As we age, our bodies and faces naturally begin to change. You may notice that the once-tight skin around your eyes, mouth, jawline and neck has begun to lose its youthful firmness — that’s perfectly normal. The good news is that there are steps you can take to age gracefully and maintain firmer skin as you do.
In this guide, we take a look at what causes saggy skin, how you can prevent it and face and skin tightening treatments that can help you achieve a firmer, more youthful appearance.
What Causes Sagging Skin?
Loose or sagging skin occurs when skin loses its elasticity and firmness, leading to a drooping or wrinkled appearance. Several factors can cause saggy skin, including:
Ageing
As skin ages, it naturally produces less collagen and elastin, two important proteins responsible for structural support and elasticity. Research shows that after age 20, the dermis produces about 1% less collagen each year. Over time, this loss adds up, and your skin loses its structural integrity, leaving you with a sagging face.
Years of Sun Exposure
Years of sun exposure can take a toll on your skin, especially if you skimp on sunscreen. Prolonged sun exposure breaks down collagen and elastin fibres, which can exacerbate sagging and cause wrinkles to appear earlier than anticipated.
Weight Loss
Losing weight can be a bittersweet win for your skin. If you drop a significant amount, like 45 kg or more, you might find it tough for your skin to bounce back. As we get older, our skin naturally loses some of its elasticity, which definitely doesn’t make things easier after a major weight loss.
Illness and Medical Conditions
Some medical conditions can make the skin saggy. One such condition is granulomatous slack skin, a rare subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
How to Tighten Skin Naturally
If you’ve noticed a bit of sagging around your face and neck, there are things you can do to help firm it up.
Firming Skincare Products
A daily skincare routine with creams and serums specifically targeting a loss of volume can help tighten skin on face. Look for products containing peptides, hyaluronic acid, retinoids, niacinamide and vitamin C to help boost collagen production and improve skin elasticity. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s harmful rays.
Our Age-Defying Skincare Range is packed with youth-restoring botanicals like spilanthes flower, horseradish root, rock samphire, tara fruit, red algae extracts and naturally derived forms of hyaluronic acid, which help to smooth, firm and restore skin naturally.
Exercise
Building muscle helps strengthen your ‘frame,’ which can provide better support for your skin and help reduce sagging. Strength training stimulates muscle fibre growth and increases density, creating a firmer, more defined structure beneath the skin.
Although scientific evidence is limited, many beauty experts swear by face exercises, or ‘face yoga.’ Like any kind of workout for your body, face yoga can help tone your face and strengthen your facial muscles. Techniques like the ‘cheek puff,’ ‘forehead push’ and ‘neck tilts’ can subtly lift the jawline and neck.
Skin Massage
Treating your face and neck to a gentle massage, especially when paired with tools like a jade roller or gua sha, can help reduce that pesky puffiness, improve blood circulation, helping to leave you with a firmer, lifted look. We recommend applying a facial oil like our Purely Age-Defying Firming Face Oil beforehand, just to minimise any skin stretching.
Lifestyle Change
Skin laxity is inevitable as we age. But what if we told you that there are lifestyle changes that could help roll back the clock on skin ageing? That’s right. Simple daily habits, like moisturising and wearing sunscreen, can visibly improve your skin’s health and appearance.
Discover our complete range of face skincare, including moisturisers, sunscreen, cleansers, essences, serums, face oils, masks, eye care, lip care, hand care, body care and products for dull, uneven skin tone.
And it’s not just about what you put on your skin either. Eating healthy, staying hydrated, getting enough sleep and keeping stress levels down can lead to fresher, younger-looking skin. Making good choices like drinking in moderation or quitting smoking can also make a big difference over time.
What Is the Best Skin Tightening Treatment?
If you’re wondering how to tighten face skin instantly, cosmetic procedures like chemical peels, laser treatments and ultrasound therapy may deliver quicker results. For advanced sagging, you could consider minimally invasive treatments like fillers, micro-needling with radiofrequency or PRP. Just a heads-up, though — these might involve needles, some downtime and may be pricier than at-home treatments. Consult a board-certified dermatologist to help determine the best skin tightening treatment plan for your skin type and health.
What causes sagging skin on the face and neck?
One of the most common causes of loose skin is the loss of collagen and elastin, two proteins essential for maintaining skin firmness and elasticity. As we age, we naturally lose these proteins, and of course, things like sun damage and unhealthy lifestyle accelerate that. Less collagen and elastin means the skin is less able to snap back into place after being stretched, which leads to sagging and loose skin.
How to tighten skin on face and neck?
If you’ve noticed that your skin isn’t quite as firm as it used to be, there are steps you could take to help improve firmness and plump your skin. At home, you can start with firming skincare products that contain collagen-boosting ingredients such as peptides, retinol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and vitamin C. Facial massage with your hands or tools like gua sha or jade rollers can get the blood flowing and throwing in some facial exercises, or ‘face yoga,’ can also strengthen and tone the muscles underneath.
A healthy lifestyle plays a big role too. Eat collagen-rich foods like berries and leafy greens, stay hydrated, get enough sleep, exercise regularly and wear SPF daily to protect against sun damage.
What is the best ingredient for facial skin tightening?
Sure, there’s no magic elixir for youthful skin, but some ingredients may help tighten skin over time. Retinol and peptides are your go-tos for long-term face tightening, while hyaluronic acid gives you that instant plumping effect. Vitamin C is another hero ingredient, protecting against sun damage and boosting collagen production.
