If you've lost weight, you may be left with loose skin. This is because skin expands as the body gains weight. One study found that when a person has carried around more weight for some time, it can damage the skin's collagen and elastin fibers. This affects the skin's ability to snap back into place after weight loss.
For small to moderate amounts of weight loss, your skin will likely retract on its own. Natural home remedies may help too. However, more significant weight loss may need body-contouring surgery or other medical procedures to tighten or get rid of loose skin.
“In general, it can take anywhere from weeks to months—even years,” says Dr. Chen. If after one to two years skin is still loose, it may not get any tighter, she says.
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.
Getting rid of lower stomach fat
Exercises like cardio, yoga, and crunches may tone your muscles and strengthen your lower abs, but they won't “erase” fat deposits. The only way to lose fat on your lower stomach is to lose fat overall. A calorie deficit helps with this.
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.
But many health care providers agree that a medical evaluation is called for if you lose more than 5% of your weight in 6 to 12 months, especially if you're an older adult. For example, a 5% weight loss in someone who is 160 pounds (72 kilograms) is 8 pounds (3.6 kilograms).
Engaging in exercise such as resistance training can increase muscle mass. Building muscle through exercise can improve the appearance of sagging skin, especially in the legs and arms. Also, facial exercises may improve muscle tone around the jaw and neck. This may reduce sagging skin in these areas.
You can go the nonsurgical route and add firming creams or facial exercises to your skincare routine. There are also cosmetic procedures that provide quicker results, such as laser surfacing or ultrasound skin tightening. To find the best solution for you, consult a board-certified dermatologist.
With a slower, more gradual weight loss, it's easier for a person's skin elasticity to sort of snap back into place, shrinking back down as the fat is lost. But when too much is lost too fast, the skin's elasticity doesn't have time to catch up. To get rid of the loose skin, exercise helps, a little.
Many individuals who have successfully lost a large amount of weight, usually 100 pounds or more, may find themselves with loose skin that is uncomfortable and frustrating. Fortunately, there are ways to manage and treat loose skin with lifestyle changes, noninvasive treatments, and surgery.
Are collagen supplements a good option for tightening loose skin? A: Collagen supplements aren't the best option if you want to improve the appearance of your skin. That's mainly because there's no evidence-based science to prove they work ― or that they're safe.
EGCG. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is present in matcha and green tea, can be used to reduce the appearance of drooping skin. In addition to its involvement in DNA repair, EGCG has been shown to slow the aging process in cells.
Do multiple plank variations, sit-ups, crunches, and all other exercises that can help tighten and tone your abs. If you've already tried a number of different ways to tighten stubborn pockets of loose skin, consult with a cosmetic surgeon to learn more about other treatments.
Most loose skin treatments, from creams to laser resurfacing, focus on boosting collagen production. Lifestyle changes can keep collagen from slowing down even more. Take your vitamins, stop smoking (if you do), avoid tanning, and swap out harsh skin care for products with nourishing, medical-grade ingredients.
Yes, you can tighten your skin without surgery because there is a range of non-invasive skin tightening modalities to choose from. These energy-based devices use radiofrequency, ultrasound, or laser energy to tighten loose skin.
Some people have weight distributed onto their neck, arms, legs, butt, and abs so if they lose 10kg it is much less change so much less loose skin. Eventually loose skin will adjust but it takes a lot longer when you are older.
Collagen is a protein that serves as one of the main building blocks for your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. "Collagen is what keeps our skin from sagging, giving us that plump, youthful look," says dermatologist Dr. Ohara Aivaz.
The best way of getting rid of stomach overhang is a surgical procedure known as abdominoplasty at our London clinic, which will remove it completely. This procedure tightens the stomach muscles and removes excess skin and fatty tissues from the middle and lower abdominal region.