The Truth About How to Prevent and Tighten Sagging Skin

From wrinkles to mottled skin colour, there are many frustrating signs of aging, but to many people, the most exasperating sign of aging is when your skin starts to sag. Whether it’s a saggy neck or your face’s jawline, the problem never seems to get better, no matter what you use—it just keeps getting worse.

Cosmetics companies are well aware of how unhappy you are about your sagging skin, and will sell you creams and lotions claiming they can tighten, lift, and firm those problem areas. Unfortunately, those claims stretch the truth beyond what is possible from any skincare product. For example, there is no research showing that creams marketed to lift skin work as claimed (firming creams are a different subject, more on that another time though).

Knowing the research-based truth about how you can really prevent sagging skin and tighten what’s already begun to sag will save you money and help you take great care of your skin.

Causes of sagging skin

When we're young, our skin naturally produces many substances that help it bounce back into place and keep it from sagging. But as we get older, our skin’s ability to make these youth-preserving components decreases significantly.

Those who experience menopause will see this more pointedly. As estrogen levels begin to decline at around age 40 with the onset of what’s known as perimenopause, so does skin’s collagen production— typically up to 30% is lost in the beginning years of menopause. Oestrogen deficiency takes a toll on the skin —affecting its elasticity, plumpness, texture, and resilience.

Other important factors that contribute to skin sagging are weight loss (especially repeatedly gaining and losing it) and cumulative sun damage. Together, these factors cause the rubber band–like elements in skin to fray and break, which results in the sagging you see.

Here’s what you can do to help improve sagging, at least to some degree. Remember, knowing the truth in beauty is the only way to help your skin.

Sunscreen for your body is at the top of the list—that is non-negotiable! Sunscreen is a powerful youth-preserving product, and it’s never too late to start. Sun protection is critical for youthful-looking skin, and you must apply it to your neck, chest, and hands, too.

Also, products like moisturizers and serums with antioxidants, peptides, and skin-restoring ingredients are incredibly important. These ingredients replace what your skin no longer makes to protect its suppleness and keep the rubber band–like substance in skin so it bounces back for as long as possible.

Daily use of a leave-on, gentle chemical exfoliant can make a huge difference—we can’t stress this enough. These ingredients noticeably and dramatically smooth and hydrate skin, as well as diminishing the appearance of wrinkles, and help skin’s resiliency, improving its ability to bounce back. We have a wide selection of BHA and AHA products, so you can find the right one for your skin type.

Topically applied retinol and niacinamide products can improve almost every aspect of your skin. Both ingredients are skin-transforming superheroes that address almost every imaginable skin concern—the appearance of wrinkles, loss of firmness, uneven skin tone, and enlarged pores—and can revive the look of plump, youthful suppleness. The research on their effectiveness is truly impressive.

Phytoestrogen products are a great way to help oestrogen-deficient skin fight signs of crepiness. Non-hormonal, plant-based phytoestrogens like equol and genistein work with skin to visibly improve signs of aging triggered by oestrogen deficiency. This group of ingredients also functions as antioxidants, defending skin against environmental aggressors that contribute to signs of aging and sagging.

The products and ingredients mentioned above are the best anti-aging products to consider, but remember: None of them can replace what cosmetic corrective procedures can do. We wish it were different, but knowing the truth will save you time and frustration. Skincare products help a great deal, but adding in-office procedures often picks up the slack, quite literally!

Learn more about anti-aging & wrinkle solutions.

Shop for quality skincare products for sagging skin now.

References for this information

• Archives of Dermatological Research, May 2017, pages 275–283
• Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, January 2017, pages 151–167
• Journal of Dermatological Science, September 2016, pages 174–181
• Experimental Dermatology, August 2016, pages 14–19
• Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, April 2016, pages 63–71 and March 2015, pages 271–280
• Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, October 2015, pages 21–26
• Dermatology, May 2014, pages 314–325
• Dermato Endocrinology, April 2013, pages 264-270
• Dermatoendocrinology, July 2012, issue 3, pages 308–319
• Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology, November 2010, pages 135–142
• Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery, September 2008, pages 170–176
• Journal of Agricultural Food and Chemistry, 2006, issue 7, pages 2558–2562
• Dermatological Surgery, 2005, issue 7 part 2, pages 860–865
• Byrdie, “Do Firming Body Creams Actually Work? Dermatologists Tell All”, 2 June 2025