If you have recently lost a large amount of weight, you may notice areas where your skin is loose and sagging. If you have lost a small amount of weight at a slow rate, your skin may have shrunk slowly along with your body mass. If you have lost a relatively large amount of weight, your skin may appear more loose, according to Health Services at Columbia in the article "Weight Loss and Excess Skin" at GoAskAlice.com. If you are unable to reduce excess skin on your own, consult a cosmetic surgeon.
Step 1
Wait to see if loose skin will tighten up on its own for two years, says Health Services at Columbia. Your skin's natural elasticity may help firm up sagging areas. If you lost weight slowly or did not lose a large amount of weight, your skin may be more likely to spring back than after a drastic weight loss.
Step 2
Exercise to tone loose skin. By participating in both weight training and aerobic exercise, your skin may tighten up. Although skin may not tighten drastically, it may help make a difference, particularly if you only lost a small amount of weight.
Step 3
Get a tummy tuck if loose skin is mostly in the stomach area. A tummy tuck, or abdominoplasty, is a surgical procedure performed by a cosmetic surgeon that removes all excess skin from the stomach and fixes any separated or loose muscles, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
Step 4
Consult your cosmetic surgeon about body-contouring surgery if you have loose skin on several areas of your body. Your surgeon may recommend a thigh lift, a breast lift, a lower-body lift or a combination of several surgeries to help tighten loose areas.
Tips and Warnings
- Get opinions from several cosmetic surgeons before deciding on one to perform your procedure.
- Consult your doctor before starting any type of exercise routine, particularly if you have health problems.
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