Preparing Your Skin for Weight Loss Surgery

Before your weight loss surgery, you should take steps now to prepare your skin. Most of us know that rapid weight loss can leave your skin saggy. If you start now, you can help your skin recover better one you start losing the weight.

Even if your surgery is weeks or months away, your skin will benefit from any effort you make now. Here's how you can start to prepare your skin for the surgery and weight loss:

Drink plenty of water. Water will hydrate your body, which will keep your skin from drying out. This is also helpful in the long run, especially after your surgery and you need to be drinking 64 oz of water.

Moisturize! Make sure to get a good quality lotion or cocoa butter. Moisturize all over your skin, paying particular attention to areas like your arms, inner thighs and stomach area, or other areas where you have stretch marks or carry the most of your weight. This will condition your skin, keep it from drying out and help it spring back after you lose weight. Make sure to moisturize your skin after you shower or bath, in the morning and at night.

Protection from the sun. This is just a general rule that applies to anyone, but is helpful to those having weight loss surgery as well. Make sure to use a high spf with avobenzone, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.

Exercise. If you start exercising now, not only will you help tone and strengthen your muscles, put it will be much easier to get back into once you're able to exercise after your surgery. Exercise will also help break up cellulite pockets and your skin will have a better overall appearance.

Reducing stress. By trying to become stress free, your skin will improve from the lower levels of cortisol your body will produce.

Exfoliate. On a regular basis, exfoliate your skin with a loofah or a body wash containing exfoliates. This will remove dead skin cells, increase circulation and skin and stimulate new skin growth.

Eat healthy and lose weight slowly. Before your surgery, more than likely your surgeon will want you to adjust to eating a meal plan that is similar to what you will be eating after your surgery. Healthier foods will contain more vitamins which are good for your body and skin. Plus, if you lose a few pounds slowly before your surgery, your body will have a little bit of a jump start in getting use to losing some weight.

If you get into the habit now of making your skin healthier before your surgery, it will be even easier once you start to lose the weight. Continue to take care of your skin well after your surgery and before hand to make sure it looks great, along with the rest of you!