Loose Skin

water4life

Hello everyone, I am 255 after losing 7 pounds my first week of mfp. My goal weight is <200 for now. I am 21 years old and have been overweight since I was about 8 years. I want to lose weight to look better,feel better and to be healthier. I am extremely motivated to reach my goals, but their is a HUGE fear in my mind that I can not get out. I am afraid that losing such a massive amount of weight will cause me to have a lot of excess and loose skin. I just know that even if I reached my goal weight and I had a lot of excess skin that I just could not feel good about myself even after all the weight loss. I know there are no guarantees and everyone experience is different when it comes to this subject. I would just like to know your personal experience after loosing a lot of weight. I know it is a personal subject, but I would really love your health.

I'M SORRY FOR THE LONG POST, BUT PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ IT.

THANK YOU

jrich1

I have read online that toning and exercise can help, but its probably going to be unavoidable. Also if you lose the weight gradually your skin will retract some too. I face the same problem going from 314 now down to 270 I have some loose skin in my stomach, I too fear that at the 225 I want to be at it will be worse.

Chenoachem

Drinking water will help your skin gain its elasticity. Also weights and toning will help. It is usually only if you try to loose the weight to fast will you have excess loose skin.

Great job so far. Good Luck.

crobinson3

You raise a very good point and I'll share with you my experience.

Like you I was always overweight as a child and into my adult life I just grew bigger. At my peak I was 20 stones. Over the last 3 years I've slowly lost the weight and am now down to 12 stones 4 with only a few pounds left to go before I hit my all time goal.

I won't lie to you, the worst aspect of the weight loss is loose skin, particularly around my stomach area. I won't scare you all with photos, but there is plenty of excess skin there and no matter how much running or exercise I've done it hasn't gone away. I guess the point I am making is, if your body has been stretched to such a size for so many years (like mine was) then it isn't going to fall into the perfect shape quickly if at all. I think one thing is for sure, if you lose weight too quickly the loose skin will be far worse than if you let it come off 1 or 2 pounds a week.

The benefit is, even though your skin may end up loose, you're going to look and feel so much better when you've lost the weight and it almost falls into insignificance.

My advice is loose the weight slowly and steadily, do a decent amount of exercise to build muscle in the areas where loose skin is apparent, but most of all, try not to worry about it.

My online blog is at www.aroundthewaist.co.uk where there is some photos of me before I started losing weight and now.

Best of luck!

canroadrunner

You are 21 and your youth will make your skin more elastic than if you were older. Just be sure to take it off no more than 1-2 lbs a week and exercise. If your muscles grow, it will plump out your skin a bit and you will look fabulous.

Good luck.

Ms_Natalie

Great for you for changing some habits of a lifetime! :flowerforyou:
I'm not sure about the skin worry, but I will say that a friend of mine had gastric bypass surgery and has only been left with considerable amounts of skin around her tummy. However...her weight loss was drastic...I am sure that a steady weight loss would not result in a huge amount of skin...however, I cannot guarantee this.

I am very sure that a strict exercise regime will help avoid this excess fat as building muscles will result in more calories being burned during exercise and should help tone up those areas. I would focus on areas where excess skin is prone to developing...such as the tummy, and top of arms. :flowerforyou:

One thing I will say is excess skin is a small price to pay when you are changing your health and fitness. Being overweight brings with it many significant health problems and you are doing an amazing job by deciding to change this :flowerforyou:

As you are young, I would also believe that your skin still has considerable elasticity in it and therefore your skin may respond differently to the changes when compared to someone who is considerably older.

Welcome to MFP and congrats on the fanastic weight loss so far :flowerforyou:

BonnieDeno

I have that problem but I've gained and lost weight rapidly and numerous times and gave birth to 5 kids. I've been told by trainers and such that if you loose the weight the "right way"-no more than 2.5lbs a week- that it helps prevent that. Good Luck!

mowryann

Lose the weight slowly, 1-2 pounds a week; that's anywhere from 52 to 104 in one year. AWESOME!! Make sure that you are adding cardio and strength training in the mix so you're adding muscle. You are only 21, so you have your age as a big advantage in that your skin should have a lot of elasticity left in it. Chances are there is going to be some loose skin hanging around, just not wanting to say goodbye. But I have to tell you -- I would rather be healthy and fit, hiding a little bit of excess flab, than being a 100 pounds overweight and dying a slow death!

Good luck on your journey and, until you are able to possibly surgically rid yourself of the excess skin AFTER you have attained your goal, relish in the fact that you are a little bit healthier everyday!!

Blessings!! :flowerforyou:

superstarcassie

I have also wondered about this. I've been lucky so far- no loose skin, but still quite a bit of weight to loose. I agree with the lifting, toning, and drinking water!

jchaparro

I have been wondering the smae thing. I have lost 54 lbs in the past year and have over 100 to go. I am hoping not to have surgery to remove the skin. Congrats on your success and wishing you the best in the future. Keep up the good work.

jamie11k

Everyone is right on the money- lose slowly and consistently, drink that water, and your body will take care of itself. Strength training will keep your muscle tone and help burn calories while you rest. The skin will be looser, but it shouldn't be excessive.

I recommend using lotion every day, just as you would for stretchmarks or scars. Cocoa or shea butter lotions are popular.

I worked in a weight loss clinic that sold suppliments, and (I'M NOT A DOCTOR- this depends on the person!) we sold a supplement called CoQ-10 which helped skin regain elasticity. I believe it's sold in the vitamin aisle pretty much anywhere.

Please do your research and ask your doctor first!

