How to tighten loose, saggy skin after weight loss

People who lose a lot of weight and finally think they can show off their trim figure are many a times burdened with another problem – loose and sagging skin. This can be quite unsightly and make all the sweat and hard work you’ve put in to shed to extra kilos seem worthless. But certain tips and treatments can keep this problem at bay and allow you to flaunt your new avatar without any such worry. Dr Kiran Lohia, a well-known dermatologist lists a few solutions to this problem.

Thought you could finally wear that bikini after shedding all that weight you had put on over the years? Unfortunately, many will still be confronted with loose and sagging skin after losing those excess pounds. This loose skin can be unsightly, making those with newly svelte figures just as ashamed of their bodies as they were before their weight loss. Here’s how you can prevent saggy breasts after breastfeeding.

 

Why do we have loose skin?

Dr Kiran explains that in cases of moderate weight loss, our skin shrinks back to fit the body’s new size, thanks to its elasticity. Proteins called collagen and elastin in the skin gives it this special property. But collagen does have its limits. Rapid growth or rapid loss can outpace collagen production in the skin, causing areas to overstretch or not be able to keep pace with your shrinking waistline. Sometimes, in cases of massive weight loss, people can have folds of extra skin left over from their heavier days. This skin then hangs limply from the body which we call sagging skin.

Tips to avoid sagging of skin

Don’t lose weight too quickly: A healthy weight loss not only yields better results for your body but is good for your skin as well. Losing weight too quickly by following fad diets can be bad for your health and give you loose skin. ‘Stick to losing no more than 1 kg per week so that your skin can keep up with it. Also, eat foods with protein to stay gorgeous from the inside out,’ advises Dr Kiran.

Exercise: Not just eating healthy, one also needs to exercise to tone their physique. Says Dr Kiran, ‘Do 45 minutes of cardio every day such as walking, jogging, running on the treadmill, zumba, etc. Also, don’t be afraid of weight training. It won’t make you bulk up but make your muscles stronger and tighter leading to lesser chances of sagging skin.’

Get a massage: It is good idea to get a body massage at regular intervals. This not just improves the blood circulation but also has a relaxing effect on the body. The massaging strokes will help your skin rejuvenate and not look saggy.

Treatments for loose, sagging skin

Dr Kiran Lohia recommends the following options

Non-invasive skin tightening technology: Natural Radiofrequency and Ultrasound based technologies have been US FDA proven to tighten loose and sagging skin without any side-effects or risks. Ultrasound technologies help break up residual subcutaneous fat that may be contributing to sagging of skin while Radiofrequency stimulates collagen production causing an immediate and long-term tightening effect.

Look for US FDA approved machines such as the Accent Ultra which have extensive data proving their efficacy. The Accent Ultra is pain-free and also combines 4 technologies in 1 – cold-induced fat blasting, ultrasound, radiofrequency and mechanical massage – giving you the most effective results in the shortest period of time.

 Invasive procedures: Many plastic surgeons perform body-contouring surgeries such as the popular circumferential body lift. In this, doctors make an incision across the back, then around the flanks and abdomen; cutting away some of the excess skin and tightening the rest of it by suturing the incision back together.

After the body contouring, patients routinely lose another 10 to 15 pounds of loose skin. However, be prepared, there will be an incisional scar, and the risks of surgery such as infection and scarring will always be there. Read more about body contouring here.

Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia was born, educated and trained in New York, but now practises in New Delhi. She is a Columbia University graduate and an MD specialising in Dermatology. She is additionally American Board Certified with further degrees in Aesthetic Medicine and Laser Surgery, and a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, American Society of Dermatology among others. In addition, Dr Kiran Lohia has completed a Diploma course in Cosmetic Science through the UK Society of Cosmetic Scientists along with a Masters in Dermatology and a Diplomate in Clinical Dermatology. Currently, at Lumiere Dermatology Clinic, Dr Lohia practises both clinical and cosmetic dermatology. Get in touch with her at [email protected]

You may also like to read:

• Slimming machines — Do they work?
• Get rid of those stretch marks
• Top Indian skin problems and how to treat them
• 13 ways to boost your metabolism and lose weight easily
• Bariatric surgery – nothing cosmetic about this weight loss procedure

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