Significant weight loss, whether achieved through diet and exercise, weight loss medications, or weight loss surgery, is a journey to be proud of. As you embrace the new numbers on your scale, you may be fighting with the difficult side effect of weight loss – loose skin.
As weight loss success stories increase, many seek ways to address this loose skin and achieve a more toned appearance, often turning to body contouring procedures like a tummy tuck or lower body lift. Here we delve into the science behind loose skin and how it can contribute to health concerns, while also exploring various body contouring treatments that can help you discover a confident, comfortable you.
Understanding the Science Behind Saggy Skin After Weight Loss
Not all weight loss means you will have loose skin. However, losing a significant amount of weight, especially in a short time, often makes it difficult for your skin to bounce back into place and hug your new body contours. To better understand this, let’s take a deeper look into your skin.
Your skin is made of elastin and collagen. These two essential proteins play a vital role in your skin’s appearance, elasticity, and strength. These proteins are what allow your skin to expand to weight gain or pregnancy. Unfortunately, many factors can affect these proteins, impairing the body’s ability to bounce back.
Reasons Why Your Skin May Not Bounce Back
Despite a dedication to weight loss and achieving a healthier weight, your body may not have the ability to bounce back on its own. While not everyone experiences loose skin after weight loss, even when significant, some factors may increase your risk of developing loose skin. These can include:
- Age – Unfortunately, the production of collagen and elastin declines as you age, meaning older skin is less likely to bounce back.
- Length of Time – If you have been overweight for a significant period, your skin is less likely to bounce back, especially if you lose weight rapidly.
- Amount of Weight Loss – The more weight you lose, the harder it may be for your skin to bounce back.
- Genetics – Unfortunately, your genetics can significantly affect how your skin responds to changes. If you have a family history of loose or saggy skin, the risk may be higher.
- Exposure to Sun – If you have a history of regular sun exposure, especially without sunscreen, chances are your collagen and elastin are reduced, meaning your risk for loose skin may be higher.
- Smoking – Smoking can reduce your skin’s collagen production while also damaging existing collagen, increasing your risk for loose skin after weight loss.
How Loose Skin Can Contribute to Health Concerns
While significant loose skin after weight loss can negatively impact your appearance, this excess skin can also create health concerns that include:
- Physical Discomfort – Excess skin not only affects your appearance but can also contribute to physical discomfort when performing daily activities including walking.
- Skin Irritation – Loose skin can cause a variety of skin concerns. For example, hanging loose skin can increase your risk of candidiasis, or a yeast infection, as well as bacterial accumulation and overgrowth. Loose skin contributes to routine chafing, rashes, and skin infections.
Procedures That Help You Say Goodbye To Loose Skin
While tips like slowing down weight loss, keeping your body hydrated, and avoiding skin damage from the sun can help reduce your risk of loose skin, the good news is some procedures can help eliminate that excess skin and give you the toned, firmer appearance you are looking for. The most common body contouring procedure after weight loss is the tummy tuck. This procedure helps eliminate excess sagging skin, tighten stretched abdominal muscles and, when combined with liposuction, help target stubborn pockets of fat not responding to diet and exercise. Other popular procedures include a lower body lift, an arm lift, and a thigh lift to target specific areas of loose and excess skin.
Congratulations on your success in your weight loss journey! We understand how frustrating loose skin can be and how it can affect how you feel in your new body. Dr. Davis and our team are eager to meet with you and develop an individual treatment plan that will help you eliminate that excess skin and feel confident in your new body. Call 916-318-5770 today and take the first step in your extended weight loss journey.
Author: Dr. Drew Davis
Dr. Drew Davis completed his residency in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at Stanford University Medical Center and is proud to be board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. After practicing for many years in the Bay Area, Dr. Davis has chosen private practice in the Sacramento area to allow him to provide the most personal and individualized patient care.
