By Cradle & Tonic

How to tighten loose skin after pregnancy

Have you recently welcomed a new child into this world? Even though there is nothing better than giving birth to a child, you may be wondering how to deal with clear skin after pregnancy. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can tighten loose skin. There are dietary changes you can make, there are exercises you can perform, there are supplements you can take, and there might even be non-surgical cosmetic procedures that can help you. If you would like to learn more about your options for tightening loose skin, take a look at some helpful tips below! 

Best Tips To Tighten Your Loose Skin

Everyone's body is totally different, so your skin may not respond the same way as someone else’s. At the same time, there are several tips you can follow that may help you tighten your loose skin. If you take a well-rounded approach to the treatment of loose skin, you should place your body in the best position possible to recover following pregnancy.

A few key tips you may want to follow include: 

Eat Healthy and Drink Water

The most important thing you should do to help tighten your skin after pregnancy is to focus on your diet. It is incredibly important for you to give your body the building blocks it requires to tighten your skin once again. 

For example, you need to eat plenty of healthy fats and proteins. This is important because it will help you build muscle. If you build more lean muscle, your skin will tighten.

Furthermore, if you eat plenty of protein, you will give your body plenty of collagen. Collagen is important for giving your body the elasticity it requires. If you are breastfeeding, you need even more protein because you need to supply your newborn baby with a steady supply of milk. 

You should also drink plenty of water throughout the day. Water is important because it not only keeps your body hydrated but keeps your skin hydrated as well. If you keep your skin well hydrated, it will look more vibrant, bouncy, and elastic. Furthermore, your body's internal processes also become more efficient with a steady supply of water. If you keep water coming in, your body will not feel as pressured to retain so much water, helping you get rid of the superfluous skin pouches that may have formed during pregnancy. Make sure you think about the quality of your diet following pregnancy.

Stay Active and Exercise

In addition to eating a healthy diet, you also need to stay active and exercise regularly. Start by developing a cardio routine. Cardio is important because it can help you burn fat and tone muscle. There is a significant chance that your body is carrying a lot of extra fat following pregnancy. You can develop a regular cardio routine to burn this fat, toning your skin, which helps it tighten. Some of the most common cardio exercises include walking, jogging, swimming, and riding a bike. 

You may also want to try strength training. Strength training is important because it can help you build more lean muscle, tightening your skin. There are plenty of simple strength training exercises you can perform. For example, you may want to try push-ups, sit-ups, and crunches. If you need the motivation to work out with other people, you may want to try group classes such as yoga and pilates. You may even want to try planks, which force you to tighten your hip and core muscles, tightening your skin.

Before you develop a new exercise routine, you should talk with your doctor to make sure this is safe for you. Particularly if your pregnancy had a few complications, your doctor needs to make sure the exercises you want to perform are safe for you. If you are joining a group class, let the instructor know that you have recently given birth. That way, they can guide you during the process as you get used to a new exercise. 

Hit the Spa for a Skin Wrap

It is perfectly fine for you to treat yourself from time to time. You may want to consider visiting a spa for a skin wrap. A skin wrap can help you from your skin, but this usually only works temporarily. If you combine this with a healthier diet and exercise routine, you may see better results. There are plenty of materials used in the skin wrap. They typically include soft clay, sea salt, and sea kelp.

These wraps work by detoxifying the skin. If you can draw toxins out of your body, your skin will have an easier time forming up again. Your skin will probably feel softer after a skin wrap because it will feel better hydrated. All of this is important for helping your skin tighten following pregnancy. Remember that you need to combine this treatment option with a healthy diet and exercise routine. That way, you can develop sustainable results. 

Try Skin Tightening Cream

You may also want to try a special skin tightening cream. There are creams available that have been specifically designed to help you tighten your skin. These creams have a wide variety of ingredients that are important following pregnancy, and they could help your skin firm up.

Furthermore, your skin may feel a bit dry after pregnancy. This is particularly true if you are breastfeeding. If the skin around your nipples starts to dry and crack, you may want to use a skin balm that can help you. That way, you can reduce chafing, cracking, and bleeding. If you use a skin tightening cream, make sure you also keep your skin hydrated. A special skin balm or body oil might be the way to go. 

Collagen Supplements

Finally, you may want to consider taking collagen supplements as well. Collagen is one of the most important proteins in the body. It plays a role in connecting your tissues together, and it is also responsible for the elasticity of the skin. If you want your skin to tighten, you need it to be more elastic. Therefore, you may want to consider using collagen supplements that can give your body the nutrients it requires to tighten your skin once again.

If you plan on taking collagen supplements, you should take a close look at the ingredients. Make sure there's nothing in the supplement that you are allergic to, and you may want to read a few reviews to see what other people think about that specific supplement brand. Even though collagen supplements can be helpful for you, you need to understand exactly what you are putting in your body. Reading the ingredient list and checking out a few reviews is a great place to start.

