As we age, our skin begins to lose its ability to maintain the elasticity it once had. Our skin becomes thinner and loses collagen due to stress and pollution in the air, and this causes wrinkles and sagging skin.
Even though we cannot stop the natural aging process, we can perform many steps to prevent sagging skin.
What Is Sagging Skin, and What Causes It?
Sagging skin is a condition in which an individual’s skin can no longer maintain its elasticity from when they were younger. It happens when we lose collagen, the protecting layer of fat below the skin will start to sag downwards.
Many factors can cause sagging skin:
- Sun damage: The sun is the most common contributor to the loss of collagen. As we age, our skin becomes thinner, and the DNA damage caused by the sun affects the ability of cells to produce collagen.
- Smoking: When you inhale cigarette smoke or other forms of tobacco, the toxins reach your skin through your bloodstream and cause cell damage, leading to loss of collagen and elasticity. As you smoke repeatedly, the skin becomes thinner, and sagging begins to occur.
- Diet: Eating a diet high in saturated fats, sugars, and carbohydrates can increase your risk of developing heart disease, contributing to sagging skin. As we age, our body’s ability to absorb vitamins decreases, and the breakdown of cells speeds up, causing more damage to the skin.
- Increase or Decrease in Body Weight: Both weight loss and weight gain can cause sagging skin. If an individual loses or gains a significant amount of weight very quickly, then the cells cannot adjust quickly enough.
How Can We Prevent Sagging Skin?
You can make lifestyle changes to maintain your skin’s elasticity and prevent sagging skin.
1. If You Need a Quick Solution, Try Skin Tightening Machines
A laser skin tightening machine heats up the collagen fibers in your skin, making them contract. This contraction of collagen then stimulates new production.
You can use the laser on all different areas of the body, including the face, neck, hands, and chest. It can also tighten and smooth the skin under your chin and across your forehead. Lastly, it can remove signs of sun damage, such as melasma.
2. Avoid Sun Exposure with UV Protectors
If you want to avoid sagging skin, the best thing you can do is protect your skin from ultraviolet radiation. When your body is exposed to UV rays, it tries its best to heal itself, causing new collagen production.
However, if the DNA in the cells has been damaged by UV radiation, it will prevent new collagen production and cause your skin to lose elasticity.
A sunscreen with a high SPF rating of at least 30 is a great way to protect yourself from UV radiation. You can also wear sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing when you’re going to be outside for long periods.
3. Maintain a Healthy Style
As mentioned, smoking and an unhealthy diet can cause your skin to sag as you age. Maintain a healthy lifestyle by avoiding risky activities such as smoking and eating poorly to prevent sagging skin.
Include a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Avoid consuming too many unhealthy fats and sugars, or your skin cannot heal itself.
Stop smoking. If you struggle with this, you can always enroll in a smoking cessation program.
Wash your face with a gentle cleanser and moisturize with an oil-free moisturizer. If you want to save time, choose a moisturizer that has anti-aging benefits as well as SPF protection.
4. Drink Water
You’ve probably heard this one before, but it’s important: drink lots of water. Not only does water keep your kidneys healthy, it keeps you hydrated from the inside out. Drinking water can also help boost your metabolism and decrease bloating by flushing excess salt and toxins out of your body.
Be sure to drink an adequate amount of water each day (eight glasses is a good rule of thumb). You may be surprised at how much your skin improves when you include plenty of water in your diet.
5. Get Regular Exercise
When you are physically active, your muscles are given more support throughout the day, which helps to prevent sagging skin. Also, it can help you maintain a healthy body weight, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, relieve stress, and improve mood.
Include cardiovascular exercises in your weekly workout routine, such as jogging, cycling, or even hiking. You can also do resistance training to build muscle and increase collagen production.
Many things can cause sagging skin, but you can prevent it in different ways. You can always try laser skin tightening machines if you need a quick fix. But, of course, prevention is better than cure, so make sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep your skin firm and elastic for life!
