How to get rid of excess skin after weight loss: Effective home remedies and medical treatments       

Excess skin hanging around your waist or arms are some common side effects of weight loss.

Even though it’s quite normal and does no harm, it can be uncomfortable and sometimes cause chafing – a condition where extra skin rubs together and leads to an itchy and painful rash. It can also make your body appear saggy and old.

The good news is that you can get rid of excess skin by following certain home remedies and medical treatments.

5 ways to get rid of excess skin after weight loss

Several things can help tighten lose skin. (Photo via Freepik/jcomp)

There are some simple things you can try at home to tighten extra skin after weight loss. You can also go for certain medical treatments for the same.

While you won’t be able to prevent loose skin if you are continuing to lose significant amounts of weight, you can reduce its appearance and prevent as much sagging as possible.

Here are a few effective tips on how to tighten loose skin:

Home remedies

Maintain a regular exercise routine

A regular strength training routine can help you maintain your weight, build strong muscles and also reduce extra skin from your body. Exercise can help with sagging skin and help you build lean muscle mass along the way. Strength training can keep extra pounds off, too.

If you have extra skin from a recent pregnancy, consult a doctor before starting with any weight training program as there could be some moves that you should avoid.

Exercise regularly to tone up your body. (Photo via Freepik)

Focus on your diet

Consuming micronutrients and macronutrients are also important to achieve a well-toned body.

Eating a diet rich in healthy fats and lean protein can support muscles and helps you build lean muscle mass. As a result, this can eliminate excess skin and give you a much more appealing appearance.

Eat a healthy diet. (Photo via Pexels/Malidate Van)

Use firming creams

Another way to reduce excess skin is to use firming creams. Unfortunately, these might not be a very effective treatment, but they can certainly improve the appearance of your body.

They can help boost collagen production in the body and improve your overall appearance. The best way to get the most out of these creams is to use them daily.

However, if you have a skin condition, talk to a doctor before applying any such cream to your body.

Firming creams can improve skin's appearance. (Photo via Pexels/Sora Shimazaki)

Wear compression garments

Compression garments can also help prevent side effects of loose skin and reduce friction from skin-to-skin contact.

Keep in mind that wearing compression garments like compression socks or other items will not improve excess skin itself, but will hold up loose skin together and reduce friction that might lead to redness or itching in the future.

Compression garments can reduce friction. (Photo via Freepik/bublikhaus)

Medical treatments for loose skin

There are several medical treatments that can help you get rid of excess skin after weight loss. But before opting for any surgical method, it is always a good idea to speak with a doctor to address the procedure’s effectiveness and side effects.

Body contouring

Body contouring is the most common surgical treatment for reducing extra skin after weight loss.

In this procedure, a large incision is made to remove excess fat and skin from the body. The doctor will also work to enhance the shape of the remaining tissue, thereby giving your body a more toned and smoother look.

Several types of body contouring surgeries can be opted for depending on the area where you have excess skin. These may include:

• breast lift
• arm lift (brachioplasty)
• tummy tuck (abdominoplasty)
• thigh lift
• lower body lift

Body contouring is a common surgical procedure to reduce excess skin. (Photo via Freepik)

Aside from body contouring, several less invasive treatment options are also available. Compared to surgical procedures, these non-invasive options have lesser risks and side effects.

Examples include radiofrequency treatment, neuromodulators, ablative laser resurfacing, and ultrasound skin tightening.

Before going for any surgical or non-invasive skin removal treatments, talk to a doctor to determine which treatment is right for your body type.