Loose skin can appear anywhere on the body and can have a number of causes. If you are self-conscious about areas of loose skin, depending on the cause, location and severity, it might be possible to use exercises to tighten it up.
Causes
Unlike any of our other organs, skin is worn on the outside of the body. This makes it vulnerable to the harsh elements, which is just one cause of loose skin. Other causes include poor nutrition, rapid weight loss, loss of elasticity due to aging, illness and the natural pull of gravity.
Facial Exercises
As you age, you will start to notice the skin on your face loosening, partly due to loss of elasticity and partly due to the force of gravity. Facial exercises can help tone the facial muscles, which might help tighten the loose skin. Gently massage the face from the brow to the chin with small circular or tapping motions. This will help to improve blood circulation and reduce puffiness. With your lips closed, twist your mouth as far to the right then to the left as you can. This will help to tighten the muscles around your mouth.
Leg Exercises
If you have recently lost a considerable amount of weight that has left you with loose skin on your legs, particularly the thighs, two exercises can make a difference if you use them regularly. One of the most effective exercises is the squat, which involves bending the knees and straightening the legs. You can perform squats while holding weights. You can also do them on an exercise machine or total body gym. Another effective exercise for tightening the legs is the lunge. This involves taking a large step forward or to the sides then lunging forward on the front leg until your knee is close to the ground. Repeat this exercise alternating the front leg.
Lean Body Mass
If you have large amounts of loose skin after weight loss, exercise alone might not help. You will also need to regulate your ration of body fat to lean body mass. It is important to increase muscle mass to make up for the fatty tissue you have lost, this will help the skin to appear tighter. You should ask your doctor to measure your fat to lean mass ratio and discuss suitable dietary changes you can make to increase muscle mass.
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