the skin issue

Princess_in_training84

in total i have aaprox 140lbs to lose and im so determined to do it but already very concerned about the prospect of loose skin...now i know it takes time for the skin to re-adjust but is there anything i can be doing to help it along the way?

Alatariel75

The usual advice is to lose slowly, keep the fats up in your diet, moisturize and hope that you have good genes

runfoorun

Strength train. It'll tighten back up in some spots as you build muscle. In the end though, your health is more important than some excess skin.

RodaRose

Weightlifting because it helps shape your body.

Liftng4Lis

Lose slowly and lift while you're doing it.

lemonsurprise

Strength training won't help your skin. It will only help fill it out with muscle. I'm probably going to have a lot of people disagree but I always think it's easier for men to lose a large amount of weight and not have to deal with as much loose skin because they can fill their skin back out with muscle, whereas females rarely want that look!
Losing slower does help to a degree but it mainly boils down to genetics and where your fat already hangs. If you have a large "apron" of fat at the bottom of your stomach that hangs over then you're going to be very lucky for that to snap back regardless of age. Also, if you are large but everything is very tight then you're not going to suffer as much as someone who has soft, "melty" looking fat.
Oh, and if you have pale skin you're also more prone to loose skin rather than if you have dark skin.
I had 100lbs to lose and was very worried about the loose skin. I've lost around 60lbs and already have a fair share, more than I thought I would and it is pretty depressing to look at in the mirror BUT the other bazillion plus points to losing weight far out weigh it. I always have the choice to put the weight back on and get rid of the loose skin but I never ever would. Ever!

Phaewryn

I have really bad loose abdominal skin, in fact, I think because it is SO bad, I look BETTER when fatter. It's one of those really depressing things about getting fit.. I know that naked, I am going to look SO much WORSE (it makes me feel like an old hag). If I could afford surgery, it would be gone, but I can't. Sometimes I lay in bed and think about how if I just cut it off and went to the ER, they'd have to sew it up for me, and I wouldn't die, but would be rid of it for free (health insurance covers emergencies). It's really bad. I've had it for almost 2 decades, and I have tried EVERY niche product, every suggestion, every program... nothing helps it at all. NOTHING. There's NOTHING you can do, don't let people get your hopes up, I promise you, NOTHING helps. People who give suggestions for things that help almost always are not people who have the problem. The people who have the problem usually choose to not say anything, because what's the point in bringing someone down and discouraging them? If, like me, it's abdominal skin, the best thing you can do is buy a new wardrobe with all high waisted pants/skirts, and remember to TUCK all shirts in tightly, or wear a tank top under all your shirts that aren't tucked in, with IT tucked in tightly. No-one will know it is there so long as you keep your clothes on. It also helps to remove all mirrors or move them up so that they only show your upper body/head in any rooms you may not be fully clothed in. This is how I live with it, I pretend it's not so bad. It's actually devastating.

Phaewryn

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/after-huge-weight-loss-sagging-skin-remains-n44481 is an article about those who did bariatric surgery, but I disagree with the article on the occurrence, I believe that a LOT of people have this from normal weight loss, plus a lot of women have this after pregnancy (which is where mine came from). It's pretty clear that having the body contouring (tummy tuck) helps a lot psychologically. Too bad it's out of reach financially for most of us. I know that if I had it done, I'd be way less likely to keep putting the weight back on, because when I get an extra 15lbs on, I LOOK BETTER, so I have very little incentive to stay in that middle of healthy BMI.

