although 50% of respondents who’ve experienced a major identity change said this shift in their sense of self is still underway, this percentage was much higher among respondents who are currently taking a GLP-1 (61%), compared to those who’ve never used this type of medication (39%).

The findings highlight room for improvement when it comes to GLP-1 education. Americans surveyed who’ve used a GLP-1 reported they received the most education about potential mood shifts (24%), weight regain after stopping the medication (23%) and changes in their relationship with food and eating (22%).

However, they received the least education about a few major potential side effects. In the study, 80% of GLP-1 users said they did not receive education about potential loss of muscle mass, and 81% said they were not educated about gastrointestinal side effects or facial volume loss.

“Identity is deeply personal, and these findings show just how many people are quietly navigating a shift in how they see themselves,” said Jessie Vallejo, marketing director at Revance. “Weight change, in both directions, was the leading driver of that experience, and for many, GLP-1 medications have been part of that journey.

“What stood out to us was how little education patients are receiving around the full picture of potential changes, including how their appearance may evolve. The more informed people are going in, the better equipped they are to make choices that help them feel like themselves throughout the process.”

Although most GLP-1 users (68%) said that after using the medication and knowing what they know now, they’d still make the decision to use it if they could go back in time, the majority (72%) also confessed they no longer recognized themselves in the mirror after using the medication, for better or worse.

To help with dramatic changes after taking the medication, 66% have gotten beauty/aesthetic treatments or procedures after using a GLP-1, to look like themselves again.

Looking further into how respondents who’ve experienced major identity loss sought to bounce back, people demonstrated their resilience by taking a holistic approach to their well-being.

This included working to get healthier overall (33%), spending more time with loved ones (33%), trying new hobbies (30%), consulting medical professionals (28%) and trying various aesthetic treatments and procedures (25%).

“Expanded access to GLP-1s is a meaningful development for people’s health and well-being,” said Vallejo. “At the same time, this data points to a real opportunity to improve the conversations happening between patients and their providers, particularly when it comes to physical changes that can come with significant weight loss.  Feeling like yourself is part of feeling well, and we hope findings like these encourage more holistic, informed discussions about the full journey.”

Most-known GLP-1 side effects:

• Mood, social or relationship impacts (24%)
• Weight regain after stopping the medication (23%)
• Changes in relationship with food or enjoyment of eating (22%)

Least-known GLP-1 side effects

• Loss of muscle mass (80%)
• Facial volume loss (81%)
• Gastrointestinal side effects (81%)

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 beauty-conscious Americans (ages 26-60) who have access to the internet. Beauty-conscious Americans were defined as someone who gets a beauty treatment at least every year. This could include facials, injectables, lasers, microneedling, PDRN, plastic surgery, threads, toxins, fillers, biostimulators, or other treatments in a similar vein. Within this sample, minimum quotas were set for 500 Americans who have used or currently use a GLP-1 and 500 Americans who have gotten or would consider getting an injectable. The survey was commissioned by Revance Therapeutics, Inc. in conjunction with the Teoxane RHA Collection, and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between July 15 and July 24, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.