Some aspects of aging are universal – no matter how much we hate to admit it. Even if you have been blessed with youthful genetics, sagging skin will arrive sooner or later. You may notice skin becoming crepey and draping over your eyes, your neck forming wrinkles, or other facial features moving lower on your face. And no matter the changes you’re noticing, you’re interested in slowing them down.
Skin tightening may be simpler than you think. Long gone are the days of the facelift as your only option for tighter skin. While surgery will lead to dramatic results, that level of change isn’t something that most patients are looking for. Instead, non-invasive skin tightening will yield gradual, gentle changes that reveal your younger self.
Learn more about sagging skin below so that you can take the best action for your goals. If you’re ready to speak with an expert, just schedule a consultation to meet with our team.
Causes of Loose Skin
- Aging skin – The skin changes dramatically as the years pass. Areas that were once firm and fresh lose their structure and sag downwards. This is mainly due to the breakdown of collagen and elastin. Connective tissues deep within the skin stop providing the same kind of support. Facial muscles also grow weaker, and don’t hold the skin as high. Your changing skin will depend on genetic factors, and also some environmental ones. Avoid those listed below to fight against aging.
- Excessive sun exposure – The sun’s UV rays damage the skin. Sun exposure speeds up the breakdown of collagen and elastin and makes it more difficult for skin to heal. Always cover up when going out in the sun, and using sunblock or a moisturizer with SPF daily.
- Sudden weight loss – Weight loss can be transformative to your health and your life. But when you lose weight quickly, you run the risk of saggy, loose skin. The skin can’t retract quickly enough with rapid weight loss, so there can be pockets left behind. (If you’re considering a fat removal option like Liposonix, don’t worry – results take hold gradually enough to avoid leaving behind excess skin).
- Smoking – Cigarette smoke is harmful to your skin. Smokers expose their faces, necks, and hands to acrid smoke regularly, and the effects accumulate to cause wrinkles and laxity.
What Kind of Skin Tightening is Right For You?
Your skin and your needs dictate the treatment, not the other way around. Spend some time thinking about what you’d like to gain from tightening treatment, and you’ll be able to have a more thorough conversation with your provider. There are a few routes to take (although a combination may be best):
- Home care – The most casual approach to loose skin, home care can make a difference for those in the 20’s or 30’s just starting to notice signs of aging. Use an anti-aging moisturizer containing vitamin A, vitamin C, alpha hydroxy acid or beta hydroxy acid. Ingredients like these will help firm skin and produce superficial results. Apply the moisturizer before bed so that it can penetrate the skin and work overnight. Additionally, hydrate regularly and get an antioxidant-rich diet.
- Non-invasive treatment – Nonsurgical treatments leave the skin intact, delivering energy deep within its layers (different types depending on the technology). This achieves revitalization and firming of the skin.
- Surgical treatment – Most patients don’t actually want (or need) a facelift. Results will be more extreme, but that’s not necessarily a good thing – faces can end up looking too different to be natural. That said, if you’re interested in learning more, schedule a consult with a plastic surgeon to talk costs and the treatment process.
Not sure which option is right for your treatment goals? Just get in touch to find answers to your questions.
Facelift-Free Skin Tightening
If you’re hoping for natural-looking results and a comfortable procedure, nonsurgical options could be a perfect fit. You will be able to treat mild or moderate skin laxity on the face, neck, arms, or abdomen without taking a great deal of time out of your life to do so. Plus, the price tag is much more manageable than what comes with a facelift. Overall, nonsurgical skin tightening is comfortable, affordable, and patient-oriented.
As we mentioned, there are different types of energy used to tighten skin – we’ve classified three below with some of the most popular brand names.
- Radio frequency – Accent, Pelleve, Thermage
- IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) – Titan, Sciton’s St, VelaShape
- Ultrasound – VaserShape, Ultherapy
Finding Skin Tightening Near You
Radiance Skincare & Laser Medspa offers two types of skin tightening to best deliver our patients’ ideal results. Thermage and Ultherapy can be used to treat both small and large areas of the skin, firming features and stimulating collagen production. If you’re ready to take action against aging, we’re here to help – set up an appointment and we’ll help you decide which treatment is best.