How to Tighten Loose Belly Skin? [4 Incredible Exercise]

How to tighten loose belly skin – Loose skin on any part of your body can be pretty frustrating and be a blow to your self-esteem. One can develop loose skin due to numerous reasons, but it cannot be easy to reverse once you get it. A few causes of loose skin include severe weight loss, pregnancy, or it may be the effect of aging. You can have loose skin in many places like your belly, face, buttocks, neck, arms, and legs.

Cosmetic surgery is one of the most direct methods of getting rid of loose skin. But if you wish to avoid invasive medical procedures, you can opt for a series of exercises designed specifically for tightening loose belly skin. You can also look into firming products, non-surgical procedures, and massage as solutions for getting rid of loose skin. The non-surgical procedures and exercises on how to tighten loose belly skin are discussed below in the article.

How and Why does Fat Accumulate on the Hips?

Everyone tends to gain weight and accumulate fat with age, but it still differs based on the age and gender of the individual. Hormones are a major driving force in the deposition of fat- bellies of men, pelvis, hips, and women’s thighs. The fat deposition seems to be “sex-specific” and can be physiologically advantageous for women during pregnancies. But it also has a drawback- cellulite collection. The potbelly in men has no advantage and is a sign of obesity.

No amount of exercise or diet is helping you get rid of stubborn fat. Genetics plays a significant role in determining where the fat accumulates on your body, but most women store fat in their thighs, belly, buttocks, and hips. Let’s look into why is this fat accumulation caused.

One of the primary reasons can be menopause. The estrogen level in women drops dramatically during perimenopause and menopause. It can cause stubborn fat to collect in their hips, buttocks, and abdomen. As you begin to leave behind the age to give birth, all the fat is redistributed to the mid-section, creating a muffin top.

An unhealthy diet can be another reason for fat accumulation. If your regular diet consists of processed food items, sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, it leads to stubborn fat collection and insulin resistance. It makes it difficult for your body to lose the fat, which keeps on storing git endlessly.

When you consume sweet drinking beverages like sodas, flavored coffees, and bottled carbonated drinks, your body’s metabolism decreases. Your body keeps piling on the sugars and high-fructose corn syrup but loses its ability to burn the fat. Trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils) are artificial fats that are found in prepackaged food items. It is used to increase their longevity and provide flavoring. But eating such fats is directly correlated to an increase in the abdominal fat deposit.

Yo-yo dieting can be a cause for fat accumulation on your hips. Yo-yo dieting refers to the to and fro process of losing weight by dieting and then gaining back the lost weight. When we lose weight, we not only lose fat. We also lose some muscle if we do not have a proper protein intake. But while trying to regain weight, we mostly gain it in the form of fat. (It can be avoided if you add strength training to your exercises while gaining weight). So the result is a more significant fat percentage in the body in your belly, thighs, hips, etc.

Surgical vs. Non-surgical methods – How to tighten loose belly skin

If we lose a significant amount of weight, we may have loose skin in our arms, chest, abdomen, butt, and thighs. It can have both physical and psychological consequences on a person. Loose skin can be very uncomfortable as it rubs against other skin and may also affect how you see yourself and the world, especially how you interact with others.

After going through the hardships of losing excess weight, we need to tighten loose belly skin. Both surgical and non-surgical options are available for the same. Surgeries can be a little invasive, but it depends on your choices, expectations, and situation at the end of the day.

You may ask which option is preferable. Let’s look into what non-surgical methods help in tightening loose belly skin. Non-surgical skin tightening methods focus on making the skin more firm. The treatment revolves around the production of collagen or elastin. While collagen makes the skin firm, elastin helps in maintaining the tightness. Some treatments focus on breaking down fibrous tissues that lead to generates cellulite. It gives smooth-looking skin as a result.

In surgery, the excess skin that is left hanging after weight loss is cut away. There are many methods to do the same. You can have a panniculectomy to get rid of the skin hanging loose below your belly button. Or you can go for lifts, both upper and lower body.

To decide how to tighten loose belly skin and select a method, you must compare the pros and cons of surgical vs. Non-surgical procedures. It will help you understand what to expect and consider various factors like long-term impact, recovery times, etc.

It would help if you did more research and consultation with your doctor before proceeding with any two methods. Several other factors come into play depending on each person and their requirements and body type.

Generally, people with non-pendulous or non-redundant skin (skin that folds over on itself) should go for non-surgical methods. Healthy and skin not damaged by the sun also yield better results to non-surgical treatments.

