Loose skin

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anjol35
anjol35 Posts: 15 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
i have lost 80lbs and I am very happy about that but I am now left with saggy boobs, a saggy stomach and saggy upper arms. Any maintainers dealing with the same thing? What can I do to fix this outside of nipping and tucking?
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Replies

  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
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    I've lost a little more than twice that, so maybe you have more hope than me because your loss wasn't quite as extreme. For your sake I very much hope so. I've been maintaining for about a year and a half and my skin curtains haven't changed a bit. :(
  • jnv7594
    jnv7594 Posts: 983 Member
    edited May 2015
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    There's nothing you can do to fix it unfortunately except surgery. I have the same thing, and mine is really bad. I've lost 87 pounds and have about 50 or so more to go, so mine will get even worse. :( Some of it may bounce back a bit. I think most people say a year after the weight loss you will see pretty much what you're stuck with. Strength training and building some muscle may fill some of those areas in minimizing the loose skin, but if you are like me, you would have to build up substantial muscles to get rid of it completely. I'd rather have loose skin than look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, lol.
  • maxit
    maxit Posts: 880 Member
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    jnv7594 wrote: »
    There's nothing you can do to fix it unfortunately except surgery. I have the same thing, and mine is really bad. I've lost 87 pounds and have about 50 or so more to go, so mine will get even worse. :( Some of it may bounce back a bit. I think most people say a year after the weight loss you will see pretty much what you're stuck with. Strength training and building some muscle may fill some of those areas in minimizing the loose skin, but if you are like me, you would have to build up substantial muscles to get rid of it completely. I'd rather have loose skin than look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, lol.

    I agree with this (except for the Arnold part - I would take muscles over bat wings lol) Moisturizing helps the skin's appearance, too. I have lost about 50# and am not happy about the loose, wrinkly skin .... better than the poundage, though :)

  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    All the more reason to lose at a steady pace, drink plenty of water and to do resistance training from the start.
  • jaqcan
    jaqcan Posts: 498 Member
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    I lost 80 lbs and had horrible skin flap and saggy boobs. I still have about 100lbs to lose, but they were so severe two surgeons suggested I get it done before I was at goal.
    I had a full tummy tuck and breast reduction. It was so incredibly painful and took a good year to actually feel normal (6 months to being OK) But I would do it again in a heartbeat. I did it because if I NEVER make it to goal, I didn't want to look like that anymore. It's been about 2 years since my surgery, and I haven't lost any more weight, been maintaining mostly, but I'm ready to kick it into gear and lose the rest.

    I would focus on strength exercise to tone up the muscles. But sometimes it just comes down to genetics and the damage that was already done.
  • neaneacc
    neaneacc Posts: 224 Member
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    Getting plenty of water, strength training, and great lotion will all help to make the skin look better. I have gone from 230 to 147 in the last 3 yrs, with a majority of the loss in the last 8 months. You need to be patient but the strength training really helps to allow the muscles to hold the skin more taught.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
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    999tigger wrote: »
    All the more reason to lose at a steady pace, drink plenty of water and to do resistance training from the start.

    depending on the amount of weight lost, even that won't necessarily help. I have fantastic muscle definition. You just can't see it unless you pull the huge skin drapes tight.

  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    meganjcallaghan wrote: »
    999tigger wrote: »
    All the more reason to lose at a steady pace, drink plenty of water and to do resistance training from the start.

    depending on the amount of weight lost, even that won't necessarily help. I have fantastic muscle definition. You just can't see it unless you pull the huge skin drapes tight.

    Think youd be the exception rather than the rule (great amount lost btw) and all things being equal think what it would be like if you didnt have the muscle definition.
  • slucki01
    slucki01 Posts: 284 Member
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    999tigger wrote: »
    All the more reason to lose at a steady pace, drink plenty of water and to do resistance training from the start.

