Tips for How to Tighten Loose Skin

You may be able to tighten loose skin at home with remedies including firming skin care products and exercise. Surgical and nonsurgical procedures may also help tighten skin.
Loose skin can be frustrating and have an impact on self-esteem. While there are many ways you can develop loose skin, once you have it, it can be difficult to reverse.

Causes of loose skin can include:
• weight loss
• pregnancy
• the effects of aging

Common places people experience loose skin include the:
• stomach
• face
• neck
• buttocks
• arms
• legs

While cosmetic surgery can help improve loose skin, many options exist for people who would rather avoid medical procedures.
These options include:
• exercise
• firming products
• nonsurgical procedures
• weight loss
• massage

Here are some ways you can tighten loose skin.
1. Firming creams
A good choice for a firming cream is one that contains retinoids, says Dr. Alyson Wells, owner and medical director, Valley Plastic Surgery and Medi-spa.
Retinoids are chemical derivatives of vitamin A and include:
• tretinoin
• retinoic acid
• adapalene

They increase the proliferation, maturation, and turnover of skin cells, says Wells.
She also suggests using creams that contain hyaluronic acid, which attracts and holds onto water molecules. Hyaluronic helps:
• reduce the depth of wrinkles
• increase skin firmness
• diminish skin roughness
Wells recommends avoiding skincare products that include lanolin due to the steady increase in the rate of contact dermatitis (allergic skin reaction) associated with it.

۲. Exercise
Building muscle mass through weight training exercises can help decrease the appearance of loose skin, especially if the loose skin is from weight loss.
Replacing that lost fat with muscle mass can lessen the appearance of loose skin.
If you have loose skin from a recent pregnancy consult a doctor before exercising as there could be certain moves you should avoid.
One form of exercise that’s not proven to be effective for loose skin is facial exercise.

۳. Lose weight
Stubborn fat under the skin can make skin appear loose. This type of fat is called subcutaneous fat.
4. Massage the area
Massaging loose skin can increase blood flow and help evoke an anti-aging response.
One studyTrusted Source analyzed the effects of skin massage in conjunction with an anti-aging skin cream.
The study showed that regular massage with a hand-operated oscillating massage tool amplified the positive effects of the cream.
Alongside massage, you can also use a salt or sugar scrub to increase blood flow.

The takeaway
Loose skin can be problematic, but there are multiple ways to minimize or reduce it.
Collagen is a huge factor in the skin’s elasticity. Boosting your body’s collagen production is one way to reduce loose skin.
You can also take actions to prevent developing loose skin, such as avoiding:
• smoking
• tanning
• using skin products with harsh chemicals