Prevention Is Better Than A Cure
Its always best to start thinking about things before you start instead of trying to fix them afterward. If possible, begin following these tips before you even get pregnant if you can. If you are already pregnant, start as soon as possible. But if youve already had your baby, then its never too late.
Add Strength Training To Your Exercise Routine
Losing weight slowly and repairing elasticity are great ways to reduce loose skin after pregnancy. But removing fat and tightening skin only go so far. You also need to add muscle mass to fill up the space in your skin.To maintain muscle tone while losing weight, we suggest incorporating weight training into your exercise routine.Dont worry, you wont bulk up like the boys do! For women, weight training has more of a tightening effect, which is exactly what youre looking for when dealing with loose skin.There are plenty of effective options for strength training including dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and even bodyweight exercises so find a method that you enjoy and get to lifting.When youre first starting out, resist the urge to go heavy right away. Your body has been through a trauma of sorts and needs time to recover. Use light weights at first or even just your own body weight and increase gradually over several months.Its better to play it safe than to risk an injury that might prevent you from losing the weight you want and rejuvenating your loose skin after pregnancy.
How Can I Prevent Loose Skin After Pregnancy
The best prevention strategies for saggy skin postpartum are:
- doing your best to maintain a healthy pregnancy weight, and
- staying very well hydrated.
Sticking to the recommended weight gain guidelines of pregnancy will minimize excessive stretching of the skin, which will manifest as stretch marks during pregnancy, and ultimately loose skin postpartum.
The second prevention strategy is to maintain high levels of hydration. As I described earlier, water is your bodys secret weapon to maintaining skin elasticity.
These are the two easiest ways to prevent saggy skin after pregnancy.
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Legend Pro+ And Tripollar Rf Treatment By Lumenis
Laser skin tightening treatments for stomach have become an increasingly popular option in recent years for many patients across the globe. Whilst there are some different technologies on the market for this procedure, Lumenis Legend Pro+ offers a personalized solution to target your specific concerns. The clinically proven TriPollar RF treatment works by triggering regeneration of the collagen and elastin fibers through focused RF energy inducing controlled heating of the deep dermis. Both safe and effective, results from this treatment can be seen immediately with minimal downtime and maximum long-term efficacy, whats not to love!
What Happens To Belly Skin After Pregnancy
Although you might think these changes are limited to your actual pregnancy, as your uterus are expanding, the area continues to transform even after youve given birth.
After pregnancy, that skin starts to contract down, but often with stretch, there is a change in elasticity, and the belly does not always snap back into the shape it was before you had a baby, explains Dr. Mariwalla, a mother of three.
This can translate to loose or sagging skin on the belly as your body shrinks in size. And while they will likely fade over time, any stretch marks that show up during pregnancy will remain after giving birth.
You may also have scars from the birth itself, especially if you had a C-section. When you have a C-section, remember that those muscles are being cutso working out and the changes you can expect to see from working outare definitely different, Dr. Mariwalla explains.
In fact, many of your once-trusty tricks for toning your stomach may not deliver the same results they previously did, as abdominal muscles can be functionally affected by pregnancy.It is harder to tone the belly area, in general, says Dr. Mariwalla. Regardless of your delivery, the more children you have and the older you get, the harder it is to keep this area toned and firm.
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Meditation And Self Care Are Essential
If youve ever heard the phrase Healthy body, healthy mind, youll know theres a connection between your health and mental state. Keeping a positive mindset is really important if you have a goal. In this case, taking care of yourself in other ways unrelated to body image is really important.
Try not to make your loose skin the focus of your life. You have so much more going for you than a bit of a belly. You have a beautiful baby to look at and love. You have a body that has been through so much and came through it all. Keep looking at yourself with love and honor the woman that you are.
How Long Does It Take For Skin To Bounce Back
For a lucky few with extremely good genetics, their skin will not overstretch, and they will bounce back fairly quickly. A lot depends on how active they were before and during their pregnancies and how good their diets were. For most women, it will take a concentrated effort over many months to regain their pre-pregnancy bodies.
The rule of thumb is that it takes nine months for your body to change and grow a baby. It should take no less for you to change back.
That said, it is important to keep things in perspective. Your body has done this amazing thing, and it has been changed forever. It may never be what it once was, and that is okay.
This is especially true if you are one of the 21% of women who have a c-section.
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The 14 Best Ways To Tighten Loose Skin After Pregnancy
So you just had your baby and youre anxious to get your pre-pregnancy body back. But when you look in the mirror, you still see folds of skin on your belly, waist, and upper arms. Dont worry, youre not alone. Loose skin after pregnancy is a challenge that many new moms face.
Eventually, your body will work to revitalize itself, but there are steps you can take to speed up the recovery process.
