Although loose skin is a typical problem with weight reduction, it’s not the only problem. Additionally, you can lose weight by altering your diet, increasing your exercise, and visiting your doctor regularly.
However, genetics affects how much fat tissue your body will hold on to. So, if you have a lot of fat on your body and lose it all, that’s how much loose skin you’ll get. In other words, if you have more fat than muscle on your body, then losing all that excess will cause your skin to sag over time (this is known as lipoatrophy).
As loose skin is a common side effect of weight loss, it doesn’t have to be permanent.
Major Causes of Loose Skin
Some of the common issues that lead to loose skins are as listed below:
Weight loss is one of the most common causes of loose skin
Weight loss causes the body to shed muscle tissue and fat, which can cause your skin to sag and become loose. The underlying cause of this condition is that the body loses its ability to store fat, which results in wrinkles and sagging skin.
Pregnancy can also lead to loose skin
This is because the growing belly stretches out your abdominal muscles, which may cause them to weaken and stretch out as well. The same thing happens when you get older, particularly after menopause. As these muscles weaken with age, they may no longer be able to support your weight properly, causing loose skin.
Aging is another factor that causes loose skin
Particularly around the hands, arms, stomach, and love handle. As you age, the body loses collagen (a protein), which keeps our skin tight and elastic. When collagen levels decrease over time due to aging or illness (such as cancer), your skin loses its elasticity and becomes less firm.
Ways To Get Rid of Loose Skin
Below are ways one can get rid of loose skin on your body:
1. Firming Creams
Many topical creams and lotions contain ingredients that promote collagen production in the skin. Collagen is a protein that helps keep your skin healthy. If you lose weight quickly after liposuction or other cosmetic procedures, your body may experience a few months of damaged tissue before it begins producing new collagen again.
It can cause tissue remaining after surgery to loosen or sag over time. Firming creams include vitamin B3 (niacinamide) and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). These ingredients increase collagen production, which helps tighten sagging tissue and reduce loose skin after weight loss.
2. Cosmetic Procedures
You can consider cosmetic procedures if you want to eliminate loose skin after weight loss. For example, you can temporarily use fillers or injectables to fill the gap between your skin and muscles. However, this method is not permanent and will not lead to permanent changes in your body.
3. Supplements
There are many supplements available for tightening loose skin after weight loss. They include vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that help tighten the skin around your body. One of the most popular supplements is collagen hydrolysate which contains collagen protein extracted from animal sources such as bovine bone or fish skin and other natural sources such as gelatin or vegetables such as potato or soybeans.
4. Massage The Area
Exercise is a great way to eliminate loose skin after weight loss. Just make sure you exercise at a low intensity and don’t overdo it because it can lead to muscle fatigue and inflammation in your body. Instead, massage the area with some oatmeal in a circular motion for at least 10 minutes every day, which will help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and stretch marks.
6. Cosmetic Procedures
If you’re unhappy with the way your body looks following weight loss, then Cosmetic procedures may be an option for you. Several procedures can remove excess fat from around your midsection and excess fat from around your waistline. These procedures can help give you the body you want without having to make major changes in how much you weigh. Various to Get Rid of Loose Skin through Cosmetic procedures:
Tummy Tuck Surgery
It’s a cosmetic surgery procedure that helps to remove the excess skin from the abdomen. The tummy tuck surgery takes roughly two hours and is done under a general anesthetic. In all parts of the abdomen, the surgeon trims any extra skin during this period and then sews it together. The tummy tuck surgery recovery period varies depending on each patient’s condition, but it usually takes about six weeks to recover from this surgery fully.
Sculpting
This method reduces the amount of loose skin by removing excess fat, muscle, and other soft tissue. Sculpting can be done in the doctor’s office or at home. The procedure is performed by injecting small amounts of anesthetic into the area where you want to remove fat and then using a scalpel to slice through the skin. Once all the loose tissue has been removed, it will be stitched back together with sutures or staples.
Liposuction
Liposuction is one of the most common cosmetic procedures for helping people shed extra weight and tighten their skin. In this procedure, a doctor uses suction to remove fat tissue from the body. It is done under local anesthesia and does not require surgery.
Breast Augmentation
Breast augmentation is a surgical procedure that helps women by adding volume to their breasts. This procedure can be done using silicone or saline implants, depending on individual patient needs.
Eyelid Surgery
This procedure helps patients by reducing the look of bags under their eyes and giving them a more youthful appearance. Tightening loose skin around the eye area with sutures or Botox injections is one of the most popular types of eyelid surgery.
Facelift
A facelift is a cosmetic surgery that utilizes different devices to tighten loose skin and facial muscles and reshape facial contours. A facelift may also include the removal of excess fat or tightening the skin on specific areas of the face, such as around the eyes, cheeks, and mouth area.
Although loose skin might be an issue, many strategies exist to minimize or lessen it. The suppleness of the skin is greatly influenced by collagen. One method to decrease loose skin is to increase your body’s collagen synthesis. Additionally, you can prevent loose skin from forming by abstaining from activities like smoking, sunbathing, and even using skin care products containing abrasive chemicals.