Loose skin is something a lot of people have, and it can be the result of pregnancy, weight loss or simply aging. Though having it is absolutely normal, loose skin can be frustrating and can destroy self-confidence and self-esteem. Fortunately, there are several amazing and simple things to do for a tighter skin, which are also beneficial for overall health at the same time.

1. Exercise regularly

The best sport to do for a tighter skin is weight training, that helps build muscle, thus make skin look tighter. The reason why weight loss can cause loose skin is that excess fat distends skin for a long time and it becomes unable to shrink with weight loss. When muscles start growing, skin tightens on it and the whole body gets a fit and stretched look.

2. Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water is the most important thing every day, since it has crucial effect not only on tight skin but on overall health too. The adequate amount of water promotes skin elasticity and fastens the process of skin tightening. Strive for drinking at least about two litres of water a day and always pay attention to increase the amount in other circumstances, like warm weather, high humidity or doing more physical activities.

3. Eat more protein

Since protein promotes muscle build and restoring the structure of tissues, the more protein a food contains, the more it helps tighten your skin. In addition, amino acids found in protein are essential for the body’s collagen production. Try to eat more healthy protein sources, like cottage cheese, milk, fish or in case you are vegetarian/vegan or have lactose intolerance, choose tofu, beans, seeds and nuts.

4. Avoid smoking

Besides having a wide range of risks to your health, smoking has numerous damaging effects on skin elasticity – it greatly destroys elastin and collagen, additionally, decreases estrogen levels which are necessary to keep skin firm. Additionally, smoking is responsible for bad overall skin condition and several serious skin diseases, like psoriasis, skin cancer or premature aging.

5. Stay away from sun exposure

While tanned skin is usually considered to look healthier and more beautiful, the truth is that sun exposure is actually harmful for the skin, causing skin to wrinkle and loosen. Of course, it does not mean to skip all the summer holidays from now on, only to stay inside during the hottest hours, wear hats and sleeves and use sunscreen correctly, as we detailed it in our The technology behind Sunscreens article.

The best thing about fighting for tight skin is that everything we can do for it is in fact an important step towards a better overall health and the fact that our skin will be tight is ‘only’ additional.