Weight-loss injection in Vienna (GLP-1)
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You want to lose weight, but it just isn't working?
Author: Dr. Johannes Bisschoff, specialist in dermatology and venereology · Updated: 15 November 2026
Then a weight-loss injection with GLP-1 may help. Many people with psoriasis or hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa) notice something else too: with every kilo you lose, your skin calms down.
Key facts at a glance:
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The weight-loss injection is a prescription GLP-1 medicine that you inject under the skin once a week.
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In Austria, semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide are approved for weight loss in adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or a BMI of 27 or more with a weight-related condition.
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With semaglutide and tirzepatide, adults in trials lost 15 to 20 percent of their weight on average.
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In psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa with excess weight, losing weight often improves the skin as well.
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At ‘Medizin am Hauptbahnhof’ in Vienna, dermatologists supervise the treatment: thorough training, a check-up after one month, then every three months.
Here are the answers to the most common questions:
- What is the weight-loss injection (GLP-1)?
- How does the injection work?
- Which active ingredients are available: semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide?
- Who is the injection approved for?
- When must the injection not be used?
- What side effects can it have?
- Why does losing weight help with inflammation?
- What can the injection do for psoriasis?
- What can the injection do for hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa)?
- Can I use the injection together with a biologic?
- How does weight-loss injection treatment work at our practice?
- How should I eat during treatment?
- How quickly will I lose weight, and what happens if I stop?
- How much does the weight-loss injection cost, and will my insurance pay?
- Why am I in good hands at ‘Medizin am Hauptbahnhof’ in Vienna?
Request an appointment at short notice here
What is the weight-loss injection (GLP-1)?
The weight-loss injection is a prescription medicine. You inject it yourself under the skin once a week with a small pen. The active ingredient mimics a hormone that our gut makes after we eat: GLP-1.
In the large trials, adults with severe overweight lost an average of 15 to 20 percent of their weight. At 100 kg, that is 15 to 20 kg.
The injection helps you lose weight. Good food and exercise are still the basis. Book an appointment here
How does the injection work?
After a meal, your gut sends out the hormone GLP-1. It tells the brain: I'm full. At the same time, the stomach empties more slowly, and the pancreas releases insulin when blood sugar rises.
Our own GLP-1 is broken down within minutes. The medicine, on the other hand, works for a whole week. This is how you notice it: smaller portions fill you up, cravings ease, and constant thoughts about food often stop.
To let your body get used to it, we start with a low dose and increase it slowly, usually every four weeks.
Which active ingredients are available: semaglutide, tirzepatide and liraglutide?
Three active ingredients are currently approved for weight loss in Austria:
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Semaglutide: one injection a week. In the STEP 1 trial, participants lost almost 15 percent on average over 68 weeks.
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Tirzepatide: one injection a week. It acts on two hormone receptors (GLP-1 and GIP). In the SURMOUNT-1 trial, participants lost 15 to 21 percent over 72 weeks, depending on the dose.
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Liraglutide: one injection a day. This is the older ingredient. After just over a year, weight loss was around 8 percent on average.
Well-known products include, for example, Wegovy® (semaglutide), Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) and Saxenda® (liraglutide). Semaglutide is also available in a lower dose as a diabetes medicine, such as Ozempic®. That form is approved only for type 2 diabetes, not for weight loss.
We discuss which medicine suits you after the examination and blood tests.
Source:
Wilding JPH et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021;384:989-1002.
Jastreboff AM et al. Tirzepatide once weekly for the treatment of obesity. N Engl J Med. 2022;387:205-216.
Pi-Sunyer X et al. A randomized, controlled trial of 3.0 mg of liraglutide in weight management. N Engl J Med. 2015;373:11-22.
Who is the injection approved for?
The injection is approved for adults if one of these applies:
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your BMI is 30 or higher, or
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your BMI is between 27 and 30 and you also have a condition linked to your weight, for example raised blood sugar, diabetes, high blood pressure, raised blood lipids, sleep apnoea or heart disease. Inflammatory conditions that get worse with excess weight, such as psoriasis or hidradenitis suppurativa, can also count as such a weight-related condition. We assess this individually for you.
BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. FoWithout excess weight, psoriasis or hidradenitis suppurativa are not a reason for the injection. But if you are also overweight, losing weight often helps your skin as well.severe overweight. The treatment always goes together with changes to diet and exercise.
Psoriasis or hidradenitis suppurativa alone are not a reason for the injection. But if you are also overweight, losing weight often helps your skin as well.
