Jackée Harry Says She Feels “Renewed” After Losing 50 Pounds on a GLP-1 and Getting a Facelift to Address Her Neck
Jackée Harry is embracing a new chapter of her life after a major health and beauty transformation that she says has changed her forever.
The 69-year-old actress opened up to PEOPLE about losing 50 pounds while taking a GLP-1 medication for pre-diabetes — and later deciding to undergo a facelift to address changes to her face and neck caused by the rapid weight loss.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sister, Sister star was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, prompting her doctor to prescribe a GLP-1 medication. Short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, the drugs work by regulating appetite and blood sugar levels. Well-known brands include Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Like many patients, Harry experienced difficult side effects early on.
“The side effects last a long time,” she recalls. “They’re not just a couple of days — it’s like three weeks. Dizzy, nauseous, constipation… and you don’t throw up, you hurl!”
Despite the challenges, the results were life-changing. Over the course of a year and a half, Harry lost 50 pounds and was told by her endocrinologist that she was no longer pre-diabetic.
“My heart condition is good, my heart rate is good, I have more energy, a smaller appetite — and my sugar is down,” she says. “That’s why I went on it. So I’m elated.”
The weight loss itself came as a surprise. “I didn’t plan on losing weight — it just happened,” she explains. “After eight weeks, I lost about 20 pounds. That was miraculous. And altogether, it was 50.”
Now a size 10 for the first time since the 1990s, Harry says she enjoys how her clothes fit — even if the mental adjustment has been harder.
“It’s a great feeling,” she says with a laugh. “Everything fits so well, and I look fabulous. I have to calm myself down.”
Still, Harry admits she struggles with body dysmorphia.
“I look in the mirror and still see fat,” she says. “You can’t always connect the way you look with the way you feel.”
Her biggest concern following the weight loss, however, was what she describes as a “sagging neck” and changes to her chin.
According to double board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Patrick Davis, these changes are commonly referred to as “Ozempic face,” a side effect associated with fast or significant weight loss.
“When weight loss happens quickly, the face can lose fat and muscle volume,” Dr. Davis explains. “That can lead to loosened skin, especially around the neck and jawline.”
For Harry, the changes were difficult to ignore.
“Every time I looked in the mirror, I thought, ‘Uh uh, I’m going to have to do something,’” she says. “I’m not growing gracefully — and I accept that… but I don’t.”
After researching her options and seeing positive outcomes from others her age, Harry decided to undergo a facelift, which she says helped restore her confidence.
As for the GLP-1 medication, Harry says she remains in close communication with her doctor and is open to returning to it if medically necessary — but not for cosmetic reasons.
“I’ll go back on it if I have to for my health,” she says. “But if I start gaining more than 10 pounds? I’m running back in there!” she jokes.
Looking back, Harry says the entire journey — weight loss, surgery, and recovery — has had a lasting impact.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever be my best self,” she says candidly. “But I’ll definitely stop looking in the mirror and gagging,” she adds with a laugh. “I feel different. I feel renewed.”