Nearly 50 percent of us have gained weight during the pandemic, but others have gone the opposite way and slimmed down. Those who have experienced extreme weight loss may now find themselves with sagging skin. During lockdown, enquiries to Transform Hospital Group for abdominoplasty increased 465 percent, while arm lifts saw a 283 percent increase and thigh lift enquires went up by 156 percent for those wanting to remove excess skin and achieve a tighter physique. Express.co.uk chatted to Mr Mabroor Bhattyat, Consultant Cosmetic Surgeon at Transform Hospital Group (THG), to find out why sagging skin can occur and the three things that can be done to help.
Loose skin can be extremely uncomfortable and can affect people’s confidence, appearance and quality of life.
However, if you want to lose a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time, it’s inevitable.
Mr Bhattyat said: “Collagen and elastin make up a big part of our skin’s structure.
“Collagen helps with the skin’s firmness and texture, while elastin is responsible for the skin’s elasticity which helps it stay tight.
“However, when we gain weight, our skin expands. When it has been stretched for a long period of time, the collagen and elastin fibres can become damaged.
“This can mean that when someone then loses a significant amount of weight, the skin is unable to ‘snap back’ and instead hangs from the body.”
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On top of lifestyle changes, there are three surgical procedures that will help.
Mr Bhattyat said: “There are several surgical interventions and body contouring procedures that can help combat this.
“At Transform Hospital Group we offer a range of treatments and procedures and work with each individual on their desired results.”
Three options include:
Tummy tucks
A tummy tuck, also called an abdominoplasty, is a procedure that results in a firmer and smoother stomach.
It can benefit those who don’t like the shape of their stomach after they have lost a significant amount of weight and are left with loose skin.
Lifts
After significant weight loss, some may find the skin on various parts of their body changes and may become loose and sag.
Surgery can help tighten these areas to achieve a smoother and more contoured shape by reducing extra skin, tightening and smoothing tissue and removing extra fat.
Microneedling
Microneedling is also known as Collagen Induction Therapy.
It is a minimally invasive treatment designed to enhance skin tone and texture and encourage the stimulation of collagen and elastin production through the use of needles that create tiny holes in the skin.
A skin solution tailored to your skincare needs is then applied.
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