As time goes by, everyone starts to notice signs of aging or physical wear in different ways. Diet, genetics, physical activity, or our lifestyle could influence these signs, being loose skin one of the most common problems. Hence, there are different measures to avoid or get rid of this weakening of skin and muscle. 

The loss of firmness could generate distrust in wearing certain types of clothes and a wrong perception of your body. For this reason, we have compiled the most important information on the subject so that you can take the necessary measures to prevent this problem.

What is considered loose skin?

Loose skin, also called cutaneous elastosis, is what happens when the tissue loses firmness caused by the decrease of elastin and collagen [6], responsible for the elasticity and resistance of the skin. 

This sagging can be evident in various parts of the body such as arms, thighs, buttocks, breasts and abdomen. It can also occur on the facial part, but we will only focus on the body areas for this article. 

What causes loose skin?

Sagging can occur for several reasons of which these are some of the main ones [2]:

• Aging: the skin loses thickness and muscle mass as the years go by, which causes us to experience flaccidity in some areas of the body. 
• Hormonal changes: mainly women after pregnancy and menopause, may experience a destruction of collagen fibers more easily and their replenishment may become slower.
• Sedentary lifestyle: remaining inactive affects muscle tone, and therefore, it allows the appearance of flaccidity.
• Abrupt weight fluctuations: when weight is lost very quickly, the volume is reduced but the skin does not manage to retract, so it begins to be left over in different parts. In addition, if patients have previously undergone bariatric surgery [3], sagging may be a usual consequence for some of them.  
• Sun exposure: if sun radiation is abused, the skin becomes dehydrated and it starts to lose consistency. Additionally, it increases the risk of contracting serious diseases such as skin cancer. 
• Poor diet: a nutrient-poor eating plan produces that the tissue reduces its muscle mass and the skin decreases the production of collagen and elastin. In addition, if we add the consumption of alcoholic beverages and tobacco, this would contribute to the increase of flaccidity.   

 

How to prevent or treat loose skin?

To prevent or correct the appearance of body flab, experts have recommended following some of the following strategies [5]: 

Consume foods rich in protein and antioxidants

To maintain optimal collagen production, it is essential to consume foods rich in protein and antioxidants [1] to promote its formation and prevent premature aging. In addition, the necessary water intake during the day will help keep the skin hydrated and cellular processes occur normally.

Exercises with weights

Strength work is a fundamental piece to achieve a strengthened muscle that supports the skin and keeps it younger [8]. Planks, burpees, push-ups, squats, among other exercises combined with dumbbells or weights will allow to work the muscle tone and make it firmer. 

Cosmetic treatments

Although diet and exercise allow you to prevent flaccidity in various parts of the body, sometimes it is not enough and therefore it is necessary to seek cosmetic treatments to correct it. 

Surgical procedures [4] such as abdominoplasty, breast lift, arm lift and Renuvion (J Plasma) are some of the interventions that improve sagging [7] in the affected body areas. 

 

You might also be interested in reading: What is Renuvion (J-Plasma) and how does it work?

In summary

Body flaccidity is one of the problems of major medical consultation when neither exercise nor nutrition are enough to correct it. Premature aging, pregnancy, and radical weight fluctuations are some of the main reasons for this situation. 

Because of this, many patients cosmetics treatments to fix the deterioration. Depending on the area and the medical diagnosis, lifting or tightening may be performed on the compromised body parts. Some examples of these would be breast lift, abdominoplasty,arm lifts, among other surgeries.

If you would like to learn more about these or other procedures such as J Plasma Renuvion, we invite you to contact us for more personalized assistance on the subject. We will take care of connecting you with the best plastic surgeons in Colombia and coordinate all the details of your medical tourism trip.

 

Another post you might want to read: Is Colombia a good country to have plastic surgery?

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References:

[1] Bard, S., 2021. How can people firm up saggy skin?. [online] Medicalnewstoday.com. Available at: <https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/saggy-skin#summary> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[2] Clinica Regenia. 2022. ¿Cuáles son las causas de la flacidez? – Clinica Regenia. [online] Available at: <https://clinicaregenia.com/cuales-son-las-causas-de-la-flacidez/> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[3] Giordano, S., 2016. Removal of excess skin after massive weight loss: challenges and solutions. [online] ResearchGate. Available at: <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278301912_Removal_of_excess_skin_after_massive_weight_loss_challenges_and_solutions> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[4] Madormo, C., 2021. How to Tighten Skin After Weight Loss. [online] Verywell Health. Available at: <https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-tighten-skin-after-weight-loss-5101107> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[5] Pinheiro, M., 2022. 7 Formas de combatir la flacidez corporal. [online] Tua Saúde. Available at: <https://www.tuasaude.com/es/flacidez-corporal/> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[6] Whelan, C., 2019. Saggy Skin: Why You Have It and What to Do About It. [online] Healthline. Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/health/skin/saggy-skin#significant-sagging> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[7] wikipedia.org. 2022. Excess skin – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excess_skin> [Accessed 12 August 2022].

[8] Gotter, A. and Robinson, D., 2022. 6 Tips to Tighten Loose Skin. [online] Healthline. Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-tighten-loose-skin#exercise> [Accessed 12 August 2022].