Make sure to consult your doctor and select the treatment that suits your current health the best. You can opt for surgery to tighten your loose belly skin after losing weight, but not everyone is a good candidate for the same. If you have undergone bariatric surgery and are then going for skin surgery, the risk factor is as high as 60 percent. So you need to be very careful while selecting a treatment method.

Non-surgical methods – How to tighten loose belly skin

If you meet all the requirements that non-surgical methods can treat, then you further have multiple options to choose from. They can range from entirely non-invasive to minimally invasive. Let’s discuss the options available to you in further detail.

vShape Ultra

The vShape Ultra treatment uses two different radio frequencies. The frequencies are applied so that it impacts both the top and deeper layers of the skin. The process is done using ultrasound. The frequencies provide the skin with deep heat, leading to collagen production, which tightens the skin, making it firmer.

What makes vShape stand out is that you can apply it to any body part where loose skin is found. The technique can be used to make various areas of the body parts firm, even the face. We can also use it to target specific skin depths to get the best results.

Check out this YouTube video to get a clear idea of the procedure.

During the treatment procedure, patients may feel minimal discomfort in the form of moderate vibration and heat exposure in the treatment area. You may also experience redness and swelling if you have thin skin at the site of treatment. But it has the advantage that there is no downtime required for recovery.

To get the best results, you should undergo four to five sessions of vShape Ultra. These sessions may last for 30 to 45 minutes each. After the final treatment, the skin will still produce collagen for at least six months. It ensures the longevity of results that last for a minimum of five years. Each session of treatment can be a little pricey, ranging from $500 to 800.

ThermiTight

The ThermiTight procedure also uses radiofrequency to produce collagen in the body. At the beginning of this procedure, local anesthesia is used to numb the area at which you want to tighten the loose skin. It can be anywhere from your face, arms, neck, abdomen, breasts, to thighs and knees. ThermiTight is designed to be minimally invasive on the patient.

Unlike vShape, ThermiTight gives results after a single session. It is universally available for people of all skin types and tones. But people suffering from a fever, skin infections where they want to tighten the skin, or pregnant women should not undergo this procedure.

The ThermiTight procedure can have a few side effects ranging from- experiencing pain where the frequency was applied, edema (swellings if the fluid gets caught), and erythema (skin rashes). The side effects are not permanent and can be resolved in a few weeks.

ThermiTight gives long-lasting results, from three to five years. But natural aging may cause the skin to become loose again, so the procedure needs to be repeated. The cost of the treatment will depend on the location where the frequencies are being applied. But generally, it can vary from $3500 to 5000.

Check out the best ways to eat a persimmon.

VelaShape

VelaShape works differently when compared to ThermiTight or vShape. It uses a machine to combine bi-polar radio frequency, infrared rays, and pulsed vacuum. It then uses massage rollers to treat various body parts like the thighs, love handles, buttocks, and abdomen.

VelaShape is a skin tightening procedure that is designed to be non-invasive and painless. It does this by naturally producing collagen and elastin in the body. This reduces the appearance of cellulite and gives you a toned body. The skin is smoother, and the size of the thighs and abdomen have decreased after the procedure.

People with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 30 can opt for this procedure. VelaShape will give the best results if your skin’s folding is only visible while you are standing.

VelaShape starts showing results after three to four treatments. The cellulite in the body starts reducing, and the skin becomes gradually tighter. The treatment cost will again depend on the area of treatment, but it can range from $300 to 800 per session.

EMSCULPT

EMSCULPT works very differently from the above three procedures. It does not change skin elasticity but builds muscle to give a tighter look to your body. Muscle growth is promoted in abs, arms, butt, or legs, with any exercise.

During this treatment, your muscles begin to contract involuntarily. This, in turn, strengthens and tones them up, tightening the skin. To see results, you need to undergo a minimum of four sessions, each taking place after 2-3 days consequently. You only need to devote 30 minutes of your day to each session.

EMSCULPT is a medical device in use since October 21, 2016, when the FDA approved it. To provide muscle contractions, EMSCULPT uses chair applicators as well as large and small applicators. They are all capable of delivering thousands of contractions.

EMSCULPT gives the feel of an intense workout, which is how it builds the muscles and tones your body. The cost of the procedure depends on the location, but each session can cost around $1000. A complete treatment consisting of four sessions will cost about $4000.

Other factors

You can use Non-surgical methods to tighten loose skin, but every procedure has its level of risks and side effects. If you are suffering from certain health conditions, these risks can be significantly heightened. Hence non-surgical methods are not always the best choice for an individual. It would help if you did detailed research and consultation before undergoing any treatment procedure.

