| Title: How to Tighten Loose Skin After Losing Weight | |
| You may be able to help tighten skin after weight loss by consuming certain nutrients like collagen, performing resistance training, and undergoing medical procedures. | |
| Losing weight to manage overweight or obesity can significantly reduce disease risk. | |
| However, major weight loss can sometimes result in loose skin. For some people, this may lead to feelings of self-consciousness and discomfort that may be significant enough to interfere with quality of life. | |
| This article takes a look at what causes loose skin after weight loss. It also provides information on natural and medical solutions that can help tighten and get rid of loose skin. | |
| What causes loose skin after weight loss? | |
| The skin is the largest organ in your body. It forms a protective barrier against the environment. | |
| The innermost layer of your skin consists of proteins, including collagen and elastin. Collagen , which makes up 80% of your skin’s structure, provides firmness and strength. Elastin provides elasticity and helps your skin stay tight. | |
| During weight gain, skin expands to make room for increased growth. Pregnancy is one example of this expansion. | |
| Skin expansion during pregnancy occurs over a few months’ time. The expanded skin typically retracts within several months of delivery. | |
| By contrast, when skin has been significantly stretched and remains that way for a long period of time, collagen and elastin fibers become damaged. As a result, they lose some of their ability to retract ( 1 ). | |
| Consequently, when you lose a lot of weight, excess skin may hang from the body. In general, the greater the weight loss, the more pronounced the effect of loose skin. | |
| What’s more, researchers report that people who have weight loss surgery form less new collagen, and its composition is not as strong as the collagen in young, healthy skin ( 2 , 3 , 4 ). | |
| Skin stretched during significant weight gain often loses its ability to retract after weight loss due to damage to collagen, elastin, and other components responsible for elasticity. | |
| Factors that influence the loss of skin elasticity | |
| Several factors contribute to loose skin following weight loss: | |
| Length of time. In general, the longer someone has had overweight or obesity, the looser their skin will be after weight loss due to elastin and collagen loss. | |
| Amount of weight lost. Weight loss of 100 pounds (46 kg) or more typically results in a greater amount of loose skin than more moderate weight loss. | |
| Age. Older skin has less collagen than younger skin and tends to be looser following weight loss ( 5 ). | |
| Genetics. Genes may affect how your skin responds to weight gain and loss. | |
| Sun exposure. Chronic sun exposure has been shown to reduce skin’s collagen and elastin production, which may contribute to loose skin ( 6 , 7 ). | |
| Smoking. Smoking leads to a reduction in collagen production and damage to existing collagen, resulting in loose, sagging skin ( 8 ). | |
| Several factors affect loss of skin elasticity during weight changes, including age, genetics, and the length of time someone has carried excess weight. | |
| Problems related to excess loose skin | |
| For some people, loose skin from a lot of weight loss may cause physical and emotional challenges: | |
| Physical discomfort. Excess skin may be uncomfortable and possibly interfere with normal activity. One longitudinal study found a possible increase in self-consciousness after weight loss ( 9 ). | |
| Decreased physical activity. While one study found that weight loss encouraged more people to exercise, excess skin was found to interfere with exercise in some people after bariatric surgery ( 10 ). | |
| Skin irritation and breakdown. One study found that of 124 people who requested plastic surgery to tighten skin after weight loss surgery, 44% had reported skin pain, ulcers, or infections due to the loose skin ( 11 ). | |
| Poor body image. Loose skin from weight loss may pose negative effects on body image and mood ( 12 , 13 ). | |
| A number of problems may develop due to loose skin, including physical discomfort, limited mobility, skin breakdown, and poor body image. | |
| Natural remedies to tighten loose skin | |
| The following natural remedies may improve skin strength and elasticity to some degree in people who have lost small to moderate amounts of weight. | |
| Engaging in regular strength training is one of the most effective ways to build muscle mass in both young and older adults ( 14 , 15 ). | |
| While research isn’t currently available, it’s possible that an increase in muscle mass may help improve the appearance of loose skin. | |