Ooci

Phaewryn wrote: »

I have really bad loose abdominal skin, in fact, I think because it is SO bad, I look BETTER when fatter. It's one of those really depressing things about getting fit.. I know that naked, I am going to look SO much WORSE (it makes me feel like an old hag). If I could afford surgery, it would be gone, but I can't. Sometimes I lay in bed and think about how if I just cut it off and went to the ER, they'd have to sew it up for me, and I wouldn't die, but would be rid of it for free (health insurance covers emergencies). It's really bad. I've had it for almost 2 decades, and I have tried EVERY niche product, every suggestion, every program... nothing helps it at all. NOTHING. There's NOTHING you can do, don't let people get your hopes up, I promise you, NOTHING helps. People who give suggestions for things that help almost always are not people who have the problem. The people who have the problem usually choose to not say anything, because what's the point in bringing someone down and discouraging them? If, like me, it's abdominal skin, the best thing you can do is buy a new wardrobe with all high waisted pants/skirts, and remember to TUCK all shirts in tightly, or wear a tank top under all your shirts that aren't tucked in, with IT tucked in tightly. No-one will know it is there so long as you keep your clothes on. It also helps to remove all mirrors or move them up so that they only show your upper body/head in any rooms you may not be fully clothed in. This is how I live with it, I pretend it's not so bad. It's actually devastating.

This is such a sad, bleak post. How much is the surgery? Crossing everything that money comes your way so you can have it. I saw my sister in law's abdominal apron of skin and know the utter misery it caused her, and how thrilled she was to have it cut off.

I have no loose skin yet ( I lost around 42 lb slowly) but I think it highly likely that if I do lose all my belly fat, I will. In which case definitely definitely surgery even if it means certain sacrifices.

Ooci

PS No budget from the NHS for this in Chester?

Sued0nim

NHS is always a postcode lottery ...prove mental anguish and you have a better chance

gemmamummy

I have a small pouch of skin at the bottom of my stomach, its not massive but its enough to prevent my bottom abs from showing no matter what I do. There are people who have it much much worse than me, I know. I can honestly say that doing weighted exercises on my stomach and weightlifting has lifted the skin slightly. It'll never be gone, but it has improved.

makelemonade14

My stomach already looks atrocious from carrying my giant babies. I have horrible skin genes. My stretch marks go both vertically and horizontally, up to my rib cage. I've lost 30 pounds so far (70 lower than my highest pregnancy weight) and have an interesting waffle look. Plus an apron type overhang. I've googled for pictures on what I might look like at my goal weight but generally only find surgery pictures.

Anyways, I try to focus on how much better I will feel. I know I will look better even with excess skin. The big picture and all that.

Ooci

It sounds like Phaewryn really does have mental anguish - I'd keep prodding at those GPs, if you haven't.

flumi_f

Alatariel75 wrote: »

The usual advice is to lose slowly, keep the fats up in your diet, moisturize and hope that you have good genes

That is very important.

I think, it also depends on how quickly you gained the weight and where you carry it. Mine was mainly on my front torso and I gained most of it in a few years during my teen years and kept it on 30yrs. I've gone from 97kg to 57kg on a 157cm frame. My skin has wide stretch marks and I have quite a belly overhang. My bust / ab and belly skin is shot. No reason not to lose though. I had my bust fixed last october and I'm very happy with the result. Tummy and abs are scheduled for june. Have to pay most of it myself, but it's worth it. The skin bothers me in sports and isn't very pretty.

Lose the weight in a healthy manner, moisturize and do some kind of strength training. The rest will show in time.

sun_fish

Princess_in_training84 wrote: »

in total i have aaprox 140lbs to lose and im so determined to do it but already very concerned about the prospect of loose skin...now i know it takes time for the skin to re-adjust but is there anything i can be doing to help it along the way?

I believe it mostly comes down to genetics, followed by how long you've been overweight and how slowly you lose.

The reason I am bolding the "but" in your statement, is that while I believe your question is sincere, please don't allow this is be a roadblock. I'm sure anyone who has lost weight will tell you it is a tough road to stay on to meet your goal. Don't let the fear of loose skin get in your way.

Oh, and I have loose skin after losing around 70 pounds. I wish I didn't, but I'll take that over being fat any day.

