Causes of skin sagging and how to treat it

After your serious and tough efforts to lose weight, and finally reaching your goal, skin sagging might show up as an unwanted reward, which can ruin your weight loss success.

Although skin sagging can happen to anyone for many reasons, and it's natural since our bodies are not made of plastic, it can still cause some embarrassment and discomfort because naturally, we want to see our bodies looking their best.

In this article, we will learn about the causes of skin sagging and how to get rid of it or at least reduce how it looks on the body.

How body sagging happens

Tight skin can stretch and settle easily, but when the skin loses this ability, it starts to sag, which is called skin sagging.

Skin sagging can happen almost anywhere on the body. However, some spots are more common. These include:-

• Eyelid area.
• Side of the jaw (cheeks).
• Chin area.
• Neck.
• Upper arms.
• Belly area.

Causes of skin sagging

There are many different reasons that cause skin to sag, which includes:-

1. aging

As we age, the skin starts losing important proteins that make up the dermis layer, which is just below the surface of the skin. Its job is to feed the skin and give it its real thickness.

The proteins the skin loses are elastin and collagen, elastin protein gives skin its elasticity, letting tissues bounce back to their normal shape after stretching.

Collagen is the main protein in connective tissues, made by fibroblast cells. It gives skin firmness and freshness, helping it keep its structure and strength.

Production of both elastin and collagen goes down with age, or can drop because of other factors, Which includes:

• Environmental pollutants, like cigarette smoke.
• Ultraviolet rays from long direct sun exposure without using sunscreen.
• Unhealthy lifestyle, like bad nutrition and smoking.

2. Weight loss

Weight loss is one cause of skin sagging because gaining a lot of weight for a long time can damage elastin and collagen fibers in the skin. This makes it hard for skin to go back to being firm and tight after losing weight.

Losing a lot of weight can cause this, as in cases of Obesity surgery Losing up to 50 kilograms can cause a lot of loose skin, which might need surgery to fix.

Younger skin can bounce back faster after weight loss, so age when you lose weight matters. If you're dealing with extra weight or obesity you should try to deal with it early on.

3. Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a common cause of loose skin. It's normal to get some loose skin after pregnancy. It can get worse if you have twins. The mom's age also affects how much loose skin there is.

4. Illness

Some illnesses and medical conditions cause loose skin. Rare types of skin T-cell lymphoma might cause fast skin sagging on elbows and knees in those affected.

Also, there is another medical condition that causes skin sagging called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). It's a rare genetic disorder of the connective tissues. People with it have a collagen production problem, which leads to loose, saggy skin, often on the face.

Ways to treat skin sagging

There are many ways to treat skin sagging, or at least reduce it. But these methods depend on several important factors, including:

• The area with sagging.

• The amount of sagging.

First, to treat mild skin sagging

If the sagging on your body is mild, or you’re happy with small improvements to your skin without high costs or surgery risks, here are some options that can help you treat sagging skin:

1. Exercise

You can improve skin sagging caused by moderate weight loss or pregnancy by doing regular exercise. Exercise can build and tighten muscles which reduces the slight saggy look of the skin. Here are some options you can start with:-

A- Weight lifting andresistance:- Weight, machine, and resistance band exercises help increase muscle mass.

B- Pilates exercises :- Pilates exercises are known as control exercises, letting you adjust intensity and timing to fit your fitness. These workouts strengthen the main muscles in the body, legs, and arms.

J- Face exercises:- Also called face yoga, some studies show face exercises can reduce sagging skin around the chin, jaw, and neck.

2.  Dietary supplements

Research shows taking supplements with collagen and Hyaluronic acid can help reduce the look of skin sagging linked to aging.

3.  Topical treatments

There are treatments, creams, and products containing ingredients like Retinol that can improve skin elasticity around the eyes and face overall.

4. Lifestyle changes

Some things can help keep your skin tight, like staying hydrated, using sunscreen, and quitting bad habits like smoking.

Second, for treating moderate skin sagging

If your skin sagging is moderate or doesn't get better with the steps mentioned before, some non-surgical treatments might help improve your skin condition, which include:-

1. Laser treatment

Several types of laser treatments can help boost collagen production in your skin, which makes it more elastic and fresh, reducing sagging in places like your arms and belly.

2. Laser peeling

This effective procedure also uses laser. Laser peeling removes the top skin layers and sends heat to the deeper layers, which helps collagen production. This helps improve skin look and even out its color.

3. MFU ultrasound waves

Ultrasound waves treatment goes deeper into the skin, sending heat to deep layers. This supports collagen production and lifts sagging skin. Usually, the effect lasts about a year.

Third, for treating major skin sagging

Surgical treatments are usually recommended to remove sagging skin after weight loss surgeries that cause major sagging. These are called body contouring surgeries. They include tummy tucks, arm lifts, face and neck lifts, and more.

You should always remember that skin sagging is natural in life. You're human and your skin is natural, not plastic. Be kind to yourself and your body. Trying to improve your skin's look is great, but don't let it make you feel bad.

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