When Fred Hoiberg left a front-office job with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010 to coach Iowa State, he was ahead of his time chasing transfers to build a roster. Hoiberg was also ahead of the curve when he landed his biggest transfer prize: Royce White.

White was built like an NFL tight end — 6-foot-8, 250 pounds — but he thought the game like a point guard. Back then, transfers had to sit out a season, and during that sit-out year Iowa State’s coaches met regularly to try to figure out the best way to utilize someone so big with incredible ball skills.

Hoiberg settled on an untraditional role: His center would play point guard.

“We just put the ball in his hands and got our shooters in split actions — and all those guys could shoot — and that’s what Royce did best was his passing,” Hoiberg says. “So that was kind of the first really exclusive five-out (offense) in college.”

Hoiberg, now coaching Nebraska, is back in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015. The common thread between all five of his tournament appearances is playing through a big man like White, who called himself a hybrid. Nebraska’s current big man Rienk Mast is in the mold of Georges Niang, Hoiberg’s second star point-center at Iowa State, in that both can dribble, pass and shoot.

And just like with the transfer portal, Hoiberg is no longer an outlier in playing through what’s become known as a playmaking center. That prototype is populating college rosters at a rate higher than ever before in the game’s history and has been steadily increasing in recent years. In this year’s NCAA Tournament, playmaking fives are all over the bracket. From true point centers like Marquette’s Oso Ighodaro to stretch fives who can also facilitate like Duke’s Kyle Filipowski to slo-mo pass-first bigs like BYU’s Aly Khalifa, you can find some version of a playmaking five on nearly half the tourney rosters.

College coaches have figured out that the easiest way to run efficient offense is five-out attacks. Ideally with centers who can shoot. And if they cannot shoot, they can at least be the trigger man and pull the opposing big away from the paint by facilitating from the perimeter.

In much the same way that Steph Curry influenced a generation of guards by shooting a higher frequency of 3-pointers and from further out, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is now the most dominant and entertaining player on the planet, and he’s made passing cool for big men.

“You look into the grassroots programs, a lot of these younger kids now, they’re really working on their multi-skill set to be able to play all five positions,” Hoiberg says. “Because that’s where our game is going is positionless basketball, especially in the NBA.”

“Every NBA team plays some form of five-out,” says Alabama first-year assistant coach Ryan Pannone, who was a G League coach for three seasons and then a New Orleans Pelicans assistant in 2022-23. “Some teams are playing a higher percentage of five-out offense, but every team is in some way shape or form.”

College basketball still has its variations, and you can still win with a post-up heavy style — see Purdue and Zach Edey — but even Edey sometimes is sent to the perimeter to initiate dribble-handoff actions. And he plays on the team that’s the second-most accurate from 3-point range, surrounding him at most times with four shooters to give him room to operate.

“Nearly every team these days has like four guys on the floor that can shoot it, and a lot have five,” says Ken Pomeroy, college basketball’s foremost authority on analytics. “Ten years ago, that was pretty rare, and 20 years ago that was almost unheard of.”

A few years ago Pomeroy dug into why teams are shooting a higher percentage of their shots from 3, and he found the main culprit was fours and fives shooting more 3s.

“Offense is spacing,” says Indiana State coach Josh Schertz, whose high-powered offense is centered around big man Robbie Avila. “Spacing is shooting. If you have great spacing, but you don’t have great shooting, you don’t have great spacing.”

And the optimal way to create that space is a playmaking center.

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Schertz keeps a FaceTime from Avila saved in his call log.

Oct. 22, 2021.

That’s the day the goggled Goliath committed to the Sycamores, before Schertz ever coached a game at the Division I level.

“That’s when we changed the program’s trajectory,” Schertz says. “You build an entire program around that kind of kid. You can build your whole offense around that kind of player.”

This is not hyperbole. In Schertz’s third season in Terre Haute, Indiana State went 28-6 and had its best season since the Larry Bird-led Sycamores made the national title game in 1979. The Sycamores were the victim of last week’s bid thieves, one of the first four out of the NCAA field, but they won the Missouri Valley regular-season title and have the most efficient halfcourt offense in college basketball. It is built around the slightly pudgy 6-foot-10 center who looks better suited to be crushing in Mathletics than on a basketball court. Avila is the college version of Jokic. Avila can shoot (40.5 percent from 3), dribble, pass (a team-high 3.8 assists per game), slash and punish switches in the post.

Last spring when Schertz recruited two point guards out of the portal (Ryan Conwell and Isaiah Swope) to join another point guard already on his roster in Julian Larry, he was asked: How are you going to play all three together?

Easy. Play none of them in the actual point guard spot. That’s Avila’s job. Although Schertz doesn’t call him the point guard; he calls him “the hub.”

“When you utilize the big as the hub,” Schertz says, “I think it creates organically an egalitarian-type offense, where everybody is more of a part of it, because the other four spots become completely interchangeable.”

The reality is that there are fewer traditional point guards than ever before. The mindset of the guard has changed. Florida Atlantic coach Dusty May brings up Tyrese Haliburton to show how unusual it is to find a pass-first point guard and the allure of playing with one.

May poses the question: Why did Pascal Siakam agree to go to the Pacers instead of opting to wait for free agency?

“Because they have a point guard that’s a superstar that likes to pass,” May says.

We might get to a point where it’s easier to find a big man who loves to pass than a guard. Two of the top five assist leaders in the NBA right now are centers — Jokic and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis — and we’re seeing higher assist numbers from centers in college than ever before. There are 207 playmaking big men in college basketball this season, per Synergy’s analysis, and assists per-40 minutes of all players 6-9 or taller has risen from 1.3 during the 2011-12 season (when White played for Hoiberg) to 1.8 this season.