Good luck with your weight loss, and don't let the fear of loose skin keep you from reaching those goals!

waguchan

I have to agree with everyone else. 1.) You are only 21, so it's more likely to snap back than mine (I am twice your age). And 2.) building muscle will help to fill out the space where your fat used to live. And 3.) Don't worry about it. You'll feel so great when you reach your goal, it's not going to be a big deal anymore.

I do have lots of loose skin. But no one but my husband sees me naked, so I don't really care. I'd much rather have loose skin than keep those extra 80 or 90 pounds around. I suppose I can have surgery some day to tighten up the skin on my flabby arms, tummy, and elsewhere. But I've heard that skin tightening surgery is pretty painful. My loose skin isn't going to keep me from swimming or wearing tank tops or shorts. But I'll never wear a bikini.

water4life

All of you have been a great help to me and I really appreciate your advise. I wish all of you a healthy and happy future!!!

ileitch

You're so young and it's "only" 60 pounds. I lost 80 pounds at age 25 and had no problem with no loose skin. Good luck.

burtam

Same fear here - I do have loose skin in my tummy already from the weight I have lost so far. About a week ago, it dawned on me that women pamper their faces and necks with "skin firming lotions" and I figured I would do the same with my body. I started using Jergens Skin Smoothing Lotion after I shower and before bed. It has gotten great reviews and I am already noticing a difference in my neck....

Worth a shot!

Best of luck!

gailosborne

Hello,
This is my personal experience. Others may have different stories to tell but I hope this helps.
I have lost just over 90lbs and until a year ago had been overweight and unfit for most of my life. (I am 38) I understand that loose skin is a worry and I doubt you will escape with non whatsoever. However I believe that despite what you think now, you could gain a new perspective on what a good body looks like. I know I have. I have a good body, no it's not asthetically perfect and I could waste time and energy by comparing it unfavourably with models in magazines etc. but it is slim, (in most parts) toned, allows me to wear most styles of clothes, is strong, fit, healthy, energetic and I am so proud of it. I don't give a monkeys about the odd stretch mark or wobbly part frankly, and just feel so thankful and happy to have got this far!
I have some loose skin, mostly on my tummy but it is also the area where I still ha have some excess fat. I am toning, toning and toning it like mad. Elsewhere, with lots of exercise, everything is pretty much fairly toned and perky! I expect to always have some lose skin but also know that if my tummy follows the fine example set by my arms, legs, bottom and chest as the fat goes and the tone develops, the skin becomes so much less of a problem.
There are no short cuts - drink lots of water, moisturise, eat healthily (not just low cal but avoid the rubbish and get lots of vitamins inside of you), exercise wisely and don't expect an overnight transformation - this is long haul. Building muscles/muscle tone will give the skin something to gain support from and be lifted by.
You are also still very young and that has got to help.
Thats about as personal as I can manage publically! = ) Feel free to message me if there is anything more specific I can help you with.
Best Wishes
Gail

Nina74

You are young enough I would not worry. My brother, when he was 22 went from 350 to 190, slowly, diet and exercise. He did have some loose skin around his stomach, but over time it went away. I think you will be ok!

reneelee

You are 21 and your youth will make your skin more elastic than if you were older. Just be sure to take it off no more than 1-2 lbs a week and exercise. If your muscles grow, it will plump out your skin a bit and you will look fabulous.

Good luck.
[/quoteAge is on your side!]

fromPuertoRico

This is one of the many concerns about loosing weight.

Thanks God I have been reading that if you loose 1 -2 ponds per week, do exercise ... the skin, as an live organ, will adapt.

A lot of success for everybody !!!!

00trayn

I've read a lot how it also has to do with genetics. Some people are just more prone to loose skin after losing large amounts of weight. I'm lucky and I talked to my mom and she said that she didn't have any problems when she dropped all the way down to 127 in her 20's. I'm down to about 30 pounds above where I want to be and I'm OK so far. I looks like my skin is snapping back, so I may have my mom to thank for that. Just maintain a gradual weight loss amount, moisturize, and maybe ask around your family if anyone has lost weight and had any issues. I felt a lot better after talking to my mom.

Aeriel

Came across this topic today. I use these body wraps for tightening skin if you are still looking for them. It is not water loss weight like salon wraps. It gets your body to release the fat stored in the tissue and your lymph system passes it out of your body. Check them out! You are encouraged to drink water to help the process. It really helped me after having the kids and I use them once a week now to keep up with my weight loss (to tighten the skin as I go).

http://www.itworks.net/trishadux

SaveTheDrama

The key for me was losing the weight slowly and exercising during the whole process. I also made sure to drink plenty of water, and I cut out most processed foods. I have not had any problems with loose skin except for arms, but since I have continued to workout regular I am starting to see less loose skin and more deffinition. For me loose skin was not a big worry because I had gotten so big my health was going downhill fast, but I am glad I have been able to tone up.


Good Luck to you.:flowerforyou:

isislc

I've lost 85 lbs and have lots of loose skin and unfortunately, it's pretty obvious that I will need to get a couple of surgeries. My arms are more toned now but because I did so much work on them I developed super batwings that are nothing but a huge pocket of fat that the doctor has said I will probably not lose anymore from that area. This is also creating problems in the chest area since I lost a lot of weight there too, the added weight from the batwings is pulling on the nerves in my chest and resulting in a lot of pain. Same on the inner thighs from cycling. Although my thighs have gotten much bigger with muscle, I've also developed pouch deposits in that area too. I will need to get a tuck in those areas in the next year before the problem gets any worse. Tyhat is, if I can last that long!