| Collagen hydrolysate is very similar to gelatin. It’s a processed form of the collagen found in the connective tissue of animals. | |
| Although it hasn’t been tested in people with loose skin related to major weight loss, studies suggest that collagen hydrolysate may have a protective effect on skin’s collagen ( 16 , 17 ). | |
| In a controlled study, skin elasticity, along with texture and hydration, increased significantly after 12 weeks of taking a liquid collagen supplement. The drink also contained vitamins C and E, as well as biotin and zinc ( 18 ). | |
| Collagen hydrolysate is also known as hydrolyzed collagen. It comes in powdered form and can be purchased at natural food stores or online. | |
| Another popular source of collagen is bone broth , which provides other health benefits as well. | |
| Certain nutrients are important for the production of collagen and other components of healthy skin: | |
| Protein. Adequate protein is vital for healthy skin. The amino acids lysine and proline play a direct role in collagen production. | |
| Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for collagen synthesis and also helps protect skin from sun damage ( 19 ). | |
| Omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish may help increase skin elasticity and have anti-aging effects ( 20 ). | |
| Water. Staying well hydrated may improve the skin’s appearance. One study found that women who increased their daily water intake had significant improvements in skin hydration and function ( 21 ). | |
| Many “firming” creams contain collagen and elastin. | |
| Although these creams may temporarily give a slight boost to skin tightness, collagen and elastin molecules are too large to be absorbed through your skin. In general, collagen must be created from the inside out. | |
| Some natural remedies may help tighten loose skin after pregnancy or small to moderate weight loss. | |
| Medical treatments to tighten loose skin | |
| Medical or surgical treatments are more invasive options to tighten loose skin after major weight loss. | |
| People who have lost a significant amount of weight via bariatric surgery or other weight loss methods often request surgery to remove excess skin ( 22 ). | |
| In body-contouring surgery, a surgeon makes a large incision and removes excess skin and fat. They then suture the incision with fine stitches to minimize scarring. | |
| Specific body-contouring surgeries include: | |
| abdominoplasty (tummy tuck): removal of skin from the abdomen | |
| lower-body lift: removal of skin from the belly, buttocks, hips, and thighs | |
| upper-body lift: removal of skin from the breasts and back | |
| medial thigh lift: removal of skin from the inner and outer thighs | |
| brachioplasty (arm lift): removal of skin from the upper arms | |
| Multiple surgeries are usually performed on different body parts over the span of 1 to 2 years after major weight loss. | |
| Body-contouring surgeries usually require a hospital stay of 1 to 4 days. Recovery time at home is typically 2 to 4 weeks. There may be also some complications from the surgery, such as bleeding and infections. | |
| Body-contouring surgery may improve quality of life after significant weight loss. However, one study reported that some quality of life scores decreased in people who had the procedure ( 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 ). | |
| Although body-contouring surgery is by far the most common procedure to remove loose skin, less invasive options with a lower risk of complications include: | |
| Radiofrequency treatment. Such treatments may use a combination of infrared light, radiofrequency, and massage to reduce loose skin. While this treatment doesn’t induce weight loss, it may help reduce small areas of fat cells ( 27 ). | |
| Ultrasound. A controlled study of ultrasound treatment in people who had bariatric surgery found no objective improvement in loose skin. However, people did report relief of pain and other symptoms following treatment ( 28 ). | |
| It appears that although there are fewer risks with these alternative procedures, the results may not be as dramatic as with body-contouring surgery. | |
| Body-contouring surgery is the most common and effective procedure to remove loose skin that occurs after major weight loss. Some alternative procedures are also available, but not as effective. | |
| The bottom line | |
| Having excess loose skin is common after losing a lot of weight. You may choose to seek treatment if the loose skin is bothersome. | |
| 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. | |
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