Do you miss the days when your skin feels naturally smooth? At the height of your youth, you may have radiant looking skin without even paying attention to any skincare routines. Unfortunately, this will change as you get older. Over the years, your skin starts to sag around the cheeks, nose, chin, neck and arms, among other places on your body.
Sagging skin is primarily caused by aging, but it may also be attributed to sun damage, weight loss, and exposure to toxins from the environment. These factors weaken the essential collagen and elastin proteins responsible for keeping your skin healthy. Without their support, your skin begins to sag, hang, and drift downwards as a result.
While the predisposing factors to sagging skin may be unavoidable, there are several skincare treatments that can be used to tighten loose skin. If you are looking for effective ways on how to tighten loose skin, here are six popular treatment options to consider:
1. Microneedling
Also known as collagen induction therapy, microneedling is an effective treatment option for tightening loose skin. This technique uses a derma roller with tiny needles to prick the skin, which triggers the production of new collagen-rich tissues. Your skin will look more evenly toned and textured as a result. Microneedling is perfect for treating age spots, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, and improving the skin’s elasticity.
While microneedling is effective for many people, there are several considerations to keep in mind. You may experience temporary irritation and redness after the procedure. You should also avoid this procedure if you are pregnant, have open wounds, or have a medical history of skin diseases.
2. Laser Treatment
If you want a treatment that will leave your body unscarred, you may want to consider getting a laser procedure. This technique distributes the heat deep into your skin without causing scars on the surface of your skin. The lasers tighten the skin, especially around the belly and upper arms.
The effectiveness of these treatments may depend on the specific laser technology used. After several ongoing laser treatments, you will start seeing the results in a couple of months. Your skin should be noticeably tighter in addition to having less wrinkles and dark spots than before the treatments.
3. Ultrasound Skin Tightening
This is a non-invasive skin firming procedure, meaning that no instruments are introduced into the body. It makes use of ultrasound energy to introduce heat to the skin at specific depths and locations. This is usually performed with a handheld device, which spreads the ultrasound waves throughout the surface of the skin.
This ultrasound skin tightening technology is particularly effective in tightening the brow, chin, neck and chest area. It is also ideal for treating early signs of aging, especially around the face and neck. The treatment takes about 30 to 90 minutes, even though you may experience some temporary discomfort during the session. The side effects are considerably mild, including numbness, bruising, and redness, all of which will disappear over time.
4. Radio Frequency Treatment
In this non-invasive treatment, the radio frequency energy is used to tighten loose skin by improving its elasticity. This technique heats the tissue under the skin, causing contraction and stimulates more collagen production. It can be used around the eyes, jawline, chin, abdomen, along with various parts of your hands, arms and knees.
Unlike the ultrasound treatment, the radio frequency treatment targets the epidermal layers to make the skin appear much firmer and smoother. It involves minimal discomfort, requires no downtime, and is safe for all skin types. With a series of ongoing radio frequency treatments, the skin tightening results will materialize over time.
5. Skin Tightening Creams
Applying skin tightening creams may appear to be the most convenient option, since you can integrate them as part of your skincare routine. However, you need to be careful about using legitimate products that are suitable for your skin. Otherwise, you might end up causing more damage to your skin with the wrong choice of products.
When searching for a skin tightening cream, it should contain salicylic or glycolic acid. It should also have retinol, known as vitamin A, which helps to build up more collagen and even out the skin’s elasticity. These creams will hopefully improve the quality of your skin after some time, but you need to be diligent with the application and patient with the results.
6. Surgical Skin Tightening
The surgical option is an effective yet invasive treatment for tightening skin. The aim is to surgically remove excess skin and tighten the underlying tissues. There are usually several procedures involved, such as the eyelid lifts, the facelift, and the brow lift. The surgery could require extended recovery periods, anesthesia, and may even leave behind scars. As a result, many people opt for non-invasive skin tightening treatments instead of these surgical procedures.