Dermatological and Medical Treatment Options
Various treatments can help improve the appearance of your skin after weight loss. Consult a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to determine the right approach for you, as it depends on your needs, your age, your anatomy, your baseline skin quality, and how quickly you’ve lost or are losing weight, Kobets says.
Injectable Dermal Filler
Energy-Based Treatments
Ultrasound treatments like Ultherapy and Sofwave use ultrasound energy to stimulate the formation of collagen below the skin’s surface, Shafer says. Producing collagen takes time, so results can become more apparent over two to three months or sometimes up to six months.
CO2 lasers are another popular option that can address skin tightening. Although the recovery time can be up to two weeks long, since these lasers remove the superficial layers of the skin, “the results can be substantial on fine lines and pigmentation,” Shafer says.
Finally, a newer energy technology called radiofrequency microneedling may produce significant changes. “Small needles pierce the skin and send energy below the surface to stimulate collagen and tighten the skin,” Shafer says. “The microneedles penetrate and reach the deeper levels that lasers can’t treat.”
Surgical Options
When the excess skin is too significant for nonsurgical treatments to make an impact, surgery may be an option. “Creams, devices, and injectables simply can’t reproduce what surgery can do when there is a large amount of tissue laxity,” Kobets says.
At-Home Devices
You may also come across radiofrequency, microcurrent, or red and near-infrared LED devices designed for at-home use. “I think they can have a place, especially with consistent use, but expectations should be realistic,” Kobets says. You may notice modest improvements in hydration, elasticity, texture, and fine lines, but “they aren’t going to replace significant lost facial volume,” Kobets says.
