Face Changes After Weight Loss
Searching face changes after weight loss. In this article, we discuss the changes that have come to our faces after weight loss.
The most important weight loss milestones are celebrated. A higher level of energy! A drop in blood pressure! The jeans went big! But there is one that we tend to overlook: skin changes. Specifically, loose skin and wrinkles.
After all of your efforts to eat healthier, walk more, and prioritize your wellness, it can be disappointing to see that unexpected change in the mirror as if you’ve accelerated the aging process, especially if you feel now younger. So what’s going on with those droopy cheeks and why haven’t you been warned about it?
“Most patients are comfortable to have lost weight, but often feel discouraged when they see that their skin has changed,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a dermatologist in New York. Of course, you can (and should) feel all kinds of emotions, from disappointment at your new wrinkles to pride at the fine lines now adorning your face. But, whichever camp you’re on, there’s one thing we all agree on: it’s time to start talking about how weight loss affects our facial skin.
Much like plateaus and non-weigh-in wins, skin changes are a real and natural part of the weight loss experience. And normalizing (and celebrating!) that change can only better prepare you for the journey. So let’s take a look at the science-backed causes of this phenomenon, and see what you can do about it if (and only if!) that’s the path you choose to take.
Face Changes After Weight Loss
When you lose weight, you inevitably lose fat, including the fat that is naturally found in your face and neck. When this happens, the volume in your face and neck decreases, says Ali Raza, MD, a dermatologist in Manhattan Beach, Calif. This creates skin laxity (dramatist language for flabby skin) and folds.
Fat loss leads to a loss of collagen, the structural protein that keeps skin firm and plump. Your skin already naturally loses collagen with age (consider it an acceptable trade-off for getting another birthday party), a loss that combines with weight loss. It is therefore not surprising that the skin becomes and appears more droopy and wrinkled.
What is surprising is that it is not necessary to have lost 45 kg (100 lb) for the appearance of saggy skin after weight loss. A change in skin laxity can occur after losing about 14 kg (30 lbs), says Ali Raza. “If you notice changes in larger areas of the body, such as the arms, abdomen, thighs, and buttocks, this difference may also appear in the face. If you want to gain weight on your face. This article will help you: exercise to gain weight on face
Home Methods To Treat Skin Changes After Weight Loss
Creating a self-care ritual is an important part of any wellness journey, and skincare is part of it. If you choose a strategic treatment from targeted ingredients, you can better manage to alleviate the effect of saggy skin after weight loss.
Step 1: start with sunscreen
Simply put, rigorous application (and reapplication) of sunscreen is the number one rule in skincare. “Your sunscreen protects you from the most common cause of premature aging, which is UV rays,” says Ali Raza. “It’s the most important topical agent you can use to improve the quality of your skin. »
Step 2: Tailor your skincare products
Look for products with antioxidants like vitamins C and E, suggests Ali Raza. “Vitamin C protects the skin from damage caused by free radicals (which break down collagen) while promoting collagen synthesis. Likewise, vitamin E helps boost collagen production and protect the skin from future damage.
Step 3: add retinoids
Retinoids, an umbrella term for both over-the-counter retinol products and prescription retinoids, are considered the gold standard for fighting the signs of aging due to their ability to accelerate skin cell turnover. and regulate collagen production to firm the skin.
When To See A Dermatologist About Sagging Skin?
If topical treatments don’t give you the results you expect, talk to your dermatologist about other possible options. For sagging in the cheeks or along the jawline, where weight changes are sometimes the greatest, you can consider injectables, says Ali Raza. “We can use fillers, in particular, based on hyaluronic acid, and inject them into these areas of reduced volume to restore shape, which also allows the skin to be lifted. »
It is possible to combine fillers with other treatments to enhance their effects. “Sometimes people notice that their skin looks duller and more dehydrated after significant weight loss, and fine lines become more visible,” Garshick says. “Collagen resurfacing and stimulation procedures, such as fractional laser resurfacing,
can be helpful, as well as using injectable products such as Botox, which reduce muscle movement to prevent the formation of wrinkles. Another option is procedures such as radiofrequency micro-needling which also stimulate collagen production and firm the skin.
Accept Your New Skin
The other option, of course, is to do nothing. In fact, by accepting these changes, you might be happier in the long run: there is plenty of evidence to show that practicing self-compassion – that is, being aware of how you talk to yourself oneself and striving to do so with kindness – is linked to higher levels of well-being, lower levels of stress, a more positive outlook and, most importantly, in this case, a better ability to let things go.
Ultimately, your approach is personal. But whether you choose to accept or deal with your new skin, remember that skin changes are a completely natural (and normal) side effect of returning to the healthy version of yourself and it deserves to be addressed. to be famous.
