48 / WOMEN’S HEALTH SEPTEMBER 2019
MEREDITH^JENKS/TRUNK^ARCHIVEAfter losing more than 30
pounds over this past year, I
found myself having a clas-
sic Clueless Monet moment.
While the image in my full-
length mirror reflected
my newfound strength and
energy, the face staring
back at me in my magnif y-
ing one looked puzzlingly
tired and, somehow, older.
Fine lines around my eyes and
forehead had become exaggerated,
and my undereyes looked hollow
and purplish. It wasn’t all in my
head. A trip to the dermatologist
for a Visia scan (a diagnostic tool
that shows skin damage) revealed
my skin’s age to be four years older
than my true one. Um, what?!
I’m definitely not alone in this
experience. “I see it very frequent-
ly,” says dermatologist and
Women’s Health advisory board
member Mona Gohara, MD.
“Sagging, wrinkling, and fine lines
are more apparent with even a
10 -pound weight loss,” she says.
The reason? “Like all the other
parts of the body, our face has
fat, and that fat actually makes us
look more youthful,” explains NYC
dermatologist Anne Chapas, MD, of
Union Square Laser Dermatology.
“People who have higher BMIs
generally tend to look younger.”
And since you can’t spot-reduce fat
(Working Out 101), if you lose
weight, you’re losing it from your
face too.
Those who have lost and gained
multiple times in the past, are
older, or have sun damage are par-
ticularly affected in the face by new
weight loss. That’s because sun
damages elastic fibers (which also
reduce with a ge), making it harder
for skin to really bounce back, says
Dr. Chapas.
Thankfully, a few skin-care
tweaks—and perhaps a trip to the
dermatologist—give you ways to
address your top complexion con-
cerns so your face can match how
absolutely awesome and energized
you feel on the inside. Start here...Lost Weight,
Gained...Wrinkles?
When the number on the scale changes, your clothes may need
altering—but your skin-care routine could probably use
an overhaul too. Beauty director Marta Topran investigates.