By Carol DempsonJune 18, 2013
Say Goodbye to Sagging Skin

Take a few moments to look in the mirror and say “hello” to your reflection. How are you doing? Do you see a bright, young, sexy thing in the mirror or a tired, old, and exhausted individual?
Now trace your jawline. Is it smooth and sharp, giving a nice angle to your face? Or are your drooping jowls making you look old beyond your years?
Sagging skin can make a huge impact in the way you look at yourself and how others see you. While fine lines and wrinkles can give you a distinguished and wise appearance, sagging skin will make you look dumpy and unhealthy.
Fortunately you can fight sagging skin and other signs of age before it’s too late. Keep reading to find out how!
Causes of Sagging Skin
There are two main types of aging: intrinsic (internal) and extrinsic (external).
Intrinsic aging: This type of aging is primarily genetic and cannot be controlled through any action of your own. As the body ages, the production of elastin and collagen slows to a bare minimum, dead skin cells take longer to shed, and new skin cells take longer to produce. How much collagen is produced and how quickly you age is influenced by how quickly your parents or your grandparents aged during their lifespan.
Extrinsic aging: While you might not be able to eliminate all external factors of aging, you can certainly slow extrinsic aging through your lifestyle and prevent the additional accumulation of wrinkles and sagging skin. A few extrinsic aging factors would include:
• Exposure to Sunlight – UV rays can cause photoaging and the breakdown of collagen
• Repeated facial expressions – grooves are formed in the skin, resulting in lines and wrinkles
• Gravity – gravity pulls on our skin, creating those tell-tale jowls and drooping noses
• Sleep – pressing your face against the pillow each night creates lines and wrinkles
• Diet – a diet poor in nutrients will decrease the skin’s ability to heal and repair itself
Natural Skin Tightening Techniques
Although you cannot control intrinsic aging, you can certainly give sagging skin the slip by making small changes to your lifestyle.
Stay Hydrated: Hydrated skin is healthy skin, so be sure that you’re drinking enough water on a regular basis.
Eat a Healthy, Well-Balanced Diet: Your skin needs a wide variety of nutrients in order to stay young and smooth. If you’re not getting enough Vitamin A, E, or K in your diet, you may wish to consider supplementing to give your skin the basic building blocks for producing collagen.
Facial Exercises: There are pros and cons to facial exercises. Facial exercises, like facial expressions, cause small grooves in the skin which may become permanent as collagen production slows. However, in a few cases, facial exercises may be able to tighten sagging skin around the jawline by building up the muscles that hold the skin to the face.
It takes time and consistency to see any results, and you may end up seeing more wrinkles in entirely new places. However, for many people, this is an entirely affordable and viable option for reducing sagging skin.
Additional Options
Tightening creams: Look for wrinkle creams and products designed to tighten sagging skin. Ingredients such as beta hydroxy acid and alpha beta hydroxyl acid can provide visible tightening results without negative long-term side effects. Continued use may be necessary in order to maintain a more youthful appearance, and unfortunately, most creams are lack the strength needed to treat severely sagging skin.
Laser Treatments: Laser treatments are the least invasive surgical treatments for reducing sagging skin. By “wounding” the skin with highly focused UV light, laser treatments trigger your skin’s defense mechanisms to increase collagen production and repair damaged cells. This causes the skin to contract and tighten, resulting in smoother, younger-looking skin.
Consumers should keep in mind that it may take several sessions before seeing noticeable results.
Thread lifts: This surgical treatment for sagging skin is performed by a plastic surgeon who then inserts tiny threads under the skin. These threads are designed to support your skin, giving a little extra lift without extensive or invasive surgery. Results are only temporary and might not affect severe cases of sagging skin.
Face Lifts: Getting a face lift is the traditional option for removing sagging skin, and it is becoming a standard procedure in the cosmetic industry. Surgeons tighten loose skin over the facial muscles, lifting and pulling on the weakened areas to give you a younger, firmer look that will last for years to come.
While the procedure is definitely effective, be aware that face lifts can cause a great deal of pain and discomfort, often resulting in swelling that will last up to 6 weeks after the surgery.
Conclusion
Despite the fact that sagging skin is an unavoidable part of aging, you don’t have to live with that drooping nose or jawline if you don’t have to. With these surgical and non-surgical treatments, you can have great looking skin throughout your life.