If you have one of those bigs, a point guard no longer feels necessary. Hoiberg says he doesn’t have one, in part, because of Mast. At Illinois, Brad Underwood is starting five players who are all 6-foot-6 or taller and have all played power forward at some point in their careers. Underwood said one of his motivations was playing positionless style defensively, where the Illini can switch everything. But it’s worked beautifully offensively too; the Illini rank third in adjusted offensive efficiency. No point guard for the Illini? No problem. They have 6-11 playmaking center Coleman Hawkins.

“When you can stretch the floor with five men who can shoot it and pass it,” Underwood says, “spacing becomes ‘advantage, offense’ on all accounts.”

So much of the game has become pick-and-roll and many coverages use the center to contain the guard, so a popping big man is almost always open. And when you have to stunt at that big man, this happens:

Underwood also allows Hawkins to rebound and go. That’s another reason players like him are so valuable.

“It distorts almost every form of transition D you have,” Underwood says. “Because people send their point guard back and somebody protects the rim, so now you’re getting cross-matched immediately, especially if you play with any pace.”

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Jokic is not only the prototype; he’s giving coaches ideas to implement. Two years ago, Marquette coach Shaka Smart approached Nuggets assistant David Adelman to get ideas on five-out offense, because Ighodaro had flashed enough playmaking skills that Smart believed he’d thrive in that setup. Adelman said they let their players experiment in offseason pickup games, throwing out ideas for an action to start the play and seeing where they take it.

Smart is right there with Schertz in the number of different actions in which the Golden Eagles involve their center. Not only do both Avila and Ighodaro sometimes bring the ball up the floor, they’re both featured in pick-and-rolls as both the roller and the handler. In fact, among players with at least 50 possessions as the handler, Avila is the fifth-most efficient when the handler and Ighodaro is 77th, per Synergy.

“I think inverted ball screens are some of the hardest things to guard, because what are you going to do with them?” Schertz says. “Centers are not used to guarding ball screens with a handler. And guards are not used to guarding bigs coming off a ball screen. So it’s really unique coverage.”

Case in point:

Ighodaro is in the White mold. “He’s the five-man that doesn’t shoot it, but impacts the game in every other capacity, just because of his athleticism, his speed and his passing,” Underwood says. “Oso’s unique because he’s a freak athlete. His passing and his athleticism create gaps in space, like he’s very hard to stay connected to.”

The Golden Eagles use Ighodaro in a lot of two-man games on the side of the floor, then space with three shooters on the other side. It forces teams to play two-on-two, and Ighodaro and his guards will play hot potato until an opening presents itself. One concept that has become a go-to for centers is “gets,” where the guard will throw it to the big and then immediately go get it back on a handoff. Marquette has the luxury of Ighodaro also bringing the ball up the floor and starting the dribble handoff himself.

Dayton’s offense is almost a replica of Marquette’s, only DaRon Holmes II plays the Ighodaro role and adds the shooting element.

According to Synergy, there are a higher number of dribble handoffs this season than any other season the site has logged; if you’re wondering where the game is headed, that’s a good indicator. It’s a more efficient action than the pick-and-roll.

“Dribble handoffs are much harder to guard than ball screens,” Schertz says. “Because what’s your coverage on dribble pitches? Ball screens, you can have seven coverages. You can’t ice a dribble pitch. (Icing is keeping the ball on the sideline and forcing the handler toward the baseline.) You can’t really show on a dribble pitch, otherwise, the center’s gonna just keep the ball and go get a layup. It’s hard to lateral that. There’s way fewer coverages you can give to a dribble pitch. The more dribble pitches obviously you can produce, the higher the efficiency.”

The most efficient action is cutting, and no one is better at delivering those passes than centers who can pass. Not only are they usually always open on ball reversals, they have the best lines of vision — think of taller quarterbacks.

“Being able to see over defenders, especially on backdoors or when teams are switching, I can throw it over the top rather than throwing a bounce pass, and it comes from a better angle because it’s coming from up higher,” UConn center Donovan Clingan says. “It’s definitely an advantage being able to be 7-2 and pass the ball like that.”

Clingan is not what you’d picture in a playmaking center. But instead of just planting him in the post, which is where he would have played in past eras, Dan Hurley has made him the hub for UConn’s halfcourt offense. Clingan can’t really dribble or shoot, so defenders usually sag off him, but that’s a luxury for the Huskies. He’s always open for ball reversals, and he can execute handoffs and deliver the ball as UConn’s shooters are endlessly screening and cutting around him.

 

“I love passing,” Clingan says. “Just getting a great pass off and setting up a teammate for an easy basket, I love that.”

Hurley uses him this way because it works, but he also sees it as his responsibility to develop Clingan so he will eventually fit in the NBA.

“If they can’t play in five-out, if they can’t play away from the basket, they’re going to have a hard time getting to the NBA,” Hurley says. “So I think it’s a weapon for you, creates new opportunities offensively, but also the responsibility to the player in terms of their career and your player development and being able to recruit the next center that you can win with.”

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Go back to one of the legendary upsets in NCAA Tournament history — 13th-seeded Princeton over No. 4 seed and defending national champion UCLA in 1996 — and the box score reads like the perfect analytically-driven approach (outside of the shooting accuracy). The Tigers attempted eight more 3-pointers than 2s, and they had 15 assists on 17 made field goals. Layups and 3s are the goal today, and that’s what Pete Carril’s Princeton offense has been generating for years.

“He was doing this in the 1960s and ’70s,” says Richmond coach Chris Mooney, who was a four-year starter for Carril in the early 1990s and still runs the Princeton offense. The Spiders won the Atlantic-10 regular-season title this year with a pass-first center. “That’s not like 10 years ahead of his time; it’s 50-60 years ahead of his time.”

In 1996, the Sacramento Kings forever changed the NBA by hiring Carril and implementing elements of his offense. Some of the best college offenses have borrowed from him too, especially in the way he used his center away from the basket. It was a part of Johnny Orr’s pinch-post offense, and John Beilein had elements of the Princeton in his two-guard offense — two offenses that get copied a lot in today’s game.

