How to help sagging skin

Why does skin start to sag?

Facial sagging involves more than the skin's surface. Aging changes the soft tissues and reduces cheek fat, contributing to more prominent folds around the nose and mouth. On the upper arms, changes in skin elasticity with age, substantial weight loss and genetic factors can leave loose skin. These differences matter: improving muscle tone and removing excess skin are different jobs.25

How to protect skin from further sun damage

Sunscreen helps prevent premature skin aging caused by ultraviolet rays. Choose broad spectrum protection, which covers UVA and UVB rays, with SPF 30 or higher and water resistance. For sensitive skin, a mineral sunscreen containing zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or both is a suitable choice.3

1. 1Apply sunscreen to dry, uncovered skin 15 minutes before going outdoors, including on cloudy days.
2. 2Use at least 1 teaspoon for your face. Most adults need about 1 ounce to cover all exposed skin, with more needed depending on body size.
3. 3Cover your exposed neck, ears and other uncovered areas, not just your face.
4. 4Reapply approximately every two hours outdoors and after swimming or sweating, following the bottle's directions.

Add shade and protective clothing because sunscreen alone cannot fully protect skin. Avoid tanning beds: their ultraviolet light contributes to wrinkling as well as skin cancer.3

Can red light help loose facial skin?

Red light therapy uses red or near infrared light without an invasive procedure. Facial improvements can range from subtle to noticeable, including improvements in loose skin, wrinkles and rough texture. Home devices are less powerful than the red light used by dermatologists. Dermatologists usually use red light alongside other treatments rather than as the entire plan.1

Ask a dermatologist whether red light suits your treatment goals before buying. Choose an FDA cleared device intended for the concern you want to treat. Use the device regularly, following its own instructions for session length and frequency. Wear the specified eye protection whenever instructed; sunglasses are not a substitute.1

There is no settled home treatment schedule or reliable deadline for tightening loose skin. Results take time, some people see none, and maintaining improvement requires further treatments as skin continues to age. The ideal amount of light and long term safety remain uncertain.1

Talk to a dermatologist first if you have darker skin, a condition that makes you sensitive to light, or take medication that increases light sensitivity. Visible light can cause dark spots in darker skin tones. Temporary mild pain and skin irritation are possible side effects.1

What helps sagging neck skin?

Protect your exposed neck from ultraviolet damage with sunscreen, shade and clothing. Sun protection belongs on the neck as well as the face, despite the face getting most of the bathroom shelf. For existing neck looseness, ask a dermatologist to examine the area and discuss realistic treatment goals; the facial red light results described above are not neck specific.13

How can you help sagging arm skin?

Resistance training improves upper arm muscle tone, but it cannot tighten loose skin. For substantial excess skin, brachioplasty, also called an arm lift, removes skin and tightens supporting tissue. Liposuction can be added to remove fat deposits; its role is fat removal rather than removing excess skin.2

An arm lift is worth discussing if your weight is stable, you do not smoke and you can accept a scar that typically runs along the upper arm. Medical conditions that increase surgical risks affect suitability. Risks include infection, bleeding, wound separation, excessive scarring and nerve damage.2

The change in arm shape is visible immediately after surgery. Swelling and bruising can take a few weeks to settle. Recovery involves wound care, a compression garment for several weeks and avoiding heavy lifting or strenuous exercise for a period set by your surgeon. Scars can fade but never disappear completely. Further aging or large weight changes can bring back looseness.2

After an arm lift, contact your surgeon for abnormal swelling, excessive bleeding, fever, discharge, uncontrolled pain or changes in arm or hand sensation or movement. Chest pain or shortness of breath also requires immediate medical attention.2

Can face exercises help sagging skin?

Some facial exercise results are encouraging, but a dependable lifting effect remains uncertain. In a group of 50 women, using a Pao facial exercise device for 30 seconds twice daily over eight weeks increased some facial muscle measurements and changed jawline measurements. The device is held with the lips and rocked by nodding the head, giving facial exercise a surprisingly large equipment department.5

Across 12 studies involving 321 women, reported improvements were limited to particular areas, such as the cheeks, jawline and eye area. Small studies, differing methods and the absence of male participants leave the benefits uncertain. There is no standardized routine to recommend for sagging skin.4

Gua sha and jade rollers are massage tools, not established methods for lasting structural lifting, however well they photograph. Treat exercises and massage as optional rather than replacements for a treatment aimed at substantial looseness.4