Loose Skin After GLP-1 Weight Loss: Can You Avoid or Minimize It?

Jennifer Hardy
Apr 26
10 min read

Updated: Apr 28

Losing a lot of weight — whether through lifestyle changes, medication like GLP-1s, or surgery — often brings an unexpected side effect: loose skin. And no matter how much you hydrate or "tone" underneath, your skin might not bounce back like you'd hope.

As an investigative journalist, I've always wanted to know more than the "what" question of things. Why, how, and why not drive me to dig deeper. Now that I'm 50, in perimenopause, and on Zepbound, I have more questions than ever.

For example, the more I searched for a simple answer on how to avoid loose skin after weight loss, I just kept being told to lose one to two pounds a week to let my skin adapt. Great, but I can't really stop how fast my body is burning fat on this GLP-1 diet.

These burning questions led me to create GLP-1 Newsroom with researched and sourced answers, while still offering an inclusive and compassionate space for those going through the journey.

If you're worried about loose skin after GLP-1 weight loss, or can't stand the sight of what you have now, let's find out about real solutions.

The Risks of Loose Skin After Weight Loss

Loose skin isn’t just a cosmetic issue — for a lot of people, it brings real physical and emotional challenges that don’t get enough attention.

While it's important to know this side effect of reaching your health goals, it's also critical that you prepare for what's to come if you're just starting a GLP-1 diet and setting goals.

Physical Risks

Extra skin can rub against itself or your clothes, leading to constant chafing, rawness, or painful rashes. In more serious cases, it can break down into ulcers or infections — one study found that about 44% of people seeking surgery after weight loss had recurring skin problems, including pain, sores, and infections.

It can also make everyday movement harder. Exercise, walking, or even just wearing certain clothes can feel uncomfortable because of how the skin folds, pulls, and shifts. Keeping areas clean and dry becomes a daily battle, especially where skin overlaps — and when moisture gets trapped, the risk of fungal or bacterial infections goes way up.

In some cases, chronic friction and inflammation under the folds can trigger the development of seborrheic keratoses (SKs) — those rough, waxy growths that look a little like stuck-on scabs or moles. I have noticed them growing exponentially on my body, especially in skin folds like the bra line or under the breasts.

While SKs are usually benign, they can multiply fast and become irritated, itchy, or even bleed. Fortunately, they are generally easy to remove with simple in-office treatments, such as cryotherapy (freezing), curettage (scraping), or electrocautery (burning). But the skin never looks the same again, and white spots can be left behind.

Emotional and Mental Health Risks

Even after major weight loss, loose skin can still leave people feeling disappointed with their bodies. It can trigger body image struggles, self-consciousness, and emotional distress — sometimes just as intense as the emotions that existed before losing the weight.

You might ask yourself:

Am I chasing a number or a feeling? Weight loss might change your body, but it won't automatically fix how you feel about it.
Am I hoping weight loss will make me love my body? If you struggled with body image before, loose skin might stir up new insecurities — or old ones you thought you'd buried.
Am I losing weight to be healthier, or to look better naked? There's no wrong answer, but being honest about your motivations can help you manage expectations.
Will I feel betrayed by my body if it doesn’t "snap back"? It’s normal to feel frustrated when your hard work doesn’t look the way you pictured.
Am I prepared for the trade-offs? You might trade extra pounds for extra skin. Neither choice is a failure.
Do I want surgery later — and if so, am I okay with the scars that come with it? Scarred skin can feel like a badge of honor, or it might be another emotional hurdle to clear. It's personal.

The mental load can sneak into everyday life, too: feeling awkward about clothing, hesitating to go swimming, or avoiding activities you used to love.

Weight loss can bring pride — and grief — at the same time. Both are valid.

Lifestyle Risks

When loose skin gets in the way of moving comfortably, it can kill motivation to exercise — and that’s a problem for long-term weight maintenance. Don't approach fitness as a solution to lose skin after weight loss. Muscle bulk can help tone saggy skin areas, but it's not going to eliminate the issue.

Plus, trying to find clothes that fit right when you’re dealing with extra skin can be frustrating and exhausting, leading to another layer of discouragement. Sure, you fit into size X sorts you've been longing for, but you've got sagging skin in your inner thighs that might send you back to sweatpants.

Then, there's intimacy. Then, there’s intimacy. Loose skin can make people feel awkward about being seen naked or touched, even with someone they trust — and that hesitation can quietly chip away at connection, confidence, and closeness over time.

Who Is More or Less Likely to Have Loose Skin After Weight Loss

Not everyone ends up with the same amount of loose skin after weight loss — and it’s not just about how much weight you lose. Age, lifestyle history, and even genetics stack the odds long before you start shedding pounds.

I got tired of seeing search results for "older skin has less elasticity." What is older skin? While I didn't like the answer (as someone who is 50), at least I know. Now you will, too.