When must the injection not be used?
Before your first prescription, we go through everything carefully with you to check whether anything speaks against treatment. You cannot have the injection:
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if you are allergic to the active ingredient or any other component
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during pregnancy or breastfeeding
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if you want to get pregnant in the coming months (semaglutide, for example, must be stopped at least two months beforehand)
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if you have type 1 diabetes
Only after careful medical assessment, and often not at all, if you have or have had:
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inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
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medullary thyroid cancer, yourself or in your family, or MEN 2, a hereditary tumour condition
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severe digestive disorders, for example a paralysed stomach (gastroparesis), Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
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gallstones or an inflamed gallbladder
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severe kidney or liver disease
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severe heart failure
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damage to the retina caused by diabetes (diabetic retinopathy)
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an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia
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depression with suicidal thoughts
Please also tell us if you take insulin or other diabetes medicines (your blood sugar could drop too low) and if you have an operation or anaesthetic planned, because your stomach stays full for longer on the injection.
Important if you take the pill: tirzepatide can make the pill less effective at the start and after every dose increase. Use a condom as well for four weeks each time.
What side effects can it have?
Most side effects affect the stomach and gut: nausea, feeling full, burping, diarrhoea or constipation. They mainly happen at the start and after a dose increase, and usually get better after a few days. Small portions and eating slowly help.
Gallstones or inflammation of the pancreas are rare. If you have severe stomach pain that does not go away, please see a doctor or go to hospital straight away.
If you lose weight quickly, you also lose muscle. Your face can look thinner and more tired, and some people have more hair loss for a while. As dermatologists, we take care of this too.
Why does losing weight help with inflammation?
Fat tissue, especially around the belly, produces inflammatory substances that act throughout the body. You can see this in the blood too, for example in the CRP value. In trials, this value dropped clearly on semaglutide.
That is why many conditions improve when you lose weight. There are good GLP-1 trials for these:
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psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
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hidradenitis suppurativa
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fatty liver: liver inflammation cleared up much more often (ESSENCE trial)
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knee osteoarthritis: less knee pain (STEP 9 trial)
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sleep apnoea: far fewer breathing pauses at night (SURMOUNT-OSA trial)
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heart and blood vessels: 20 percent fewer heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths in people with overweight and heart disease (SELECT trial)
Source:
Lincoff AM et al. Semaglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in obesity without diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2023;389:2221-2232.
Bliddal H et al. Once-weekly semaglutide in persons with obesity and knee osteoarthritis. N Engl J Med. 2024;391:1573-1583.
Malhotra A et al. Tirzepatide for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea and obesity. N Engl J Med. 2024;391:1193-1205.
Sanyal AJ et al. Phase 3 trial of semaglutide in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. N Engl J Med. 2025;392:2089-2099.
What can the injection do for psoriasis?
People with psoriasis are more often overweight, or have diabetes or heart problems. Excess weight fuels the inflammation in the skin. And many biologics work less well at higher body weight.
The TOGETHER-PsO trial shows this too. In it, 274 adults with psoriasis and overweight received either the biologic ixekizumab alone or ixekizumab plus tirzepatide. After 36 weeks, 27 in 100 on both medicines had completely clear skin and had lost at least 10 percent of their weight. On the biologic alone, it was 6 in 100. Results in psoriatic arthritis were similar.
So if you have psoriasis and are overweight, we treat your skin and your weight together. You can read more on our Psoriasis page. Book an appointment here
Source:
Lebwohl M et al. Ixekizumab with or without tirzepatide in adults with psoriasis and overweight or obesity: a phase 3b randomized clinical trial (TOGETHER-PsO). JAMA Dermatol. 2026;162(7):709-719.
Merola JF et al. Ixekizumab with tirzepatide achieved greater disease control than ixekizumab alone in adults with psoriatic arthritis and overweight or obesity: results from a randomized clinical trial (TOGETHER-PsA). Arthritis Rheumatol. 2026.
What can the injection do for hidradenitis suppurativa (acne inversa)?
In hidradenitis suppurativa, painful lumps and abscesses form, mainly in the armpits, groin, genital area and buttocks. Excess weight makes the condition worse: skin folds rub together, and fat tissue fuels the inflammation. That is why guidelines include weight loss as part of treatment.
There are no large controlled trials of the injection yet, but the first observations are encouraging. In France, 66 patients who received a GLP-1 injection were studied. After six months, the condition was milder in just over half, and 6 in 10 had fewer flares. In an Irish study of 30 patients, flares came only about every 12 weeks instead of every 8 to 9 weeks.