Beilein reminded us years ago the value of a big man who can shoot when he had Kevin Pittsnogle at West Virginia and rode his hot shooting and the gravity it created to the 2005 Elite Eight. (Those of us who were college basketball fans in that era will forever hear the name Pittsnogle and immediately scream “PITTSNOGLLLLLLE!”)

Pittsnogle also taught us that you didn’t need an athletic, above-the-rim center to win. On the offensive end, skill in that position is much more valuable. And Jokic is taking it to another level.

Jokic is the role model for this generation’s big men. Ask just about any big guy in college basketball right now who they watch the most, and Jokic is the answer. Clingan idolizes and studies Jokic. Avila does too, getting clips sent to him of the Joker every Friday. But the part that rarely gets said out loud that Jokic has done for centers: He’s changed the way we see body types in basketball, and changed the way some guys see themselves.

Is Jokic an elite athlete? Not in the run-fast, jump-high sense, but … “In reality, they’re fantastic athletes,” Pannone says of Jokic and Luka Doncic. “What they have is the ability to process information and react quicker, which makes them more athletic and then they play at fantastic angles.”

Avila, who lives below the rim and has just one dunk this season, still finds a way to get to the basket often, averaging more than four baskets per game at the rim. Both he and Jokic also make up for a lack of foot speed with elite hand-eye coordination and body control, which can get you where you need to go on the floor sometimes just as effectively as quickness.

And it’s these below-the-rim, quick thinkers who have become college basketball’s best passers. They thrive in the actions Carril made popular. You’re not going to find more beautiful backdoor dimes than those delivered by Avila, Khalifa, Rice’s Max Fiedler and Richmond’s Neal Quinn, the latter three who all rank in the top 100 in assist rate nationally.

Peruse the top of the efficiency charts this season, and you’ll find either a center who can shoot and/or one who is a triggerman on many of those teams.

Schertz, who has the most Jokic-like player in the country, says he’ll never coach another game without a center who can be his hub.

“It’s always good to be able to coach players that are smarter than you, see the game slower,” he says. “Robbie’s been proof positive that mental acuity, when you have it at a high level, can compensate for a lack of physical quickness.”

(Illustration by Sean Reilly / The Athletic; Photos of Oso Ighodaro, Donovan Clingan and Coleman Hawkins: David Allio, G Fiume and Michael Hickey / Getty Images)

I was wiping down the kitchen surfaces and humming to myself when I felt a pair of hands on my waist. Normally, I would have turned to my husband with a smile and pressed myself against him in the promise of what was to come later. But now, strangely enough, all I felt was irritation.

The hands went higher. I felt anger – a bit like PMT, irrational and deep in my stomach.

“Don’t touch me,” I said. His face was shocked and hurt. I felt terrible, but distant at the same time.

My husband, Jim, and I have always had a passionate, playful and inventive sex life. From exciting role play to handcuffs and making out at any time of the day: sex has always been an intrinsic part of our 20-year relationship.

However, eight weeks ago I started using Ozempic injections. All the longing I normally feel for Jim is gone, along with the extra pounds. I feel better about my body than I have in years, but I don’t feel like having sex at all. The only emotion I feel when he comes near me is anger and a faint sense of disgust.

Understandably, Jim really wants me to get off the injections.

I’m a nurse in my local GP practice in a busy Dorset town, and I’m always in a hurry. When you work 11-hour days, you tend to eat when you can.

Patients bring cakes and cookies all the time, and it’s impossible to resist. I never feel full and I’m an emotional eater. Whether I’m happy, sad, grieving or overwhelmed, my go-to is the cookie tin, chips or bottle of wine. I knew I needed to make long-term changes, but I found it impossible to get started. I tried not to eat food during the day and if I managed, I would binge eat at night.

My weight gain really started during Covid and by January this year I had gained two stone. All my clothes were tight and I felt uncomfortable with the way I looked.

I’m in my 40s and I knew that much of the weight gain posed health risks for the future. We’re going on vacation in August and I don’t want to feel like the mother people whisper about because I let myself go.

Since I have a 15 year old daughter, I am extremely careful about dieting or restricting food, so I would never skip meals. We don’t have a scale at home – I weigh myself at work, so Ozempic seemed like a good solution. I would continue to eat with the family, but with smaller portions.

Before using Ozempic, I did a lot of research. I knew the most common side effects; especially headache and nausea. And I discussed it with Jim, who said if I felt I should do it, he was right behind me. I’d say he now regrets that decision.

I found an online pharmacy that sold it for £170, which would last four weeks. I had to fill out a long questionnaire. Then they asked for a photo of me, which I sent, and then the prescription had to be approved by a GP, which happened the next day.

Within 24 hours of my first injection I lost my appetite. It was extraordinary. It was lunchtime at work and normally I would try to convince myself to eat a salad instead of a mayonnaise sandwich or a patty, but I realized I didn’t feel like eating. Normally medicine takes some time to work, but this was less than a day. It was an exciting feeling.

That afternoon I was surprised at how different I felt. At that point I was going to go straight to the cookie jar, but I didn’t feel like doing that. I was excited. It was clear that the weight would melt away and I would feel good about myself in no time.

Over the course of that week, I felt more and more satisfied with my decision. I wondered if I might feel less energetic because I ate less, but I increased my water intake significantly and woke up every morning feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. It was fantastic.

I didn’t see much of Jim that week. He is a technical engineer and we had opposite shifts. But then we both had a weekend off and we thought: we’re going to do something fun. For us, that would always end in sex. That’s when he went in for a cuddle in the kitchen and I realized I just couldn’t stand him touching me. I wasn’t even remotely interested.

Things did not get better in the following weeks. I don’t want to deprive him of sex – why should he have to suffer too? But I was very honest with him and said that I don’t get anything from it. God help me, but when he started kissing me, I even used the words, “Just keep going.”

