How to tighten loose skin and support skin elasticity

If you’re wondering how to get rid of loose skin, it’s worth knowing that there isn’t a proven natural way to completely remove excess skin. However, there are ways to support your skin’s health and elasticity, which may help improve its overall appearance. Let’s look at the common loose skin causes, whether you can tighten loose skin naturally and what you can realistically expect from exercise, skincare and supplements.

Ageing is one of the most common reasons skin becomes less firm. As we get older, changes happen in the dermis, the deeper layer of the skin. The skin produces and maintains less collagen and elastin, while its structure and ability to retain moisture also change.¹ Collagen provides strength and structure, while elastin helps skin stretch and return towards its original shape.² These changes can contribute to wrinkles, thinning and sagging.

Your genes can influence how your skin ages.¹ Research has identified genetic factors associated with several characteristics of skin ageing, including wrinkling and sagging.³ This is one reason why two people of the same age can have quite different-looking skin. Your genes aren't the only factor, though. Lifestyle and environmental factors – including sun exposure and smoking – can also influence how skin changes over time.⁴

Pregnancy causes the skin around the abdomen to stretch as the body grows. Changes in body weight and hormones can also affect the skin during pregnancy.^5,6 How the skin looks and feels after giving birth varies from person to person, some people may be left with a degree of loose skin or changes in skin texture. Stretch marks can also develop when skin is stretched, although they’re different from loose skin.⁷ There’s no need to feel that your body should immediately return to how it looked before pregnancy. Changes to your skin and body shape are a normal part of pregnancy and the postnatal period.⁸

Experiencing loose skin after weight loss? Significant changes in body weight can leave excess skin, particularly when a large amount of weight has been lost.⁹ How much loose skin remains depends on several factors, including age, genetics, the amount of weight lost and how long the skin was stretched.^9,10 It's important not to avoid healthy weight loss because of concerns about loose skin. If you're trying to lose weight, aim for a sustainable approach that supports your overall health rather than trying to lose weight as quickly as possible.¹¹ Gradual, sustainable weight loss of around 1–2 pounds (0.5–1 kg) per week is generally the healthiest approach. It allows your body (including your skin) time to adapt to the changes.¹²

Elastin is an important component of the skin’s connective tissue and helps skin stretch and recoil – helping to contribute to healthy, resilient skin.¹⁴ However, as part of the natural ageing process, elastin production decreases, ageing and UV exposure can cause elastic fibres to become disrupted and degraded.¹⁴ Though once skin has been significantly stretched, it may not completely return to its previous shape.⁹ This means that even if you improve your overall skin health, there may still be some visible loose or excess skin.

Research suggests that exercise may influence processes involved in collagen production, which is important for maintaining skin elasticity and thickness, and regular exercise may help reduce some age-related changes in the skin.^16,18

Resistance training can help increase muscle mass and may support aspects of skin structure, including skin elasticity. ¹⁶ Resistance training doesn’t remove excess skin itself, though it may help improve body composition and contribute to a more toned overall appearance.^16,18

A healthy, balanced diet can play an important role in supporting skin health, repair and renewal.¹⁹ Nutrients from foods such as fruits, vegetables, healthy fats and protein provide the body with compounds needed to maintain the skin’s structure and function, while antioxidants may help protect skin cells from oxidative damage.¹⁹

As well as being important for your overall health, staying hydrated helps keep your skin healthy and functioning normally.¹⁵ While drinking enough water can help keep your skin hydrated and comfortable, it’s important to keep expectations realistic.¹⁵ Instead, think of hydration as one way to support your skin rather than a treatment for excess skin.¹⁵

Protecting your skin from UV exposure can help slow the damage that contributes to skin sagging.¹ Repeated exposure to UVA and UVB can damage the skin’s elastic fibres and reduce its elasticity, which can contribute to wrinkles and sagging over time.²⁰ Using sun protection, such as sunscreen and covering exposed skin, can help protect the skin’s structure and maintain its elasticity but it won’t tighten existing loose skin.²⁰

There are also non-surgical and minimally invasive skin-tightening procedures, such as radiofrequency.²⁹ Some studies have reported improvements in skin tightness, although the evidence is limited, results can vary and improvements are generally more modest than those achieved with surgery.²⁹ If you're considering a cosmetic procedure, speak to an appropriately qualified healthcare professional about whether it's suitable for you.

Curious about whether you can you target love handles or how long does it actually take to lose weight? Explore our guides for more expert insights.