How Weight Loss Can Affect Your Skin

Weight loss can do wonders for your health, confidence and energy. But it can also lead to visible changes in your skin and face. From sagging around the jawline to a loss of volume in the cheeks, or skin that looks dull or dehydrated, your skin responds as your body transforms.

At The Mayfield Clinic by Dr Nestor in Edinburgh, we’re here to explain what you can expect and, more importantly, how you can keep skin looking healthy, firm and radiant throughout your weight loss journey.

Volume Loss & Skin Elasticity

When you lose weight, especially quickly or in large amounts, you lose fat that supports the skin. This can lead to sagging, hollowness or loose skin, particularly around the cheeks, temples, neck and jawline. Why does this happen? Essentially, when skin stretches to accommodate a heavier weight, it may not fully bounce back once that weight is gone, especially as we age. Natural collagen and elastin production begins to decline by about 1% each year after the age of 25, making the skin less elastic and more prone to sagging.

Tip: Concentrating on treatments that aim to increase collagen production in your skin goes a long way. Collagen is the foundation of youthful-looking skin. It provides strength, elasticity and volume. As the skin’s primary structural protein, collagen helps prevent sagging and reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Ultimately restoring some of the lost volume in some of the key areas we lose it will help to restore youthful, healthy heights to the structures in your face.

Treatment option: Fillers can help restore youthful volume, offering more definition and structure. Our team at The Mayfield Clinic by Dr Nestor in Edinburgh pride ourselves on achieving beautiful, natural-looking results. Never overdone – just a refreshed, radiant you.

Hydration Matters

Healthy, hydrated skin is more elastic, plump and radiant. As your body adjusts to weight loss, staying hydrated becomes essential, not just for your skin, but for your overall health.

Aim for at approximately two litres of water a day to keep your skin looking smooth and supple. Hydration also plays a key role in preventing breakouts and dryness, which can be more common during dietary changes.

Tip: Think of water as a natural skin plumper. Proper hydration helps keep your complexion soft, glowing and resilient.

Treatment option: Skin Boosters including Profhilo and SkinVive help improve hydration, texture and elasticity. They’re effectively seeding a sponge into your skin to absorb more water.

Muscle Loss & Skin Tone

While cardio and calorie control are common elements of weight loss, muscle health often gets overlooked. As fat is lost, there may be less support under the skin, leading to sagging. Strength training can help fill this gap by building lean muscle that gives skin a firmer, lifted, more toned appearance.

Tip: Weekly resistance training doesn’t just tone your body, it helps fill in areas where fat was lost, giving your skin a more youthful contour.

Treatment option: The Mayfield Clinic in Edinburgh offers truSculpt® flex treatment – a personalised, non-invasive muscle-sculpting treatment. It uses Multi-Directional Stimulation (MDS) to mimic intense workouts such as squats, crunches and lunges, helping tone and strengthen key muscle groups. This is especially useful if you’re losing weight through weight loss injections or medical support as it helps counteract muscle loss and maintain firmness in areas such as the abdomen, glutes and thighs.

Dull Skin & Breakouts

During weight loss, you may experience temporary changes in your skin such as dullness, dehydration or breakouts. These shifts are often linked to diet, reduced calorie intake, hormonal fluctuations or hydration levels. Your skin is your body’s largest organ and it reflects what’s happening inside.

Tip: Support your skin with a nutrient-rich, balanced diet. Think omega-3s (found in salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds) to help restore collagen and maintain skin firmness. Fruits and vegetables high in vitamins C and E to support skin repair and protein from plant or animal sources to help support muscle development.

Treatment options:

• HydraFacial is a deep-cleaning, hydrating treatment that exfoliates and infuses the skin with antioxidants.
• Skin boosters including Profhilo and SkinVive can rehydrate and revitalise the skin from the inside out.
• Juläine is a next-generation biostimulator that encourages natural collagen production over time. It improves skin laxity, texture and resilience.
• Dermalux Triwave LED Phototherapy is a gentle, non-invasive treatment that can significantly improve skin texture, tone, acne and signs of ageing.

Skin Health Consultation at The Mayfield Clinic by Dr Nestor in Edinburgh

At The Mayfield Clinic by Dr Nestor in Edinburgh, our team understand that every weight loss journey, and every skin story, is unique.

Whether you have questions about your skin health or want to explore treatment options, we’re here to help. The Mayfield Clinic offer a personalised skin health consultation and tailor every treatment to suit your individual needs, goals and budget, delivering results-driven solutions that work for you.

Let us support your skin, every step of the way.

To book a skin consultation, please call our Edinburgh clinic on 0131 467 1450. You can also email hello@themayfieldclinic.co.uk for more information on  treatments or book a consultation online.

The Mayfield Clinic by Dr Nestor is an award-winning aesthetic and medical clinic located at 169 Mayfield Road in Newington, Edinburgh, EH9 3AZ, Scotland.