Oncebittentwiceshy38

This is such a sad, bleak post. How much is the surgery? Crossing everything that money comes your way so you can have it. I saw my sister in law's abdominal apron of skin and know the utter misery it caused her, and how thrilled she was to have it cut off.

I have no loose skin yet ( I lost around 42 lb slowly) but I think it highly likely that if I do lose all my belly fat, I will. In which case definitely definitely surgery even if it means certain sacrifices.

[/quote]

This ^^ I think that my gift to myself when I'm at goal will be to have checked with my insurance company to see if it will cover any of it, and saved up if not. It will be a gift of taking care of myself just like the process of losing weight is right now.
Having said that, their are so many benefits of losing weight that have nothing to do with how you look. I want to have energy and not be winded from climbing stairs etc. I also know that a lot of it can be covered by what you wear, and the one who will see you naked had better love you for more then just a hot body. Best of luck to you!

gothchiq

My weight loss was only 30 pounds but the loose skin is still an issue! Unbelievable. under my chin, my tricep area, my thighs and stomach, everywhere! It makes me look older. I do lift weights and practice good skin care but it has made no difference. I went and talked to my doctor and she said that for just 30 lb I stood a chance of it tightening up better... IN TWO YEARS. I have started wearing leggings under my shorts at the gym to conceal the problem.

Francl27

Ph

Phaewryn wrote: »

I have really bad loose abdominal skin, in fact, I think because it is SO bad, I look BETTER when fatter. It's one of those really depressing things about getting fit.. I know that naked, I am going to look SO much WORSE (it makes me feel like an old hag). If I could afford surgery, it would be gone, but I can't. Sometimes I lay in bed and think about how if I just cut it off and went to the ER, they'd have to sew it up for me, and I wouldn't die, but would be rid of it for free (health insurance covers emergencies). It's really bad. I've had it for almost 2 decades, and I have tried EVERY niche product, every suggestion, every program... nothing helps it at all. NOTHING. There's NOTHING you can do, don't let people get your hopes up, I promise you, NOTHING helps. People who give suggestions for things that help almost always are not people who have the problem. The people who have the problem usually choose to not say anything, because what's the point in bringing someone down and discouraging them? If, like me, it's abdominal skin, the best thing you can do is buy a new wardrobe with all high waisted pants/skirts, and remember to TUCK all shirts in tightly, or wear a tank top under all your shirts that aren't tucked in, with IT tucked in tightly. No-one will know it is there so long as you keep your clothes on. It also helps to remove all mirrors or move them up so that they only show your upper body/head in any rooms you may not be fully clothed in. This is how I live with it, I pretend it's not so bad. It's actually devastating.

I have to say I agree with this. I laugh at the 'lift and it won't happen' advice. It's BS. Muscle is under the skin and does not help the skin shrink. It really depends on your genes, how long you were overweight for and how long your skin was stretched etc. Mine isn't as bad, I can still wear dresses, but you can tell it's there (plus it's also above the belly button, so it's like I have 4 boobs when I bend over. lovely).

Lourdesong

I get why keeping up your lean body mass is important, I don't get why losing fat slowly would be a benefit to helping skin bounce back better.

I look at my bingo wings, for instance, and while I do have some loose skin there already, what is really keeping my skin stretched out and weighted down is the weight of the fat that remains. It seems to me the longer it takes to lose the fat that is keeping my skin stretched and weighted down, then the longer it is that my skin is stretched and weighted down. I fail to see how that is an advantage. Seems to me my skin would bounce back better if it weren't for the weight of fat dragging it and stretching it downwards.

jazzy550

I asked my doctor to explain it to me as I have a small "apron" from two c-sections and her told me that skin that's separated from muscle will never adhered again. During surgery they remove all the skin that's not attached to muscle. If you have never exercised and are overweight the chances of having excess skin is greater then someone who is used to exercise. If you watch the BL you'll see the contestants who were athletic before they got fat bounced back with no issues. After being away from exercising and weight training for a while and then starting it back up they saying that muscle does not forget and will build back up quickly.