Age matters more than people realize. Skin elasticity peaks in your late teens and early twenties when your body is churning out collagen and elastin at full speed. After the age of 25, collagen production starts to drop by roughly 1% every year.

You might not see it immediately, but by your mid-30s to 40s, the slow creep (and crepe skin) of less collagen, less elasticity, and thinner skin starts to show up in small ways — and it hits harder if you go through significant weight loss after that point.

By your 50s and beyond, hormonal shifts like menopause and cumulative sun damage mean your skin is at its thinnest and least likely to rebound without help.

Lifestyle Choices that Impact Skin Elasticity

You'll have a harder time avoiding loose skin after weight loss if you fall into any of these categories.

Sun exposure: Tanning, especially without SPF, beats up your collagen like a punching bag. Years of UV damage lead to weaker, sagging skin.
Smoking: Nicotine cuts off blood flow and starves your skin of oxygen and nutrients, speeding up sagging and wrinkling.
Weight cycling: Repeatedly gaining and losing weight — even 10 or 20 pounds at a time — stretches the skin out and wears down its ability to "bounce back."
Nutrition: Low-protein, low-vitamin diets and chronic dehydration don’t just mess with your energy levels — they leave your skin weaker, too.
Genetics: Some people simply inherit thicker, more resilient skin. Others are more prone to laxity, no matter how well they take care of themselves.

You're More Likely to Have Loose Skin If...

Then there’s the question of who’s more likely to deal with loose skin after weight loss. People over 35 who lose a significant amount of weight — especially 50 pounds or more — are at higher risk because their skin’s natural elasticity is already on the decline.

Rapid weight loss also plays a major role; when the body changes faster than the skin can adapt, it often leaves folds that can’t tighten on their own. That's all too common on a GLP-1 diet.

Individuals who have experienced significant weight fluctuations earlier in life are more prone to loose skin too, because repeated stretching weakens the skin’s structure over time.

Genetics matter as well — people with naturally thinner or drier skin types tend to see more sagging after weight loss.

You're Less Likely to Have Loose Skin If...

On the flip side, some people have genetic and lifestyle hallmarks that make it more likely their skin will bounce back.

That includes:

Younger adults (under 30) losing moderate amounts of weight
People who’ve consistently protected their skin from sun damage
Those who maintained muscle mass and strength throughout weight loss
People with thicker, oilier, or more collagen-rich skin types genetically

You can’t completely control whether you end up with loose skin, but age and how you treated your skin along the way play huge roles.

If your skin’s been through a lot before you even start your weight loss journey, expecting a full snap-back isn't realistic — and that's not a personal failure. It's just biology.

Can You Prevent Loose Skin After Weight Loss?

Now to the vital question. The one I desperately need answers on. As a former smoker, 70s baby who lived in the sun, and is now facing perimenopause-induced rosacea, what can I do now while taking a GLP-1 to avoid loose skin down the road?

If you're losing weight quickly, complete prevention isn’t realistic. But you can support your skin health to minimize damage:

Stay strong: Strength training while losing weight helps preserve muscle mass and keeps your body from looking "deflated."
Nutrition matters: Focus on high-protein intake, vitamin C, zinc, and collagen peptides to feed your skin from the inside out. Collagen works a lot better when ingested than slathered on skin.
Hydration: Internal hydration matters more than lotion, but good body creams like CeraVe’s SA Lotion (which contains exfoliants like salicylic acid) can help skin turnover.
Early intervention treatments: If you notice sagging starting, early radiofrequency or microneedling sessions can keep things tighter over time. You can also grab a supply of Bio Oil to help reduce stretch marks during your weight loss journey.

Find peace knowing you can’t completely outsmart biology. The faster your body shrinks, the more likely your skin will need extra help later. It's yet another reason to pace yourself on GLP-1s like Ozempic or Zepbound. Don't rush weight loss at the expense of future skin folds.

How to Tighten Loose Skin During or After Weight Loss

Right now, there’s no over-the-counter miracle that “tightens” large amounts of loose skin — but some tools can help with minor sagging or support the skin’s natural repair process. Warning: There might be some sticker shock ahead.

Medical-grade retinol creams, like Alastin TransFORM Body Treatment or SkinMedica’s TNS Advanced+ Serum, are popular with dermatologists. They can boost collagen production over time, but they're better for small areas or mild skin laxity.

Here's what to look for in a skin-tightening solution:

Retinol or Retinoids: Help boost collagen production and speed up skin cell turnover.
Peptides: Support skin firmness by encouraging collagen and elastin repair.
Hyaluronic Acid: Hydrates deeply, making skin look temporarily plumper and smoother.
Vitamin C: A powerful antioxidant that protects skin and supports collagen rebuilding.
Caffeine or Firming Agents: Can tighten skin temporarily by reducing water retention and puffiness.
Niacinamide (Vitamin B3): Strengthens the skin barrier and improves elasticity over time.
Clinical Testing: Look for products backed by independent studies, not just marketing claims.
Medical-Grade Options: If possible, choose formulations available through dermatologists or trusted clinical brands for stronger, proven results.

