Ultimate Guide to Stomach Skin Tightening Treatments

Are you frustrated by a saggy belly button or loose midsection? Tired of looking in the mirror and remembering the tight, strong body you seem to have lost?

You’re probably aware that the skin can lose its elasticity over time. What you might not know is that you can do something about it — without opting for more invasive skin tightening procedures that cost an arm and a leg and have much higher rates of complications.

The possible answer is nonsurgical procedures to tighten the skin of your abdomen and bikini area. Here’s what you need to know.

What Is Nonsurgical Skin Tightening?

“Nonsurgical skin tightening” describes any procedure that reduces excess skin or removes excess fat without traditional surgery. In some cases, a small incision may be required, but in others, the action is truly noninvasive or involves only a narrow-gauge needle.

Types of Nonsurgical Skin Tightening Treatments

There are several evidence-based nonsurgical options for stomach skin tightening. These are the most popular:

• Dermal fillers: Dermal filler skin tightening treatments most often target the belly button, which is where the popular term “belly button filler” comes from. Targeted filler injections make the belly button appear more “regular” and reduce stretching or distortion. To reduce the risk of side effects or complications, make sure your provider has had comprehensive dermal filler training

• Abdominal thread lift: A barbed thread lift is another effective if temporary solution to sagging abdominal skin. This technique uses medical-grade threads that dissolve harmlessly in the body after stimulating collagen production to increase volume and smooth out excess skin.

• Ultrasound: This totally noninvasive treatment option uses high-frequency sound waves to tame excess deposits of fat and skin tissue without any incisions.

• Radio frequency: This treatment uses a lower frequency wave to achieve similar results. Again, there’s no cutting or snipping required.

• Intense pulsed light: Often combined with radiofrequency treatment, intense pulsed light (IPL) is another noninvasive technique that has been shown to reduce bunching and sagging skin.

• Fat removal options: Sometimes, the best choice is to attack subcutaneous fat. Depending on your provider’s preference, this may involve melting or freezing the fat, then siphoning it out of the body or allowing it to dissolve harmlessly in place.

Are You a Good Candidate for Nonsurgical Skin Tightening?

Nonsurgical skin tightening treatments aren’t for everyone. You might not be a good candidate if any of the following apply to you.

• Your stomach skin laxity qualifies as severe, rather than mild to moderate
• Your weight has changed significantly in the past year
• You’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant
• You have lots of excess sagging skin on the stomach and bikini area
• You’re taking certain medications that react with the indicated cosmetic procedures
• You have other medical contraindications that your provider identifies

Before assuming you are or are not a good candidate for nonsurgical skin tightening, consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon or other aesthetic medicine provider. They’ll take a thorough medical history, evaluate your needs, and help you decide the best course of action.