Sagging skin, fine lines, and wrinkles are all effects of natural ageing that appear on the skin. Having loose skin can wane away your youthful physiognomy, often accompanied by a loss of confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, many of us look for ways to tighten our skin using skin tightening procedures or skincare. Skin tightening allows you to reverse these visible signs of ageing and regain your youthful contour. Here, we will explore the many causes of loose skin and the most effective skin tightening treatment options that can help you combat them.
Skin tightening is considered the cornerstone of skin rejuvenation. There exists a wide range of surgical and nonsurgical treatments for skin tightening, all of which are performed to prevent skin from sagging or correct existing sagging skin.
Aims with skin tightening include:
Before we can discuss the different treatment types, let’s first understand why skin changes as you age.
Collagen and elastin are the two most important compounds responsible for providing elasticity and giving skin its supple, youthful appearance. They also play an important role in skin healing and preventing scarring. Unfortunately, as we age, these compounds begin to reduce production. As such, your skin begins to sag and loosen. Combined with the effects of gravity, this can lead to the formation of wrinkles and expression lines.
Other factors, such as weight loss after weight gain, pregnancy, UV exposure, poor nutrition, and alcohol intake, can also exacerbate skin loosening.
Most people will begin to experience skin laxity after the age of 35. Common areas where you will experience sagging skin include the eyelids, chin, jowls, throat, stomach, thighs, and upper arms.
Skin tightening procedures can include invasive and non-invasive clinical procedures. To find the best one for your case, you should consult with a professional. They will discuss your skin condition and envisioned goals and prescribe the best skin tightening treatment plan.
Non surgical skin tightening involves techniques that do not demand general anaesthesia or going under the knife.
Radiofrequency skin tightening uses heat from radiofrequency energy that penetrates into the various layers of the skin, stimulating collagen and elastin production to tighten the skin while promoting healing. You can choose from various RF treatment options, including Thermage, Pelleve, and Forma.
Microneedling is a nonsurgical procedure that pricks the skin with sterilised needles. This superficial puncturing stimulates the production of collagen and elastin to tighten the skin. It also helps improve scars, enlarged pores, and wrinkles. Microneedling can be combined with radiofrequency for more drastic results.
You may have heard the terms Ultherapy and Ultraformer. They are both HIFU procedures. Ultherapy is an FDA-cleared, non-invasive procedure that uses focused ultrasound energy to heat the tissues, stimulating collagen and tightening the skin of the face and neck. This skin tightening treatment further improves expression lines and wrinkles.
On the other hand, invasive procedures involve surgery and are performed after administering general anaesthesia. While invasive procedures offer more long-lasting and visible results, they also extend your recovery period and are accompanied by increased bruising and pain.
A rhytidectomy or a facelift is the most effective surgical treatment for skin tightening. This gold-standard treatment will remove excess skin, tighten the tissues, and eliminate extra fat from your face and neck, restoring your youthful appearance and firmness of the skin. The skin tightening treatment can also remove loose, hanging skin around the jawline.
A thread lift works by inserting medical-grade threads to lift and tighten the loose skin. It is often seen as a less invasive procedure than a facelift that can help reduce sagging and drooping skin.
If you have sagging skin, particularly in the neck and chin areas, you can opt for a neck lift surgery to remove excess skin and fat from the affected area, which will also give you a more defined jawline.
You don't only feel the effects of sagging skin on your face but your body as well. An abdominoplasty or a tummy tuck is a cosmetic procedure that removes excess skin from the abdominal area for a tighter, contoured body aesthetic. It is one of the most-requested skin tightening treatments for stomach.
Several skin tightening creams, lotions, and serums are on the market today. While most cosmetic companies market these as "an alternative to facelifts," the claims are often exaggerated. Such products can help plump up the skin and boost collagen and elastic production, but you can't expect a drastic change.
