The 8 Most Effective Skin Tightening Procedures

Those of you who have recently overcome major weight loss, or dealing with aging, you know the woes of sagging skin. It doesn’t look good on your neck, your arms, or on your belly. But you took the initiative to change your appearance and we are ready with 8 brilliant ideas to fix your loose skin problems! Whether you use a  skin tightening machine or a laser treatment, these can be very effective and reliable.

1. Radiofrequency Treatments

The way RF or radiofrequency treatments are used is very simple, yet effective. The procedure is non-surgical and it uses RF energy in order to heat the skin. The high temperatures will help tighten the skin naturally. On top of that, the treatment will help promote the production of collagen too. In general, this is a very good treatment for your face, hands, arms and neck.

It can be great for those that have scars, uneven skin, low skin elasticity or wrinkles. The results provided are exceptional, and it does provide a very good outcome in regards to your look. The downtime for this procedure is not very long, usually 24 hours of rest are necessary, sometimes a few days over that. It can take up to 6 treatments, sometimes even more, and in general a session is $150-$200 depending on the place.

2. Co2 Laser Resurfacing

When it comes to Co2 Laser Resurfacing, the treatment relies on carbon dioxide lasers that help penetrate the skin deeply. It’s basically an energy pulse that helps remove the thin skin layers. What happens is the skin gets rejuvenated, and it can be ideal if you want to treat deep wrinkles. On top of that, the recovery times are very quick, usually a day or less. It can be a great option if you want to have a more pronounced skin laxity. Even its side effects are not very challenging, you might encounter itching, skin discoloration, sun sensitivity and skin dryness. Most of these disappear after a little while, though.

3. Focused Ultrasound (Ultherapy)

The Focused Ultrasound is a non-surgical procedure and it’s designed to treat a variety of skin conditions. The idea is to use ultrasound waves as you target the deeper layers of your skin and stimulate collagen production. The procedure is very helpful because you can alter tissues, either modify or even destroy them, based on the situation at hand. What makes it stand out is the fact that it goes through multiple skin layers, without harming them.

It can be used for your neck and face, and it can be extremely good for treating a variety of other conditions. It specifically works against tumors too. During the treatment you will barely feel anything, aside from ultrasound pulses. But in general, you don’t experience intense pain or any other similar problems. The recovery process also takes only a few days at most, maybe even less.

4. Microneedling

When you ask what is the best skin tightening treatment for face, a lot of people will say microneedling. The way microneedling works is this is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small needles to eliminate skin issues. Those small needles are inserted into the skin, and they stimulate the elastin and collagen production upon doing so.

Once you start the microneedling procedure, that will stimulate the healing process. Microneedling is great against wrinkles, stretch marks and acne scars. A lot of people choose microneedling for cosmetic purposes, but it can be great against other issues too. Since microneedling has a very short downtime of 1-2 days at most, it’s very popular when compared to other treatments, especially surgical skin tightening.

5. Injectable Fillers

The way injectable fillers work is they help add more volume under the skin. So if the skin was uneven or not tight, fillers will help ensure that the skin now has a smoother, even look. The addition of volume under the skin is very effective, but these fillers have a limited lifespan of 6-18 months, depending on the procedure.

Some of the most popular filler types include calcium hydroxylapatite, hyaluronic acid, polyalkylimide, polylactic acid or PMMA. These are all designed to treat wrinkles or various skin problems. Most of the time, these are added to your face, more specifically around your eyes, lips or chin.

6. Thermage

thermage skin tightening treatment uses radiofrequency as a way to tighten your skin. It can be great if you want to have a tighter, smoother skin around your neck, eye area or your face as a whole. The radiofrequency is not dangerous, which does make it one of the best non invasive skin tightening treatment options. Since it uses radiofrequency, it’s a comfortable treatment and it doesn’t involve a lot of pain. When it comes to the treatment duration, it’s usually around 1 hour to 90 minutes per session.

7. Surgical Skin Tightening (Rhytidectomy)

Skin tightening can also be something to consider, but since it’s a surgical way to improve skin issues, it does have a long recovery time, usually a few weeks. It can be used to reduce some of the loose skin around your face, neck and the loose belly skin. Results are long-lasting, but the procedure is known for being expensive, and as we said, it can have a long recovery time.

Depending on how extensive the procedure is, you can find some options that are $8000 to $20000. It’s certainly the most expensive skin tightening procedure. It also comes with certain risks, like pain, nerve injury, wounds, bleeding, hematoma, scars.

8. Cavitation Therapy

Cavitation is a very powerful treatment whose focus is on using ultrasounds as the means to push fat cells in a single area, and then make them burst. Your lymphatic system drains the fat and your body removes it naturally. If you have uneven areas due to fat cells, then cavitation can help quite a lot, and it will assist with skin tightening. It’s suitable for those people that are a bit above their weight, and which want to enhance their look naturally. It’s not effective for people that are overweight or obese, however, since it only handles very low amounts of fat.

Summary

It’s a very good idea to talk with a dermatologist and ensure that you can find the right treatment which fits your needs. Every treatment has their pros and cons, and it can work extremely well. With that in mind, we also made a quick table below so you can have an idea of the pros and cons of each treatment, as you try to find the right one for you.

Treatments	Process	Pros	Cons	Approx Budget (average)
Radiofrequency treatment	It uses RF energy to heat the skin and promote collagen production.	It can be a very effective way to tighten your skin, with minimal downtime	Certain side effects like swelling and mild redness, sometimes even burns can arise.	$1000
CO2 laser resurfacing	Uses laser energy to remove thin skin layers	It lowers pigmentation and UV damage, it can lessen acne or surgical scar visibility, smooths rough textures	Not suitable for people with darker skin, it’s costly and the heat can stimulate cold sores.	$1500
Focused ultrasound	Ultrasounds are used to target the deep skin layers and boost collagen production	It can be a great way to boost your skin’s healing and tighten it properly	There are some side effects like skin burns and fever.	Up to $1000
Microneedling	Small needles encourage collagen production and they stimulate your natural healing process	It's a more affordable method for skin tightening. Results can last for a long time.	There are more sessions needed, many insurance companies don’t cover it.	$300-$400
Injectable fillers	Fillers are used to add a better look and also tighten your skin in uneven places.	Great to sculpt your skin, some can last over a year. They don’t need downtime or surgery either.	These are not permanent, and there are side effects like swelling or bruising.	$500 or more
Thermage	RF energy is used to tighten your skin for your neck, face and eyes.	No downtime needed, no incisions, very safe, and it stimulates skin healing.	It can take a while until you see the complete results	$3500
Surgical skin tightening	A surgical procedure that helps enhance your look by physically altering your skin	It can provide a drastic change to your look, and you can address many aging concerns like skin laxity or fat deposits	It’s very expensive, it can lead to scars, nerve damage and potential infections	$2500 on average
Cavitation therapy	Ultrasounds are used to push the body fat under your skin in a single place, then it bursts and your body removes it naturally.	Little to no downtime, no anesthesia needed, minimum side effects	Lower weight loss, not effective for people with lots of body fat	Around $300+ per session