WHAT'S BOTHERING YOU

Sagging skin is a common sign of ageing but it can also be caused by dramatic weight loss. Sagging skin can be present on the face and body and goes hand in hand with a loss of volume and fat.

As we age the collagen and elastin in our skin, which makes it appear plump and firm in youth, begins to degrade and this leads to the skin becoming more crêpey and saggy. When our skin is firm and plump it stretches and snaps back into place but as we age it loses this ability. Although sagging skin is a natural part of the ageing process, lifestyle factors can make it occur earlier in life on or contribute to it becoming worse. These include things like smoking, sun damage and yo-yo dieting (repeated weight loss and gain).

Our skin starts to age from about the age of 25 onwards but it is usually not until someone reaches their 30s that these signs start to become noticeable. It is often from the mid to late 30s onwards that people start to become more conscious of the ageing process. Those who have spent a lot of time in the sun may notice that they start to age younger.

Premature ageing can be accelerated by certain factors, in particular sun damage, so protecting your skin in the sun by wearing SPF is always a first line of defence. Dehydration can also contribute to skin looking less plump and lack lustre so drinking plenty of water can help you look fresher. Other lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, drug taking and poor diet and/or yo-yo dieting can all contribute to premature skin ageing and therefore skin sagging.

A good skincare regime will help keep your skin healthy. If your skin has already started to sag products that can help firm and tighten and replenish lost collagen will help. Key ingredients for ageing skin include retinol, collagen and collagen-boosting peptides, hyaluronic acid and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). Caffeine is also sometimes used in skin tightening products, particularly for the body and cellulite. Beware of snake oils and skincare creams claiming to be a “face-lift in a jar” or “botox in a bottle”, there is no such thing as a miracle skin cream that will dramatically lift and tighten saggy skin. Think of your skin as a canvas. If your skin is healthy and hydrated it will look better but significant sagging won’t be cured with skincare alone.

Sagging skin is part of the ageing process so you can’t stop it completely however taking preventative measures can slow the process down. One of your best lines of defence is to look after your skin from as young an age as possible. Wearing SPF daily, no matter what the weather is doing, will help. Keeping hydrated and eating a healthy balanced diet also plays a part as well as avoiding habits such as smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Using skincare products with active ingredients such as retinol or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) can help keep your skin functioning at its best. Antioxidants can also help prevent damage.

Sagging skin is part of the ageing process so while we can remove excess saggy skin with surgery or improve the appearance of saggy skin with non-surgical skin tightening treatments, you can never guarantee permanent results.

There are a lot of treatments for saggy skin but non-surgically the most popular options tend to be micro-needling or energy based treatments such as radiofrequency, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and laser (including fractional laser or laser resurfacing). These treatments use heat/energy to cause a wound healing response in the skin which then makes new collagen and elastin to repair the damage in the targeted area.

Saggy skin can occur on the face and body and is often associated with fat loss. People who lose weight rapidly or lose a lot of weight can be left with considerable saggy skin. Women often find they are left with saggy skin post-pregnancy due to the stretching of their tummy. Surgery, such as a tummy tuck or body lift, can be carried out when there is a lot of excess skin, however, where skin has become crêpey post weight loss treatments such as

When saggy skin is significant surgery, such as a body lift or tummy tuck, can be performed to remove excess folds. However, in many cases non-surgical treatments can improve the appearance of saggy skin on the face and body. Thread lifting can provide an alternative to a face-lift when sagging skin occurs on the face. Other techniques which stimulate new collagen and elastin include micro-needling. For the face and body, device-based technologies such as, radiofrequency, ultrasound/high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and laser (including fractional laser or laser resurfacing) offer non-surgical options.