Life changes you. As you get older, your body naturally begins to produce less and less of certain proteins and substances. Many of those materials play a big role in helping you look youthful. For example, a decline in the production of elastin and collagen typically contributes to sagging in various areas, such as the chin and neck.
While aging is often to blame for sagging skin, many other factors can contribute to it or make it worse. For example, ample sun exposure speeds up the depletion of collagen and elastin, as does smoking or using other forms of tobacco. Some causes of sagging are just beyond your control. You really can’t do much about gravity, for instance.
Although some sagging is often inevitable as you get older, it doesn’t have to ruin your confidence or your appearance. Learning what’s a myth and what’s a fact when it comes to sagging skin can help you figure out the best way to cope with it.
Myth 1: You Can Fix Skin Sagging with an Injection
It’s easy to see why some people might think that injections like fillers can help reduce sagging skin. Some fillers, like Juvederm Voluma, help restore lost volume to the facial area. The filler contains a thick form of hyaluronic acid that instantly lifts up the cheek area.
Since you’re plumping up the cheeks, it might make sense to think that a filler will help lift and tighten sagging skin elsewhere. But that’s just not true. Skin sagging occurs because the skin loses elasticity and support. No amount of filler will help to restore that.
Myth 2: Weight Loss Doesn’t Cause Sagging Skin
One of the risks of losing a significant amount of weight is that it contributes to sagging skin. When you gain weight, the skin stretches to accommodate the extra fat. Once the weight is gone, the skin usually hangs there, unable to bounce back to its original size and shape.
The fear or worry that your skin will sag after you lose weight shouldn’t keep you from dropping unnecessary or excess pounds, though. There are many ways to cope with or treat sagging skin that develops as a result of weight loss. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons of weight loss versus any concern you’ll have about loose skin.
Myth 3: How You Sleep Can Cause Sagging
You’ve probably heard that sleeping on your side or stomach can cause your face to age more rapidly. This is both true and false. You’re likely to see some wrinkles develop on your skin if you regularly sleep with your face smooshed into a pillow. But sleep position doesn’t a play a role in the sagging of skin, no matter how you sleep.
That said, if you are afraid that the wrinkles that form when you sleep on your side or stomach will become permanent, you can train yourself to sleep on your back. It might take some getting used to and you might need to put a pillow on either side of yourself to keep your body from rolling over in the night. But if it means smoother skin, getting used to sleeping on your back can be well worth it.
Myth 4: Exercise Can Cause or Fix Sagging Skin
Does running age your face or make your skin sag? People often associate running long distances with sagging skin. The good news is that a regular exercise habit won’t make you look older. Instead, it’s more likely the prolonged sun exposure that long distance runners experience that plays a part in the development of loose skin. Additionally, people who run might initially lose some weight, which can also make their skin saggier.
On the flip side, some people believe that a number of special facial exercises can correct or prevent sagging skin. While those exercises might build up some muscles in the face and help minimally correct some sagging, they are also likely to contribute to the formation of dynamic wrinkles or expression lines such as crow’s feet.
Myth 5: Surgery is the Only Way to Fix Sagging Skin
At one point, surgery like the facelift was your best bet for correcting skin sagging. These days, though, it’s not your only option. If you’re just beginning to notice some droop in the chin and neck area or by your eyebrows, a non-surgical treatment such as Ultherapy might help.
Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy to target the tissues beneath your skin. The ultrasonic energy helps to stimulate the production of collagen, leading to firmer, tighter skin within three to four months.
The treatment has several benefits over surgery, including a shorter downtime and no scarring. But it’s not for everyone. If you’re experiencing the early signs of aging, you’re likely to see some benefit. But if you have significant sagging or drooping, surgery can be the better option for you.
Want to learn more about Ultherapy? Dr. Paul Vitenas and his team offer the treatment at Mirror Mirror Beauty Boutique, in Houston, Texas. For more details on the procedure and to see if you’re a good candidate for it, call 281-810-9083 to schedule a consultation today.