What Causes Excess Skin After Weight Loss?
Losing a significant amount of weight is a major accomplishment. Whether it’s done with bariatric weight loss surgery or through lifestyle changes like eating better and exercising, losing weight can help improve your overall health and appearance. Unfortunately, it’s common for people who have lost considerable weight to experience excess, sagging skin in areas all over their bodies. Carrying excess weight can cause the skin to stretch. This stretching can make it tough for your skin to bounce back into shape after weight loss when it no longer needs to stretch as far. Loose skin after weight loss may affect certain people more than others. This is because every person is different, as is the makeup of our skin.
Some factors that lead to stretched, excess skin are completely out of a person’s control. For instance, collagen is vital for maintaining skin elasticity. As we age, natural collagen production slows down, leading to sagging skin. For people who go through weight loss at a younger age when their body is still producing more collagen, it is more likely that their skin will remain firm and tight. Genetics can play a role as well. Some people are genetically more or less likely to experience skin laxity after weight loss.
The specific details of your weight loss matter as well. This includes how many times you have gained and lost weight in the past. It becomes more challenging for your skin to retain its elasticity every time it is stretched by gaining weight. The amount of weight you lose also makes a difference. The more weight you lose, the more likely you are to experience sagging skin. Additionally, those who lost their weight through bariatric surgery tend to be at higher risk for excess skin than people who lost their weight naturally. This is because it is easier for your skin to gradually shrink as your body does. Losing so much weight all at once can make it difficult for your skin to bounce back to normal.
For many people, post-weight loss surgery can be an excellent way to put the finishing touches on their new body contour after weight loss. Post-weight loss surgery involves using body contouring procedures like a tummy tuck or thigh lift to remove excess, hanging skin. The result is a tighter, healthier-looking physique. Although it may not be right for everyone, post-weight loss surgery can provide tremendous relief for those with a considerable amount of sagging skin around their abdomen, thighs, arms, back, face, neck, and other areas.
There is no way to know for sure whether or not you will face severe skin laxity after significant weight loss. However, for those that do, it’s comforting to know that post-weight loss surgery can help fine tune your appearance and allow you to fully enjoy the new appearance you worked so hard to achieve. For more information on post-weight loss surgery or if you would like to schedule a cosmetic surgery consultation today, please contact me, Dr. Franklyn Elliott, today. Follow along with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for additional tips, news, and more.