So you completely stuck to your New Year’s resolutions by eating better and working out regularly and you lost every one of those many pounds you put on in university. But you didn’t anticipate your skin, especially around your abdomen and under your triceps, would have a loose, saggy look to it. Other factors can cause skin to sag and look less than its best, including smoking, a poor diet or hydration, genetics and the natural effects of aging.
Is it possible to improve the look of your loose areas and keep your skin firm going forward without taking drastic measures? The answer is yes, although the challenge is much greater in the case of extreme weight loss and in older people.
Here are five ways to tighten loose skin and improve your overall appearance and health at the same time.
Build some muscle, lose some fat
Fill out some of the space that was taken up by the fat you lost. Working out also increasing your metabolism overall, and get your blood flowing to all areas of your body, including your skin. A nice by-product of pumping iron and getting strong is that it ups the production of human growth hormone, the true fountain of youth, to repair cells throughout your entire body.
Another interesting approach is targeting and reducing the number of fat cells directly with the application of cool temperatures, triggering a process known as “cryolipolysis”. It’s a newer therapy, often called coolsculpting, but becoming more popular, you can take a look at coolsculpting cost and benefits and see if it will suit you .
Stop smoking
This isn’t just common sense for your overall health, there is a scientific link between smoking and skin looking nearly a decade older than it actually was. The good news is stopping smoking allows, over about a year, for a very strong rebound in the youthfulness of the skin. So, avoid having dull, inelastic, old-looking skin – give up smoking! You’ll smell better too.
Eat smart
Make you you are getting enough protein in your diet, studies show a connection between protein rich diets and better looking, better aging skin. Eating less starches and sugars is the other side of this equation. A well balanced intake of vitamins, nutrients and minerals is essential to keeping your entire body healthy, including your skin. Studies have also indicated higher levels of vitamin C and linoleic acid (found in seeds, seed oils and nuts) have a noticeable benefit on skin appearance. Supplements such as fish oil and gelatin have shown promising signs of aiding in skin elasticity.
Stay hydrated
We’ve all heard how our good old epidermis is the largest organ in the body, meaning all its tissues and cells work together performing unique and crucial functions. And 80% of your skin is water, so a drop in your hydration can have negative effects on your skin, especially in dry environments, indoors or out. Give your body and skin the H20 it needs to flourish and help repair itself.
Take care of your skin
Develop a daily routine that will benefit your skin as you aim to tighten loose areas, and throughout your life. Exfoliation helps remove dead skin cells and increases the circulation of blood, nutrients and moisture through your epidermal layers. Nourishing creams that contain ingredients such as aloe vera, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E and hyaluronic acid among others can help increase collagen and elastin levels in skin as well as helping with overall hydration. Lastly, make sure you’re using proper sunscreen when going outdoors, to limit the aging effects of UV rates from the sun.
Applying all these tips to your lifestyle will leave you feeling and looking fit and fabulous inside and out, and help your body to do its best to reduce or eliminate the sagging or loose skin that we can face after weight loss or in the process of aging.
Comments are closed.