How Fasting Leads to Loose Skin and What You Can Do to Tighten and Firm up Your Skin

How Fasting Can Lead to Loose Skin and What You Can Do About It

Many people who try intermittent fasting or other types of fasting end up with loose, saggy skin. This can happen when you lose a lot of weight quickly through fasting. While loose skin after weight loss may seem like an inevitable side effect, there are things you can do to prevent or minimize it.

Why Fasting Causes Loose Skin

Your skin is an elastic organ that stretches and contracts to accommodate changes in your body size. How much your skin can tighten depends on several factors:

• Your age - Older skin has less collagen and elastin and can't bounce back as well
• Genetics - Some people have more elasticity in their skin
• How much weight you've lost - More drastic weight loss means more excess skin
• Where you carry excess weight - The belly often has the most loose skin after weight loss

When you lose weight rapidly through fasting, your skin doesn't have enough time to adapt by tightening up. This leaves loose skin hanging, especially around the abdomen, arms, thighs and breasts.

Can Fasting Be Modified to Prevent Loose Skin?

There are a few ways you can tweak your fasting regimen to try to avoid loose, saggy skin after weight loss:

• Lose weight slowly - A moderate 1-2 pound per week rate gives your skin more time to bounce back.
• Build muscle - Strength training fills out loose skin with muscle mass.
• Try alternate day fasting - Feast days in between fasts allow skin to stabilize.
• Stay hydrated - Drinking enough water helps skin elasticity.

However, even with these tweaks, loose skin is still common after major weight loss. Here are some ways you can treat and tighten loose skin after fasting and weight loss.

Medical Treatments for Loose Skin After Weight Loss

Surgical Options

If you have a large amount of loose, hanging skin that exercise cannot tighten, surgery may be an option. Procedures include:

• Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) - Removes loose abdominal skin and tightens underlying muscles.
• Lower body lift - Tightens skin around the belly, hips, thighs and buttocks.
• Arm lift (brachioplasty) - Removes loose skin under the arms.
• Thigh lift - Reshapes the thighs by removing loose skin.
• Breast lift - Removes excess skin and raises breasts.

These procedures require general anesthesia, incisions to remove skin, and carry risks like infection and scarring. Recovery time can take 2-4 weeks as well. Consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon if interested in body contouring surgery after major weight loss.

Injectable Fillers

Dermal fillers like Juvederm and Restylane that are commonly used for facial rejuvenation can also be used to add volume under loose skin. Areas like the cheeks, temples, lower face, hands and decollete can benefit from subtle injections to fill out loose skin from weight loss and aging.

Fillers provide an instant plumping effect that can lift saggy areas, with minimal downtime. However, results are temporary, lasting 6 months to 2 years depending on the area treated and product used. Maintenance injections are needed.

Non-Invasive Options for Tightening Loose Skin

There are also many non-surgical options to gradually improve skin tone and elasticity to smooth and tighten loose skin after weight loss:

Retinoids

Topical retinoids like tretinoin (Retin-A) and over-the-counter retinol creams boost collagen production and skin cell turnover. This can thicken the dermis over time, improving skin elasticity. Using retinoids consistently for at least 3-6 months provides the best results.

AHAs and BHAs

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like glycolic and lactic acid as well as beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) like salicylic acid are chemical exfoliants. By shedding dull surface skin cells, chemical exfoliation reveals brighter, smoother skin. This helps reducing the appearance of loose skin or cellulite.

Lasers and Energy-Based Devices

Non-invasive devices that deliver targeted energy can stimulate collagen and tighten loose skin. Options include:

• Radiofrequency devices like Thermage - Heats deeper skin layers.
• High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) - Ultrasound energy penetrates and lifts skin.
• Fractional lasers - Creates microinjuries to stimulate collagen.
• Pulsed dye laser - Targets elastin to firm skin.

Multiple treatments are needed to see optimal tightening over time. Mild redness or swelling can occur but zero downtime is required.

Microneedling

Microneedling with shorter needle lengths (0.5-2.5mm) creates tiny channels in the skin that trigger collagen remodeling. This can improve skin texture, elasticity and firmness. Performing microneedling radiofrequency for heating deeper tissue provides even better tightening.

Home Remedies to Firm Loose Skin

There are also some natural, DIY remedies you can try at home to improve loose, crepey skin:

• Dry brushing - Brushing skin with a stiff, dry brush promotes circulation and lymph drainage to reduce fluid buildup.
• Massage - Kneading loose skin areas improves blood flow and tone.
• Gelatin - Consuming gelatin supplements or collagen peptides provides building blocks for firm skin.
• Aloe vera - This soothing gel hydrates and softens skin while stimulating collagen.
• Coconut or olive oil - Massaging oil into skin moisturizes while improving elasticity.

A healthy diet high in protein, vitamins A, C and E plus skin-supporting nutrients like silica and zinc also helps skin health.

Prevention Is the Best Loose Skin Remedy

While all of the treatments above can improve loose skin after fasting weight loss, prevention is the best solution. Here are some tips to help avoid or minimize loose skin during your weight loss journey:

• Stay hydrated - Drink plenty of water to maintain skin elasticity.
• Moisturize - Using rich creams nourishes and protects skin.
• Build muscle - Resistance training fills out loose areas with toned muscle.
• Lose weight gradually - Aim for 1-2 pounds per week maximum for skin to adapt.
• Eat a healthy diet - Get plenty of protein plus vitamins A, C, E and zinc.

Being patient is also key. It can take up to 2 years for your skin to fully recover and tighten after major weight loss like from fasting. Combining a healthy lifestyle with the treatments above will help you achieve your body goals with firmer, more toned skin.

While fasting can accelerate weight loss, dramatic slim-downs can leave loose skin in their wake. However, with time and the right skin care regimen, you can smooth and tighten sagging areas. Patience and persistence are necessary, since it took time for your skin to lose elasticity from weight changes. But using the tips above helps fasting dieters reduce, prevent or fix loose skin.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.