After completing the procedure, patients must maintain a healthy diet and follow an exercise regime to keep their skin firm. They must also focus on maintaining their weight. They cannot let their body go and indulge in unhealthy practices, as the skin may stretch out again.

5 Exercises – How to tighten loose belly skin

After we lose a significant amount of weight, loose skin is quite common in various body parts. But it can be the most difficult to get rid of belly fat. You can use several toning exercises to tighten the loose belly skin. You can perform these exercises along with consuming a healthy diet. If you also add cardiovascular exercises to the list, it will burn off the extra flab faster, tightening the loose belly skin. Here are a few exercises that you must try (with 15-20 repetitions) to tighten your midsection.

#1 Legs up straight arm crunch

This particular exercise focuses on your upper abs and tones them in no time! To perform this exercise, you need to lie flat on your back and then lift your legs at a 90-degree angle from the floor. Lift your arms straight and use your abs to pull up your upper back and shoulders from the floor. Your aim should be to move your arm towards the ceiling. (To make the exercise a little challenging, you can hold a dumbbell in your hands).

Hold the full pose for a second and then slowly lower your upper back and shoulders back to the floor. While you are performing this exercise, your arms and legs should never touch the floor. You should do a set of 15-20 each time.

#2 Air bike

The air bike is also a floor exercise that we perform on our back. To begin this exercise, you need to bend your elbows slightly and place your arms behind your head. Lift both your knees and pull them towards you. As the name suggests, the movement resembles riding a bike in the air and focuses on your abs and core. So use your abs to lift your shoulders from the floor. Follow this by trying to touch your right elbow to your left knee. Then do the same for your left elbow and right knee. Continue the cycle till at least 15-20 sets.

#3 Side Bridge

The side bridge pose focuses on strengthening your obliques and core. To perform this exercise, you need to lie on your side and then use your elbow and forearm to raise your mid-section. The entire weight of your body lies on your elbow and forearm, so use them to push your body up while keeping your torso and legs in a straight line. The pose will look like an upward slope, with the side of your feet on the floor. Try to hold this pose as long as you can and repeat the same for the other side as well. Time yourself and try to improve each time to get better results and control.

#4 Lying leg raises

Lying leg raises are also core exercises and help tone your lower abdominal muscles. To perform this exercise, lie down on your back. Follow this by raising your legs at an angle of 90 degrees from the floor. Now comes the critical part. You need to avoid bending your knees (however tempted you may be to do so) and keep your legs straight. Then slowly start lowering your legs and stop right before touching the floor. Now use your core strength and lift your legs to the initial position and lower them again. Repeat for at least 15-20 times.

#5 Pelvic thrusts

Pelvic thrusts help work on your lower abs. It has the same initial position as leg raise- lie down on your back and raise your legs 90 degrees from the floor. Now you need to use your lower abdominal muscles to lift your pelvis from the floor slowly. Then lower them to the floor and repeat. All his time, your legs should still be in the air, as straight as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1 Can stomach skin tightening wraps help in losing weight?

A body wrap is a plastic or linen sheet that you can wrap around specific areas of your body. It is done above a layer of natural or herbal ingredients. The body wrap helps in sweating and flush out toxins from your body. You get to lose body fat without moving an inch.

Q2 How to tighten the loose skin around the belly button?

You can opt for surgery or make modifications to your lifestyle to tighten loose skin. It includes a combination of training, aerobic exercises, and a healthy diet. It will not only help you lose weight but also make your abdominal area firm. You need to be very consistent with your diet and avoid sugary items to maintain your weight. The exercises you perform must be stressful, and focus on training your muscles to increase the tone. Add resistance tools like bands and cables to your routine to get effective results.

Conclusion

Loose skin can be both problematic and affect our self-esteem at the same time. But there are many ways to minimize it- both surgical and non-surgical. Collagen plays a role in making our skin elastic. If we boost the collagen production in our body, it will help in reducing the loose skin. You can also prevent loose skin by avoiding smoking, tanning, and indulging in skin products that use harsh chemicals.

The patients that go through skin-tightening procedures invest a lot of time and money and them. Those alone may be driving factors for them to stick to their new diet regime. It will help to keep their weight in check and prevent the development of loose skin again.

But every person is unique with different requirements and health conditions. So you must evaluate all your options before committing to a long-term plan. Choose the treatment that suits for skin type the best. Also, ensure the safety of the procedure and consult your doctor for the same. Some treatment options may not be for you, which can be frustrating to discover. But it is better to wait and do further research. Your safety and health should be your number one priority!