I respond physically – I kiss him back and I touch him – but I feel nothing. He’s tried everything. And I mean everything. He put so much effort into massages and tried different ways to arouse me. But I’m just not interested. There’s no way I can get excited. Normally I come easily, but now there is nothing.

Not only has all the pleasure from eating disappeared – I have to force myself to eat – but I also no longer feel like drinking alcohol. I no longer make plans to go out with friends – or to go out to dinner with my husband. And what’s the point of me and Jim dating or going away if I don’t want to have sex?

I feel like I’ve lost the joys that make life so rich. There’s nothing like a delicious, fresh glass of white wine, a creamy curry or the pure sweaty pleasure of great sex. but I don’t enjoy it anymore? I’m thinner, but I’m miserable. It’s Hobson’s choice.

Since this happened, I’ve googled “Ozempic and lost libido,” and I see others have reported it as a side effect.

Now Jim asks how long I plan to stay on the Ozempic. I said: for now I will continue. I have lost ten kilos and have enough for four more weeks. But I imagine that more than a month like this could damage our marriage. And it’s too expensive to risk that.

So in April I will stop the weekly injections and hope that everything will return to normal. I’m eager to put on nice underwear, feel sexy again with my slimmer figure, and seduce my man the way he deserves!

As told to Alice Smellie. Naam has changed

Today, smokers across the UK are being encouraged to find out how to quit the habit for good, to mark National No Smoking Day 2024.

However, a British dentist has warned vapers and ex-smokers that cigarette alternatives can also cause damage to their teeth and gums.

Dr. Deepak Aulak, founder of AI-powered dental app Toothfairy and This Morning regular, said: ‘Smoking destroys lives, so it’s commendable if people want to quit.

‘Your oral health will start to improve within twenty minutes of stubbing out that last cigarette, but it’s not nearly as easy as it is for many ex-smokers, who struggle and suffer from cravings.

‘Many are turning to nicotine replacement products to quit cigarettes, or have switched to vaping in the belief that it is a healthier alternative.

‘Most worrying are the many young people who have taken up vaping with seemingly little thought about the long-term consequences for both their mouths and their bodies.’

Adding: ‘If you are trying to quit or want advice about using e-cigarettes and other nicotine products, ask your dentist.’

The government aims to make England and Wales smoke-free by 2030, and Scotland by 2034. From yellow and brown spots to tooth loss, gum disease and mouth cancer, the dangers of smoking are well documented.

But while figures are falling, around 6.4 million British adults continue to smoke and more than 3,000 people died from oral cancer last year.

National No Smoking Day aims to provide support and encouragement to those on their way to quitting. Many of them are turning to alternatives such as vaping and nicotine replacement gum.

Read on to hear Dr.’s advice. Deepak to discover if you are considering some of the most popular smoking alternatives.

VAPES AND E-CIGARETTES

Once advertised as the ‘safer’ alternative to smoking, greater awareness is now growing around the risks of vaping and e-cigarettes.

Thanks to a raft of recent research and analysis, it is now well established that electronic cigarettes – which use vapor instead of smoke – are linked to a range of alarming risks, from serious blood vessel damage to permanent lung scarring.

Vape juice or e-liquids – whether nicotine-free or not – contain metals, ‘volatile organic compounds’ and cancer-causing chemicals.

E-cigarette users may experience ‘vape tongue’ or a temporary loss of taste.

Dr. Deepak said: ‘The bottom line is that it is better for your mouth if you don’t smoke or don’t use nicotine replacement products at all.

‘At a time when Britain is in the midst of a dental health crisis, it is particularly worrying to see so many young people using vapes – many who have probably never smoked in the first place.’

A 2021 dental report found that while the risk of periodontal (gum) disease was lower for vapers than for smokers, it was still higher than for non-smokers.

Meanwhile, another study concluded that e-cigarette use has a ‘quantifiable’ impact on the natural bacteria in the mouth, known as the microbiome.

The warning comes after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced a new tax on vaping in his spring budget as part of the government’s push for a ‘smoke-free generation’.

The price of the strongest e-cigarette liquid will rise by up to £3 under the Chancellor’s plan to discourage non-smokers from becoming addicted to cheap nicotine-filled gadgets.

NICOTINE BAGS

Another popular alternative for those trying to kick the habit is nicotine pouches.

They are placed in the mouth, placed between the lip and the gums. The pouches slowly release nicotine into the bloodstream to help ex-smokers combat cravings.

Although brands vary, some contain a variety of ingredients, from stabilizers to fillers and flavorings, as well as artificial sweeteners.

The dentist warns that there are a variety of health problems associated with dental follicles, from tooth decay to dry mouth, throat irritation, bad breath, receding gums and chipped or broken teeth.

Nicotine pouches also speed up the process of gum disease.

Dr. Deepak explained: ‘Your mouth is a delicate environment and the presence of a pouch in which substances are introduced will disrupt the natural bacteria.

‘Seek advice from your dentist if you are a user or are concerned about the effects on your oral health.’

Users are advised to regularly change the location of the pouch in their mouth, limit its use and try to reduce talking during use, due to friction caused against the gums.

NICOTINE GUM

Finally, the dentist warns against nicotine gum, as there are some worrying side effects associated with its use.

Although nicotine gum is better for oral health than smoking, sores on the tongue and cheeks and dry mouth can result from regular use.

Nicotine constricts blood vessels, so direct contact with the gums can also lead to gingivitis or gum disease.

Dr. Deepak added, ‘Chewing sugar-free gum can even be good for your oral health as it increases the production of saliva, which helps remove unwanted acid and bacteria.

‘Although that chewing process is not necessarily affected, the presence of nicotine can aggravate the gums and lead to problems in the longer term.’

The dentist’s advice comes after news in January that disposable vapes will be banned in a bid to protect children’s health and prevent them from becoming ‘addicted for life’.

The number of children using vaping has tripled in the past three years, thanks to disposable devices that come in a range of bright colors and tempting flavours.

The ban is expected to come into effect in late 2024 or early 2025.

