Understanding skin laxity & ageing
Plain-language information about how skin loses firmness and structure over time, why it happens, and the unhurried consultations that help you make informed decisions about your care.
You must be 18 years or older to book an aesthetics consultation at The Glow Co. Aesthetics.
What skin laxity looks like
Skin laxity is the gradual loosening of skin that happens when the underlying structural proteins — collagen and elastin — reduce in quantity and quality. It shows up differently for everyone: sometimes as softening along the jawline, sometimes as a change in how the skin sits beneath the eyes or along the neck, sometimes as a general loss of the firmness that was once taken for granted. It is one of the most common concerns Nurse Lisa discusses at consultation, and one of the most nuanced.
Why does this happen?
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01
Collagen decline — collagen production begins slowing in the mid-20s and continues throughout life, reducing the skin's structural scaffolding.
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02
Elastin reduction — elastin fibres that allow skin to spring back gradually lose integrity with age and cumulative sun exposure.
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03
UV exposure — prolonged sun exposure is one of the most significant accelerators of skin laxity, degrading collagen and elastin well ahead of chronological age.
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04
Bone and fat pad changes — structural changes beneath the skin affect how it sits and drapes, contributing to the appearance of laxity.
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05
Weight fluctuation — significant changes in body weight can accelerate skin loosening, particularly in the face and neck.
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06
Genetics — inherited skin type, thickness and structural characteristics strongly influence when and how laxity presents.
What a consultation can cover
Nurse Lisa begins with a thorough skin and facial assessment, looking at both surface skin quality and the structural factors contributing to laxity. She has an honest conversation about what is achievable non-surgically, what timelines look like, and how different approaches compare. Her preference is always for conservative, gradual planning rather than dramatic single interventions. Where clinical treatments may be appropriate, she facilitates a discussion with a prescribing medical practitioner about suitability.