Loose skin recovery

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tacticalcraptical
tacticalcraptical Posts: 20 Member
edited December 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
So over the last 2 years I have lost about 120 lbs through diet and exercise. I have been working hard over the last 5 months to build muscle, it's going well and I feel great. I am 31 years old, I am 6'2", I weigh 185 lbs and I am sitting around 13% body fat. I am pretty proud of myself but one thing frustrates me.

I have a bit (not tons) of loose skin on my stomach that just is not tightening up after all this time. Anyone have any input as to why this might be? How long it will take? Is there anything I can do to work towards fixing this?
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Replies

  • ikeATtheGYM
    ikeATtheGYM Posts: 17 Member
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    From what I have read on the topic....time, training and Cocoa butter. Often the weight loss is at a faster rate than the skins elasticity can recover, but with more time, it will continue to tighten up and if you are doing intense training to build muscle during that time, it helps the skin keep tightening more and then moisturizer on a regular basis, i like a quality cocoa butter with no alcohol or petroleum jelly, but, any quality lotion will do, as long as you use it every day. These are the most effective non-surgical ways to minimize loose skin.
  • tacticalcraptical
    tacticalcraptical Posts: 20 Member
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    I do use a cocoa butter based body wash, due to life long trouble with dry skin but I will try the lotion as well for after the shower. Thanks for the recommendation!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Time and genetics will determine your final skin situation. A bit of loose skin after losing 100+ pounds is to be expected. It very well may be permanently. I'm not trying to be a downer but I think we need to be realistic about our bodies' abilities to "snap back" after weight loss.
  • ikeATtheGYM
    ikeATtheGYM Posts: 17 Member
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    Jem is kind of right, but, at a year after weight loss, I think you still have more time before you decide that you are stuck with that skin, I've read a few stories on bodybuilding.com that talked about several years for loose skin to recover from a drastic weight loss(100+)
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
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    Congrats on your loss, sounds like you've been working hard and achieved a lot of success.

    Lotions and creams temporarily plump the skin. Women (and men) spend obscene amounts of money on skin tightening creams for their face that don't do anything. Money that would probably be better spent on botox. And this is for their face, a place that typically doesn't store or lose 10's of pounds of fat.

    You could consider surgery if it seems that the passage of time has done all it can do, but then I think the question then becomes about if you want to go through surgery, recovery, deal with a new scar (which can often be quite gruesome, imo, even when fully healed) or potential complications (even more gruesome possibilities here). Many people have had surgery and had great results, though, hence the dilemma.

    I don't believe there's anything you can do apart from accepting it, hoping time will take care of it, or surgery.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,670 Member
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    Loose skin is likely if one has more than 80+lbs to lose. Genetics and age will determine whether or not retraction will happen.
    Contrary to popular belief, using any product that only treats the surface (epidermis) doesn't affect the dermis below when it comes to things like stretch marks or loose skin with the possible exception of moisturizing. Skin products don't remove excess tissue.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • ikeATtheGYM
    ikeATtheGYM Posts: 17 Member
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    I love seeing certified trainers, throw around their credentials, as if they know as much as a dermatologist(a Medical Doctor) or a scientist that makes lotion, and the DR or scientists have a longer list of even more impressive titles and educational accomplishments.

    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
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    OOOHHH I'm in after that comment
  • songbird13291
    songbird13291 Posts: 120 Member
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    Well, my doctor -- who specializes in bariatric surgery -- and my dermatologist agree with the fitness trainer.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    ikeATtheGYM wrote: »
    I love seeing certified trainers, throw around their credentials, as if they know as much as a dermatologist(a Medical Doctor) or a scientist that makes lotion, and the DR or scientists have a longer list of even more impressive titles and educational accomplishments.

    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.
    No one threw around credentials. They are simply in his signature. He's 100% correct, and it's fairly obvious that you are just trolling...

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    ikeATtheGYM wrote: »
    I love seeing certified trainers, throw around their credentials, as if they know as much as a dermatologist(a Medical Doctor) or a scientist that makes lotion, and the DR or scientists have a longer list of even more impressive titles and educational accomplishments.

    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.

    You must be new around here.
  • Debmal77
    Debmal77 Posts: 4,770 Member
    edited December 2015
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    ikeATtheGYM wrote: »
    I love seeing certified trainers, throw around their credentials, as if they know as much as a dermatologist(a Medical Doctor) or a scientist that makes lotion, and the DR or scientists have a longer list of even more impressive titles and educational accomplishments.