However, these skin tightening creams and serums contain ingredients that may help decrease the appearance of signs of ageing, such as wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots, giving you a plump, youthful appearance. Are you looking for the best creams for skin tightening? The following are some of the ingredients to look for in skincare products.
Retinoids are the synthetic form of Vitamin A that helps reduce wrinkles, improve collagen production, and eliminate acne. The gold standard ingredient works best for wrinkles, skin smoothing, stimulating collagen and reducing acne. The increasingly popular OTC "retinol" treatments are a type of retinoid. Retinol can help improve skin tightness and firmness but cannot address sagging skin. In other words, it is not the best skin tightening cream if it does not contain retinoids.
Hyaluronic Acid serums and creams lock in hydration in the skin's barrier and promote natural skin healing. While they cannot correct sagging skin, they can help firm the contours of the skin for a more youthful appearance.
Peptides are amino acid chains that help stimulate collagen and elastic production, making the skin look fuller and firmer. They are likely to be found in hydrating serums and creams.
Vitamin C is a powerhouse for skin rejuvenation with many anti-aging effects. It improves the appearance of wrinkles, stimulates collagen production, brightens complexion, and corrects hyperpigmentation. Improved collagen production can also help firm and tighten the skin.
Facial yoga uses facial exercises to help boost circulation in the skin, lymphatic drainage, relaxation of facial muscles, and potentially tightening of the skin. However, there is limited scientific data on the effectiveness of facial exercises, and results can always vary from individual to individual. At the same time, facial yoga can't offer long-lasting or permanent effects. It must be routinely carried out to maintain its effects.
Surgical and nonsurgical skin tightening treatments can only do so much. Without care, you may lose the effects of your treatment. Certain lifestyle factors tend to have a large impact on your skin health and well-being as you age. Here are some changes you can make to your lifestyle to slow down the signs of ageing, including sagging skin.
Good hydration benefits the entire body, including your skin. If you are not adequately hydrated, your body will begin leeching moisture from the skin, leaving it dry, flaky, and rough. Adequate hydration will ensure that your skin's protective barriers remain optimal and retain moisture, which is important for that plump, juicy skin we all love.
It is a well-known fact that ultraviolet rays of the sun are responsible for skin cancer and sunburns. But that's not all; they also accelerate ageing. Using sun protection in the form of a spectrum sunscreen or sunblock will protect you against these damaging UV rays. If left unprotected, UV rays can lead to skin thickening, dark patches, and tanning.
There exists a strong link between skin health and the food choices you make. Certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are essential components of our skin barrier that keep it healthy, firm, and youthful. Similarly, certain foods can intensify the signs of ageing. A healthy, balanced nutritional diet, one with ample vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and nuts, will help you improve skin health. Foods such as sodas, alcohol, fried items, and candy, on the other hand, are damaging to the skin and should be avoided or significantly limited.
Staying in shape is not only beneficial for your body but will also benefit your skin. Exercise helps you promote skin cell growth, ensuring that damaged skin is replaced by healthier skin cells. This is why regular exercisers tend to have better skin texture and quality. At the same time, exercise also helps you achieve tighter skin and a better body contour. There is a significant amount of scientific data to back this up.
The effects of surgical skin tightening procedures depend on the type of treatment you seek. However, the treatments we have listed above are approved by health specialists as safe procedures. Side effects of these treatments are virtually nonexistent. In the case of invasive treatments, you may experience slight swelling, redness, and bruising in the treated area during recovery, but this subsides within your recovery period. For non-invasive treatments, most side effects subside in just a day or two.
Side effects may result from malpractice or poor practitioner skills. This is why you must always rely on a trusted professional for skin tightening treatments.
Skin tightening is one of the most popular facial and body treatments among men and women who wish to combat the visual signs of ageing. It is especially beneficial for those who suffer from wrinkles, sagging jowls, or droopy skin. However, there is no one best skin tightening treatment for face as everyone is different with different skin conditions. To find the best skin tightening treatment for your skin condition, you must consult a qualified practitioner.