These are a few of the top tips you should follow if you are looking for a way to tighten loose skin after pregnancy. It may take some time for your skin to tighten again, but as long as you are persistent, you should see results. At the same time, there are situations where you may need something a bit stronger to help you tighten loose skin after pregnancy. 

Nonsurgical Cosmetic Procedures

If you have tried everything above and you are still looking for better results, then you may want to check out non-surgical cosmetic procedures. These are procedures that have been specifically designed to help your skin tighten. A few of your options include:

  • Ultrasound Skin Tightening: This is a procedure that uses ultrasound energy, targeting the skin underneath the surface. It uses the same sound of waves that are used in the ultrasound scans you received during pregnancy. This technology has been used in medicine for a long time, and it is incredibly safe. If you are looking for a procedure that can tighten your skin while also addressing signs of aging, this could be the best option for you.
  • Radio Frequency Skin Tightening: You may also want to check out radio frequency skin tightening. Similar to Ultrasound treatment, radio frequency treatments deliver energy underneath the surface to trigger the production of collagen. This can help your skin tighten. This is particularly effective at smoothing your skin and reducing the need for a lift in the future. The treatment is safe for all skin types. 
  • Intense Pulsed Light and Radiofrequency Combination: Finally, a third treatment option combines intense pulsed light and radio frequency. The goal is to heat skin farther beneath the surface, inducing the body's natural healing response. This can increase the amount of collagen production, helping you tighten your skin. There are numerous treatment options available, and you should work with a professional who can customize this to meet your needs. This procedure can still be performed in an office setting with a minimal recovery process. 

These are just a few of the many non-surgical cosmetic treatment options available. You should work with a professional who can help you consider the benefits and drawbacks of each individual choice so you can make the best possible decision for your needs.

Surgical Cosmetic Procedures

If you are willing to try something a bit more invasive, then you may be interested in surgical cosmetic procedures as well. One of the most common examples is an abdominoplasty. This is usually called tummy tuck surgery, and the entire goal of this procedure is to remove excess skin. During this procedure, a trained plastic surgeon will tighten your muscles, remove skin flaps, and make sure your skin is tight; however, this is not necessarily a permanent option.

If you do not make changes in your diet and exercise, you could end up gaining weight even after the procedure. Therefore, your skin could become loose again. That is why it is important for you to develop a diet and exercise routine you can follow before you try surgical cosmetic procedures.

If you decide this is right for you, you need to collect referrals from your primary care doctor, family members, and friends who may be able to find a plastic surgeon you can work with. You need your plastic surgeon to clearly understand your goals so you are happy with the outcome of the procedure. 

Keep in mind that surgical procedures always have their risks. Even though the vast majority of plastic surgeons have a tremendous amount of experience performing this procedure, there will be some recovery time after the operation. This could include a short hospital stay, physical therapy, and possible time off work. 

Ultimately, there are plenty of options available if you are looking for a way to tighten your skin following pregnancy. Even though pregnancy is a beautiful thing, it may take your skin some time to tighten up again. Make sure you have a healthy diet and exercise routine, and think about products and supplements that may be able to help you tighten your skin.

Frequently Asked Questions 

There are several common questions people have about dealing with loose skin following pregnancy. A few common questions include:

Does loose skin tighten back up after pregnancy?

Yes, loose skin will tighten back up after pregnancy, but you need to work hard to make this happen. You need to develop a comprehensive diet and exercise routine that will help you restore lean muscle mass that may have been lost during pregnancy. Furthermore, you may have to burn some excess fat that developed during pregnancy as well. The harder you are willing to work at it, the faster your skin will tighten. You should try to eat plenty of lean protein, perform some strength training, and engage in cardiac exercises every day. This will help your loose skin return to its original shape following pregnancy. 

How long to tighten your loose skin after pregnancy?

There are a lot of factors that will play a role in how long it takes your skin to tighten following pregnancy. For example, if you gave birth to twins or triplets, then you are probably carrying more excess weight than someone who only had one child. Therefore, it may take your skin longer to tighten after pregnancy. Furthermore, you need to focus on your diet and exercise routine. If you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly, then your skin should tighten back up more quickly. Finally, you may want to take a look at products that can help you tighten your skin as well. This could include skin balm, skin tightening cream, and collagen supplements. 

Can you tone loose skin after pregnancy? 

Yes, it is possible for you to tone loose skin after pregnancy. What this means is that you are going to build lean muscle mass underneath the surface of your skin. That way, your skin will appear tighter. If you want to tone loose skin after pregnancy, you need to develop a comprehensive exercise routine. This should include cardiac exercises and weight training. The weights do not have to be heavy, but you should go for higher repetitions with a lower weight. This will help you build lean muscle mass. Then, if you combine this with cardiac exercises, you can burn excess fat as well. All of this can help you tone loose skin after pregnancy.