Loose Skin After Weight Loss

There is no one definitive answer to this question. Some people are able to manage their loose skin through diet and exercise, while others may require surgery. The best way to find out what will work for you is to consult with a doctor or specialist.

If you have had gastric bypass surgery or gastric sleeve, you probably lost a large amount of weight in a short amount of time. If the surgeries were successful, you may have excess skin.

Loose or saggy skin is a common problem after losing more than 50 to 100 pounds in a short period of time. In time, you may see improvements, but some people may not. Below, you will learn what you can do to manage loose skin after weight loss. 

Why Won’t My Skin Snap Back?

When you are obese, your skin stretches out. The longer you are obese, the less elasticity your skin has.

Because of the reduced skin elasticity, even if you lost pounds slowly, your skin may not bounce back.

The longer it was stretched out, the less likely it is to just snap back. Additionally, there are risk factors that could cause you to have excess skin. 

Related: The Painful Truth about Gastric Bypass Surgery

Will I Have Loose Skin If I Loose Weight Fast? 

As stated above, different factors can contribute to extra skin and it not being able to snap back as quickly as you would like it to. These factors include:

Age: The older you get, the less elastic your skin becomes. 

Genetics: Your genetics play a huge roll in the firmness of your skin. If you have family with loose skin problems, you may have it too. 

Weight that was Lost: When you lose a large amount of weight in a short time, such as with a weight loss surgery, your skin doesn’t have time to shrink with your body. It could be permanently stretched. 

Sun Exposure: If you were exposed to a lot of sun in the past or in the present, that can damage the elasticity of your skin. 

Nutrition: Proper nutrition is just as important to your body as it is to your skin. Vitamin C and E are crucial to healthy skin. 

Water Intake: Your body is made up of 70% water, and if you aren’t getting enough, it will come out of your skin. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. 

Smoking: Smoking speeds up your normal aging process. This means your skin could lose elasticity quicker if you are a smoker.

How to Avoid Loose Skin After Weight Loss

If you want to avoid loose skin, it is important to lose weight slowly. You want to try and lose only about 1-2 pounds per week. This will help your skin adjust to the new size and avoid the formation of excess skin.

Slower weight loss allows you to maintain your muscle mass while losing fat to allow your skin to adjust as you lose weight.

However, if you have had bariatric surgery, you may not have control over this. So, you will need to work on tightening your loose skin. 

5 Tips for Managing Loose Skin After Weight Loss

If you have had bariatric surgery, you will most likely lose weight faster than recommended. Because of the major weight loss, you will need to work on tightening your loose skin. Here are some tips you can use to tighten loose skin after weight loss:

#1 Exercise

This is the first line of defense for most people. A healthy diet and regular exercise can help tone your body and tighten up loose skin.

Building muscle mass helps decrease the appearance of loose skin. It also helps with the elasticity. Ask your doctor about exercises that would be helpful for you. 

#2 Use Firming Creams

There are a number of skin care products on the market that claim to reduce the appearance of loose skin. While there is no definitive evidence that these products work, they may be worth trying if other methods haven’t worked

Firming creams will be subtle. You should use firming creams that contain a product called retinoid. Retinoids help prevent free radical damage in the skin that affects collagen. Collagen is what helps tissues to maintain their elasticity which prevents loose skin. 

#3 Supplement

As stated above, your skin needs certain nutrients to keep its elasticity. You could try the following supplements:

• Vitamin C or Vitamin E
• Collagen Hydrolysate
• Lysine and proline
• Gelatin or Glycine

Take Collagen

If you are looking for an all-natural way to improve the appearance of loose skin, take collagen. Collagen is a protein that helps maintain the structure and elasticity of the skin. It can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve the appearance of loose skin. There are a number of collagen supplements on the market, so be sure to choose one that is high quality and has the right ingredients such as collagen hydrolysate.

If you are considering taking collagen supplements to improve the appearance of loose skin, be sure to speak with your doctor or a nutritionist to make sure they are right for you. There are a number of different types of collagen supplements available, so it is important to find the right one for your needs.

#4 Massage the Skin

Did you know that massaging your skin increases blood flow? This evokes an anti-aging response. You can use a salt or sugar scrub to increase the blood flow as well. Gently massaging the skin can help improve circulation and promote collagen production. This may help reduce the appearance of loose skin.

#5 Cosmetic Surgery And Body Contouring

If all else fails, you may need to get cosmetic surgery to remove and tighten the skin. Some surgeries to consider include:

• Chemical Peels
• Ablative Laser Resurfacing
• Ultrasound Skin Tightening
• Radiofrequency Treatments
• Neuromodulators
• Tummy tuck

Liposuction: Liposuction is a surgery that removes excess fat from the body. It can be used to sculpt the body and improve the appearance of loose skin.

Tummy Tuck: A tummy tuck is a surgery that includes the removal of skin and fat from the abdomen. It is often used to improve the appearance of loose skin after massive weight loss.

Breast Lift: A breast lift is a surgery that lifts and reshapes sagging breasts. It can be used to improve the appearance of redundant skin on the breasts.

Arm Lift: An arm lift is a surgery that redundant excess skin and fat from the arms.

Thigh Lift: A thigh lift is a surgery that removes excess skin and fat from the thighs.

If you are considering surgery to improve the appearance of skin tone, it is important to consult with a doctor or specialist to find out which procedure is right for you. There are a number of factors to consider, including your age, health, and body type. Surgery is a major decision and should not be taken lightly. Make sure you are fully informed about the risks and benefits of surgery before making a decision.

Do you have loose or saggy skin? What steps are you taking to reverse it? Share them in the comments below!