Women Fitness

Women Fitness is an exhaustive resource on exercise for women, workouts for women, strength training, Zumba, HIIT, weight loss, workout, fitness tips, yoga, pregnancy.

  • Member’s Login
  • 150 Countries
  • Health & Fitness
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Digital Magazine
  • Shopping
  • Print Magazine
    • Follow
    • Subscribe

Real Weight Loss Stories, Weight Loss

Lose Weight, Loose Skin? Not so Fast!

July 20, 2021 By Namita Nayyar (WF Team)

By:  Charlene Bazarian 

There is an undeniable fascination with weight loss success stories.  The dramatic before and after transformations are a popular staple in magazines, social media, and television.  These success stories continue to be featured in countless mediums; some spark motivation and others simply pique a reader’s curiosity.  In recent years, there has been a flurry of articles detailing a “dark side” of weight loss.  These articles showcase the “after” photos of people who lost weight only to end up with dramatic loose folds of excess skin. 

Before

charlene

Having lost and kept off nearly 100 pounds myself, I can tell you that on the heels of “How did you do it?” the second most frequent question I am asked is, “Did your skin sag?”  I try to ease people’s fears by clarifying that sagging and excess skin is not necessarily a given byproduct of weight loss and should not be a deterrent to achieving weight loss goals.  I explain that my own empirical evidence indicates that a lot of factors contribute to why skin may sag after losing a substantial amount of weight:  How long a person has been overweight; how quickly the weight was lost; the type of exercise program used (cardio vs. weight training); and plain old genetics all play a part.  

After

charlene
Photo Credit: Dana Lane

Loose Skin: Expert Tips to Prevent It

While sagging skin is a healthier problem to have than being overweight, it can be yet another disincentive for some people to begin a weight loss journey.  While I have my opinions from my own experience, I spoke with dermatologists at Clearview Dermatology to gather some expert tips and advice on ways to minimize and help prevent skin sagging.  Steven Franks, MD, a Board-certified dermatologist, explains that losing fat slowly is key.  Dr. Franks goes on to say that “People who lose weight rapidly, either through aggressive dieting, bariatric surgery or because of underlying medical issues are more likely to experience ‘sagging’.” 

Surprisingly, an important factor to consider, according to Dr. Franks is the impact and significance of pre-existing chronic sun-related skin damage on how the skin may respond to weight loss.  “Places like the face, forearms, arms, thighs, and legs tend to droop more rapidly and dramatically than non-sun exposed skin.”   Shiu-chung Au, MD, also a board-certified dermatologist at Clearview Dermatology, agrees that avoiding sun exposure is crucial.   Dr. Au explains that UV exposure will photo age you and he recommends using a broad-spectrum sunblock with an SPF of 30 or greater and wearing a wide-brimmed hat when you venture outdoors.  Dr. Au recommends avoiding indoor tanning as well.  

However, the news is not all bad.  In addition to beginning regular and aggressive sun-protection as early as possible with the use of clothing and sunscreens, Dr. Franks explains that there are non-surgical treatments that can be helpful. Over-the-counter retinols may offer some benefit, but prescription retinoids, like Tretinoin and Tazarotene, when used regularly, can be effective to encourage skin rejuvenation and restore damaged collagen and elastic fibers according to Dr. Franks.  This, he advises, however, needs to be done consistently over a period of months to years. The stimulation of new collagen growth, Franks continues, “can be achieved with certain lasers, microneedling (my practice at Clearview Dermatology uses and has shown promising results with the Vivace device), and fillers with calcium hydroxyapatite (Radiesse).”

Your Diet & Skin Appearance

Not surprisingly, what you put in, and on your body, can impact your skin’s appearance.  Dr. Au recommends stopping smoking and limiting alcohol intake as it tends to dry out the skin.  Using a daily moisturizer, ideally one with an SPF of 30 or greater, is also something Dr. Au recommends to his patients.  In addition, Dr. Au explains that some dermatologists, like Clearview Dermatology, offer mild skin-tightening procedures for loose skin using lasers, ultrasound, or radiofrequency treatments.  

