You’ve always known that saggy skin can be an all-too-common side effect if you spend hours in the gym trying to lose weight. Saggy skin is also related to the loss of fat on both the face and body. Another cause of saggy skin is the degradation or loss of collagen and elastin in the dermis. If your self-esteem is getting affected by your saggy skin, consult your doctor to know what is the fastest and best treatment. One of the options your doctor will recommend you is Ultherapy which effectively treats saggy skin issues. Learn more about this amazing treatment here.
People who have lost large quantities of weight are more vulnerable to saggy skin. The cause can also be some medical conditions. Sagging skin can be difficult to treat at home, but from over-the-counter treatments to surgical remedies, there are skin-tightening options that can help, such as collagen treatments.
Saggy Skin: Causes
Saggy skin happens due to a lot of reasons. You can get saggy skin on the neck, stomach, eyelids, chin, jowls, and upper arms. But, what is the cause of saggy, loose skin?
Overexposure to The Sun
Too much exposure to the sun and little treatment for your skin or your well-being will accelerate the aging process. This will make your skin look sluggish at a younger age. You might think that sunscreen advertisements are exaggerating their products, but everything they say is facts. You might not notice it by now, but your skin starts to get dry and saggy as you age due to not protecting your skin from the sun.
Aging
When skin ages, it loses two main dermal proteins — elastin and collagen. Elastin provides elasticity to the skin, as its name suggests. The skin is strong and can bounce back when stretched while fibroblasts produce collagen. Collagen is a strongly built fibers that help to preserve the structure and firmness of the skin. As people age, the development of elastin and collagen decreases. This is what makes aging the leading cause of wrinkles or sagging skin.
Medical Conditions
There are several medical problems associated with saggy skin. One is a very unusual form, known as granulomatous slack skins of the cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The elbows and knees are areas where you’ll most likely see the saggy skin. Granulomatous slack skin usually does not respond well to treatment.
Weight loss
Extra weight can damage the collagen and elastin fibers in your skin over a long time. When you lose weight, the skin is harder to snap back. Significant amounts of saggy skin may result in losing weight of 100 or more pounds. In certain situations, this loss of weight may lead to large quantities of sloppy, drooping skin on the body. As younger skin is easier to recover, your age can also play a role in how saggy your skin gets at the time of weight loss.
Saggy Skin: Treatment Options
There are measures you can take to minimize or remove saggy skin. The amount of saggy skin can vary from mild to serious. Consider these factors when deciding on treatment options:
- Saggy skin location
- How severe it is
- Your thoughts on your situation
Minor Sagging
Home remedies will most likely be your best solution for mild or minor sagging. Here’s what you can do:
Supplements
Several studies have discovered collagen and elastin supplements help reduce saggy skin associated with age. They have been found to help replenish the collagen and elastin that are damaged or lacking in your body.
Lifestyle changes
The simplest and easiest home remedy is to improve your lifestyle habits. Staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen will make your skin look fresher and smoother. Also, try eliminating unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and eating too much junk food.
Exercise
Exercise can enhance skin elasticity caused by moderate loss of weight or pregnancy. Any movement that builds or tightens muscle mass will decrease the appearance of small skin shrinkage. You can either lift weights if your body has the power to do so or do some facial exercises if the saggy skin is located in the face area.
Topical treatments
Creams, lotions, and serums containing ingredients like retinol can enhance the elasticity of the skin in the eye and facial region. Adding a product such as crepe skin cream to your routine can specifically target thin, crepey areas and improve skin texture over time. Both OTC products and prescription drugs can help. It is possible to use OTC products. Prescription retinoids, including tretinoin and retin-A, increase the development of collagen. These generate more relevant results than their OTC equivalents.
Moderate Sagging
Treatments that are non-invasive and minimally invasive can improve moderate sagging skin. It is also best when paired with healthier lifestyle decisions, like not smoking. These treatments are undertaken by a dermatologist.
Laser treatment
Various forms of laser therapy can enhance collagen production and the overall tone of the skin. After many treatments, most patients see the best results. Laser treatment may help the upper arms, the stomach, and other areas of the body improve.
Laser Resurfacing
An effective laser-inducing treatment that is slightly invasive and normally takes about two weeks to recover. Laser surfacing eliminates the top skin layers and transfers heat to the bottom layers of the skin in the depth of time. Often, it is called laser peeling.
Serious Sagging
Surgery is also prescribed after weight reduction to remove loose skin. In certain cases, cosmetic treatments are considered when suffering from serious sagging skin. Procedures for body contouring can leave certainly visible scars in areas such as the upper arms. Significant recovery periods of two weeks to 1 month are also expected. You may choose to treat one or more areas of the body. Facelifts, tummy tucks, upper/lower body lifts, neck lifts, and arm lift surgeries are the most common body-contouring surgeries.