    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.

    He was absolutely right. Lotions moisturize the epidermis and that's all they do. Loose skin is not a disease.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
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    Prescribed medications that treat diseases? Leave your itch cream out of this......
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
    edited December 2015
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    ikeATtheGYM wrote: »
    I love seeing certified trainers, throw around their credentials, as if they know as much as a dermatologist(a Medical Doctor) or a scientist that makes lotion, and the DR or scientists have a longer list of even more impressive titles and educational accomplishments.

    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.

    He didn't say creams and lotions didn't moisturize. He said, "Skin products don't remove excess tissue." Are you really disputing that?
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    edited December 2015
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    ikeATtheGYM wrote: »
    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.

    Good observation, but sagging has nothing to do with the outer surface of the skin.
  • RicMackie
    RicMackie Posts: 42 Member
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    I've also lost quite a bit of weight in the last year. I've got a LOT of loose skin, mostly in stomach area, but in other places, too. I see it like this.... If it goes away some day, wonderful. If not, I am waaaaay lighter than I was about a year ago, and I'm going to focus on keeping that off and be happy for the health benefits I gain from the weight loss. But I totally get that we are all different. But I'd just say to you, don't let that bit of extra skin define you. You did, and continue to do, the hard part - getting healthier. Congratulations!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,226 Member
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    tacticalcraptical wrote: »
    So over the last 2 years I have lost about 120 lbs through diet and exercise. I have been working hard over the last 5 months to build muscle, it's going well and I feel great. I am 31 years old, I am 6'2", I weigh 185 lbs and I am sitting around 13% body fat. I am pretty proud of myself but one thing frustrates me.

    I have a bit (not tons) of loose skin on my stomach that just is not tightening up after all this time. Anyone have any input as to why this might be? How long it will take? Is there anything I can do to work towards fixing this?

    If I read this post, you are only 5 months out from when you stopped losing weight. It will take 2 years of maintaining to see what will happen with your loose skin. Basically, 5 months is not enough for your skin to totally recover. When you have maintained for 2 years, and you still have loose skin, then what you have left is likely where it will stay.
  • agaraffa
    agaraffa Posts: 27 Member
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    First off, congrats on your weight loss... that's a great accomplishment. I lost 160 pounds and am significantly older than you (46) and I have some loose skin as well. I know that it's probably easier for me to deal with it since I'm an old man, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. My doctor referred me to a plastic surgeon who could get rid of it for me, but I have no interest. Even though I don't do much to get rid of it, it does seem to be getting smaller... I don't think it will ever go away completely, but I'm cool with that. The way look at it is it's like a scar that represents where I've been and how far I've come... it's also serves as a reminder that I never want to go back there.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    rileysowner wrote: »
    tacticalcraptical wrote: »
    So over the last 2 years I have lost about 120 lbs through diet and exercise. I have been working hard over the last 5 months to build muscle, it's going well and I feel great. I am 31 years old, I am 6'2", I weigh 185 lbs and I am sitting around 13% body fat. I am pretty proud of myself but one thing frustrates me.

    I have a bit (not tons) of loose skin on my stomach that just is not tightening up after all this time. Anyone have any input as to why this might be? How long it will take? Is there anything I can do to work towards fixing this?

    If I read this post, you are only 5 months out from when you stopped losing weight. It will take 2 years of maintaining to see what will happen with your loose skin. Basically, 5 months is not enough for your skin to totally recover. When you have maintained for 2 years, and you still have loose skin, then what you have left is likely where it will stay.

    Yes, I've read it takes about two years in maintenance for the skin to finish tightening up.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    ikeATtheGYM wrote: »
    I love seeing certified trainers, throw around their credentials, as if they know as much as a dermatologist(a Medical Doctor) or a scientist that makes lotion, and the DR or scientists have a longer list of even more impressive titles and educational accomplishments.

    Lotion and cream works to moisturize skin!!!! That's why it's used so widely and even in many prescribed medical lotions that treat diseases.

    Unmoisturized skin and loose skin are not the same thing. In addition, medical syrups and suppositories are often prescribed to treat diseases too. It doesn't mean they'll shrink overly stretched skin.

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