Skin Tightening Treatments | Sags and Wrinkles Removal

Wrinkles and loose skin are unavoidable signs of aging.

According to Dr. Diana Howard at The International Dermal Institute, the main reasons for wrinkles and loose skin are:

  • Reduction in muscle mass and skin thickness
  • Cross-linking of collagen and elastin in the dermis
  • Dehydration of the Stratum Corneum (SC)

The other common factors that lead to the premature occurrence of sagging skin are obesity, pregnancy, rapid weight loss, over-exposure to UVA rays, smoking, regular alcohol intake, poor diet habits, prolonged mental stress, environmental pollution, and side effects of medication and cosmetic products.

Everyone loves to have healthy and youthful skin, and some of us worry about tightening loose skin.

In this article, we will look at various skin tightening treatments and preventive steps to get rid of stretch marks, wrinkles, and sagging skin.

How to Prevent Sagging of Skin?

Before discussing the details on how to tighten skin, let us look at some preventive solutions to keep our skin healthy and wrinkle-free until we reach ripe old age.

Here are some of the important skin care tips that you should follow to prevent the loosening of your skin:

  • Obese people should avoid rapid weight loss methods as they will result in sagging skin and ugly stretch marks; do workouts to build strong muscles and tighten skin while shedding weight slowly.
  • Get rid of the baby fat gradually after childbirth through workouts and a balanced diet; do not follow a ‘crash diet’ for fast weight loss.
  • Drink a minimum of eight glasses of water or fluids daily to keep your body well hydrated to prevent the wrinkles caused by dehydration.
  • Make sure to eat lean protein-rich foods (meat, fish, legumes, nuts, etc.), which are excellent sources of collagen and elastin that keep your skin healthy; they also help build muscles and tighten the skin.
  • Eat verities of vegetables (dark green) and fresh fruits daily (USDA recommends five servings per day) to provide the body with vitamins and nutrients required for skin health.
  • Avoid junk foods and beverages that contain refined sugar and unhealthy fats.
  • Avoid direct exposure of skin to the UVA and UVB rays of the sunlight, chlorinated water, heat, and dust as they gradually damage the skin tissues.
  • Do 45 minutes of physical exercises or workouts daily to build muscles, tighten the skin, and sweat out the toxins.
  • Ensure that you have 7 hours of sound sleep every night.
  • Get rid of prolonged mental stress and tension through recreational activities and yoga; a stressed person gets skin wrinkles faster.

Skin Tightening Treatments

Modern medical systems have evolved and advanced to provide excellent cosmetic makeover treatments that can give us a youthful look again.

Modern skincare solutions have a non-invasive approach to skin tightening and rejuvenation that is safe with fast results.

The three most common and efficient methods are laser skin tightening, radiofrequency skin tightening, and ultrasound skin tightening.

Besides these, cosmetic surgery (plastic surgery), aesthetic injunctions, and skincare creams are also used to remove wrinkles, loose skin, and stretch marks.

Laser Skin Tightening

Ablative Fractionated Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Laser has been used since the mid-1990s to vaporize the deepest wrinkles that lead to skin tightening in a specific area.

This method is effective and safe for tightening the skin around the eyes. It gives a fast result that is as good as traditional plastic surgery.

However, the patient may have to undergo multiple laser treatment sessions to get the desired effects; however, the result usually will last up to a year.

Radiofrequency Skin Tightening

Monopolar Radiofrequency (or Thermage) is a non-invasive procedure usually used to tighten facial skin, neck skin, and stomach skin tightening. It is also effective for the removal of wrinkles around the eyes.

Radiofrequency treatments treat skin laxity by remodeling collagen in the skin. This is most suitable for treating mild to moderate sagging of facial skin.

The result of the radiofrequency procedure is not as good as facelift surgery, yet it can significantly tighten the skin, giving it a natural appearance.

The entire procedure needs to be repeated every 1-3 years for the continual result.

Ultrasound Skin Tightening Procedure

The Ulthera non-invasive treatment is a very advanced technology that uses focused ultrasound to visualize through the skin to target and treat deep layers of the skin.

This treatment involves controlled heating of deep skin layers, which stimulates the growth of collagen that can lift and tighten the skin in 3-4 months.

It is very suitable for tightening the delicate skin, including the neck and neck. Unlike plastic surgery, it does not involve a cutting or recovery period; this treatment’s effect comes forth gradually and naturally; results can last up to 3 years.

Skin Firming Collagen Creams and Cosmetic Injections

The most popular skin tightening solution is collagen creams, mainly meant to eliminate wrinkles and stretch marks.

You will find many anti-wrinkle and skin-firming creams sold by different companies.

I shall not recommend any specific brand of these expensive creams here as these products may only work for some to produce the desired results.

Cosmetic injections of botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport, and Xeomin) are commonly used temporarily to lift sagging or wrinkled skin.

