Loose skin on the midsection can cause your self-esteem to dip — and if you’re concerned, you’re not alone. Sagging skin on the stomach is one of the most common complaints among people of all ages. Understanding why and how it happens is the first step in learning to tone and tighten it.
What Causes Loose Skin on the Stomach?
There are several reasons why you might be experiencing loose, sagging skin around your midsection.
Extreme Weight Loss
The skin has elastic properties that help it snap back into place quickly when it has been stretched, but when weight loss happens rapidly, as it can after weight loss surgery (WLS), skin elasticity suffers.
Losing weight more slowly will help you avoid as much loose skin, but keep in mind that once stretched, it may never return to the original size it once was.
Pregnancy
When you become pregnant, the skin naturally stretches to cover your growing belly. Similar to extreme weight loss, pregnancy also places the skin in a position of shrinking very quickly after childbirth, causing it to lose some elasticity along the way.
After your baby arrives, you may notice that as your uterus shrinks, the skin on the stomach doesn’t automatically snap back into place, leaving sagging, wrinkly skin around your belly button.
Aging
The same reasons the skin on your face sags and wrinkles is the same reason the skin on your stomach does the same thing. Skin naturally begins to lose some of its collagen production by age 20. Collagen and elastin give skin its plump, youthful texture and resilience.
When you lose these proteins, your skin loses some of its structure, causing it to sag and wrinkle.
Muscle Decline
Muscle atrophy with age is a normal process. You’ve probably already realized that the muscles that once stayed toned and tight need a little extra work to stay that way. The muscles do more than help our bodies move, they support the skin they’re under.
When muscles begin to decline with age, the skin may naturally begin to sag and become slack on top of them.
Oxidative Stress
UV rays, pollution, and intrusive light cause free radicals to be released in the body. These molecules damage healthy skin cells through the process of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a key driver in premature aging, especially in the skin.
How To Tighten Loose Skin on Stomach
Tightening your skin can become an invasive process with a lot of recovery time. If you choose one of the more invasive options, you should know that they aren’t permanent. If you gain or lose weight quickly, the skin may lose its elasticity again.
Here, you’ll learn about different ways to tighten the skin on your tummy so you can decide which method is right for you.
Surgery
The most invasive way to deal with sagging skin on the stomach is with a tummy tuck surgery. During this surgery, incisions will be made on your lower abdomen. The skin will then be pulled tight, and the excess skin will be removed.
Recovery time depends on each person, but you can expect to take it easy for a few weeks before you’re ready to get back to normal activity. This surgery is highly invasive and risky, and may or may not give you the results you want.
Non-Surgical Treatments
There are numerous non-surgical treatments available, and one of the most beneficial is microcurrent therapy.
Microcurrent stimulates the skin and the underlying muscle to:
- Tone, lift, and tighten the appearance of the skin
- Retrain the muscles
- Support blood circulation during treatment
- Help blur the look of lines, wrinkles, and dimples
By delivering a low-level electrical current to the body, microcurrent mimics the body’s own natural currents.
How To Use Microcurrent on the Stomach
You can use microcurrent therapy on the stomach with the power of the NuFACE® NuBODY Toning Device.
1. Cleanse
Before you begin, make sure your skin is freshly cleansed and dry. Mist NuFACE Supercharged IonPlex® Mist to your abdomen to help prepare for your treatment and keep your skin fully hydrated.
2. Activate
Before you begin any microcurrent treatment, apply your favorite Microcurrent Activator. NuFACE Aqua Gel Activator is loaded with hyaluronic acid to help keep skin hydrated for up to 24 hours.
Only apply your activator on the area you plan to treat, working in sections so that your activator stays moist. Mist on Supercharged IonPlex Mist to rehydrate your activator throughout your treatment as needed.
3. Lift and Tighten
Using the NuBODY® - Body Toning Device glide over areas on your stomach using medium pressure and upward strokes. To smooth the look of stubborn dimples, you can perform holds by holding your device on the target area for up to five minutes or until the device automatically powers off.
For best results, use NuBODY for at least five minutes per day, five times a week for the first six weeks. After that, you can maintain results with treatments two to three times per week.
Where Can NuBODY Work?
You can use NuBODY on your abdominals, buttocks, arms, and thighs to help reduce the appearance of dimples, and firm and tighten the skin. The results are cumulative, and you’ll see the most results with consistent, continued use.
What Else Can Help With Sagging Skin?
Taking basic care of yourself by getting enough exercise and eating a well-balanced diet will play a role in how well the skin on your stomach ages. Because your skin will make less supportive proteins as you get older, it’s important to take care of your body now to avoid issues with sagging skin later.
If you need to lose weight, losing weight slowly will help you avoid sagging skin and also help you keep the weight off for good.
Tummy Tightening Without the Tuck
Don’t feel like your only option for dealing with loose skin on the stomach is surgery. You can easily lift and tighten your stomach skin at home by using non-invasive, painless microcurrent therapy.
Sources:
After Huge Weight Loss Sagging Skin Remains|NBC News.com/Health
Weird, but normal, body reactions of aging - Mayo Clinic Health System
Skin Protein Profile after Major Weight Loss and Its Role in Body Contouring Surgery - PMC