The more we discover about the drug Ozempic, the more excited we become. It is licensed here for use by diabetics, but is sold privately as a weight loss treatment. It has helped many already achieve their target size and shape, with little sense of hardship.

But there is a problem. With rapid weight loss comes sagging, and lots of it. If you lose the fat but leave the excess skin behind, parts of the body that have been smooth and toned – the face, neck, stomach, even the tops of the knees – will suddenly look wrinkly and old.

There’s no point in feeling confident enough to restock your wardrobe in a smaller size if your ‘Ozempic Face’ makes you want to hide.

Naturally, the cosmetic industry has come up with a whole range of solutions. ‘The Post-Ozempic Makeover is really a thing,’ says Dr Raj Thethi of the Yorkshire Skin Centre, which has seen a surge in requests for skin laxity treatments.

“Patients want solutions for the loss of volume in the front of the face, the hollowing around the eyes and cheeks, and the loose skin on the body.”

In London, Esther Fieldgrass, owner of the EF Medispa clinics, agrees. ‘There has been a huge increase in the number of women using Ozempic seeking treatments for facial volume loss. Requests for under-eye tear fillers in our clinics have increased by 70% in the past year alone.”

Tired, sunken eyes are a giveaway, estheticians say, but not all solutions involve injectables. NeoGen Power Glow Tightening Treatment (from £500; neogenplasma.co.uk) targets the under-eye area with thermal energy to rebuild fibroblast cells that boost collagen.

A virtually painless treatment that takes less than five minutes, with mild skin redness for just an hour afterwards. It is a favorite among wealthy women across the country.

What about the neck? To reshape post-Ozempic turkey cheeks and wobbly jawlines, many cosmetic practitioners use Sculptra (from £550 consultingroom.com), an injectable collagen booster made from Poly-L-Lactic Acid, which is inserted into the skin via a cannula. areas that have lost volume.

Patients can expect some tenderness, swelling and occasional bruising, but this will go away after a few days. The ultimate stealth treatment – ​​meaning friends can’t put their finger on what makes you look so good – Sculptra delivers subtle results after around six weeks, peaking four months after treatment as new collagen networks begin to form.

A course of two treatments six weeks apart is recommended, with results lasting approximately two years.

Brazilian doctors – who else? – are also pioneering a new Sculptra protocol available at London’s The Taktouk clinic to brighten flat, saggy buttocks (drwassimtaktouk.com). With prices starting from £3,000 it doesn’t come cheap.

Other post-Ozempic problem areas with sagging skin include the tops of the knees and arms and the abdomen, which is prone to wrinkling, especially around the belly button.

The new Morpheus8 3D body treatment is also an uncomfortable, expensive option (£1,000 per session; inmodemd.co.uk), but claims to remodel and tighten the skin’s underlying framework – tightening the connections between collagen and elastin fibers improved – using radio energy waves via 40 gold-plated micro pins.

For best results, a course of three sessions every four to six weeks is recommended. Results will continue to improve for 12 to 18 months.

However, the makeover is not just about the cosmetic clinic. To keep the pounds from piling back on, trainer Dalton Wong of Twenty-Two Training, who counts actress Jennifer Lawrence among his clients, recommends focusing on strength training in the gym.

To maintain muscle mass, key exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts and push-ups should take priority over cardio training.

‘After Ozempic, people’s energy levels tend to be lower because they’ve eaten a lot less, so I recommend focusing on shorter 30-minute sessions, three to four times a week,’ he says.

Rose Ferguson, celebrity nutritionist and partner at London’s newest wellbeing club, The Surrenne at Claridges Hotel, adds: ‘After Ozempic, it is crucial to consume a balanced diet rich in whole, nutritious foods . Prioritize lean proteins such as fish, poultry and plant-based sources such as beans and lentils to support muscle mass.’

Finally, it is important to change your eating habits while taking Ozempic to prevent what doctors call “Ozempic rebound,” as a large number of users report rapid weight gain after stopping the drug.

Adopting healthy eating habits is the key to extending and maintaining the longevity of the Ozempic makeover.

Olivia Falcon is the founder of @deeditorslijst

IF your under eyes are looking dark or veiny, this cheap beauty buy might help.

One woman showed her followers the results after using the skincare product to tackle her dark circles.

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In her videoMirela (@mirela.nova) applied the eye serum while sharing some of its benefits.

She showed her viewers a before-and-after comparison of her under-eye hair and revealed “how to get rid of dark circles and veins caused by thin under-eye skin.”

She described the serum as “the only product that plumped my under-eye skin, improved dark circles caused by thin under-eyes, and reduced the appearance of my veins.”

The TikToker showed her audience the $18 L’Oreal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Hyaluronic Acid Face Cream, available at CVS.

“The serum creates a ‘filler effect’ with its main ingredients, macro and micro hyaluronic acid,” explains Mirela.

“The micro hyaluronic acid allows the serum to penetrate deep into the epidermis of the skin, allowing it to activate its smoothing and moisturizing effects, plumping the skin over time.”

She also pointed out that the ingredients caffeine and niacinamide “brighten the area so you look more energetic.”

“It’s also super affordable,” Mirela told her followers.

She also showed her audience the unique applicator feature of the eye serum bottle.

“It has a cooling three-bead applicator, it is stainless steel so it doesn’t get contaminated,” Mirela said.

She added that the applicator reduces puffiness, similar to the effect of ice rolling.

Mirela’s followers shared their thoughts on the product in the comments section.

“OMG thank you!!!! I have a problem with these little veins under my eyes and literally everyone told me it can’t be cured,” one viewer wrote.

“I hope this works, my under eyes are my biggest insecurity,” said another TikTok user.

“Wowwww, flawless skin!” a third person commented.

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Prince Harry today insisted ‘I love my family’ and that he ‘jumped on a plane’ to visit the King ‘as soon as I could’ after speaking on the phone about his cancer diagnosis.

