How to get rid of wrinkly skin after weight loss

Some people develop a few extra facial wrinkles when they lose weight, and they ask me whether the weight loss wrinkles are permanent. The short answer is: give it time!

If you don’t want to wait-and-see, you can explore wrinkle treatments (some are discussed below), but remember to be gentle with yourself–you’ve just lost a bunch of subcutaneous fat after losing weight…your skin may need time to tighten up! Ask your doctor. You may want to make sure you’re taking care of your skin even before you lose weight, to prevent some of the extra wrinkles from appearing in the first place. It might also be a good idea to use only cool water on your face while you’re dieting, patting dry in an upward motion. The idea is to stop pores from opening, stretching and getting clogged by particles. When I take a hot shower, I try to do a cool rinse on my face in the shower or sink.

General wrinkle-reduction ideas:

Stay hydrated

Wear sunblock

Do not smoke cigarettes

Use a good skin cream

Moisturizer examples:

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15

Mary Kay Day Solution with Sunscreen SPF 15

Avon Anew Retroactive Age Reversal Cream

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion with SPF 15

Over-the-counter wrinkle treatment examples:

Estee Lauder

Lancome

StriVectin-SD

RoC

Olay

Visit your dermatologist if you think you need to take more drastic measures (but be sure to give it time…don’t rush into anything). Your dermatologist might recommend retinol-based creams, like Retin-A, or even some Botox treatment (don’t go overboard…things can get worse rather than better!).

Before I sign off, as always, I want to encourage you to visit HealthyWage, which provides health incentives for everyone. Incentives make accountability fun, and studies show that incentives increase your odds of success. Check it out! Best wishes everybody!