However, in most cases, small amounts of weight loss, such as 20 or fewer pounds, typically don't lead to the development of loose skin. However, larger amounts of weight loss, such as 50 pounds and over, especially over a short period, can considerably increase your risk of loose skin.
Weight loss of 100 pounds (46 kg) or more typically results in a greater amount of loose skin than more moderate weight loss. Age. Older skin has less collagen than younger skin and tends to be looser following weight loss ( 5 ).
Amount of weight lost: As you can imagine, the more weight you've lost, the more likely you are to have loose skin. Someone who has lost 30 pounds may not have any loose skin, while someone who has lost 100 pounds or more is more likely to experience hanging skin.
Excess skin can appear when you lose between 40 and 50 pounds. A dramatic weight loss of 100 plus pounds will almost certainly result in loose skin. If you drop 20 pounds or less, your skin will not produce excess, much less get so loose as to hang off your torso and limbs.
However, larger amounts of weight loss, such as 50 pounds and over, especially over a short period, can considerably increase your risk of loose skin. Your genetics and age will also play an important role in determining how much weight loss causes loose skin.
Usually, minimal saggy skin may return to normal shape after weight loss. However, the skin that has been stretched excessively for longer periods becomes saggy with weight loss and requires toning exercises or plastic surgery to remove the excess saggy skin.
Does everyone have loose skin after major weight loss? Nope—it's not inevitable, says Dr. Prachand. But it's also not easy to predict who is going to experience it, he says.
To be more precise, excess leftover skin after rapid weight loss is often the primary cause of stretch marks. However, your skin stretches when you gain weight, but those marks are usually not visible at this stage. You start seeing those hidden stretch marks only after you shed some pounds.
Excess skin is the skin you're left with after losing a substantial amount of weight. Typically, you will see this extra skin flab on your stomach, under your arms, on your legs and elsewhere. Belly fat tends to be the most challenging part to tighten especially after giving birth.
The amount of weight that has been lost: Fat loss of 100 lbs (46 kg) or more is associated with excess loose skin than weight reduction of fewer than 100 lbs (46 kg).
How to Avoid Loose Skin. While you won't be able to completely prevent loose skin if you're losing large amounts of weight, losing weight slowly is the best way to avoid excessive sagging. Most experts recommend aiming for 1 to 2 pounds a week, which translates to 4 to 8 pounds per month.
The loose skin is caused by losing a huge amount of weight – as in, 100 pounds or more – in a very short amount of time. It can happen when the weight is lost through diet and exercise, but it happens more often to weight-loss surgery patients.
If you have lost large amounts of body fat, it is likely you will have some extra skin. Stretch marks and sagging skin can often be left behind as reminders of large amounts of belly fat. It is also likely that you will feel colder after you lose a large portion of your body's insulation.
Lose Weight Slowly
Rapid weight loss can result in loose skin because the body doesn't have the proper amount of time adjusting to the new changes. When you lose weight slowly, your skin has time to adapt and shrink at a healthy pace. Most experts recommend losing 2 pounds or less a week to maintain healthy skin.
Surgical removal
"Typically speaking, after bariatric surgery or massive weight loss, plastic surgery is required to remove excess skin," says Zuckerman. "These plastic surgery procedures are very effective and typically involve cutting away excess skin and lifting or reshaping the remaining tissue."
Any workouts that build muscle mass or tighten muscles — especially around the stomach — can reduce the appearance of loose skin. Try incorporating exercises two to three times per week, including: Weight training. Resistance training.
Permitting that rapid weight gain stops and prevents your skin from stretching more, you'll notice your marks will fade from deep red or purple to a silvery or white color.
You should include foods that are rich in collagen and elastin to your diet. Milk, legumes, cottage cheese, beans, nuts and fish are examples of foods that contain elastin and collagen. They help with skin firmness, strength and elasticity.
Regular exercise, including cardio and strength training, will help you maintain your weight and tone your body. It also may help your skin look tighter. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about extra skin.
Rule and Re found that the average decrease required to make the faces in the sample appear more attractive was 2.38 kg/m2 for women, and 2.59 kg/m2 for men, translating to about 6.3 and 8.2 kilograms (approximately 14 and 18 pounds) for women and men of average height, respectively.
While there are ways to promote skin elasticity and malleability, shrinking sagging skin to a degree, exercise is not one of them. Instead, use exercise as a way to build muscle mass in your abdominal muscles. Increased muscle mass may fill the excess skin, giving your belly a smoother, healthy look.
"Women and men of average height need to gain or lose about three and a half and four kilograms, or about eight and nine pounds, respectively, for anyone to see it in their face.