It is inevitable: you will develop signs of aging, such as wrinkles and sagging skin. Proactively safeguarding your skin from your mid-twenties, even before the aging signs begin to show, is perhaps the best way to prolong its youthfulness.
As you get older, the structural tenacity of the skin becomes compromised due to a decreased production of collagen and elastin, loss or uneven distribution of facial fat, and gradual weakening of the facial muscles.
The skin, which is the largest organ encompassing the entire length and breadth of your body, comprises two essential proteins that keep it smooth, firm, and wrinkle-free.
These proteins, namely, elastin and collagen, tend to break down in the face due to years of sun damage, exposure to environmental toxins, and other lifestyle and age-related factors.
Along with sagging skin, you may also notice an increase in wrinkles and fine lines, especially on your face. The skin may also look paler and more translucent, and it may become more sensitive.
While there isn’t anything you can do to reverse your age or halt the advancement of time, there are some tried-and-tested ways to take years off your face by delaying the signs of aging.
What Causes Your Skin to Age?
Woeful as it may be, aging is a reality that you must come to terms with before you can sufficiently address your skin concerns. There is no point denying the inevitability of the natural aging process and the repercussions that come along with it.
- All of us are bound to get wrinkles and fine lines with time, as our skin goes through certain intrinsic structural changes, causing it to become thinner and drier.
- Reduced collagen synthesis contributes to diminished skin elasticity, which hastens the development of fine lines and wrinkles as well as skin sagging.
- The natural shedding of dead skin cells tends to slow down with age. Due to this delayed cell turnover, the skin fails to rejuvenate on its own.
- The gradual age-related weakening of the connective tissue that forms the support structure for your cartilages and bones causes the surrounding skin to droop as well.
- The muscles that hold the skin tightly in its place tend to get worn out with age and allow spaces for fat accumulation, which eventually result in a saggy-looking skin.
- The shifting, clumping, or reduction of facial fat, which can be either due to age or sudden weight loss, is another factor responsible for skin sagging.
Other Causes
At the same time, your hopes for keeping your skin taut and supple are further thwarted by some fairly common environment and lifestyle choices. Doing away with these unfavorable extrinsic factors can help you salvage your skin’s youthful appearance.
- Sun Exposure: If your work requires you to work outdoors for long hours or you simply relish your time in the sun, you are compromising your skin’s integrity by exposing it to the powerful UVA and UVB rays of the sun that gradually break down elastin and collagen due to the activation of certain enzymes.
- Rapid Weight Loss: Massive weight loss renders the skin structurally weak and less elastic due to the lower density and thickness of collagen fibers and damage to its elastic fibers.[1] This kind of skin loosening is most noticeable along the jowl line, which is commonly termed as “turkey neck” given its resemblance to it. People who opt for rigorous dieting without adequate exercise to shed the extra pounds are especially prone to developing sagging skin.
- Smoking: Subjecting your body to harmful cigarette smoke, either actively or passively, is bound to reflect poorly on your skin as well as your general health. Tobacco smoke contains certain toxins that tend to dry out the skin and hamper its elasticity, thereby causing it to sag and droop.
- Genetic: Some people are genetically predisposed to develop saggy skin, particularly in certain problem areas of the body.
- Inadequate fluid intake: It is one of the key culprits for loose, saggy skin. As the skin continues to lose out on its natural moisture component over time, it becomes all the more imperative to supplement its moisture needs by drinking plenty of water on a daily basis to aid collagen synthesis.
How Do You Fight Sagging Skin?
Some of the preliminary steps to tackle skin sagging are to invest in a good moisturizer and sunscreen and to use BOTH regularly. The market is flooded with countless varieties and brands of skin moisturizers.
You can streamline your options by looking for moisturizers that include vitamin A, vitamin C, and hydroxy acid or beta hydroxy acid. A stringent moisturizing routine can help restore the hydrolipidic layer of the skin. In addition, you must strive to keep your skin properly hydrated from within by drinking ample amounts of water.
