Your skin is much like an elastic band or a favorite pair of jeans---when stretched out, it does not completely snap back to normal. When you lose weight, particularly if you lose weight very quickly, the skin may not snap back as tightly. Knowing how to avoid and treat loose skin from losing weight too quickly can help to alleviate this common problem.
Significance
When you experience rapid weight loss, loose skin can be an unfortunate side effect, according to Daily Glow. Skin may hang off the body, making it difficult to wear tighter-fitting clothes. In addition to cosmetic concerns, those that experience rapid weight loss can have difficulty maintaining clean skin between skin folds. This can result in skin rashes, irritation and infection.
Determining Factors
If you are considering a weight-loss plan or weight-loss surgery, a few factors may determine how significant your loose skin will be, according to Go Ask Alice, a health resource from Columbia University. This includes how fast you lose the weight, how much you are losing and how many elastic fibers your skin has. As you age, you begin to lose elastic fibers, which can take away from the amount your skin will be able to bounce back. Also, losing between 50 and 100 pounds relatively quickly---in the span of a few months---can result in loose skin. Weight loss less than 50 pounds may not result in noticeably loose skin.
Time Frame
The skin may take some time for elastic fibers to tighten, according to Go Ask Alice. Physicians recommend waiting two years to fully determine the level to which your skin will bounce back following weight loss. If your skin is still loose at this time, surgical treatment may be the only option. Another determining factor is your weight fluctuation---if you have maintained a steady weight within five pounds for at least six months, this can be another indicator that your skin has tightened as much as possible, according to the University of Minnesota Physicians, a medical practice group.
Strength Training
If you are experiencing rapid weight loss, consider a strength training exercise plan, according to Daily Glow. When you increase your amount of muscle, the skin has more support until its elastic fibers are better able to compensate. Examples of strength training exercises include working out with free weights, weight machines or resistance bands.
Surgical Treatment
A group of procedures called body contouring can help to tighten skin after experiencing a significant amount of weight loss, according to the University of Minnesota Physicians. Examples of procedures include a thigh lift, abdominoplasty, brachioplasty and chest reduction. Each procedure involves reducing and tightening excess skin in areas of dramatic weight loss. If you are considering this type of surgery, discuss recommended procedures with your surgeon.
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