The Duke of Sussex also revealed he was ‘grateful’ to have seen his father Charles III in person and hopes the diagnosis can have a ‘reunifying effect’ on the Royal Family.

Harry, 39, discussed his trip to see the King as he spoke publicly for the first time since Charles postponed all public-facing duties last week following the diagnosis. 

He also said he had ‘considered’ becoming a US citizen since moving to California – but added that his outlook on his father’s health ‘stays between me and him’.

Harry told ABC’s Good Morning America about his visit to London without Meghan and their children, less than 24 hours after the announcement on Charles’s health.

Asked by GMA presenter Will Reeve how the Duke’s trip for the meeting was for him ’emotionally’, Harry replied: ‘Um, look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.’

At the end of a week that has seen a series of announcements by the Sussexes:

Reeve, the son of late Superman actor Christopher Reeve who was paralysed in 1995, said: ‘I’ve also found in my own life that sort of an illness in the family can have a galvanising or a sort of reunifying effect for a family. Is that possible in this case?’

Speaking exclusively to Reeve from a ski resort in Whistler, Canada, at an Invictus Games One Year To Go event, Harry replied: ‘Absolutely. Yeah, I’m sure. 

‘Throughout all these families I see it on a day-to-day basis, again, the strength of the family unit coming together. I think any illness, any sickness brings families together.’ 

Asked how he had ‘processed the fact that there’s so much happening back with your family and where you come from’, Harry said: ‘I have my own family, as we all do, right? My family and my life in California is as it is. I have got other trips planned that would take me through the UK or back to the UK. I will stop in and see my family as much as I can.’

And on being a father, Harry said: ‘I can’t tell you, that’s classified. It’s top secret. The kids are doing great. The kids are growing up like all kids do, very very fast. They have both got an incredible sense of humour and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, like most kids do. So I’m just very grateful to be a dad.’ 

Harry said living in the US was ‘amazing – I love every single day.’ Asked ‘do you feel American’, the Duke said: ‘Do I feel American? No. I don’t know how I feel.’ 

But questioned over whether he would think about becoming a US citizen, Harry added: ‘I have considered it, yeah.’ 

Asked what would stop him doing it, the Duke said: ‘I have no idea. I’m here standing here next to this with these guys. American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind but certainly not something that’s a high priority for me right now.’

Quizzed over where he gets the desire to be so involved in helping other people, Harry said: ‘I have always had a life of service. I get my fix with these guys. There’s no version of me coming here watching them and not getting involved myself.’ 

Later in the interview, Harry was asked about what it meant to him to meet competitors at the Invictus Games.

He said: ‘It’s my fix. Once you leave the military, from a uniform standpoint, you never leave the community. And to have the games every other year, but then also be able to do a One Year To Go event as well is literally my annual fix to be in amongst this community and have a laugh, have fun, no matter which nation they’re from, the banter’s the same. I get a lot of energy from being around these guys.’

He added: ‘You would not believe the number of people that have signed up to throw themselves head first on a tray down an ice luge.’

Harry also said: ‘It’s proving to people that this is possible no matter what your disability is.’

And he told Reeve: ‘ You’ve got to provide the resources and the opportunities and platform for them to be able to heal themselves. If they heal themselves, then the whole family heals. To me, that is without doubt, the most rewarding piece to all of this.’ 

At the start of the show, GMA said the chat would be a ‘one-on-one with Prince Harry on his father King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, his relationship with the Royal Family now, how he is as a dad, and giving us access to the first ever Invictus winter games’.

It later added: ‘Ahead, Prince Harry. What he says about his father’s health and their relationship now as he gives us a first look at the first ever Invictus winter games.’

The Duke, who lives in Montecito with his wife and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, flew to the UK last week to see the King.

But there was no meeting with his brother, the Prince of Wales, after Harry spent around 45 minutes at Clarence House seeing their father.

The interview comes after a week of announcements from Harry and his wife the Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan signed a deal with Lemonada Media to record new podcast shows, and the company will distribute her previous series.

Her Archetypes podcast about female stereotypes ran for just one series before a lucrative deal with Spotify ended in 2023.

The couple also relaunched their Archewell website, the name of their foundation, rebranding it The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

A film crew led by Mr Reeve has been following Harry and his wife Meghan Markle since they arrived in Canada on Tuesday for a countdown event to the Invictus Games in Whistler and Vancouver. 

In a tweet posted at 1.49am UK time (9pm Eastern Time last night), the GMA account wrote: ‘Exclusive: The all-new interview with Prince Harry on his life with Meghan, how his father King Charles is doing and his passion supporting wounded warriors.’ 

This was accompanied by a clip showing Harry speaking to Mr Reeve in Whistler and a photo of the King waving as he left The London Clinic on January 29. 

A voiceover said: ‘Tomorrow morning, a GMA exclusive, Prince Harry, the all-new interview on his life today with Meghan, how his father the King is doing and on his passion – supporting wounded warriors. Tomorrow on Good Morning America.’

The trip comes as they unveiled a rebrand on Monday with a glossy new Sussex.com website, which saw critics claim they were trying to cash in on royal connections. 

But last night, the Sussexes defiantly hit back by insisting: ‘We will not be broken’. 

And the visit comes just over a week after Harry returned from a flying visit to London, where he met with his father for 45 minutes following his cancer diagnosis.

He was seen two days later at an NFL awards ceremony in Las Vegas but was absent from the Super Bowl last Sunday, before he and Meghan relaunched their website. 

Meanwhile, Kensington Palace confirmed today that Harry’s brother Prince William will attend the Bafta Film Awards at London’s Royal Albert Hall this Sunday evening.

The Prince of Wales is the Bafta president and will watch the ceremony before meeting winners – and it comes ahead of a wider return to public duties as his wife Kate Middleton continues to recuperate following her abdominal surgery last month.

Harry and Meghan have come under fire in recent days over their new Sussex.com website, in particular Meghan’s coat of arms – which critics claim is a breach of their promise to the late Queen Elizabeth II when they quit front-line royal duties.