To help you achieve a speedy recovery, weve created a guide detailing the best ways to restore, rejuvenate, and tighten loose skin after pregnancy so you can get back to your pre-baby body in no time.
Keep Your Cortisol In Check
Cortisol is the stress hormone. It primarily gets released whenever we are in a fight or flight situation.
Thankfully, we dont have to do much fighting or running away from predators these days, but we do experience other forms of stress.
You dont need any scientific data to prove to you that your body experiences interesting changes whenever you are highly stressed.
We also have direct evidence that high levels of cortisol can cause a thinning/weakening of the skin.
While it may be difficult to control the amount of stress you experience, you do have control over how you manage it.
And I have one great tip to help you manage.
Sleep!
Sleep is a great way to keep stress hormones in check while refreshing your body and mind.
As simple as this tip is please do not underestimate the importance of it. Sleep deprivation has been clinically proven to result in high cortisol levels throughout the day.
I know that this is easier said than done.
But try your best to improve the quantity AND/OR the quality of your sleep.
A few things you can try are:
- make your bedroom as dark as you possibly can
- keep your room cool
- avoid large meals within 2 hours of your bedtime
- dont ever use your phone while lying in bed
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Surgery For Loose Skin After Pregnancy
Pregnancy takes a huge physical toll on a womans body. There are many surgical procedures that doctors simply wont perform on a woman shortly after pregnancy, as the body needs time to heal itself before undergoing major surgery.
A tummy tuck or abdominoplasty is the most common cosmetic surgery for removing loose skin from the stomach after pregnancy. As with all major surgery, there is a significant recovery process associated with this procedure, which can be especially difficult for new mums.
Fortunately, there are non-surgical solutions that can help you regain your figure after pregnancy and wont take you off your feet for long.
Will Loose Skin Go Away On Its Own
For some women, depending on how much they have gained or lost, loose skin may eventually go away on its own. This is usually true of women who have only gained a small amount of weight in their pregnancies and have very small bumps.
This is not always the case, however. Many times smaller women will be the worst afflicted because their skin is stretched more. At the end of the day, genetics and personal accountability both play a part in how well your body can bounce back after pregnancy. But if you really want to maximize your chances of getting yourself in the best possible shape after pregnancy, there are definitely some things you can do.
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How To Tighten Loose Skin After Pregnancy
Do you have loose skin after pregnancy?
You are not alone.
Saggy belly skin is a common issue, regardless of whether you had a vaginal delivery or a c-section.
In todays post, youre going to learn the truth about skin tightening after pregnancy.
Specifically, youll learn:
- If its possible to tighten loose skin,
- How to prevent loose skin in the first place, and
- What kind of results you can expect to see.
If youre ready, lets dive right in.
Disclaimer
***READ FIRST***
Although I am a doctor, I am not your doctor. This information is for informational purposes only and should not substitute the advice from your healthcare professional. All kinds of exercise and dietary changes are potentially dangerous, and those who do not seek counsel from the appropriate health care authority assume the liability of any injury which may occur. Please read my full Disclaimer for more information. Also, this post may contain affiliate links: meaning I may receive a commission if you use them.
Ok, moving on.
Maintain A Healthy State Of Mind
Its definitely frustrating when youre trying to tighten loose skin after pregnancy and results dont come as quickly as youd like. But dont give up. Stay calm and maintain a healthy state of mind. Youll get there eventually.
Here are some tips for finding your best mental state:
- Remind yourself to be patient your body just went through a significant trauma
- Practice deep breathing when you feel yourself getting frustrated
- Listen to your favorite music
- Enjoy the outdoors as much as you can
- Play with your baby
- Focus on making your newborn as happy and as comfortable as possible
- Nap when your baby naps so you dont exhaust yourself
Prioritizing your mental and emotional well-being will contribute to all of the physical work necessary to tighten loose skin after pregnancy.
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Loose Skin After Pregnancy: 10 Best Ways To Tighten Your Skin Without Surgery
Your bundle of joy has just arrived, and we bet you are overjoyed. Having a baby is a huge milestone that comes with lots of changes, both physically and mentally. Physically, you will gain weight, and your skin, made of collagen and elastin, will expand to accommodate your baby and the extra pounds.
Because of all that stretching around the tummy, most women experience loose belly skin after pregnancy. It may not be a sight to behold, but it is one to cherish. It is a reminder of how powerful and complex your body is. Even then, it is understandable if you want to get rid of all this loose skin and snap back to your pre-pregnancy belly.
Find out the best ways to get rid of loose skin after pregnancy below.
Do Regular Strength Training
Exercise is hands down one of the best ways to live your healthiest life. It also happens to be the best way to tone and develop your body.
