Does loose skin affect your self-esteem? How do you develop loose skin? What can be done about it? First, yes! Loose skin can have a significant impact on your self-esteem and can be very frustrating. There are several ways you can develop loose skin, and it is not easy to reverse. Weight loss, the effects of aging, and pregnancy are a few causes of skin being saggy. You can see the problem on your stomach, neck, face, arms, buttocks, and legs. Cosmetic surgery can be one option to improve the loose skin, but there are many other ways for people who want to avoid medical procedures. Exercise, nonsurgical procedures, weight loss, firming products, and massage are a few ways to help with the challenge of loose skin.
Exercise
Building more muscle mass with weight training exercises will help decrease the appearance of loose skin, especially when due to weight loss. If extra fat distends the skin over a long period of time, the skin will lose the ability to shrink as you lose weight. You can replace the lost fat with muscle mass, and it can reduce the appearance of the loose skin. If pregnancy is the cause of loose skin, talk with a doctor before exercising to ensure the moves are not ones you should avoid.
Weight Loss
Fat under your skin, subcutaneous fat, can make the skin appear loose. Pinch the area, and if there are over a few millimeters of skin, subcutaneous fat is the problem. As you lose fat, the skin can be firm again.
Massage
As you massage your skin, the blood flow increases which helps begin an anti-aging response. Regular massage with an oscillating massage tool helps boost an anti-aging skin cream’s positive effect when applied to the skin. You can also try a sugar or salt scrub to help increase blood flow to the needed areas.
Firming Creams
Choose a firming cream that contains retinoids. Retinoids are chemical derivatives of Vitamin A which increase the turnover, proliferation, and maturation of skin cells. Creams that contain hyaluronic acid, are also a good choice. They attract and hold water molecules which helps increase skin firmness, reduces wrinkles, and takes away skin roughness. Avoid all skin products with lanolin, which can cause an allergic skin reaction.
Supplements
There is no magic pill or supplement to get rid of loose skin, but certain supplements can help the issue. Try a supplement that contains hyaluronic acid and make sure it is processed with purity in mind.
Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures
There are many non-surgical procedures that can help diminish the look of loose skin.
- Ablative laser resurfacing – This is also known as “laser peeling.” It is similar to a chemical peel in that it removes the outer layer of old skin. The layers underneath the top layer are warmed and help promote collagen production.
- Chemical peels – This procedure removes the outer layer of old skin, decreasing the look of loose, wrinkles, and sagging skin on the neck and face.
- Ultrasound skin tightening – Heat is used to stimulate collagen production in the skin. Pointed ultrasound energy is passed through the skin’s surface to heat deeper skin layers.
- Radiofrequency treatments – Here is another procedure using safe energy transfer to heat the skin to produce collagen. This method focuses on the outer layer of the skin, instead of the deeper layers.
- Botox – Otherwise known as neuromodulators, toxin botulinum is injected in the skin to relax wrinkles. This is not a holistic procedure and requires recovery time, it does reduce the appearance of loose skin when injected into areas where muscles work in opposition to each other.
- IPL/RF treatments – Intense pulsed light (IPL) and radiofrequency (RF), are combined to facilitate collagen production. The process heats outer and deeper skin layers.
Body Contouring at Rejuvenation Laser & Skin Center
Rejuvenation Laser & Skin Center offers Ohio and West Virginia body contouring using BodyFX by INMODE. The amazing machine is the only body contouring process technology that is proven to destroy adipose tissue while firming your skin. The treatment helps minimize the appearance of cellulite, dimpled skin, and also improve areas on your abdomen, thighs, hips, and other regions that need fat reduction. This procedure is used as an alternative to liposuction. Contact Rejuv today for more information and to set up an appointment.