How Losing Weight Affects Your Face: From Skin Appearance to Shape

Generally, losing extra weight affects your overall physical appearance, but where you lose weight first depends on the person. While scientifically we lose weight in the same way, results can differ between men, women, and age groups.

With successful weight loss, not only will you find a slimmer waistline and thighs, but you may also notice changes in your face. 

In this article, we’re going to explore the effects of weight loss on the face, from your facial skin to your head size. 

Here are some changes you can expect from losing facial fat:

Greater definition

If you have a round, full face, when you start losing weight, you might notice that you have a chiseled appearance, with more defined features, notably the jawline.

Loose or saggy skin

When you lose a significant amount of weight from your face or body, you may end up with looser skin. While your facial skin stretched with no problem as you gained weight, springing back to its original state isn’t as easy. 

How much your skin sags is often a sign of age, as skin loses its elasticity. Excess weight on the face also damages collagen over time. 

Does Losing Weight Make You Look Younger?

Unfortunately, there’s no telling for sure how weight loss will change your facial appearance.

Generally, rapid weight loss from the face can appear to accelerate the aging process, making you look years older than you are. It can cause loose skin and reveal wrinkles and fine lines that otherwise weren’t visible.

Plus, a rounder face shape with round cheeks and fuller lips is linked with youth, whereas a thinner, duller face in decline signals aging.

To prevent your face from aging as much as possible as you lose weight, you should focus on gradual weight loss with a healthy, balanced diet. You can also ramp up your skincare regime by using an SPF to prevent sun damage and stop new wrinkles.

How Weight Loss Affects the Skin

Human skin elasticity allows it to stretch and grow with ease. But when you lose fat, the skin doesn’t snap back so easily. The significant changes you can expect are as follows:

Excess skin

The more weight a person loses, the more excess skin is left behind. This is especially true with rapid weight loss as your body hasn’t had enough time to transition. You may end up with loose skin flaps around the arms, stomach, and face. 

It’s essential to practice healthy weight loss to let your skin shrink at a healthy pace.

Wrinkles appear

When you gain weight on the face, it tends to conceal creases that arrive naturally with age by plumping them with fat. When the weight is gone and your face is thinner, you may find crow’s feet, smile, and frown lines exaggerated. 

Does Your Head Get Smaller When You Lose Weight? 

When you lose body weight, your body shape reduces in size. When lost from your face, it may appear smaller than before. But does your head get smaller? No, it doesn’t. 

Your skull remains the same size, and therefore, your head size doesn’t change. However, your head may appear to shrink as the stored fat diminishes. 

For some people, the head can appear larger than before if you have lost significant pounds from your neck and overall body weight. 

Conclusion

While there’s no way of predicting how your face will react to weight changes, the important thing is that you’re choosing to lead a healthier lifestyle that will make you feel younger, more energetic, and better in your skin. 

The detrimental effects on the skin can be worrying, but there are many ways to reduce them by taking care of yourself. The beauty world is awash with products that stimulate collagen production and tighten skin, so pin down your skincare routine before starting to drop weight.