How to tighten lose skin after you've lost weight

-Post Courtesy of Team Beachbody

You’ve dropped weight – a lot of weight. Congratulations! If you’re feeling discouraged because this weight loss has left you with loose skin, don’t be. You’ve accomplished a lot and should feel proud of yourself.

 

Understand your skin’s elasticity

If your skin is has been stretched by excess weight, it has lost some of its elasticity — and the ability to snap back. Your skin is mostly made-up of connective tissue called collagen, which gives skin tautness, smoothness, and suppleness.

Age, genetics, hydration levels, smoking, and diet all contribute to the levels of collagen available to you – and your skin. Lack of collagen contributes to skin sagging and droopiness, so when you quickly drop considerable body weight, the fat mass underneath the skin may be gone, but the surface area of your skin remains the same, which is how loose or saggy skin forms.

Sculpt firmer muscles

If you have loose skin, resistance training to build muscle won’t just help you keep your body fat in check – it can also help support and lift some of the tissue left under your skin. “Continue building muscles and continue leading a nutritious, lean, and healthy lifestyle for best results,” advises New York City personal trainer Steve Csolak, who coaches people who suffer from loose skin after significant weight loss. Csolak recommends regular weight-lifting exercises on most days of the week.

Consider plastic surgery for loose skin

Unfortunately, there are no 100-percent effective non-surgical remedies. Your options are traditionally gradual weight loss, weight training, nutrition and fitness counseling and types of surgery. “Thermage, slim lipo, and treatments like cold therapy do a modicum of tightening, but nothing else helps very loose skin, except going under the knife,” says Craig A. Vander Kolk, MD,  Director of Cosmetic Medicine and Surgery at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. “The other non-surgical treatments only result in a 10-15 percent improvement.”

For surgery, keep these tips in mind:

Be at or near your goal weight. “Before considering surgery, your weight lossshould be stable for a year,” says Dr. Vander Volk. Losing a significant more amount of weight after surgery could result in more loose skin.

Find a doctor who specializes in post-weight loss procedures. Consult with board-certified plastic surgeons until you find the right one. “You want a surgeon who truly cares about you,” says Cheryl Cleveland of Long Beach, Calif., one patient who’s had the surgical procedure to remove excess skin. “I wrestled with the decision as to where the incision on my arms [to remove the extra skin] would be. My doctor carefully explained all the different options and showed me what they would look like after surgery.”

Determine whether surgery is partially or fully covered by insurance. Though most insurance companies will not cover surgeries specifically addressing so-called “cosmetic issues,” if you happen to experience significant side effects from loose skin (rashes, infections, etc.), this may warrant insurance coverage. Be sure to double check with your health provider.

Loose skin vs. surgical scarring? Surgery does leave a scar. “If that’s a good trade-off for you, then you’re a good candidate for skin removal,” says surgeon Michael Zarrabi, MD, at West Medical in Long Beach, Calif.  “If there’s just a little bit of loose skin, surgery is going to result in a big scar and only a small improvement.” Skin surgery is intended for those who have lost significant body fat and kept it off, he says.

Prepare for discomfort. Like any other surgery, there will be uncomfortable moments during the healing phase. Expect 4-6 weeks of rest and recovery after the procedure.

While your decision to go under the knife to remove loose skin is not one to be taken lightly, the effects go far beyond your appearance. According to a study published in the journal “Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery,” people who had weight-loss surgery and subsequently had excess skin removed were less likely to gain weight back than those who had the surgery but did not undergo a body contouring procedure.

Accept the skin you are in

Depending on how noticeable the extra skin is, you may consider leaving it as is. “It’s a badge of honor that you experienced weight-loss success,” says Csolak. “Have confidence and stay healthy.”