Incorporating antioxidant vitamin supplements at your doctor’s advice can help enhance your skin’s health and glow. You can ask your dermatologist to recommend a nighttime retinoid product appropriate for your skin. These skin-restorative products help trigger faster cell turnover and collagen synthesis.
Similarly, certain skin-suitable antioxidant serums can help mitigate free radical damage to the skin as well as improve the effectiveness of standard sunscreens.
In extreme cases, your dermatologist may prescribe relatively invasive treatment options to address your skin sagging concerns. These treatment methods include, but are not limited to, laser resurfacing treatments, micro needling, peels, and radiofrequency treatments, which work by heating the skin beneath the surface to facilitate new collagen production.
There are some natural home remedies that can help tighten sagging skin on the face, neck, arms, and breasts. However, if you are looking for immediate results, you might want to consider medical procedures to tighten the skin or get rid of the extra skin.
Natural Treatment for Sagging Skin
Here are some home remedies for sagging skin, but do not replace medical-grade treatments with these.
1. Aloe Vera Works as a Skin Salve
Aloe vera is best when it comes to firming and tightening loose skin. The malic acid in aloe vera gel helps improve the elasticity of your skin and get rid of sagging skin. Plus, it is a natural moisturizer for your skin.
- Extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf and smear it on your face and neck. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy several times a week.
- Another option is to mix together 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel and 1 teaspoon each of mayonnaise and honey. Apply this on your face and neck and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water and then splash some cold water. Do this once a week.
2. Lemon can do Wonders for Your Skin
The vitamin C in lemon helps boost collagen production. This, in turn, helps restore elasticity to your skin. Plus, lemon has astringent properties that help tighten the skin and reduce wrinkles and other signs of premature aging.
- Extract some fresh lemon juice and rub it gently on your face and neck. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes and then rinse your face with water. Repeat this routine two or three times a day and follow it up with a good-quality moisturizer.
- You can also add the juice of half a lemon to a cup of cold water. Splash this mixture on your freshly washed face. Allow the lemon water to air dry on your face. Follow this remedy once or twice daily for best results.
3. Cucumber is Your Skin’s Best Friend
To tighten loose and saggy skin, you can also use cucumber. It works wonderfully as a natural toner, which leaves your skin feeling and looking refreshed and rejuvenated.
- Grind half a cucumber and squeeze it through a strainer to extract its juice. Apply this juice on your face and leave it on until it dries. Rinse it off with cool water. Follow this remedy once daily.
- You can also combine 1 tablespoon each of grated cucumber and plain yogurt. Apply the mixture on your face and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. Repeat this several times a week.
- You can also make a face mask with 2 tablespoons of fresh cucumber juice, egg white from one egg, and 3 to 5 drops of vitamin E oil. Apply this mask on your face and neck, leave it on for 15 minutes, and then wash it off with cool water. Use this mask once a week.
4. Honey is a Natural Humectant
Honey has natural hydrating, antioxidant, and antiaging properties that are helpful in treating sagging skin.
- Mix 2 to 3 teaspoons of honey and a few drops each of lemon juice and olive oil. Apply it on your face and neck, let it dry, and then rinse it off with warm water. Do this once or twice daily for best results.
- You can also mix together 1/2 tablespoon each of honey and sour cream. Then, add in 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Apply the mixture on your face for 15 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water and then splash some cold water. Use this face mask once a week.
5. Strawberries Make Your Skin Smooth and Supple
Strawberries work like astringents on the skin. Hence, they are a very good remedy for sagging skin. They contain vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that boosts the production of collagen fibers that help keep the skin smooth and firm.
Strawberries are also well endowed with alpha hydroxyl acids that help delay visible signs of skin aging and keep you looking younger for longer.
- Mash two to three ripe strawberries and mix them with 2 teaspoons each of yogurt and honey.
- Apply the paste on your face and neck.
- Leave it on for about 5 minutes and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.
