Loose Skin From a Pregnancy

Some people can gain huge amounts of weight and then lose it without suffering from loose, flabby skin in the aftermath, although they are probably the exception to the rule. The more your skin has been stretched and the longer it has been stretched the harder it is going to be to get rid of that loose skin or to achieve the "bounce back" effect. The older you are, the less capable your body is of springing back to its former shape because of an increasing loss of elastin and collagen as you age. Your skin loses its resiliency over time. Experiencing loose skin after a pregnancy, particularly in the abdominal region, is not unusual. Many women carry loose belly fat for months and even years after giving birth, which can be discouraging.

Prevention/Solution

• Instead of waiting to worry about the loose skin after the pregnancy, try to plan ahead and avoid getting into this situation. Consciously make an effort to tone up your abs before you get pregnant and once you get pregnant, do not obsess over your growing belly. It is going to grow; it's supposed to grow. Do not diet; just eat wisely.

Recommendations

• Keep your skin, particularly the belly area, well-moisturized throughout your pregnancy because this will allow your skin to stretch easier and will help you avoid stretch marks. Use creams that contain antioxidants such as vitamin E and eat a diet that is rich in vitamin E. Good sources are seeds and nuts. This will help protect your skin from damage, as your belly and other body parts get bigger and become stretched.

Slow Down

• When you start losing weight, do not do it too quickly because this will make your skin even looser. If you lose more than three pounds a week, your skin's elasticity cannot keep up. Take your time and let your body gradually adjust to the weight loss so that your skin has a better chance of going back to its pre-pregnancy shape.

Scrub

• Use a loofah or body scrub when you are bathing. This will help stimulate skin cells and encourage the loose skin to tighten up. Scrubbing your skin will get rid of dead skin cells, and new cells will generate faster.

Considerations

• Consider lifting weights. This is a great way to tone up loose skin. Do yoga or engage in some sort of exercise that helps you tone up your muscles, which will plump up your skin and give it a tighter look. Do crunches (sit-ups) to help tone your loose belly skin. Remember to target your abs, advises the Mayo Clinic. Do exercises that work out your abdominal muscles will help you tighten the loose skin. Massaging your skin also helps because it encourages the resurgence of elasticity in your skin. Mustard oil is a good product to use as a massage aid.

Drink Up

• Keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water. Hydrated skin is more elastic and less likely to become loose, saggy and wrinkled. Apply collagen cream to your belly several times each day.

Option

• For centuries, women have wrapped their post-pregnancy tummies in an effort to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape. Belly wraps or compression garments seem to help reduce the size of the uterus, which is swollen, assist you in losing weight and reduce water retention. The wraps are generally worn for approximately six weeks after giving birth; however, if you have had a C-section you shouldn't wear the wraps because you have had abdominal surgery.