How to tighten Loose Skin?
Spring is right around the corner. Are you ready or have you lost that “spring” in your face?
As we age, it is normal to loose some of our skin elasticity. Although we can not prevent the natural aging process from occurring, what we can prevent is how quickly this process happens! In addition to environmental exposure such as sun damage that leads to early aging, losing weight too quickly with crash diets or excessive cardio without resistance training can also damage your skin. Here are some things I recommend to prevent you from developing loose, sagging skin:
1. First and foremost, if you are trying to lose weight do it with guidance and make sure to not drop weight too quickly. Just think about some of the contestants on the Biggest Loser who have lost weight too drastically which resulted in excessive, loose unhealthy appearing skin. 1-2 lbs on average is normal. Anand Medical Spa can help you with our 12 week Physician Guided Weight loss program.
2. Eat a balanced diets with an adequate amount of protein to help you build the connective tissue such as collagen and elastin needed to help support your body. Also, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables high in anti-oxidants such as blueberries, strawberries, kale, spinach to help protect your skin against free radical damage from the environment.
3. Water is an important component of skin elasticity so make sure to bring plenty of water or herbal teas or flavored sparkling water. Ideally, the average amount of water you should be drinking is your weight in pounds divided by 2. (so if you weigh 120 lbs you should be drinking 60 ozs. of water/day). Of course this number increases if you are exercising, dehydrated due to excessive sun exposure or from being sick.
4. Use a Mineral Salt Scrub and loofah in the shower to help exfoliate and increase blood flow to stimulate healthy collagen production.
5. Limit sun exposure and protect your skin. As mentioned in previous blogs, please use a broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 on your face, neck, declotege, and any other part of your body that will be exposed to the sun.
6. Use serums such as Skinmedica TNS essential serum twice/day which has 100 growth factors to help stimulate collagen production.
7. Ultherapy– If you already have loose, sagging skin due to the natural aging process, sun exposure or from excessive weight loss, come in for a complimentary consultation to see how this non-invasive FDA approved procedure can help stimulate your own body’s collagen and help tighten and lift your skin.
About the Author:
Dr. Sunanda Chugh is the Founder and Medical Director of Anand Medical Spa and has been practicing in NYC since 2004. She is a graduate of Cornell University and has completed her training at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital/Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Chugh has worked and trained with top Plastic Surgeons and Dermatologists in NYC. Her special interest on the effect of the aging process on the face and body inspired her to specialize in Aesthetic Medicine.