The injection is added to your existing treatment with biologics, antibiotics, laser or surgery. You can read more on our Hidradenitis suppurativa page.
Source:
Gouvrion L et al. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in hidradenitis suppurativa. JAMA Dermatol. 2025;161:1084-1086.
Lyons D et al. Semaglutide for weight loss in people with obesity as an adjunctive treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa: its impact on disease control and quality of life. Br J Dermatol. 2024;191:631-633.
Can I use the injection together with a biologic?
In most cases, yes. In the TOGETHER-PsO trial, both medicines were given together. We look at your current treatment and decide together with you. More on our Biologics page.
How does weight-loss injection treatment work at our practice?
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First consultation: we listen to what you have already tried and what your goal is. We examine you, measure your weight, waist and blood pressure, and go through the list of reasons against treatment with you.
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Blood tests: right here in our centre. Among other things, we check your blood sugar and long-term blood sugar (HbA1c), blood lipids, liver, kidneys and thyroid.
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Thorough training: before you start, we take time for you. You learn how to use the pen correctly and give the first injection with us. We talk about what to do about side effects, how to eat and when to call us.
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Check-up after one month: this first check-up is essential. We see how you are getting on with the injection and decide how to continue with the dose.
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Then every three months: we check your weight, blood results, diet and skin and adjust the treatment.
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In the long run: together we plan whether you stay on one dose or reduce it slowly.
We only prescribe after a personal consultation and examination. Book an appointment here
How should I eat during treatment?
The injection takes away your hunger. What you eat is still up to you. Because you eat less, what is on your plate matters all the more. This is what we care about:
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Protein at every meal, for example eggs, curd cheese (Topfen), yoghurt, cheese, fish, lean meat, lentils, beans or tofu. Protein protects your muscles while you lose weight. As a guide, aim for about 1 to 1.5 g of protein per kilogram of body weight a day if your kidneys are healthy. We will work out your amount with you.
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Enjoy your food: eat slowly, in small portions, and stop when you are full. Food should still be a pleasure, and you don't need strict bans.
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Vegetables, fruit and wholegrains for vitamins and fibre. This also helps against constipation.
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Drink enough, ideally water or unsweetened tea, about 1.5 to 2 litres a day.
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Little fatty, fried or very sweet food, especially after a dose increase. It often makes nausea worse.
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Exercise: ideally strength training two to three times a week, plus plenty of movement in everyday life.
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Don't smoke. Smoking makes psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa clearly worse.
How quickly will I lose weight, and what happens if I stop?
The dose is low at the start, so things often begin slowly. Most people lose the most weight in the first year. Exactly how much is different for everyone.
If you stop the injection, your hunger comes back. In the STEP 1 trial, participants had regained two thirds of the lost weight on average one year after stopping. That is why we talk about the long term right at the start. People who have changed their diet and exercise regularly find it easier to keep the weight off.
How much does the weight-loss injection cost, and will my insurance pay?
For weight loss, health insurance usually does not pay for the medicine. As a private practice (Wahlarzt), we give you an invoice for the medical service. You can submit it to your health insurance and get part of it back. You can find current prices in our price list.
Why am I in good hands at ‘Medizin am Hauptbahnhof’ in Vienna?
We have been treating people with psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa and other inflammatory skin conditions for many years. Many of them are also overweight. We know how closely the two are linked. That is why we treat both together.
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many years of experience with psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa and biologics
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skin and weight treated in one place, matched to your current therapy
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thorough training before you start
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regular check-ups: after one month, then every three months
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help with the effects of weight loss on the skin, such as hair loss or loss of volume in the face
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consultations in several languages, right at Vienna Central Station
Medizin am Hauptbahnhof · Karl-Popper-Straße 8/203, 1100 Vienna (Quartier Belvedere, right at Vienna Central Station) · Phone +43 1 890 5040 · kontakt@derma-wien.at
In our team, these doctors have particular experience with the weight-loss injection:
Dr. Christina Spiegelfeld covers general dermatology as well as aesthetics and vein examinations (phlebology).
Dr. Iryna Maggoschitz combines general dermatology with allergology and aesthetics.
Dr. Lara Durakbaşa has experience with biologics and dermatological surgery, including for hidradenitis suppurativa.
Dr. Antonia Schreiber supports patients throughout their weight-loss injection treatment.
Dr. Alma Sabic supports patients throughout their weight-loss injection treatment.