Skin Laxity

The Bloom Clinic frequently treats loose and sagging skin on the face and around the neck. However, lax skin can also affect areas of the body, including the upper arms, thighs, knees, stomach and back. This concern may develop as a result of ageing or weight loss and can cause the skin to hang slightly from the body.

When lax skin develops from ageing, it occurs from the same processes that affect the skin on the face. Affected people may experience lax skin a little later than facial sagging, with both men and women finding this concern more noticeable from age 40/50 upwards. Collagen and elastin are present in the skin all over the body. These naturally occurring proteins work together to keep the skin firm and full, with plenty of bounce. As we age, these substances stop being produced, and as they break down, their levels gradually decline. This leads to the skin becoming thinner and less stretchy, which is when wrinkles and loose skin will form. Lax skin on the body often develops alongside longer wrinkles, making the skin appear withered or crepey-looking.

Other factors contribute to the ageing process, accelerating its effects. Smoking, sun exposure, excess alcohol consumption and a poor diet can mean that collagen and elastin break down at a quicker rate than the body naturally would. When considering why lax skin can become noticeable on the body at a later age than on the face and hands, this could be because the skin on the body is covered most of the time and less exposed to the elements.

Weight loss is another major factor in the development of lax skin. Whatever the body’s shape and size, the skin will accommodate. This happens all through life as people grow and when a person gains weight. When excess fatty tissue is lost, the skin needs to retract. This can be difficult if the skin has been stretched over a considerable length of time, especially in older adults with less elastic skin.

The Bloom Clinic may treat lax skin on the body using Sunekos Body. This injectable treatment’s patented formula improves the skin’s firmness and elasticity and restores its youthful strength and tone.