    Losing slowly does not eliminate the saggy skin.
  • Elise4270
    Elise4270 Posts: 8,375 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Sounds like if the skin is bothersome enough you should consult a plastic surgeon. Maybe even a few of them. Consults should be free. RealSelf has some great experiences. I lived with the excess skin from a twin pregnancy for decades. Haven't for a second regretted it. Good luck.

    Some people just have better genitics. And may be able to lose and not have that excess, others are just as not that fortunate..
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    edited May 2015
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    from what I hear, teaching hospitals with universities are sometimes the cheaper way to go. And going through a teaching hospital doesn't necessarily equate to sacrificing quality of work.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    edited May 2015
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    slucki01 wrote: »
    999tigger wrote: »
    All the more reason to lose at a steady pace, drink plenty of water and to do resistance training from the start.

    Losing slowly does not eliminate the saggy skin.

    Do you suffer from saggy skin? Did you do weight lifting from the start of your diet? What rate did you lose at?

    ps the NHS advises slow steady weight loss and if you read my statemet it doesnt say it eliminates it, that was you.
  • anjol35
    anjol35 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for all the feedback-guess I was expecting the suggestion of a great excercise or plan but maybe I better look into the surgery.
  • hyg99
    hyg99 Posts: 354 Member
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    I've lost 70lb last year and although I have some saggy skin around my tummy and my belly bottom is unsmiling, I actually think since I hit goal in December, there has been some significant improvement. I by no stretch of the imagination need surgery and the worst bit is hideable in my knickers. I do exercise a lot and I think this has helped.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    If it helps ive seen people post recently how its righted itself after a year, so dont lose hope. Ofc as megan pointed out if youve lost a substantial amount then it would be very difficult to deal with the sheer amount of skin.
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I lost about the same amount in total. There are the lucky ones, that don't have loose skin - good genetics mainly.

    I had a skin removal on my bust last october and will have abs and tummy fixed in a few weeks. I'm very happy with the results on my bust and am expecting a similar outcome on my abs. My insurance is covering a wee bit of it, but I fought for that. I have decided to live with the loose skin on my upper/inner arms and thighs, because the incisions are long and I'm worried I would feel the scars during riding or biking. But the tummy and ab flaps have to go.

    Lose the weight, do some strength training and some cardio to get strong and fit and decide for yourself, what you want / need to be happy.
  • opalsqueak007
    opalsqueak007 Posts: 433 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Hi - I have lost 50lb and have awful loose skin on my upper arms, thighs and stomach. I have been strength training and now have very muscular arms and shoulders, but I must tell you that it has not made any difference to the loose skin at all. The skin does not seem to be "attached" to anything and the muscles do not "fill it". That said, I am 51 and was a smoker until recently. I do know people who have lost more weight than me and have no loose skin (my mother is one of them :) )
  • surfteam1689
    surfteam1689 Posts: 73 Member
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    anjol35 wrote: »
    Thanks for all the feedback-guess I was expecting the suggestion of a great excercise or plan but maybe I better look into the surgery.

    The T25 Videos might be what you need then. You have to start off really slow. Once you get the hang of it, then go hard, and you will see good results in no time. Your skin should bounce back quite a bit.
  • ellisboyd1
    ellisboyd1 Posts: 67 Member
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    Nature does a bit, working out does a bit, but if you lose that much weight there will always be some saggy skin. I got the surgery, and it's the best thing I ever did.
  • xX_PhoenixRising_Xx
    xX_PhoenixRising_Xx Posts: 623 Member
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    999tigger wrote: »
    All the more reason to lose at a steady pace, drink plenty of water and to do resistance training from the start.

    Which is exactly what I did. 155 lbs lost over 2.5 years. I have fantastic muscle definition, which is easy to see in my biceps and shoulders, and that's about it. Bat wings, and horrible loose skin on my stomach and legs. There is plenty of muscle underneath, you just can't see it. I've been maintaining for nearly a year now.

    Still, I'll take loose skin over being morbidly obese. Surgery here in Australia is far too expensive to be an option.

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