- Follow this remedy once daily for several weeks.
Also, include strawberries in your diet to get results faster.
6. Cinnamon can Help Undo Skin Sagging
Another good remedy for sagging skin is cinnamon. It helps accelerate collagen production, which is conducive to firmer and tighter skin.
- Mix 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon powder and turmeric powder with enough olive oil to make a paste.
- Then, mix in 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or salt.
- Gently scrub your face and neck area with this paste for a few minutes.
- Wash your face with lukewarm water.
- Use this natural scrub once or twice a week.
7. Tone Your Skin with a Gentle Oil Massage
Massaging your face and neck with plant oils such as olive oil helps tighten loose skin to keep it firm and smooth. Olive oil contains antioxidants including vitamins A and E that render antiaging benefits. It also helps keep your skin well moisturized.
- Slightly warm some extra-virgin olive oil in the microwave.
- Apply this oil on your face.
- Massage gently with your fingertips in circular motions for 10 minutes.
- Follow this remedy once daily before going to bed.
You can also use avocado, coconut, grapeseed, jojoba, or almond oil to massage your face, neck, arms, and legs.
Follow either of these remedies once a week to enjoy firm and youthful skin.
Additional Tips
- Exercise regularly for a well-toned overall look.
- Exfoliate your skin once a week to get rid of dead skin cells.
- Get 8 hours of beauty sleep each night.
- Avoid sudden and rapid weight loss.
- Use an SPF 30 sunscreen for protection from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Avoid exposure to the sun for prolonged periods.
- Quit smoking and limit your alcohol intake; cigarette smoking and alcohol speed up the aging process.
- Avoid soaps containing harsh chemicals.
- Use cosmetic products designed for your skin type and preferably made out of natural organic materials.
- Increase your intake of protein-rich foods that can supply you with an added dose of collagen and elastin, such as organic chicken, eggs, wild fish, nuts, and grass-fed beef.
- Consume fresh fruits and vegetables loaded with vitamins C and E and other antioxidants that can help combat the oxidative stress associated with premature skin aging.
- Avoid refined sugar and highly processed junk food, which are known to accelerate skin aging.
- Water works as a natural tonic that hydrates and tightens the skin and keeps it young and supple. Drink adequate water throughout the day
- Keep the skin hydrated and smooth by drinking an ample amount of water. Water works as a natural tonic that hydrates and tightens the skin and keeps it young and supple.
- Follow a regular and healthy skin care regimen to help you maintain a youthful appearance.
Can Facial Yoga Help You Get Rid of Wrinkles and Sagging Skin?
To get rid of facial sagging, you can try out some exercises that are designed to flex and tighten unused muscles in the jowl area as well along the chin, jaws, and neck.
Performing these facial muscle exercises twice every day can help impart a smooth and firm appearance to your skin by toning the muscles underneath it.
There are separate facial exercises custom-made to tighten the muscles and skin on cheek, eyes, lips, neck, and forehead.
A study was conducted on 27 women between ages 40 and 65 in order to gauge the efficacy of facial exercises as a credible strategy against skin sagging.
The subjects underwent a daily 30-minute session of various exercises, which included tightening, stretching, and lifting the cheek muscles and muscles around the mouth and eyes.
Of all the 27 women, only 16 made it through the entirety of the 20-week program. As per the findings of this study which was published in JAMA Dermatology, the exercising routine did manage to register considerable success.
By the culmination of the program, the 16 women who completed the study appeared about three years younger than they did 20 weeks prior.
The Final Word
When it comes to getting rid of sagging skin with facial exercises or home remedies you cannot expect to get positive results in a matter of days. One must bear in mind that consistency is key for these exercises and remedies to bear fruit.
You need to be patient with the remedies for 5 to 6 weeks to see any positive result.
You will have to commit yourself to perform these exercises daily for 20 – 30 minutes, for at least 5 to 6 weeks. However before starting any such exercise, its best to run it by your dermatologist first.