DIY Solutions for Skin Tightening

The mainstream skin enhancement treatments discussed above are expensive and inconvenient for most individuals.

Most people prefer to follow natural remedies that are affordable, effective, and free of side effects.

I have encountered many self-care methods that have proven results in skin firming and removing wrinkles. Most of these remedies will also enhance the beauty and texture of the skin.

Here are the best ones I have handpicked for you.

1. Egg White Mask

The egg white mask’ therapy is one of the most accessible and efficient home remedies for tightening loose skin.

The egg white is filled with natural astringent properties and a glue-like texture that instantly makes the facial skin tight and smooth.

The egg white hydro lipids help lift the loose skin tissues.

It has other added beauty enhancement benefits like oil reduction, tightening of pores, healing and removal of blemishes, and exfoliating dead skin cells.

Procedure

Apply the egg white directly onto your face and all around the neck; leave this mask untouched and let it air dry for 20 minutes. Then, thoroughly rinse it off with lukewarm water; if needed, use a mild organic face wash to remove the mask.

You can repeat this procedure once every three days for the best results.

2. Olive Oil Massage

The olive oil massage is one of the oldest and most traditional skin beauty enhancement therapies.

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and skin Vitamins A and E that help to tighten the loose skin and brighten the skin complexion.

Besides making the skin firm, it also moisturizes and smoothes the outer layer of the skin.

Procedure

Take four teaspoons of ‘extra virgin olive oil’ and mildly warm it in the microwave or over a burner lamp. Gently massage the oil over the skin with your fingertips in a circulation motion for a few minutes or till the skin fully absorbs the oil. Leave it on the skin overnight and gently rinse the skin in the morning.

This simple treatment could be repeated daily or every other day for the best results.

Note: Instead of olive oil, you could also use coconut oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, or grapeseed oil. Oil massage therapy could be better avoided by persons suffering from acne and pimple attacks and those with oily skin.

3. Cucumber Juice Scrub

Cucumber contains natural astringent properties that have multiple beautifying effects on the skin, especially skin firming, smoothening, and moisturizing. Cucumber is also used as a skin rejuvenation toner, especially when the skin has turned dry and pale.

Procedure

Extract the cucumber juice with the help of a juice presser and apply the liquid to your face and neck. Let the application get fully absorbed by the skin, and after 15 minutes, rinse the skin with water.

For another method, you could cut the cucumber into round slices and scrub the pieces over the facial skin for a few minutes. Allow the juice to dry on the skin naturally, and after that, rinse the skin with water.

For the best results, using the cucumber juice and egg white mixture for this treatment is more effective.

4. Honey Lotion

Organic honey is excellent for skin beauty enhancement as it has multiple benefits for the skin.

Organic honey contains medicinal properties, antioxidants, and moisturizing elements. Daily application of honey lotion helps to smoothen and tighten the skin. It is also suitable for scar removal and skin complexion lightening.

Procedure

There are various ways to use honey for loose skin tightening.

  1. Honey is directly applied onto the face and neck; allow it to air dry and then rinse it off after 30 minutes.
  2. Mix three teaspoons of honey with a few drops of lemon juice and olive oil, apply it on the skin, and wash it off after 30 minutes.
  3. Honey mixed with turmeric powder or sandalwood powder is another solution to rejuvenate the skin. Apply this lotion mixture to the skin and wash it off after an hour.

5. Aloe Vera Gel

I am sure you have heard much about Aloe Vera’s effects on skin rejuvenation. The Aloe Vera gel is also excellent for skin firming and lifting. The malic acid in Aloe Vera helps lift the sagging skin by reversing the lost elasticity of the skin.

The gel-like extract from Aloe Vera is also popularly used for skin moisturizing and complexion lightening.

Procedure

Apply the extracted Aloe Vera gel on the skin and wash it off after 30 minutes. For best results, this procedure is to be repeated every day.

Aloe Vera gel could also be mixed with honey and mayonnaise for better results.

6. Lemon Juice Massage

The organic lemon juice extracts contain astringent elements that can tighten the loose skin and remove wrinkles.

By the way, lemon juice, rich in Vitamin C, could also be drunk to increase collagen production internally. This would help to rejuvenate the skin from within the body.

Procedure

Extract the fresh lemon juice and massage it over your face and neck. Wash off the application from the skin after 20 minutes.

A mixture of lemon juice and honey works even more efficiently for firming the loose skin.

7. Yoga and Exercises for Face Skin Tightening

You can try out different types of facial and neck yoga exercises that relax the mind and body and tighten the facial skin and muscles. Some of the best ones include the rotation of the jaws and neck in a circular motion that stretches the neck muscles.

Several types of yoga asanas help to activate the nerve endings in the face, increase the blood flow to the skin tissues, and strengthen the muscles.