There is nothing as frustrating as putting a lot of hard work and commitment in a weight loss program but at the end having nothing to show for it because of the ugly loose skin that comes after weight loss.
For most people, weight loss means a tight, muscular and toned body. Very few anticipate the nightmare of having to deal with loose skin, especially after extreme weight loss. This therefore always comes as an unwelcome surprise. The excess flabby skin can weigh down on you to a point of causing depression. It can also cause chafing and other problems.
Some people say that this flabby appearance is a reminder of what you used to be. But why does this happen? According to Livestrong, when you lose weight, skin that used to be stretched over the many fat layers may not quickly adapt to your new toned body. As a result, you may end up having loose sagging skin. This may prevent you from rocking your bikini, which may be the main reason you enrolled in a weight loss program.
But you should not be worried about this because there are several ways you can use to tighten loose skin after weight loss. I am going to discuss all these methods in this article.
There is a chance that it will slowly adapt to your new body shape after some time which means you may not have to worry about the problem, but it is not a guarantee that this will happen. Here are some of the ways to tighten saggy skin after weight loss.
Skin tightening foods
Table of content
By now, you understand that diet is at the core of any weight loss program. It is also very important if you want to get rid of the excess skin after weight loss. You must ensure your diet contains ingredients that will encourage the production of collagen and elastin. These are the compounds responsible for making it remain elastic.
These foods include
- Oatmeal
- Blueberries
- Skim milk
- Walnuts
- Roasted salmon
- Brown rice
- Raw green salad
You should also ensure you take enough water (at least 8 glasses per day) to ensure you are hydrated. Hydration will maintain the skin elasticity, prevent wrinkles and the sagging.
Apart from that, you should limit the consumption of alcohol and sugary foods. These are high-calorie substances that will add up unwanted pounds in your body.
Resistance training workouts
When you lose weight, you lose muscle as well. We also tend to reduce our calorie intake during weight loss which reduces our muscles significantly and that is partly the reason why most people have excess loose skin.
Therefore, it is important to regain your muscles. Doing the right exercises is the best way to tighten loose skin. The muscles under it should be firm enough to fill out the skin around it.
You should perform squats at least three times a week to strengthen the muscles in your thighs, hamstring, and bottom. Crunches will tighten your abdominal muscles and help trim unwanted skin. Triceps dips bent over barbell rows and push-ups will tighten the muscles around your arms and help you get rid of loose skin around your arms.
Try the best skin tightening creams
Skin firming lotions after weight loss is very famous for this kind of work. You just need to go to the market, get the lotion and massage it on the affected area then expect results. The only problem is that there are so many products on the market, most of which are not genuine and take advantage of your desperateness to get rid of this issue. Some go to an extent of promising that you will get rid of the loose skin within 24 hours which is not even rational.
Even though some of these creams work, they have different outcomes based on their ingredient. Some tighten the outer layer of the skin surface, while others plump up these layers so that it appears much smoother.
I have reviewed some of the most used creams.
1. Clinique anti-gravity firming lift cream
This cream impedes the wrinkles caused by skin aging and weight loss. It has a formula which boosts its natural renewal process. It has been reviewed by more than 70 users on the web and I must admit that I was also surprised that all the reviews were positive. It can lift and smooth skin. It contains collagen-boosting effects which fade and tighten loose skin. The cream retails from between $39.50 to $47.
The only side effect is that its availability on the market is limited :). In fact, the manufacturer discontinued the product and replaced it with the Zero Gravity Repairwear Lift Firming Cream
Clarins Extra-Firming Day Cream
Clarins Extra-Firming cream is arguably one of the best tightening creams on the market. It hydrates the without greasing it. And in case you were worried about your pores being clogged, you will be relieved because it does not do that. The cream smoothens your skin and moisturizes it very well.
It reduces the wrinkles on your skin, but we are not sure of its effectiveness when it is tasked with the more serious loose skin due to weight loss. It is also quite expensive
Loose skin surgery
Advances in plastic surgery and the cosmetic industry have made surgery one of the most reliable ways to get rid of excess skin due to weight loss. In fact, surgery is the surest way to get rid of the flabbiness. However, surgery should only be considered if all the above remedies have failed because of the health risks involved.
It is possible to get rid of extra skin from your belly, backside, thighs, and arms through surgery. However, multiple surgeries are needed to remove it from different areas of the body to lower the risks involved in the whole procedure and decrease the pain during recovery.
The downside of surgery is that it is quite expensive and not covered by your health insurance. Insurance companies claim that the surgeries are for cosmetic reasons and not reconstructive. If not done properly, surgery also leaves ugly scars on your body.
Overview
I would like to warn you that even following the above ways will not get rid of the excess skin entirely. It will only reduce it. Maybe the best solution to this problem is just to accept who we are and stop stressing yourself with all the fuse on weight loss.
The modern culture is so obsessed with dieting. Our culture tells you that you are not thin enough. In the end, we have people with a low self-esteem about their image and take drastic measures to just try and lose weight.
I would like to tell you that you are beautiful no matter what anyone says. Stop stressing yourself, and maybe, just maybe you won’t have to stress yourself with the loose skin after weight loss. However, ensure you keep fit! Lose weight gradually!
REFERENCES
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/you-lost-weight-what-about-extra-skin#2
- http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-68170/Do-quick-fix-firming-creams-really-work.html