After you have dieted and exercised your way to your ideal weight, you may be left with sagging skin. Rapid weight loss results in loose skin, especially around the abdominal area. Surgery can be an option, but for those wary of going under the knife, here is a different solution.
Even plastic surgeons recommend waiting at least two years from the start date of your ideal weight before allowing cosmetic surgery to be an option. Make sure to exhaust all natural remedies first, before trying surgery.
Natural Treatment
Skin care treatment is a must. The first step to caring for your skin involves exfoliation of dead skin cells. Performing this daily routine will stimulate the skin’s circulation and cause skin tightening. A great agent to use for exfoliation is sea salt.
You can purchase sea salt solutions at your local beauty supply store, or from an independent beauty consultant. High quality solutions cost around $28. While you are showering, you can apply a light layer of the sea salt solution to any rough patches of skin or loose skin, or you can simply pour the solution into a drawn bath and soak while the agent works to eliminate toxins and renew skin tone.
Go to the gym and have an instructor measure your body fat percentage. In order to decrease the number, you’ll need to replace fat with muscle. A personal trainer can give you all the information you will need to target your personal areas that need work.
To refine skin’s elasticity, try a raw food diet. Raw foods such as coconut, olives, tomatoes, and cucumber are excellent choices. Another way to generate elasticity of the skin is to add yeast extract, soy protein, and aloe vera extract to your diet.
These items not only stimulate new collagen growth, but tighten sagging skin while improving the immune system. Make sure to supplement your diet with Hyaluronic Acid, which can be very helpful for growth of muscle.
Topical Products That Help Firm Skin
In addition to sea salt scrubs and exfoliation, several over-the-counter firming creams and serums can assist with tightening loose skin. Look for products that contain retinol, peptides, caffeine, coenzyme Q10, or hyaluronic acid, as these ingredients are known to improve skin firmness and elasticity.
While these creams won’t offer surgical-level results, they can help tone and smooth the appearance of the skin when combined with regular exercise and hydration. For best results, apply twice daily and massage into the skin to improve absorption and circulation.
Non-Surgical Skin Tightening Treatments
For individuals not ready for surgery, non-invasive skin tightening treatments are a promising alternative. Devices that use radiofrequency (RF), ultrasound, or laser energy can stimulate collagen production and gradually tighten loose skin over time.
Popular options include Thermage, Ultherapy, and laser skin tightening, which are available at many cosmetic clinics and med spas. These procedures are typically painless, require no downtime, and are especially effective for mild to moderate skin laxity on the abdomen, arms, and thighs.
Surgical Options
If you have exhausted all of these possibilities and are still left with sagging skin, the only loose skin tightening treatment will be to have a liposuction procedure. Liposuction is a popular, safe treatment at removing excess fat and cutting away loose skin.
Liposuction involves using a tubal device to suction out excess fat, and then the plastic surgeon will cut away any excess skin that is left. The result is tightened, more youthful appearing skin. The cost of liposuction is set at around $1,500 to $7,500 depending on location and the skill of the surgeon. Financing options are usually made available to patients on a strict budget.
The risks are infrequent, but can include infection, negative reactions to anesthesia, and nerve damage. Liposuction before and after photos can be viewed on this website: www.liposuction.com.
Recovery time is about 7-10 days. You can maintain your figure after surgery by continuing to follow a healthy diet and exercise routine daily.