6 Common Areas Patients Look To Tighten After Losing Weight

Losing a significant amount of weight can be an incredible accomplishment. It would be reasonable to believe that there's nothing more beneficial for your health than going through this process. Burning off excess fat makes you feel better and look better; it can also help you reverse several potential medical conditions. 

Nonetheless, everything in moderation is necessary. Too much weight loss can leave you with loose-hanging skin that will meddle with your aesthetic goals.

That's because if a significant amount of weight is lost quickly, the skin surrounding your fat won't retract. Skin tightening or removal surgery is often the final step for many patients dealing with loose skin due to their physical transformation.

This article will provide detailed information on common areas patients look to tighten after massive weight loss and highlight potential solutions less invasive than skin excision and lift procedures. 

How Can I Tighten My Skin After Weight Loss?

If you have been overweight for a long time, your skin has likely become stretched, so it cannot return to its original shape even with weight loss. This produces loose, sagging, hanging skin, a typical issue many patients contend with.

Loose skin is generally more common in older patients, given that the skin naturally loses its elasticity with age. Unfortunately, this combination of factors means there is little you can do to improve loose skin through natural means.

That's why cosmetic surgery is a reasonable solution for patients who want to remove their excess skin after naturally losing weight, undergoing weight-loss or fat removal surgeries, or simply reaching a specific age. 

What Parts of The Body Are Commonly Tightened After Weight Loss? 

Almost any body part can be treated with skin tightening after weight loss. It truly depends on your physical makeup, your aesthetic goals, and the amount of weight that was lost.

Generally speaking, common regions patients seek skin tightening or removal after weight loss include the following areas:

1. Arms: One body part where loose skin can be a problem after weight loss is the arms. Strength training exercises that target the tricep muscles, such as push-ups and tricep dips, can help tighten the skin in this area. Patients with 'bat wings' or upper arms with excess loose skin can get a surgical procedure such as arm lift surgery for a more drastic solution.

2. Abdomen: One of the most common areas where people experience loose skin after weight loss is the abdomen. The abdominal area can be tightened through exercise and surgical procedures such as a tummy tuck. Less invasive options like a mini tummy tuck can help those with loose skin below the belly button and recent mothers with C-Section scars. Regular core-strengthening exercises, such as planks and crunches, can help tone your abdominal muscles and improve the appearance of your skin.

3. Thighs: The thighs are another area where loose skin can be problematic, especially if you lose much fat in the region. Squats and lunges are practical exercises that can help tone the muscles in your thighs and improve the appearance of your skin. For those who need additional help, a thigh lift surgery can provide a more permanent solution. 

4. Chest and Upper Back: Loose skin around your chest and upper back can be improved with a breast or upper body (back) lift. If you're concerned about sagging breasts, a breast enhancement fat transfer can offer the combined benefits of restored volume and a firmer, lifted look. 

5. Buttocks: After massive weight loss, the buttocks can lose shape and firmness. This region is one of the most commonly addressed areas after weight loss, pregnancy, and aging. Squats and lunges can help tone the muscles in this area, while surgical procedures such as a Brazilian butt lift can provide a more drastic solution for replenishing fullness and firming the butt. Lower body lifts and tummy tucks are also common skin-tightening treatments for this area. 

6. Face and Neck: Weight loss can also affect the skin on your face and neck. Facial exercises such as neck tilts and yoga can effectively tighten the skin in these areas. In addition, non-surgical procedures such as radiofrequency treatments and fillers can help improve the appearance of loose or wrinkly skin on your face.

AirSculpt + Offers Dramatic Skin Tightening After Weight and Fat Loss 

If you're wondering what procedures are best to tighten your skin, find something that can give you more than just that benefit.

Elite Body Sculpture's exclusive AirSculpt treatment provides permanent fat removal and simultaneous skin tightening results. If you're looking to kick-start a weight loss program, few things are as rewarding as seeing instant results and enjoying just one to two days of downtime. 

If you have already lost weight but need help with loose skin alone, we offer the Tiny Tuck™, a less invasive, drainless version of the abdominoplasty. 

Finally, our newest offering is AirSculpt+, which provides instant skin tightening on any body part that can be treated with our fat removal. If your only concern is loose skin after weight loss, you can receive AirSculpt+ alone. However, the best results are usually achieved by combining fat removal and skin tightening in one treatment. 

For more information on how we can help you achieve your skin-tightening goals, visit our Chicago body contouring office or any of our 25+ body sculpting locations worldwide to schedule your free consultation.