Bariatric surgical procedures are the last resort for people who have been long struggling to lose weight but in vain. These procedures can be of many types; gastric sleeve surgery happens to be one of them. It is touted as a permanent weight loss solution, provided you take proper care of your body after that. Although the success rate of bariatric surgery is high, it brings some side effects, especially when it comes to your skin.
As this surgery removes excess weight from your body, your skin starts to look saggy and loose. Depending on your age, your skin may not be elastic enough to reciprocate the weight loss. A loose or saggy skin may make you look older than your age. But fret not, there are some effective ways you can retain the elasticity of your skin.
Hydration is the Key
If you do not want to lose the overall elasticity of your skin after bariatric surgery, you must stay hydrated inside out. Proper hydration cannot be overstated when it comes to maintaining the elasticity of your skin. Rapid weight loss tends to shrink skin cells and dehydrate them, adding to wrinkling and excessive sagging.
You must drink at least 2-3 litres of water daily to ensure the cells of your skin function optimally. Besides this, make your skin moisturised and hydrated externally by using a high-quality moisturiser and avoiding harsh soaps.
Eat More Protein
Protein is an excellent source of collagen that keeps your skin tight and prevents sagging. As you lose weight, your body requires a good amount of protein to rebuild and repair the collagen fibres and keep the skin firm and elastic.
Include 60-120 grams of protein a day. You can consume it from lean sources, such as lean meat, protein shakes, eggs, poultry, fish, lentils, and more.
Consume More Antioxidants
Antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E, are essential for neutralising free radicals that accelerate skin ageing and damaged collagen. You can include antioxidants in the form of a diet and also use cosmetics that comprise them.
We recommend filling your plate with topical treatments. Eat berries, leafy green vegetables, sweet potatoes, peppers, citrus fruits, and other supplements, and you will notice a better appearance of your skin.
Get Your Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are essential for keeping your skin supple and moisturised and preventing excessive sagging and wrinkling. Ensure to include moderate amounts of plant-based oils, such as olive, avocado, and nut oils, and oily fish, such as salmon, nuts, and seeds in your post-op diet.
Tone Up the Muscles
Besides focusing on a good diet, you need to join a gym and tone up your muscles to get rid of excessively sagging skin. While loose skin may not fully shrink back to the older version, you may still notice some positive changes in its appearance.
Focus more on strength training all the major muscle groups at least 2-3 times a week to prevent the loss of muscles. Over time, you will notice tightness in the skin. At the same time, we would recommend you avoid extreme weight loss as losing more than 1-2 pounds per week may lead to excessive sagging of deflated skin. Start slow and take baby steps.
Practice Yoga
Besides toning up your muscles with strength training, we advise you to practice yoga and strengthen your core muscles. Yoga helps negate stress and improve the flexibility of your body which eventually improves the appearance of the skin. You can try yoga three times a week for the best results.
Opt for Massage Therapy
It may be an unpopular opinion, but massage therapy may help target sagging skin and improve its appearance. A stimulating massage therapy session invigorates your skin and muscles. A massage helps tighten the skin and relax and de-stress your body. However, you need to be consistent while practicing massage therapy to see better results.
Consider Body Contouring Options
When the above-listed solutions do not come to your rescue, you can opt for body contouring options to get rid of sagging skin. It is an effective treatment for individuals experiencing significant sagging skin after bariatric surgery.
- Tummy Tuck: This surgical procedure removes excess skin and fat from the abdominal area and tightens skin muscles, thereby creating a smoother, firmer abdomen.
- Arm Lift: Also known as brachioplasty removes excess skin and fat from the upper arms, providing a more toned and youthful appearance.
- Thigh Lift: This procedure removes excess skin and fat from the thighs, resulting in improved contour and firmness.
- Breast Lift: Also known as mastopexy, this procedure addresses sagging breasts by removing excess skin and reshaping the breasts to a more youthful position.
- Lower Body Lift: It is a comprehensive procedure that targets sagging skin in various areas, such as buttocks, abdomen, hips, and thighs. This procedure offers a complete body transformation by removing excess skin and tightening the underlying tissues.
Takeaway
In the end, you have to be patient with the above-listed solutions as they tend to show results in time.