The Skinny on Skin Tightening + PROMO Code!

If you never had a baby but really, really want a baby, probably don’t read this…yet.  (Babies are great, by the way, I have two of my own.)  OK- you can read this after you have the baby.  But if you had a baby, or lost a lot of weight, or are just getting older (grr!) READ ON!

When I first started my weight loss journey, I was so excited to get a six-pack stomach again, like I had when I was 25…well, guess what?  The top part of my stomach was ripped but from the belly button down I had what’s known as “the mother’s apron.”

Yes.  Gross, saggy skin like in the picture on this post.  I would post the picture of my own saggy skin, but I don’t want to. 😉

Why, oh why, did this happen to me?  Well, three reasons:  1) pregnancy, 2) weight loss of 50 lbs, and 3) age (grr.)

This made me do a little research.  According to WebMD, in the dermis level, collagen and elastin are the two proteins that make up the skin’s fountain of youth.  Collagen gives skin that “pump” look.  Over time it, unfortunately, breaks down, which is why you get wrinkles.  When you hear elastin, think “elastic” because it is the stretchy part of your skin that gives it form and shape.  When a woman gets pregnant or a person gains weight, the skin is able to stretch to accommodate this, but after the baby is born and the weight is lost, it doesn’t always fully snap back into the same condition it was in prior to that.

Time may heal all wounds, but it won’t get rid of excess skin.  It takes two years for extra skin to be reabsorbed into the body (kinda creepy, huh?) but a lot of times this never fully happens either, depending on how much weight you gained/lost and your age.  (This is why most of my mommy friends say things like, “my last pregnancy was the one that did me in.”)  At that point your only hope might be surgical.

Enter the tummy tuck.  According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a tummy tuck, also called abdominoplasty, removes excess fat and skin for a leaner look.  I called around a few places, even had a consultation, and discovered it cost $8,400!  Holy crap!  I am vain but I am not $8,400 vain.  (OK, maybe I am that vain, but considering my last post was “will blog for eggs” you can bet I don’t have the better part of $10k lying around.)

That leaves skin tightening.  This is a non-surgical procedure where a laser is beamed over your stomach, which stimulates collagen growth in your skin, reducing the sagging.  It needs to be done in three separate treatments about 3 weeks apart.  I called around, had a consultation, and found it was $1,500.  Ah man…

But then I met Elizabeth Emerson with Simply Skin.  I contacted her about something else entirely (Botox, actually…did I mention I was vain?) and we got to talking about skin tightening and long story short Simply Skin is my 1st bikini competition sponsor!  And guess what else?  For anyone who reads this blog she will offer a HUGE discounted rate of just $60 per session ($180 total!)   I may not be $8,400 vain, but I’m totally down with $180 vain plus no surgery, so I’d do it even if she wasn’t my sponsor.

I had my first session on Saturday and already I see a difference (my husband does too.)   I will blog more about that in another post.

Anyway, if you are interested in this rate, the promo code is SHES LOSING IT.   This offer is valid until November 3, 2012 (the date of my competition.)

Here is her contact info: