Loose skin and belly button - is there any hope?

amehh91

Hi, I'm just after some advice. I'm onto the last 10-14lbs of weight loss, having lost 63lbs in 10 months so far. I have been overweight my whole life but no stretch marks or belly overhang until I was pregnant - when I hit 6/7 months pregnant the stretch marks came thick and fast and carried on after I had my son as I continued to eat a lot. I'm 24 this month, 5'6 and currently 147lbs (started at approx 210lbs) and aiming for 133-137lbs.

I am beginning to become happy with my body in clothes - hurrah! And I am mostly okay with my stretch marks - I know they will never go and although I wish I didn't have so many, I can accept that. However today I spent some time studying my tummy (as you do!) and my belly button is just a mess. It's all droopy and horrid, doesn't look like a belly button at all. For some reason this has really bothered me and I'm feeling really rubbish about a life with an awful looking belly button! I can even accept the belly skin overhang (since my underwear hides this) but the belly button has knocked me for six.

What I'm wondering is - will this improve with time? (I know they say skin can take up to 2 years to catch up with weight loss so I'm more than willing to be patient). Is this a strength training issue? Or is my belly button doomed forever unless I have surgery?

I don't have the money for a gym, nor home equipment so lifting heavy is not an option for me right now, and neither is surgery (although I would want to wait the 1-2 years anyway to see what happens at least before considering surgery anyway).

Has anyone had similar experience? I'm open to all answers, please be honest, even if it is to tell me what I don't really want to hear! Thanks in advance!

Note: the picture below is NOT mine, it is a similar picture from the internet - I don't have a big enough mirror to post a good enough picture on here...and don't know if I have the guts yet!



EDIT TO ADD: my current calorie goal is set to 1lb a week although sometimes I eat more than this, depending on how I feel. Also my current exercise is running once or twice a week (I can't go any more than this because of childcare), I have a stationary bike and I do youtube videos such as Jessica Smith walking ones (jogging instead of walking) - probably averaging about 3-4 hours exercise a week, sometimes a little more.

flippy1234

I have same issue!

Francl27

Same here, and I've been maintaining for a year and it hasn't improved one bit (it actually looks more wrinkly than the picture). Losing more fat should help a little but I'm not sure how much (I'm 5'5", 133 pounds, but all my fat is pretty much in my midsection and I just haven't been able to lose more).

People will tell you to lift weights though. It hasn't really helped me but I'm not doing the progressive programs (I hate lifting so it's definitely not something I'll be able to keep up forever anyway), so I'm not expecting huge results either. I've pretty much accepted that it will look that way forever. But yes, if you can lift weights, it might help some, instead of just doing cardio.

dubird

I do know that if you have excess skin from weight loss, you can donate it in some places for burn victims, I have no idea how much you would need or what all it would entail.

KrunchyMama

That's what my stomach looks like. Putting castor oil on it at night seemed to help firm it up. (2-3x a week, and do not use if nursing or while menstruating)

Asher_Ethan

Ugh I was young and dumb with my first child and kept my belly button ring in most of my pregnancy so I have a huge flap of skin just hanging there on top. I do find that losing weight slower seems to help my body get back to the way it was easier.... Maybe switch your diary to .5 pounds a week?

jaecamp1

I feel ya. I wear more shapers now than I ever did. Just to hold it all together. The way I look at it is that I've never looked good naked, but now I at least look good dressed

amehh91

Thanks for the moral support everyone - curse our flappy skin! I am already considering moving to 0.5lb/week but my birthday is at the end of July so I'll probably make the switch then (and get some damage limitation in beforehand!)

Hopefully one day I will be able to afford a gym and give lifting a go but it isn't in my immediate future I don't over do the cardio though, just as much as I want to although I do strive for the minimum 2.5hrs a week.

It's weird because I swear even a few months ago my belly button didn't look like this but then again my mind hasn't really caught up with the weight loss either so I don't know if I am the best judge!

Thanks again everyone

awolf2011

I know where you are dealing with. I have 4 boys, my oldest is going to be 11 and my youngest is 19 mo. I don't like the fact that when I lose weight, it seems to get worse, but it is also a reminder to me just what a woman's body can do . So, I will post my pics from a few months ago just for you I do have some more to lose obviously, but.....it is a slow process for me since I'm so busy with everything else. Imagine that

salembambi

my stomach/belly button looks worse but ive lost a lot more weight than you

and i can say nope it does not get better with time its been almost 2 years and its still disgusting

minties82

Mine looks worse and I still have aboutt 50lbs to go. It's a weird wrinkled mess!

xX_PhoenixRising_Xx

Mine looks a bit worse but I'm older, have 4 kids and was 350lbs at full term with my twins. I was also morbidly obese for over a decade. I'm in the high 170s now and have been maintaining a year, I also lift heavy and have done for a few years. It hasn't made much difference really, but I've learned to accept it. The stretch marks are barely visible, but my stomach is wrinkly where they are. At least I look good with clothes on.