PHOTO CREDIT: DEBBIE EGAN-CHIN/NY DAILY NEWS FEATURING MATT DIAZ
People that age are not the only ones with the issue of sagging skin. Those who experience rapid and extreme weight loss can also deal with several pounds of sagging skin that never seems to bounce back.
In the image above a young, 22 year old Matt Diaz from Brooklyn had lost 270 lbs. Eventually he had such an excessive amount of skin as a result of his weight loss that he felt most comfortable having it surgically removed. You can read more about his journey in the Daily News HERE.
I had tried to reach out to Matthew last year when he bravely exposed himself while trying to crowd fund his surgery. I tried to explain to him that he's got so many factors in his favor that might help him prevent having to go through such an extreme surgery. His young age means there's a lot of elasticity still available to work with in his skin. There are devices out there now that are also less extreme like the one my friend Ghada Abuhakmeh introduced me from Pollagen that could have definitely tightened his skin in after a series of sessions or the cavitation machines that also bust fat and tighten skin (not the cheap Chinese ones you can find on ebay!!!)
Don't get me wrong. I'm not against surgery. It's just surgery as dramatic as what this young man had to endure can be risky. I'm sure Matt is discovering that surgery that is this extensive is also very difficult to recover from. At least he has youth on his side and I wish him all of the happiness he thinks this will bring him.
The reason I bring up skin tightening is that whether you have loose skin from aging or weight loss there are several non-invasive remedies to try first before going under the knife. It all comes down to nutrients and circulation. I bring up this topic as I too personally have dropped two dress sizes since January. I'm not going to tell you how as I have ten more sizes to go and this is not what this entry is about. Trust me, there will be plenty of me left, but the side effect of the sagging skin that has already occurred is not cute.
Here are my top 5 remedies to help sagging skin from head to toe:
1. Eat foods with Vitamin C. C is essential in collagen building. Check out my past entry on C HERE. I also personally promote lyposheric C
for maximum c absorption.2. Get tons of body wraps or do your own at home. Seaweed body wrap
s, heck even wraps from the MLM "It Works
" will help to tighten, soften and eliminate excess water, toxins and even inches from your body while promoting elasticity. Doing them on a bi-weekly basis can be the most effective, but make sure you drink TONS of fresh, clean water throughout the process. I have some clients that are also HUGE fans of the korean skincare product 23 yrs old Body Shaper
. Can't manage doing your own wrap? Elizabeth Arden spas have an economic price going on body wraps or you could just search groupon until you find one. They're everywhere!3. SCRUB! It's important to increase circulation on the surface of the skin whether it's through dry brushing, korean exfoliating mitt
brushing or using any device to increase circulation. IT'S ALL ABOUT CIRCULATION! This should be a daily ritual. Can't do your own? Find a cheap Korean spa who will!4. MOISTURIZE! Dry skin is a fast track to aging. When collagen loses moisture, especially as we age, it actually breaks. Forget the stretching of the rubber band. This collagen/ elastin is broken. The best moisturizer you can use is Shea butter. Oils don't moisturize, but if you use a combo scrub oil in the shower you will also see the benefits of more supple and elastic skin. I love the smell of the strawberry scrub from Simple Sugars or you can try this invigorating organic coffee scrub.
5. MICRONEEDLING- I have been practicing this method for MANY years now - long before it was ever sold on ebay via China. Microneedling also known by many other names such as dermarolling helps to stimulate collagen. There are tons of rollers out there. I recommend you leave your face to the pros. You can incur a lot of damage if you don't use the right roller. As for body, needling is AMAZING for stretch marks and sagging skin. There's a cheap needling set on Amazon, but PLEASE don't use it on your face! Most of the online sites do not carry the correct needles for the face. They cut and tear the skin vs stimulate the collagen. There are TONS of videos on youTube if you search dermarolling or microneedling and want to find out more.
Keep in mind shrinking and tightening your skin is HARD work, but persistence will help pay off. If you're in the process of losing weight or even if your skin has lost its bounce these remedies will be sure to help bring some spring back into that skin!
*Please note these are only recommendations. Speak to a doctor or professional before attempting or beginning any program.
