From drinking the right milk to changing how you exercise, 5 tips docs say you must follow to avoid getting saggy skin
THERE are many reasons why we might have saggy skin.
Ageing is the most common, but smoking, extreme weight loss, pregnancy, sun damage and poor diet all play a part.
Anything that aids deterioration of collagen and elastin in the dermis – the middle layer of skin – will lead to a reduction in how firm it looks and feels.
If skin has been stretched due to pregnancy or weight gain, it may find it hard to “snap back”, especially if there is scar tissue under the surface.
Alex Lloyd asked Dr Sana Sadiq, facial aesthetics doctor at Beyond Medispa, for her tips on restoring skin condition and tightness.
EAT THE RIGHT FATS: Sales of full-fat dairy products are up – and this is good news for your skin.
Opt for good-quality whole milk, grass-fed butter and full-fat Greek yoghurt to make sure your body has the building blocks it needs.
Also, ditch cooking with rapeseed oil and opt for coconut oil so you suffer less inflammation.
WORK OUT IN WATER: While exercise is good for your physical and mental health, high-impact cardio such as running can affect your skin.
Choose workouts in water to look after your bones and muscles – the clothes hangers on which your skin sits.
Also incorporate weight-bearing activities into your week, as this will slow age-related bone and muscle deterioration.
FEAST ON STEW AND JELLY: Gelatin is one of the building blocks of collagen and an important source of amino acids.
Get a dietary boost from slow cooking cheap cuts of red meat in a stew and using leftover bones to make your own stocks for soup.
You can even treat yourself to a weekly jelly.
FEEL THE HEAT: Taking regular saunas boosts blood circulation, which means more nutrients get to the skin.
This enhances cell turnover and rejuvenation across the body, especially if you opt for an infrared one.
If you do not have access to a sauna, a regular soak in a hot bath can be effective.
MAKE YOUR SKIN MOVE: Massage and body brushing techniques will help to improve skin firmness.
They do this by getting lymph system moving, draining toxins away and also breaking down scar tissue that impedes blood flow.
Do it before your morning shower for maximum effect.