Read Full Article HereIn a little less than a year, Tresnae Ramsey lost 100 pounds on the obesity drugtirzepatide, but her skin bore the memory — sagging, drooping and pooling in softfolds. “When I sit down on the couch, I hear a ploop,” she said.
At first, it felt like a small price to pay because, as she lost weight, Ms. Ramsey’sendometriosis and fibromyalgia pain subsided, and her blood pressure and bloodsugar levels normalized. But as her skin loosened and her breasts drooped, Ms.Ramsey, 37, grew more self-conscious, avoiding gyms, public pools and otherplaces where her body would be on display.
Excess skin has long been an issue among patients who’ve had bariatric surgery,which makes the stomach smaller, or otherwise lost weight rapidly. But over thepast few years, doctors say they’re seeing loose skin much more often as newobesity drugs — like Ozempic, Zepbound and Wegovy — become more powerful and commonplace.
One in eight adults in the United States now say they’ve taken these medications,fueling demand for body contouring procedures that get rid of or firm up looseskin. But many of these services are prohibitively expensive, and the nonsurgicaloptions — like ultrasound, radiofrequency and laser treatments — have largely not been studied after major weight loss. That mix of high cost and scant research has opened the door to a cottage industry of influencers peddling creams, collagen, supplements and other dubious remedies online.
Rapid weight loss outpaces the skin’s ability to rebound. Collagen and elastin are proteins that give skin its firmness and elasticity. So skin will flex as you gain weight, build up muscle or become pregnant. But like a rubberband stretched for too long, it doesn’t always snap back.
Experts say the best way to tighten skin on your own is by building muscle, since it can fill in the gap left behind by fat. While aerobic and resistance training can both be good options for improving skin elasticity, resistance training promotes more muscle growth. Influencers often tout eating more protein and drinking bone broth to maximize collagen intake, and while both can help build muscle, don’t expect them to actually increase the collagen in your skin, said Dr. Jacqueline Watchmaker or U.S. Dermatology Partners Scottsdale, a cosmetic dermatologist and laser medicine specialist based in Arizona.