When you strength train, you are teaching your body how to use your muscle tissue in the most efficient way possible.
This is the only way to build muscle tone while helping you to get rid of fat.
As a result, the lean muscle tissue you develop can help improve the appearance of your skin from underneath.
This is just one of the many benefits of regular strength training.
If you want to get started check out an easy at-home postpartum workout and my simple postpartum kettlebell workout.
These next few tips are to help you lose any excess fat you may be carrying around.
Maintaining a healthy body composition will always have a positive effect on your body in every way.
Here they are.
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Lets Hear It For New Moms And Mamas
Having a baby changes your life in nearly every way physically and emotionally. And as your bodys been changing to accommodate a growing baby, its undergone a significant transformation over the past couple of months.
For many women, a common issue is loose, stretched out skin on your stomach, arms, thighs and face, too.
Fortunately, there are ways to help firm up the loose skin you might be experiencing postpartum.
How To Tighten Loose Skin After Weight Loss Or Having A Baby
One of the most common questions that I get asked is How did you get rid of your loose skin after having two babies?I am always intrigued by this question because the truth is that there is not much that you can do after the fact though it IS possible. However, it is more of how to prevent the excessive stretching of the skin that really makes a difference.
A photo posted by Sia Cooper on May 27, 2016 at 8:58am PDT
There are 3 things that are dependent on your skins ability to tighten back up after baby:
- How much weight you gained during pregnancy and how fast you gained that weight.
- The amount of elasticity and collagen in your skin.
The number one way to prevent loose skin is to gain your pregnancy weight at a slow, steady rate. If you gain your weight too quickly, chances are that you will gain too much of it and then your skin will stretch so rapidly that it will ruin the elasticity of it. This means, the ability for your skin to shrink back will be damaged and you will be left with loose skin hanging around. Then again, some ladies are still left with the dreaded baby belly.
If you find yourself stuck with loose skin after baby or weightloss and you are wanting to find ways to tighten up, here are some great ways to do so:
Are you ready to transform your body in just 12 weeks?
In this guide, you can expect:
*All guides are digital ebooks available instantly worldwide. Compatible on all devices Android, iPhone, iPad, Kindle, Nook, Computer, Mac.
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Increase Your Vitamin C And Healthy Fats Consumption
These nutrient-rich foods can help mobilise your body into producing collagen that helps tighten loose skin on the stomach. Whilst you can consume a high level of citrus fruits with natural sources of Vitamin C, there are also daily supplements available to help stimulate the collagen production process.
Types Of Skin Tightening Treatments
From birth, you have skin thats rich in collagen and elastin. These are the proteins that supply your skin with elasticity and structure. They keep your skin intact and ensure it doesnt lose shape.
However, due to the stretches that happen during pregnancy, your skin starts to appear saggy and with stretch marks. So, what most skin tightening treatments will do is target these loose areas on your skin and stimulate elastin and collagen production.
These treatments can be divided into two: in-office treatments and at-home treatments. Although at-home treatments have their merits, their results shrink in comparison to in-office skin tightening treatments. For the purpose of this blog, well be taking a look at some non-surgical in-office treatments to tighten loose skin after pregnancy.
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Ways To Tighten Loose Skin After Pregnancy
Some of the most affordable ways to tighten loose skin after pregnancy are to diet and exercise and work off the fat and loose skin which has accumulated post pregnancy. There are certain creams and other products in the market to help tighten loose skin, body wraps, saltwater baths and herbal remedies. A tummy tuck would be the quickest way but there are other problems attached to this and the best would be to have patience and work at tightening the muscles of the tummy. To get rid of loose skin after pregnancy and also the stretch marks at one shot a tummy tuck is the fastest answer. The tummy is back to its pre pregnancy shape or even better with a tummy tuck and the new mom can get back to wearing her pre pregnancy tight jeans once again. Laser surgery would be another option for the stretch marks but this can only be done if the stretch marks are brown or red and have not faded to a dull pink. Laser surgery can remove skin that is damaged and stimulate the growth of collagen however, the stretch marks may not go completely. Read more tips on how to tighten loose skin after pregnancy
Prevent Loose Skin After Pregnancy
Minimise Stretch Marks While Being Pregnant
As the famous saying goes prevention is better than cure. You should consider minimising the appearance of stretch marks on your skin while being pregnant. As your body starts to grow, the skin eventually stretches to accommodate the growing fetus during pregnancy. Taking necessary steps beforehand will help you keep your skin tight after childbirth. You can ask your doctor to recommend a stretch mark cream or oil to minimise stretch marks on your skin. Using a stretch mark cream or oil can help nourish your body significantly and allow your skin to expand and stretch naturally without causing any scar marks.
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