Some of the causes of sagging skin are almost impossible to avoid as we age, lose weight or go through a pregnancy. Luckily, there are some things that can be done to keep our skin healthy and youthful for as long as possible. Here are 5 things you should avoid in order to reduce the chances of skin sagging. 

Avoid Smoking

Smoking cigarettes is actually associated with multiple dermatological conditions such as oral cancer, acne, melanoma and skin aging. Steering away from smoking not only will prevent you from suffering premature aging but also you also won’t be suffering from malnourished skin cells since your blood vessels will be free from nicotine that which can shrink them.  

Avoid Dehydration

Dehydration comes with some dire health consequences. One of which is skin damage. Dehydration can suck the moisture right out of your skin since your body will prioritize its vital organs if there’s not enough water to go around. Dehydration will show up in the skin quickly, leaving you with crepey loose skin. Drinking enough H2O ensures that your skin cells are plump and hydrated and that your skin looks and feels its best. 

Avoid Highly Processed Foods

Since your skin is the largest organ in your entire body, it is only natural that food plays a huge role in keeping your skin healthy and free from skin conditions. Consequently, maintaining a healthy diet helps your skin to stay healthy and active in its production of collagen. Diets which are high in refined sugars, a-cellular carbohydrates (read processed) and industrial seed oils such as “vegetable” oil, and cottonseed oil will cause inflammation that damages your skin cells and paves the way for loose saggy skin. Your best bet? – minimize the white stuff, and eat a variety of protein and collagen-rich foods including fatty fish, plenty of vegetables and fruits of all kinds, as well as properly prepared whole grains, properly prepared legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Avoid An Unhealthy Lifestyle

While losing weight is one of the causes of skin sagging, exercising regularly is an excellent way to combat it. Toning and strengthening your muscles through weight training can help your skin to maintain its condition, integrity and overall health! Avoid drastic weight loss in a short period of time as this will result in skin sagging. Instead of drastically slashing calories, focus on building muscle and eating enough calories to support that muscle growth. This will naturally help to melt away fat at an appropriate pace that your skin can keep up with. Additionally, it has been proven that facial exercises can help keeping the skin on our faces firm and smooth. 

Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure

Exposure to sunlight is absolutely vital for human health and well-being and is our primary source of Vitamin-D, which the majority of Americans are deficient in. So no, shockingly, we do NOT recommend completely avoiding the sun. However, too much sun exposure can be damaging to the skin. UV rays penetrate deep into the skin and cause damage to your skin cells. This in turn causes premature aging which can lead to skin cancer. Don’t run screaming from every ray of sun. But DO avoid sunburn and tanning, cover up and wear a hat, or use a high quality SPF if you’re going to be exposed to sunlight long enough for it to darken or redden the color of your skin. This varies from person to person depending on your melanin so find what’s right for you and avoid sunburn at all cost. Interestingly, eating a diet rich in antioxidants has been found, to a certain extent, to act as a natural internal sunscreen so to speak, extending the amount of sun exposure your body can tolerate. So load up on dark berries and green tea for a few days before and after your beach day.

Taking care of your skin in these ways won’t just decrease your chances of developing skin sagging but are also beneficial in developing an overall healthier lifestyle!