False Claims: Debunking 5 Myths About Sagging or Loose Skin

Aside from fine lines and wrinkles, sagging skin is also a top aging concern many people wish to improve or treat. And it is easy to understand why. Apart from it making you look sad or tired, sagginess can also add years to your appearance or make you look older than you really are.

Learning more about what causes it can help you deal with this sign of aging or even prevent it from worsening. One good way to start is by debunking the five most common myths about sagging skin.

1. Running causes your skin to sag.

Physical activities like running won’t make your skin sag or look a lot older. Exercise has a lot of health benefits, which include reducing your risk of diseases and improving blood flow to nourish your skin cells. Running as a workout, in fact, helps deliver more nutrients and oxygen to your skin, which is beneficial in giving it a glowing appearance. 

Certain environmental factors that go along with running, however, can sometimes damage the skin and contribute to premature aging. This is especially true with excessive sun exposure when running outdoors. 

So, what can you do to avoid this? The use of broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher helps, but be sure to choose a formula that is also water and sweat-resistant. You can also choose to run when the sun is not shining so bright, but you still need to wear SPF regardless of the weather.

2. Losing weight can firm and tighten the skin.

Shedding excess weight is always good for your overall health. It, however, cannot firm and tighten sagging skin. Extreme or significant weight loss, in fact, is one of the main causes of loose skin. When the skin is overly stretched due to weight gain, it can damage the collagen and elastin fibers and affect the skin’s ability to retract. 

Loose or sagging skin, however, shouldn’t discourage you from losing excess weight. The good news is there are several procedures, surgical and non-surgical, that can help contour your body or reduce loose skin. This will depend on the amount of excess or sagging skin you have after losing weight.

3. Facial fillers can reverse sagging skin.

It is easy to assume that fillers can fix sagging skin because they can restore volume loss or fill out deflated areas of the face. And while it is true that they can plump up and lift the face, as well as reduce other signs of aging, dermal fillers cannot restore skin elasticity, which is a major contributor to sagging skin. 

These injectables can give you a more youthful appearance, but you can’t solely depend on them to treat sagging skin. You can, however, pair fillers with other non-invasive skin lifting and tightening procedures to improve different signs of aging. Energy-based procedures are good choices, as they can stimulate collagen production that can tighten lax areas of the face and body.

Further reading: 10 Questions to Ask Before Getting Dermal Fillers

4. There are creams and serums that can fix sagging skin. 

Some skincare manufacturers claim that certain creams, serums, and moisturizers can lift or tighten drooping skin. While some of these formulas may make your skin feel firm or tighter, the results are so subtle and temporary, and you won’t be able to see any improvement on your sagging skin. 

Besides, the issue with sagging skin is less collagen and elastin. No cream or serum can increase the production of these essential skin proteins. If you want noticeable firming results without surgery, it is best to consider aesthetic procedures such as lasers and light-based therapies. The results, however, are not immediate, as it takes time for the collagen to rebuild. 

5. Surgery is the best way to treat or correct sagging skin. 

This is another false claim. Surgery does help in reversing sagging skin and giving you a youthful appearance, but it isn’t the only way to improve or reduce the appearance of sagginess. At Cutis, we have a number of non-invasive procedures that can help with aging, sagging, and crepey-looking skin. 

One of these is the Cinderella NIR treatment, which is a rejuvenation procedure that can tighten and contour the skin, as well as reduce cellulite. It uses a high-power light source in the near-infrared spectrum, which effectively heats the skin and helps build new collagen. It can reduce the appearance of loose skin on the face, neck, and other areas of the body. 

NIR Skin Tightening is ideal for patients with mild to moderate skin laxity. It can help lift, tighten, and contour the skin without cuts or needles. Benefits include:

• Tightens facial laxity
• Stimulates collagen
• Soften fine lines and wrinkles
• Suitable for jawline, forehead, upper neck, abdomen, and knees

Schedule a consultation today

Do sagging skin and other signs of aging make you self-conscious? Contact Cutis Medical Laser Clinics in Singapore today and book a consultation with our aesthetic doctor to find out if NIR Skin Tightening or which of our skin tightening procedures is right for you.