If you’re seeing moderate looseness, radiofrequency treatments (like Thermage or Morpheus8) or ultrasound therapies (Ultherapy) can trigger deeper collagen remodeling. Think of these as non-surgical skin “shrinking” sessions — helpful, but pricey, and they usually need maintenance.

Devices like Evoke and Emface are rising stars. They use electromagnetic stimulation combined with radiofrequency to target the facial area, but body versions are expanding.

Bottom line: Non-surgical options can tighten some loose skin if you catch it early and stay consistent, but they won’t replace surgery for more serious skin laxity.

How to Get Rid of Loose Skin After Weight Loss

If the loose skin is severe, like apron folds around your stomach, arms, or thighs, topical creams won't touch it. If you're already here, or facing it inevitably, there are a few options: hide it or remove it.

Best Ways to Hide Loose Skin

Compression garments are one of the easiest tools. Good-quality compression leggings, shorts, or torso shapers can smooth out folds under clothes, reduce friction, and even make exercise more comfortable.

Some brands offer post-surgical-grade compression that’s breathable and strong without cutting off circulation — worth the investment if loose skin is affecting your daily life.

Choosing structured clothing over thin, clingy fabrics also helps camouflage loose areas without drawing extra attention to them. Strategic layering and darker colors around problem areas can give you a little extra confidence without making you feel wrapped up like a mummy.

My favorite is leaning into the baggy trends. If wide-legged pants are in, buy them in bulk. Oversized sweatshirt that hides the belly with biker shorts to show off my toned legs? Done!

Heads up: Shopping through these links supports our work without costing you anything extra.

Surgical Solutions for Loose Body Skin After Weight Loss

Surgical removal is the only true way to get rid of large, stretched-out skin. Procedures often combine fat removal and skin tightening at once. They can be life-changing, but they come with risks like infection, scarring, and long recovery times.

Insurance sometimes covers it after massive weight loss — but you’ll need solid documentation showing it causes rashes, infections, or movement issues.

The main types of surgeries include:

Panniculectomy (removing hanging abdominal skin)
Abdominoplasty (full tummy tuck, often with muscle repair)
Brachioplasty (arm lift)
Thighplasty (inner and/or outer thigh skin removal)
Lower body lift (360° tightening around waist, hips, buttocks)

Most surgeons recommend waiting at least 6 to 12 months after reaching your goal weight before having skin removal or facial surgery. This gives your body time to stabilize, your skin time to adjust as much as it can naturally, and ensures your surgical results are more predictable.

Facelift Options for those with "Ozempic Face, Neck, or Mouth"

“Ozempic Face” describes the hollow, prematurely aged look that can happen after major weight loss with GLP-1 medications like semaglutide.

In a 2023 survey by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 60% of surgeons reported seeing more patients with facial deflation. About 15% recommend fillers, 12% suggest face and neck lifts, and 2% turn to fat grafting.

Most patients — fewer than 25% — choose surgery, while 25–50% opt for injectables. Surgeons caution that results can be unpredictable, especially if weight fluctuates again, but facelift and neck lift procedures remain reliable options for more permanent correction.

Top Fillers for Ozempic Face:

Sculptra: Stimulates collagen production over time for natural volume restoration, good for deep facial hollows.
Radiesse: Provides immediate lift and also stimulates collagen, often used in cheeks and jawline.
Restylane Lyft: A thicker hyaluronic acid filler ideal for adding structure to midface and cheeks.
Juvederm Voluma: Specifically designed for midface volume loss, offering a smooth, natural look.
RHA Collection (RHA 3 and RHA 4): Resilient hyaluronic acid fillers that move naturally with facial expressions, great for dynamic areas.
Fat Grafting: Technically not a filler, but a popular natural alternative — uses your own fat to restore lost volume permanently.

TL;DR: Managing Loose Skin Smartly

Here's a quick recap of the article about how to deal with loose skin after weight loss.

During weight loss:

Focus on muscle building, good nutrition, and basic skin care.
Consider non-invasive treatments if you can afford them, but don’t expect miracles.

After weight loss:

Give your skin at least 6 to 12 months to adapt.
Explore surgical options if the loose skin impacts your quality of life or health.

Risks of loose skin:

Skin infections from folds rubbing together
Mobility issues (especially around thighs and abdomen)
Self-esteem challenges — it’s okay to acknowledge this without shame

You didn’t “fail” by ending up with loose skin. It’s proof you worked hard enough to give yourself a second chance at life — and you deserve to feel good in your body, no matter what next steps you choose.