When training for a competition, bodybuilders often shed body fat as well and yet present a toned, tight, “shrink-wrapped” appearance on stage. I sought advice from IFBB Pro and Ms. Olympia Champion, Carla Dunlap-Kaan and she shared what has worked for her over the years.  Dunlap-Kaan explains that going too low in carbs and fats for too long a period of time, can have a detrimental effect on your hair, skin, and other organs.  While bodybuilders certainly restrict their diet to prepare for a show or competition, it is not something to sustain as a lifestyle.  She also believes eating fish, rich in Omega-3’s, can be beneficial.  Dunlap-Kaan also credits her skin’s appearance to dry skin brushing, using a Japanese washcloth when bathing to exfoliate and stimulate circulation, and says she ALWAYS uses an emollient moisturizer all over her body. “Oh, and one more thing….” she teased, “choose your parents well!”  

Losing weight and getting fit can be challenging enough, don’t let extreme examples of loose skin discourage you.  While it is natural to want extra weight to disappear quickly when it comes to weight loss and skin tone and appearance, remember slow, steady, and prepared wins the race!


About the author:  Charlene Bazarian is a fitness and weight loss success story after losing 100 pounds. She mixes her no-nonsense style of fitness advice with humor on her blog at Fbjfit.com and on Facebook at FBJ Fit.



Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Download Women Fitness App

Namita Nayyar
President
Women Fitness
Launches First Book

A rare insight into the life of 15 Track and Field Women World and Olympic Champions


Paperback Edition



Kindle Edition

Digital Magazine Sign-Up

NewsLetter Sign-Up

 

Digital Magazine Available On

Available On Readly App

Available On Magzter

Advertise With Us


Categories

  • Beauty & Fashion
  • Building Strength
  • Calorie Catch
  • Celebrities
  • Diet & Optimum Nutrition
  • Disease Management
  • Exercise & fitness
  • Fertility & Pregnancy
  • Good health
  • Motivation Point
  • Weight Loss
  • Sexual Health
  • Target Abs
  • Women at 40
  • Yoga & Meditation
  • Others








Women Fitness App
Download Women Fitness App


  • facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr

JOIN WF

  • Newsletter Signup
  • Why WF
  • Advertise With Us
  • Digital Magazine
  • Print Magazine

Absolutely Free

  • WF Categories
  • Fitness Tools
  • Low Calorie Recipes
  • Calorie Catch
  • WF Entertainment

All About Us

  • About Namita
  • Team
  • Achievements
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us

© by Womenfitness.net 1999–2022. All rights reserved.

All Categories

  • What’s New
  • Weight Loss
    • Obesity
    • Low Calorie Recipes
    • Real Weight Loss Stories
    • Fitness Tools
    • Daily Tip
    • Fitness Analysis
    • Motivation of the Day
  • Exercise
    • Body building
    • Fitness for Models
    • Target Abs
    • Women At 40
    • Motivation Point
  • Healthy Eating
    • Calorie Catch
    • Disease Management
    • Good health
    • Herbs
  • Beauty & Fashion
    • Eye Care
    • Hair Care
    • Hand & Foot Care
    • Make Up
    • Skin Care
    • Beauty Tip
  • Celebrities
    • Actresses
    • Celebrities & Fitness Trainers
    • Sportswomen
    • Celebrity List
  • Pregnancy
    • Fertility & Conception
    • Health During Pregnancy
    • Getting Back to Normal
    • Problems in Pregnancy
    • Due Date calculator
    • Sexual Health
  • Yoga
    • Beauty & Yoga
    • Yoga during Pregnancy
    • Meditation Point
    • The Yogic Diet
    • Weight loss Yoga
    • Yog – Asanas
    • Yoga & Disease Management
    • Yoga in Action
  • Contact
    • About Namita
    • Our Team
    • Advertize with Us
    • FAQ
    • Message Board
    • Contact Us
  • Shopping
    • Book & Mag. Store
    • Fitness Apparels
    • Fitness Music
    • Fitness Dvd’s
    • Maternity Store
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • Health Care Store
    • Natural Health Foods
    • Herbs & Spices
    • Beauty Shop
    • Jewelry Store
    • Flowers
    • Health Care Equip.
    • Diet & Nutrition
    • Health Mobile Apps
    • Sex Lubes Store
  • More
    • Testimonials
    • Awards
    • WF Links
    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Disclaimer
    • News
    • Member’s Area
    • Reviews

Follow

  • facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr