Winter is cute… until your skin is cracking, your hair is shedding, your immune system is fighting for its life, and the holiday cookies won’t stop calling your name. ❄️🍪

In this episode of Symptoms & Side Eyes, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lauren Payne and double board-certified internal + obesity medicine physician Dr. Deniece Johnson break down:

✨ Why winter actually dries out your skin + triggers eczema, dandruff, and psoriasis
✨ Why your hair sheds more — and how to protect it
✨ How holiday eating, sugar, and alcohol affect your weight AND your skin
✨ Flu, RSV, COVID, vitamin D & immune support
✨ Seasonal stress, SAD, boundaries, and protecting your peace
✨ What to STOP doing immediately (yes… we’re looking at your loofah)
✨ Your dermatologist-approved winter skincare + hair routine
✨ Realistic, shame-free holiday eating tips

Winter doesn’t have to wreck your face, your body, or your sanity. Grab your moisturizer, your water bottle, and your boundaries — we’ve got you covered. 💪🏽

🎧 Symptoms & Side Eyes — real medicine, real life, real talk

Thinking about GLP-1 weight-loss shots like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro? You’re not the only one scrolling TikTok and wondering if these “magic shots” actually work… or if they’ll wreck your hair, your face, or your gut.

In this episode of Symptoms & Side Eyes, two physicians break down GLP-1 medications with zero shame and plenty of science.

Board-certified obesity medicine specialist Dr. Deniece Johnson and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Lauren Payne cover:

• What GLP-1 meds actually are (Ozempic/Wegovy vs Mounjaro/Zepbound – and why tirzepatide is the “GOAT”)
• How these meds work in your body as hormones, not magic
• Hair loss on GLP-1s: what’s really happening (telogen effluvium), what’s normal vs concerning, and how to protect your hair
• “Ozempic face”: why rapid weight loss changes your face (and how to slow it, treat it, or not freak out about it)
• Real medication side effects: constipation, nausea, pancreatitis risk, eye concerns in diabetes, and how to prevent what you can prevent
• Who qualifies for GLP-1s, why some people may need them long-term, and why that is not a personal failure
• Compounded GLP-1s: when they can be helpful, and what to look for in a reputable pharmacy
• Other weight-loss medication options for people who can’t or don’t want to do injections

This episode is your judgment-free, doctor-level guide to GLP-1s: what they help, what they don’t, and how to use them as a tool—not a personality.

Hosts:
👩🏾‍⚕️ Dr. Deniece Johnson, MD, DABOM – Double board-certified internal medicine & obesity medicine physician, founder of Lifestyle Care (Atlanta, GA)
👩🏾‍⚕️ Dr. Lauren Payne, MD, FAAD – Board-certified dermatologist, founder of Flourish Dermatology & Aesthetics (New Orleans, LA)

New episodes drop bi-weekly.

#symptomsandsideeyes #ozempic #wegovy #mounjaro #zepbound #glp1 #weightlossjourney #blackwomeninmedicine #obesitymedicine #dermatologist #blackpodcasts #medicalpodcasts

Stress is everywhere, but do you know what it’s actually doing to your body? We break down the symptoms, the science, and the solutions you can start today. Real talk, real medicine, and just enough side eye.