Losing weight is a common goal for a lot of people. We’re all familiar with the movie montage image with a character deciding to get their life together. We see them downing protein shakes, hitting the gym, and finally standing in front of the mirror looking toned and happy with themselves, and they should! If weight loss is your goal, you should celebrate it!
What we don’t see in those fancy sequences is anyone dealing with loose skin after weight loss. It’s a more common reality than you might know, and it’s a frustrating one, at that. At Radiant Divine Medical Spa we offer comprehensive weight management near Cleveland. By that, we mean that we’re here for every part of the weight loss journey, including the unexpected changes in your body after you’ve finally hit your goal.
What causes loose skin after weight loss?
As with any aesthetic concern, there are a number of factors that contribute to why we develop loose skin after weight loss.
Genetics and age
Shocking no one, your DNA contributes to your skin’s overall structure and health. Your ethnicity can determine how quickly your skin starts to show signs of aging.
And speaking of aging, the older you are the more likely you’ll experience loose skin after weight loss. This is because our skin’s structure changes over time and makes it harder for our skin to snap back to reality after weight changes.
Your overall diet
Just like the rest of your body, your skin’s health is affected by your overall diet. If you’re not getting the right combination of vitamins and minerals, your skin’s structure can suffer. Making sure you’re drinking enough water is also a crucial part of protecting your skin.
Your skincare routine
When we think about skincare, most of us probably immediately think of the face. It can be really easy to neglect the skin on the rest of your body, until it starts to make itself known through dryness, acne, or, you guessed it, loose skin after weight loss.
How long you were overweight
Logically, it makes sense that the longer you’re at a certain weight, the longer your skin has to get used to your body being that weight.
And it stands to reason that the more weight you have to lose, or choose to lose, the more likely you’ll be dealing with excess skin after. If your weight changes suddenly, your skin will take a while to get back into shape.
Which leads us to the last reason ⬇️
How quickly you lose weight
You’re less likely to experience loose skin after weight loss if you lose the weight slowly over time than if you suddenly drop it all at once. That’s why when people have weight loss surgery, they usually end up needing a skin tightening procedure at the same time.
When you partner with a weight loss clinic, you’ll have a better chance of losing weight safely and sustainably, which lessens your chance of dealing with sagging skin.
Can you prevent loose skin after weight loss?
While you might not be able to do much about your genetics or age, some of those reasons we just outlined can be addressed!
First and foremost: slow your (weight loss) roll
The best way to prevent loose skin after weight loss is to lose the weight slowly over time. We know how tempting it is to rush the transition from before photo to after, but losing weight super quickly will have impacts.
We also know that you can’t always control how much weight you lose and how fast, especially when you’re using semaglutide or semaglutide alternatives. Even when you’re using those medications as directed, it’s possible that you’ll lose weight faster than anticipated, and that’s ok!
Secondly: build muscle
Weight management isn’t always about just getting rid of pesky fat, it can also be about increasing muscle mass. Weight training, or using body sculpting methods like Emsculpt NEO, can help build up your muscle.
Learn more about EmSculpt NEO at Radiant Divine
It’s not a one-to-one replacement, but if you gain more muscle in place of the fat you’ve lost, you’re less likely to experience loose skin after weight loss.
Lastly: always take care of your skin
Using sun protection, moisturizing, and eating a balanced diet all go a long way in promoting your skin’s overall health. Healthy skin can adjust to weight changes much easier.
What can be done about loose skin after weight loss?
A quick internet search for nonsurgical solutions for loose skin after weight loss is going to turn up answers about using skin creams and collagen supplements. Frankly, when you’re dealing with pinchable, sagging skin, you’re past the effectiveness of skin cream.
It makes sense that if you lose weight without surgery, you wouldn’t want to go under the knife for sagging skin, either. If you’re looking for a non-surgical solution for your excess skin, there is hope!
The goal: build back collagen and elastin.
You’ll notice each of these treatments focuses on building back the two most important proteins for your skin: collagen and elastin. Together, this dream team is responsible for your skin’s volume and elasticity.
When your weight fluctuates, whether due to pregnancy or other reasons, the collagen fibers get damaged and this leads to stretch marks. Even bodybuilders can get stretch marks if they’re not careful and put on muscle super fast!
More than that, as we age, our body actually produces less collagen and elastin. That’s what causes our skin to start aging and developing wrinkles. Less of those proteins also leads to loose skin after weight loss.
Treatments to tighten loose skin on the face and body:
Ultherapy
Ultherapy is one of our favorite skin-tightening methods. We use ultrasound waves to tighten your skin. At the same time, we’re using ultrasound imaging to view the tissue we’re treating as we go, meaning that we’re able to provide truly personalized results based on your unique anatomy.
The ultrasound energy gently heats the deeper layers of your skin to promote collagen production. More collagen means tighter skin. The best part? The results will continue to improve over time even after your treatment!
Learn More about Ultrasound Skin Tightening
RF Microneedling
We can sing the praises of microneedling with radiofrequency forever. Combining the controlled injury of microneedling with radiofrequency energy is a surefire way to tighten your skin with minimal to almost zero downtime.
Two things are happening during this treatment. First, the microneedles are making small pinpricks in the skin to break up damaged tissue (like stretch marks) and this triggers your body to start producing more collagen. Secondly, the radiofrequency energy travels through needles to the deeper layers of your skin, causing your skin to tighten.
Sculptra and fillers
Changes in your face after weight loss can be the most striking and can often lead to looking older than you feel. We can use dermal fillers to help replace lost volume in the face. Fillers like Sculptra will also help stimulate your body’s natural production of collagen to restore your volume naturally, too!
Which skin tightening treatment is right for me?
A consultation with a skincare professional is the key to figuring out which treatment makes the most sense for you. As with any aesthetic treatment, it’s important to choose a trusted and experienced provider.
At Radiant Divine, we prioritize how your aesthetic treatment fits into your overall lifestyle and goals so that we ensure your treatment plan is tailored to your specific needs.
During your in-depth consultation, we’ll discuss your medical history, your concerns, and your goals. We’ll also examine the skin in your desired treatment areas. Using all of this information, we’ll be able to make a recommendation for treatment.
Feel good in your skin again, book your consultation today!
Weight management is a real challenge, you should take the time to celebrate reaching your weight loss goals! If you find yourself dealing with loose skin after weight loss, our aestheticians at Radiant Divine are ready to help you tighten it up!
Request an appointment to get started at one of our four convenient locations:
We also offer a variety of weight management solutions, including semaglutide and semaglutide alternatives. Our medspa is also your go-to resource for cellulite treatments near Cleveland.
Interested in exploring all our aesthetic and wellness offerings? Our virtual consultation tool is available online 24/7. Simply answer a few questions about your areas of concern and you’ll receive personalized recommendations straight to your inbox.