Their decision to change their children Archie and Lilibet’s surnames to Sussex has also raised eyebrows among royal watchers.

The moves have sparked a fresh round of criticism of the Duke and Duchess and renewed calls for the duo to have their titles removed. But a representative told the Mirror that the couple ‘will not be broken’. 

They added: ‘We’ve heard time and time again that certain opportunities are make or break for the couple. They’re still here. 

‘They’re still working and pursuing what they believe in, despite being constantly challenged and criticised. This couple will not be broken.’

Now, Harry has been interviewed for the first time since Charles postponed all public-facing duties because of his cancer diagnosis. 

Yesterday, the Sussexes did not look phased as they took part in activities at the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistlers One Year To Go Winter Training Camp, while being followed around by a camera crew. 

While Meghan did not take part in the bobsledding fun at the Whistler Sliding Center in British Columbia, she was able to enjoy every aspect of her husband’s ride when he got off the sled – before he enthusiastically re-enacted it to his wife and Invictus volunteers after getting off.

The Duchess – who has joined her husband on a multi-day trip to Canada in honor of the one-year countdown to the 2025 Invictus Games – also served as her husband’s personal photographer.

She was beaming with pride as she held up her phone to snap images and clips as he whizzed to the end of the track. 

But Meghan – who accessorized her phone with a $250 case from Bottega Veneta – was not the only videographer on hand to capture every moment of the Duke’s whistle-top trip around the bobsled track. 

The ABC crew was closely following the Sussexes, interviewing Harry for ten minutes after his first bobsledding adventure, before he set off for a second go around the track. 

When asked by an onlooker whether she planned to join her husband in trying out the daring sport, Meghan laughingly yelled back: ‘I can’t!’

However, she watched on with pride as her husband completed his two runs – although she took some time to warm up in the back of the couple’s Ford Expedition SUV while Harry took some time out from the track to chat with the GMA crew.

But before long, he was back at it, drawing his wife out of the car to watch on as he enjoyed a second race on the sled.  

After whizzing round for a second time, a beaming Harry made his way down the hill arm-in-arm with Meghan, posing for pictures as they went.

Harry and Meghan kicked off day two of their Invictus Games One Year to Go tour shortly after 1pm local time yesterday (9pm UK time) – although their appearance at the venue was delayed by over 30 minutes while the Duke was given a safety briefing.

The couple, fresh from a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner date, were both on chipper form as they made their entrance to the venue, with a beaming Harry whizzing past on his bobsled and Meghan quipping ‘I can hear him’ as his sled set off and filming him on her phone as he flashed past.

Meghan was wrapped up against the -4C (25F) temperatures in a black padded jacket and leggings and a navy hat and scarf while her husband kept things casual in gray pants and a black insulated Invictus Games-branded jacket – topped off with a white crash helmet.

After the high-speed arrival, to the sound of Invictus branded cowbells waved by onlookers, came a meet and greet with athletes preparing to perform at the event next year on a platform overlooking the track.

Among the athletes waiting to be introduced were Canadian veteran and mental health advocate Mark Beare, Estonian former soldier and amputee Rasmus Penno and Nigerian powerlifter and ex-soldier Peacemaker Azuegbulam.

Peacemaker, a 27-year-old double amputee from Imo, Nigeria, made his skeleton debut immediately after Harry – despite never having seen snow or been on a bobsled before.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, Peacemaker said he was thrilled to be reunited with the couple after being introduced to them at Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, Germany, last year where he won a gold medal in powerlifting.

Now preparing to take part in the skeleton competition at the 2025 Games, despite only making his debut today, the double amputee said the sport had helped him come to terms with the injuries he sustained during a firefight with Boko Haram terrorists in November 2020.

He said: ‘At first I felt ashamed because of my injuries but then I was introduced to the Games and began with playing volleyball. Now I feel good, now I feel recovered.

‘I am proud to be the first Invictus champion from Africa and I feel recharged. It totally changed my mindset.’

Certainly there could be no better place to try out the sport than at the track, which is part of the Whistler Blackcomb resort, a venue built specifically for the 2010 Winter Olympics which were also held in the town, and which boasts a bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track.

However, the track – which is billed as the fastest in the world – is not for the faint of heart, featuring a staggering 485ft (148m) vertical drop and 16 curves, while the surrounding stadium has space for 12,000 spectators. 

Described by the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (IBSF) as an ‘adrenaline sport’, skeleton racing was developed more than 100 years ago in Switzerland when amateur daredevils began racing down icy slopes on toboggan sleds. 

Ultimately, the hobby grew so popular that it was added to the Winter Olympics line-up – and the daring athletes who now take part in the sport now reach a staggering top speed of more than 93 miles-per-hour – more than 30 miles faster than Harry managed during his attempts. 

While the row over Sussex.com remains ongoing, it has failed to detract from their enjoyment of the Invictus Games training camp with both seen laughing and joking with competitors on day one which took place on Wednesday in sub-zero conditions on the slopes of Blackcomb Mountain.

There, Harry tried his hand at sit-ski – an adapted version of the sport designed for amputees – while Meghan smiled broadly as she met visually impaired athletes who were nonetheless prepared to take to the slopes in next year’s competition.

Later, the couple met First Nations youth ambassadors representing the native Canadian tribes on whose land the Games are taking place.

The duo privately toured the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Center in Whistler where they were shown around by Chief Nelson and Wilson Williams and met artists who created the new Invictus Games logo for the event.

In a statement, Harry and Meghan said: ‘The evening and presentation were extremely meaningful.

‘IG2025 and the couple could not be more proud to share the artists’ piece with the world. The couple recognizes the significance of the First Nation communities welcoming the Invictus Games onto their sacred land and are thankful for their warmth and hospitality.’

The pair, who have been staying in Whistler, are due to head back to Vancouver ahead of an event in the City of Glass today where Harry is due to make a speech.

