Sagging skin can occur for a number of reasons. Pregnancy, aging and weight loss can all contribute to saggy skin.
However, it is preventable if you plan ahead. A few simple steps can keep your body tight and looking great.
1. Exfoliate
Exfoliation increases the blood flow in your skin.
This has numerous benefits, including the increased quality of collagen and elastin. Collagen and elastin are essential in keeping skin firm and tight.
In addition, your skin will see a marked improvement overall with extra nutrients and oxygen reaching it.
Use a dry brush or an exfoliating scrub daily to eliminate dead skin cells and boost circulation.
2. Take your vitamins
While a proper diet will go a long way toward keeping you healthy, many people don’t get all the nutrients they really need from their food. Take a multivitamin to ensure that you are getting the right amount of vitamins.
Look for skin health or beauty formulated supplements, as these contain hyaluronic acid, alpha-lipoic acid and other specialty nutrients to keep your skin glowing and healthy.
3. Boost the protein in your diet
Protein is a necessary part of increasing the elasticity of your skin. Protein helps build up the collagen in your skin, as well as boost muscle formation.
Well toned muscles will also help your skin look better and stay tighter.
4. Don’t skimp on oils
It’s tempting to cut oil out of your diet completely. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight. Unfortunately, a lack of oil will cause your skin to sag. You need a certain amount of healthy fat in your diet to stay in good condition.
Try olive oil or coconut oil and eat avocados and nuts to ensure your diet is replete with good fats. Your skin will look tighter as a result.
5. Use massage techniques
You can either massage your skin or you can get regular, professional massages. Decompression massage will help tighten up your skin.
When done regularly, you can expect to drastically reduce the amount of loose skin you have to deal with as you age or lose weight.
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6. Lose weight slowly
Perhaps the simplest way to avoid loose skin when losing large amounts of weight is to take the weight off slowly. It’s tempting to drop those pounds as fast as possible, particularly if you have more than 50 lbs to lose, but it’s a bad idea.
When you lose a large amount of mass at once, you will find that your skin simply hangs. Most diets also require the cutting of oils and fats, which are necessary for healthy skin. Instead, work toward your goal steadily, without using fad diets. You will lose slower and are more likely to keep it off. Your skin will also look great.
7. Build some muscle
Muscles fill out some of the looser skin as you lose weight, but when you build muscle, you also help your skin tighten up. Exercise is good for everyone, so start working on improving your muscle tone to look great.
If you have just had a baby, however, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor before you begin to exercise. The same goes for anyone who has recently undergone surgery.
More: 7 Exercises to Tone Upper Arms
8. Drink more water
Your body is designed to moisturize itself, but most people don’t drink enough water in a day. Skip the tea and coffee and stay away from soft drinks.
Instead, replace these with pure water to see the best results. Your skin will not only look tighter, it will be healthier and give you a glow that is only available to those who stay hydrated.
9. Protect your skin from UV rays
Avoid tanning or tanning beds if you want to avoid loose skin. The practice can result in dry skin, which will start to sag long before you should see looseness.
Use a tanning lotion instead to get the bronzed look or stick to your natural skin tone. You should also wear a suitable SPF sunblock during the warmer months to prevent further damage.
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10. Moisturize daily
Invest in a good lotion that contains collagen. Use it at least twice a day, all over your body and face to keep your skin healthy. It’s a good idea to test a few different lotions to see which one works best for you.
Test them all out and then stick with the one that gave you the best results.
Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Take good care of it by eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water. You should also exfoliate on a regular basis and make sure you get exercise to build up those muscles. With proper care, you can greatly reduce or even eliminate saggy skin completely, even after pregnancy or weight loss.
