Losing weight through diet and exercise is an amazing feat. Many people struggle to shed excess pounds because it is incredibly challenging to break their habits. It is more difficult when the individual is chronically stressed or dealing with an existing health condition.
When you finally reach your ideal weight, you should feel proud. You should feel good about yourself.
However, you should expect potentially dealing with saggy skin. Unfortunately, this is a problem that a lot of individuals who have lost significant weight had to experience.
Going Under the Knife
When you are young, your skin is more pliable to changes to your size. However, as you grow older, your skin becomes less elastic. The collagen and elastin, which makes your skin flexible, are reduced and deteriorate. This causes the skin to droop.
During weight loss, it happens because the collagen and elastin in your skin are destroyed when you carried extra pounds for extended periods of time.
If the weight loss is rapid, or you are older, your skin is likely to sag. To immediately get rid of it, you should a plastic surgeon who will discuss a procedure that is right for you. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), for example, will get rid of the saggy skin around your mid-area
These procedures are effective. They are more typically recommended to those who lost a 100 or more pounds and, therefore, have more loose skin on their stomach, under their arms, on their chest, their thighs, etc.
Laser as an Alternative
However, if you do not want to undergo an invasive procedure, or the sagging of your skin is minimal, there is another option: laser.
Laser therapy can bring back the elasticity of your skin by boosting the production of collagen. However, you will not see the improvements immediately. It may take several sessions before you finally see the result.
In addition, the non-invasive procedure is most effective when coupled with major lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking.
Applying Topical Treatments Daily
You may not need professional help, especially if you are still young. Your skin might snap back in place eventually, as long as you apply moisturizing products on the affected area regularly.
Choose products that contain retinol, a popular ingredient in skincare. Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, removes the layer of dead skin cells and reveals the fresh skin cells underneath. Because it has small molecules, it can go deep beneath the epidermis and boost the production of collagen and elastin.
Retinol may come in the form of creams and serums. If you go see a dermatologist, you may be able to get a prescription for the more potent retinoids that will improve your skin faster.
Making Healthy Choices
Now that you have lost weight, the next challenge is keeping it off. The choices you make now will affect the condition of your skin.
Aside from exercise and diet, you should drink more water to hydrate your skin and, most importantly, wear sunscreen. Exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun is damaging and will cause collagen and elastin to break down which means that your skin may never recover.
Sagging skin is nothing to be ashamed of. Most likely, it will only be a temporary problem that may go away. If you are in a hurry to show off your body, these solutions can hopefully help you out.