After that, the couple are expected to head home to Montecito, California, where they will be reunited with their children Archie, four, and Lilibet, two.

The Super Bowl averaged 123.4 million viewers on Sunday night, the most-watched telecast in history and the second-most-watched U.S. broadcast event, behind the Apollo 11 moon landing.

The previous record belonged to last year's Super Bowl, which averaged 115.1 million viewers. CBS Sports announced the astonishing numbers less than 24 hours after the Kansas City Chiefs lifted the Lombardi Trophy.

The Chiefs, flanked by Taylor Swift's support for tight end boyfriend Travis Kelce, defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in a thrilling overtime victory to win the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

Only the Apollo 11 moon landing was watched by more people in history, with an estimated average of between 125 and 150 million people watching the 1969 event live across multiple networks.

On CBS itself, 120 million people watched the game, the largest audience in history for a single network. Incredibly, more than 200 million viewers watched at least part of the Super Bowl across all networks and streams that aired the game.

Swift appeared for 54 seconds on the CBS broadcast of the Super Bowl on Sunday night, which represents less than one percent of the entire time the game was in progress.

The rest of the top 10 most-watched events of all time are all Super Bowls, which date back to 2011 – showing that while Swift will likely have influenced the ratings, games are still extremely popular without the pop star.

The Super Bowl increased in viewership by seven percent compared to last year. Final Nielsen data will be available Tuesday morning.

The game's total audience was up 10 percent from last year. Univision averaged more than 2.2 million viewers, the most for a Super Bowl for a Spanish-language channel.

Paramount+, CBS's streaming service, also had a record audience for the Super Bowl.

NFL regular-season games averaged 17.9 million viewers in 2023, tied for second most since averages were first tracked in 1995.

Millions of Swift fans watched various Chiefs games throughout the season, helping the NFL set viewership records throughout the season.

The “Anti-Hero” singer's likely in-person presence at the Super Bowl likely had millions of her fans tuning in to see her cheer on Kelce.

Although the Super Bowl has set many American broadcast records, its viewership is eclipsed by other television events worldwide.

The most watched event in the world was Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral, which attracted four billion viewers worldwide in September 2022.

Nine events have attracted at least a billion viewers, including three sporting events. The opening ceremony of the 1996 Sumeria Olympic Games is the No. 2 watched event in history with 3.5 billion viewers.

The 1978 rematch between Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks, Ali's last win of his professional career, attracted two billion viewers worldwide. The 2022 FIFA World Cup final attracted 1.5 billion viewers.

This year's Super Bowl is the sixteenth most watched event in global history.

The match saw Kelce win his third Super Bowl, while Swift cheered him on in the stands after racing back to Vegas from Japan, where she had played four straight shows during her Eras Tour in Tokyo.

The Chiefs trailed 10-3 at halftime, with Kelce catching just one pass for one yard after the first two quarters of the game.

He even got into a fight with his head coach Andy Reid, pushing him and yelling in his face as the Chiefs offense stuttered in the second quarter.

But in the second half, Kelce showed his dominance, finishing the game with nine catches for 93 yards.

The Chiefs repeated as Super Bowl champions when they defeated the Eagles in last year's championship game, the previous record holder for largest single-broadcast audience – with Kelce taking on his older brother Jason to claim glory.

After the game, Kelce said, “I'm going to keep going and enjoy this and everything that just happened.

'This is a unique opportunity that I have now been able to take advantage of three times. It gets sweeter and sweeter every time.

“You know the goal has always been to get three. But we couldn't get here without getting those two, and having that target on our backs all year long.”

A BEAUTY guru in his late 40s is impressed with a Fenty product that smoothes crepey skin around the eyes.

She candidly shared that she had previously struggled to avoid creases under her eyes when applying makeup.

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Erica Taylor (@ericataylor2347) has over 1.4 million followers on TikTok, where she shares beauty tips.

The makeup artist of over 25 years was excited as she held up a product she had recently found.

“If you have trouble with under-eye concealers creasing, I found something for us,” she said.

“I apologize in advance for making you spend your money and if you don't want to buy it, you might as well just scroll.

“But if you have wrinkles under your eyes and don't know what to apply before applying concealer, this is the Fenty Beauty Flash Nap,” she said, holding up the product.

Erica revealed that she found the eye gel cream after visiting a recently opened Sephora location.

She browsed the shelves hoping to find a beauty product that offered something 'different' than anything she already owned.

“In the morning I noticed that my eyes looked like crab scabs, like a crusting, mummification around the eyes.

“I'm 47 and I wasn't into it, so I was like, let me scroll the wall and find something new.

“It's an eye cream gel, but it's made as a great prep for under concealer.

“I'm testing it out today, get a little closer,” she said, zooming into her eyes.

“It didn't play, okay.

“I applied this first, before my concealer. It immediately feels cooling and soothing.”

Erica used her fingers to apply the Fenty Beauty Flash Nap Instant Revival Priming Eye Gel Cream, which costs $44 at Sephora.

She then applied Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Longwear Liquid Concealer, which retails for $30 from the retailer.

“I still did my regular eye treatment first,” she said. “For me, I use this in preparation for a concealer.

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“I've been experimenting with the Fenty Beauty concealer, which I like, but I think this eye prep would work with any of your concealers.

“It blended, it smoothed it and it had a real blurring effect,” she raved about the eye gel cream.

Erica said she still gets texture around her eyes when she smiles, but the product doesn't settle into the skin.

She predicted it would sell out because it is so effective at reducing under-eye wrinkles in mature skin.

More than 13,500 people liked the video and hundreds of viewers indicated in the comments section that they would try the products for themselves.

“I just started ordering after seeing this,” one person wrote.

“Dammit Erica! You never hurt me, I think I'm spending money! another commented.

“Fenty Beauty products always impress me,” said a third.

“Girl, you keep Sephora going! I can't wait to try it,” another added.

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