For small to moderate amounts of weight loss, your skin will likely retract on its own. Natural home remedies may help too. However, more significant weight loss may need body-contouring surgery or other medical procedures to tighten or get rid of loose skin.
Loose skin is usually a byproduct of losing a lot of weight quickly. Because skin is a living organ, it can tighten up some over time. Age, the length of time excess weight was present, and genetics all play a role in how much your skin can tighten.
“In general, it can take anywhere from weeks to months—even years,” says Dr. Chen. If after one to two years skin is still loose, it may not get any tighter, she says.
However, larger amounts of weight loss, such as 50 pounds and over, especially over a short period, can considerably increase your risk of loose skin. Your genetics and age will also play an important role in determining how much weight loss causes loose skin.
You can go the nonsurgical route and add firming creams or facial exercises to your skincare routine. There are also cosmetic procedures that provide quicker results, such as laser surfacing or ultrasound skin tightening. To find the best solution for you, consult a board-certified dermatologist.
The most effective way to remove the excess skin is through cosmetic surgery, in one or more of an array of procedures known as body contouring. And those who do shed the extra skin generally fare better than those who don't, both psychologically and physiologically.
When you lose a lot of weight, such as 100 pounds or more, your skin may not be elastic enough to shrink back to its natural shape. This can cause the skin to sag and hang, especially around the upper face, arms, stomach, breasts, and buttocks. Some people don't like the way this skin looks.
If you drop large amounts of weight, especially from quick reductions in belly fat, it is possible you will have some extra skin left behind. Prolonged periods of obesity can stretch your skin, eventually damaging the collagen and elastin that help keep your skin tight.
For small to moderate amounts of weight loss, your skin will likely retract on its own. Natural home remedies may help too. However, more significant weight loss may need body-contouring surgery or other medical procedures to tighten or get rid of loose skin.
Excess skin can appear when you lose between 40 and 50 pounds. A dramatic weight loss of 100 plus pounds will almost certainly result in loose skin. If you drop 20 pounds or less, your skin will not produce excess, much less get so loose as to hang off your torso and limbs.
So who can expect loose skin after weight loss? While it varies, mild weight loss (think: 20 pounds or less) typically doesn't lead to excess skin, Zuckerman says. Weight loss of 40 to 50 pounds can seem as massive as a weight loss of 100+ pounds.
If the skin has been stretched out by extra fat for an extended period of time, the skin may lose some of its capacity to contract when the body loses fat. It is possible to reduce the appearance of loose skin by making up for the fat that has been lost through increased muscle mass.
Lose Weight Slowly
Rapid weight loss can result in loose skin because the body doesn't have the proper amount of time adjusting to the new changes. When you lose weight slowly, your skin has time to adapt and shrink at a healthy pace. Most experts recommend losing 2 pounds or less a week to maintain healthy skin.
Does everyone have loose skin after major weight loss? Nope—it's not inevitable, says Dr. Prachand. But it's also not easy to predict who is going to experience it, he says.
“Your skin may not contract back to its smaller shape if weight is lost too quickly.” This inability for the skin to contract as well as it once would have, due to the weakening of the fibers over time, is what leads to excess or saggy skin during weight loss.
Regular exercise, including cardio and strength training, will help you maintain your weight and tone your body. It also may help your skin look tighter. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about extra skin.
Answer: Weight of skin
The extra skin does not usually weigh that much. It typically weighs between 3 and 8 pounds. Of course some patients have larger pieces of skin removed, but on average, I would guess you would have a 3 pound piece of skin removed.
Amount of weight lost: As you can imagine, the more weight you've lost, the more likely you are to have loose skin. Someone who has lost 30 pounds may not have any loose skin, while someone who has lost 100 pounds or more is more likely to experience hanging skin.
Build as much muscle as possible. When you build muscle, your skin naturally looks tighter. It may not actually get tighter, but it will definitely give the appearance of being tighter. Focus on doing exercises like bench presses, squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, military presses, and so on.