Ways To Tighten Loose Skin
When We Reach 50 What Changes Can We Expect On Our Skin
Our bodies naturally change such as these as we age:
- Skin becomes fragile, due to a flattening of the epidermis and dermis.
- Skin is bruised. Thinner blood vessel walls cause this.
- An absence of fat below the skin can lead to a leaner appearance, loosening of the skin, sunken eyes, and a skeletal look in the cheek, temple, chin, nose, and eye areas.
- Often, bone loss around the mouth and chin becomes apparent after age 50 and causes the skin around the mouth to pucker.
Great Legs In Your 20s
Your 20s are a great time to lay a strong, healthy foundation when it comes to having enviable legs. On the skin front, this is a time to build habits that will have your legs thanking you in the decades to come. The first thing to prioritize, as Dr. King explains, is sunscreen.
Sun protection is the number one most important thing you can do to prevent premature aging of the skin, and this includes the skin of the legs, Dr. King says. Much of the sun damage that accumulates in our skin is the result of daily incidental sun exposure. In fact, studies have indicated that wearing sunscreen every day can slow down the effects of aging, namely the prevention of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation caused by exposure to UV rays.
This is also a time when you can experiment and figure out what type of fitness routine works for you. Of course, most forms of exercise will help with the overall fitness that lends itself toward toned legs, but there are certain workouts that focus on building lean, strong legs, such as pilates and barre, which is ballet-inspired and includes a lot of inner and outer thigh work.
While squats and lunges are no-brainers for leg shape, paying attention to your body as a whole is the best option. Anything from cycling and running to dancing, practicing yoga, and hiking will keep you fit by building muscle and increasing your metabolism. At the same time, its important to remember not to hyper-focus your exercise on one specific part of your body.
Recommended Reading: What Is The Treatment For Ductal Carcinoma
Loose Skin From Weight Loss
If youve lost weight, you may be left with loose skin. This is because skin expands as the body gains weight.
One study found that when a person has carried around more weight for some time, it can damage the skins collagen and elastin fibers.
This affects the skins ability to snap back into place after weight loss. The same thing happens during pregnancy, when the skin expands over the abdomen.
Since loose skin can dramatically affect a persons self-esteem, many people choose to undergo excess skin removal surgery. Some common procedures include abdominoplasty and mastopexy .
Is Loose Skin Something To Worry About
I think this is an important questionis loose skin really worth worrying about?
If your loose skin is causing pain or discomfort, and especially if you are getting chafing during activity, you may want to do something about it, like wearing compression garments. Exercisers that carry larger amounts of weight are often more susceptible to repetitive-use injuries like strains, shin splints, sprains, and other joint issues. But simply wearing some compression gear can help compress loose skin against the skeleton and minimize the tiny tissue tears that can be caused by skin vibration and oscillation.
Dont let the stigma of loose skin stop you from living your best life.
But if your loose skin isnt causing pain or injury, please dont let the stigma of loose skin stop you from living your best life. Im a fan of the attitude expressed in an article from SELF magazine called 17 Women Share Pics of Loose Skin After Weight Loss to Prove How Common and Normal It Is.
As one woman quoted in the article said, Dont you dare hold your potential hostage because youre worried what someone might say or think.
That said, even if you are ready to be as bold as the people in that SELF article, there are still some steps you can take to give your skin a little help.
Don’t Miss: How Treatable Is Skin Cancer
What Causes Loose Skin After You Lose Weight
Your skin is a very elastic organ that has to stretch as you move and grow. It also has to shrink if you lose fat and muscle. But your skin is not just one big piece of rubber that covers the entire bodyits an organ. Just like all the other organs in your body, its made of cells.
Though the skin cells on the outer part of your skin are constantly being sloughed off and replaced with new cells, the skin cells under the epidermis are a bit more permanent.
Different layers of your skin have different types of cells. Though the skin cells on the outer part of your skin are constantly being sloughed off and replaced with new cells, the skin cells under the epidermis are a bit more permanent. These layers of the skin, called the dermis and sub-dermis, are made up of elastic connective tissues, fibers, blood vessels and all sorts of components that can stretch or contract depending on how theyre treated.
When you lose weight, and especially when you lose weight very quickly, these elastic components of your skin not only lose the layers of fat that keep them stretched out over your body, but they also dont have much time for their elasticity to adapt to your new body shape.
Tone Sagging Leg Skin With These Walking Exercises Trainer Says
Everyone usually has one “problem area” they’d like to make a priority to work on. One issue that’s more common for more individuals than you’d think and actually doesn’t get talked about much when it comes to fat loss and getting into shape, is sagging skin. For some people, tightening up sagging skin is a major fitness goal they want to focus on, and we’re here to help with these walking exercises to tone sagging leg skin.
When you put on a good deal of extra weight, your skin stretches to accommodate the extra fat on your body. According to Cleveland Clinic, when you lose a good amount of that weight, the loss of pounds can result in extra skin that sags. It’s not uncommon for this condition to make some individuals feel self-conscious. After all, if you’ve worked hard to get your weight to a certain level, you want to enjoy every bit of itand you deserve to. Thigh lifts and lower body lifts are some of the surgical skin removal procedures that some people opt for to remove the excess sagging skin. Surgery, however, is always something to think long and hard about not only is it expensive, but it never comes without a certain amount of risk.
If you’re looking to tone sagging leg skin, consider incorporating a couple of sets of these exercises during your next walk. Your legs will be toned and fit in no time at all! And next, be sure to check out The 6 Best Exercises for Strong and Toned Arms in 2022, Trainer Says.
You May Like: Can Dogs Get Skin Cancer
Get Stretch Mark Cream
Try stretching mark removal cream if youre looking for a simple, low-effort solution to this problem. One of the benefits of this remedy is that it can be pretty effective at reducing stretch marks and other skin disorders like sagging skin. A high-quality stretch mark cream will usually contain collagen and elastin to boost your reserves of these proteins and help prevent stretch marks.
Increase Your Bodys Muscle Mass
As we covered, skin becomes loose after weight loss because the fat that was supporting the skin has literally been removed. With that mass gone, you are left with an empty wrapper. So, why not fill that wrapper back up with some muscle mass?
Engaging in some hypertrophic activities, especially in the areas around the loose skin, can give the appearance of tighter skin. Sure, you arent actually shrinking the skin, but you are giving it the appearance of tightness by filling that empty space with muscle, a healthier and more metabolically active tissue.
It can take at least four weeks of concerted muscle gain effort for you to start seeing and changes, so be patient and go slow.
Also Check: What Does Skin Cancer On Leg Look Like
How To Tighten Loose Skin On The Thighs
How To Tighten Loose Skin On The Thighs
Aging, weight loss, and other factors can cause loose skin to develop on the thighs, a common source of concern. If youre wary of wearing shorts or swimsuits due to sagging skin on your legs, there are many options to tighten your skin and improve your appearance and self-esteem. However, everyones body works differently, so there is no one-size-fits all solution.
For mild cases, loose skin can often be improved with a combination of over-the-counter products and a strict workout regimen that builds leg muscle. However, extreme sagging often the result of significant weight loss may require surgical treatment.
Below, we will provide you with an overview of some treatment options to tighten loose skin on the thighs.
Causes Of Saggy Skin And Quick Ways To Tighten It With Nonsurgical Treatments
Suddenly developing saggy skin is not quite a good one, as it is not in any way fun to watch your once firm and youthful skin start to get loose due to one reason or another. However, it is not in any way harmful, you may just not like the outlook on your appearance. You may tend to lose your confidence due to saggy skin, as you wont be able to show off those parts of your body especially if it is not because of old age.
Yes, some circumstances can cause the skin to become saggy aside from old age. This article would be nailing the causes of saggy skin as well as some quick ways to tighten loose skin without having to go through surgery.
You May Like: Where Is Skin Cancer Most Common
Can Loose Skin Go Away On Its Own
The truth is, skin can only be stretched so far before it loses some of its ability to snap back, especially as we age. Genes also influence how much collagen our skin retains as we get older. So does the amount of weight youve lost and how long the weight was carried before you lost it.
The truth is, skin can only be stretched so far before it loses some of its ability to snap back, especially as we age.
If youve had a 9-month pregnancy, then youll likely be able to tighten your loose skin. But if youve carried a hundred or more extra pounds around for many years, and you are experiencing the pain or discomfort we addressed earlier, you may be a candidate for plastic surgery to tighten and lift that loose skin. Time, nutrition, hydration, skincare, and building muscle may not ever be enough.
A surgical fix should only be used in extreme cases. And a word of warning: Ive heard from trainer friends that folks who have undergone this operation have gained more fat back while rehabilitating from surgery. Make sure you work closely with a specialist before and after a surgery such as this to avoid this potential pitfall.
