Loose skin is sometimes an unavoidable result of pregnancy, along with stretch marks and swollen feet. La Leche League states that although your uterus returns to its normal size within 6 weeks after pregnancy, fat and loose skin do not always disappear entirely. It is important to understand why you experience loose skin and evaluate your options for tightening it up.
Cause
You may experience loose skin on your stomach because of all the stretching that occurred during your pregnancy. Your body often grows so rapidly that your skin does not have time to adjust its elasticity, so when you are no longer pregnant you are left with loose and sagging skin. The American Pregnancy Association also states that you can develop skin tags, which are loose growths of skin, under your arms or breasts. Skin tags usually disappear on their own, but any type of loose skin may need special attention.
Diet
Consuming a low-fat and high-protein diet can help diminish loose skin. Drink a lot of water and consume foods with a high volume of water, such as fruits and vegetables. Water helps to keep your skin hydrated, improving its elasticity. If you are breastfeeding following your pregnancy, avoid dieting to the point of weight loss. Losing weight while nursing can decrease your milk supply.
Exercise
Exercising can help you to tighten up loose skin. By building muscles underneath your skin, you can make the entire area look tighter. If your loose skin is on your stomach, do crunches to tighten your underlying abdominal muscles. If your loose skin is on your arms, try lifting weights and doing bicep curls. You can also do 30 minutes of physical aerobic activity daily in order to shed body fat. If you are breastfeeding, avoid purposefully losing weight by exercising. Nursing is its own exercise. According to La Leche League International, breastfeeding burns 500 to 600 calories each day.
Surgery
Plastic surgeons perform surgeries designed to reduce loose skin. A tummy tuck, also referred to as an abdominoplasty or abdominal wall surgery, consists of the removal of fatty tissue and loose skin from the abdomen. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, this procedure takes about two to six hours and your skin is stitched together after any loose skin is removed. A tummy tuck or any other surgical procedure to remove loose skin from your body is ideal if your weight is stable and you have no plans to get pregnant in the near future.
Recommendations
La Leche League International recognizes that adjusting to body changes after pregnancy can be difficult, especially in the case of loose skin. The adjustment can be made worse by sleep deprivation and fluctuations in your hormonal levels. iFit & Healthy recommends giving the process time and remembering that it can take quite some time for your body to return to its previous state.