Should You Use Firming Creams
There are many firming creams that contain collagen and elastin. For example, this cream promises to tighten up your crepey skin. While this cream claims to slim, tone and firm loose skin.
These creams may temporarily give a boost to skin tightness. However collagen and elastin molecules are too large to actually penetrate the skin.
Don’t Miss: How Much Does It Cost To Get Loose Skin Removed
What Your Legs Are Saying About Your Health
The appearance of your legs can offer an early warning about general health problems, such as peripheral vascular disease or peripheral artery disease, and diabetes. Symptoms such as leg pain, cramping, poor healing of the lower extremities, and feelings of achiness, heaviness, burning or discomfort in the legs can all indicate systemic health issues that need to be checked out.
These conditions arise when body-wide inflammation is high and/or leg arteries and veins are blocked or dysfunctional. Decreased blood flow in the legs not only means that the muscles and nerves are not receiving the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly, it also means that the skin is poorly nourished. Over time, this leads to weaker legs with dull skin tone and poorer healing from simple scrapes and knocks.
What Is Saggy Skin
From a literal meaning, when something is saggy, it simply means it has become loose or it has lost its firmness. So, saggy skin is loose skin. A saggy skin loses its definition due to a lack or inadequacy of collagen and elastin which are the primary factors that enable the skin to be firm and even maintain its firmness after contracting or stretching. Loose skin mostly manifests on the face, thighs, arms, legs and stomach.
Don’t Miss: What Does Skin Cancer Look Like On Scalp
The Perfect Leg Diet After 50
For great-looking legs, it is important to eat a healthy diet. Good nutrition is needed to ensure that the circulation, muscle function, and skin function optimally.
A low glycemic index diet is recommended to help stabilize blood sugar levels and minimise inflammation. Red meat and dairy products are also recommended to be avoided or reduced.
When it comes to perfect legs after 50, it is recommended that you consume plenty of fibre from vegetables, fruits, grains and beans, and healthy fats from olive oil, nuts and seeds.
Can Loose Skin After Weight Loss Go Away On Its Own
Not really, docs saythough remember, how much excess skin youre left with and how well your skin responds to weight loss in the first place depends on everything from age and genetics to how much weight you lost and your skin quality. So, depending on your circumstance, you might be able to expect some changes.
“Patients who may see improvement in their loose skin are those who do not have stretch marks and younger patients who still have reasonable skin quality despite weight gain,” says Kenkel. “The quality of the skin is the key to improvement.”
Jacobs also suggests that if youve lost weight gradually to give your skin a full year to contract once youve reached your goal weight. “After this time, you are not going to see any more noticeable tightening.”
Related Story
Then, if you have loose skin youre concerned aboutor if you have loose skin after bariatric surgerydo your homework and get in touch with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery to learn about your options, suggests Jacobs. “There are a lot of physicians that label themselves as ‘plastic surgeons’ and, as long as they have a valid medical license, they can legally perform any procedure,” he says. “But the American Board of Plastic Surgery denotes the proper training.”
Don’t Miss: How Aggressive Is Renal Cell Carcinoma
Workout For Perfect Legs After 50
Consistent exercise, including specific exercise that tones the leg muscles, is a great way to keep your legs looking great. Exercises like straight leg lifts with weights and biking, which are gentle on the knees, are ideal for an overall routine. Controlled, purposeful exercises without or with weights are better for toning thighs, calves, and ankles than squats, running uphill, or climbing stairs, all of which can damage knee cartilage.
Besides yoga, Pilates is another great way to keep your joints and limbs in excellent condition. These exercises help develop and maintain muscle mass in the legs, giving them a more toned appearance. Still, they also enhance proprioception and balance, making it less likely that you will suffer a fall or cause another accident that can lead to broken bones.
Am I A Good Candidate For Non
Non-surgical skin tightening is generally best suited for patients who are bothered by mild to moderate skin laxity and do not need the more dramatic lifting and skin removal possible with cosmetic surgery.
While there are very few serious side effects associated with non-surgical skin tightening, it may not be appropriate for patients who are pregnant, taking certain medications, or have certain medical conditions.
The best way to find out if non-surgical skin tightening is right for you is to consult with an experienced cosmetic surgeon. Start by finding surgeons in your area who are certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery . Diplomates of the ABCS have undergone extensive training in surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments, and can help you choose the best option for your needs and goals.
You May Like: What Are Symptoms Of Melanoma That Has Spread