Question for those who have lost TONS of weight..(Loose skin question)

Reaverie

I saw a guy post where he had lost a ton of weight and then was asking for donations to remove "excess skin." So I went and googled "excess skin from weight loss" and .. well. Now Im kinda spooked. However, I have checked out some pics of success stories on here and I dont see the "scary" excess bags of skin shown on google image search. So.. did ya'll have surgery? If not, what did you do to prevent it or are the pics exaggerated on google? (Which may well be so..I know the rule that googling symptoms is the best way to convince yourself that you are dying.) What can I do to prevent the nightmares they show on images? I dont do needles and knives.. *shudders*

alyssa0061

Relax and accept that your skin will be the way your skin is when the weight loss is done.

I have lost 130 pounds and have quite a lot of loose skin.

I have 90+ pounds left to lose. When I'm done, I will be the scary nightmare you shudder at.

That's the difference though. You worry about it. I don't.

I just want to be healthy.

Reaverie

alyssa0061 wrote: »

Relax and accept that your skin will be the way your skin is when the weight loss is done.

I have lost 130 pounds and have quite a lot of loose skin.

I have 90+ pounds left to lose. When I'm done, I will be the scary nightmare you shudder at.

That's the difference though. You worry about it. I don't.

I just want to be healthy.

I lost 110lbs back when I was 22. I did a rapid "starvation" weight loss and did it in less than a year..Actually it took about 6 months. I had loose skin, yes, but NOT like those pics on google. I mean.. Some of those pics.. the skin was dragging the ground! Mine didnt look all that loose. Rather, it just FELT loose.. But this time I am 30 lbs more than I was then. And I hear the older you get the worse it can be. But like I pointed out, I dont see the loose skin on the success pics on here. So if all I have to worry about is what I went through at 22..But this time I plan to do it right and NOT rush the weight loss..I will feel less stressed by it.

SadDolt

i had some saggy/deflated looking skin back when i lost 105lbs. my whole body looked real deflated, but not so bad to where it was shocking. in my case i think if i worked out, my upper arms and inner thighs would have been pretty tone, maybe my belly button too. nothing i can do about boobs though except get surgery.

Reaverie

SadDolt wrote: »

i had some saggy/deflated looking skin back when i lost 105lbs. my whole body looked real deflated, but not so bad to where it was shocking. in my case i think if i worked out, my upper arms and inner thighs would have been pretty tone, maybe my belly button too. nothing i can do about boobs though except get surgery.

Well, boobs are the hardest to work out, though not impossible. I know when a woman has a baby, she blows up like a balloon in her midsection (even the below average weight types) and then after giving birth, just like a sudden weight loss, she is left with a sagging stomach. She dont rush out and get surgery to fix it though. After some time has passed, that skin begins to shrink and she regains her figure. I know I did.. (before I gained weight).. So the same concept must apply to those who lose weight due to obesity. Given time, everything should eventually regain its former structure. Perhaps its even slower with age, but it still should happen. I think plastic surgeons just dont want anyone to know that so they can make money off others vanity. I want to hear from those who lost weight YEARS ago and was left with loose skin and kept the weight off.. I want to hear how their skin is doing now with time.

tjsterch

When I was 25, I lost 120 pounds and I did have some excess skin at my tummy but for the most part the rest of me was quite tone. Fast forward 26 years... I gained back that weight, now I have lost 76 pounds and my skin is not going to snap back the way it did once. When I am finished losing weight, I don't know how much of me will look like a deflated balloon and which part of me will be tone. I do know I won't be carrying around an extra person with me anymore and I will be the best me I can be The younger you are, genetics, working out, etc all play a part in how much you tone up as you lose weight. As far as boobs go, I have had implants for 16 years - so now that I lost weight they are improving because the belly weight underneath them is disappearing, so they look better (not a typical weight loss effect).

The answer to those who lost weight years ago and kept it off: (at least in my case) I lost the weight, kept it off until about 2012/2013. During that time I stayed tone except for my stomach. My stomach was never tight again after gaining all the initial weight, then taking it off. I felt as if I needed a tummy tuck. My mom had her second round of breast cancer in 2012 and this time it was terminal. I stopped paying attention to me, spent as much time with her as I could, and gained A LOT OF WEIGHT. I didn't even realize I had gained so much until about a year after she had passed away when I started paying attention to me again.

Good luck to you Reaverie, you will do great!

Libellue23

The extent of saggy skin will be different for everyone, genetics, skin condition, weight lost all play rolls (or now a lack of rolls

Strawblackcat

I lost about 100lbs back when I was 15-16, and I remember being left with quite a bit of loose skin on my underarms and lower stomach. I just tried to accept things for what they were, and wore clothes that covered most of it.

My take on it: At least when I eventually have kids, I won't have to complain about thr stretch marks and loose skin!

SueSueDio

Take a look at this thread - the OP was brave and honest in sharing her pictures and talking about her weight loss and loose skin, and reading it might help to reassure you.

Reaverie

tjsterch wrote: »

When I was 25, I lost 120 pounds and I did have some excess skin at my tummy but for the most part the rest of me was quite tone. Fast forward 26 years... I gained back that weight, now I have lost 76 pounds and my skin is not going to snap back the way it did once. When I am finished losing weight, I don't know how much of me will look like a deflated balloon and which part of me will be tone. I do know I won't be carrying around an extra person with me anymore and I will be the best me I can be The younger you are, genetics, working out, etc all play a part in how much you tone up as you lose weight. As far as boobs go, I have had implants for 16 years - so now that I lost weight they are improving because the belly weight underneath them is disappearing, so they look better (not a typical weight loss effect).

The answer to those who lost weight years ago and kept it off: (at least in my case) I lost the weight, kept it off until about 2012/2013. During that time I stayed tone except for my stomach. My stomach was never tight again after gaining all the initial weight, then taking it off. I felt as if I needed a tummy tuck. My mom had her second round of breast cancer in 2012 and this time it was terminal. I stopped paying attention to me, spent as much time with her as I could, and gained A LOT OF WEIGHT. I didn't even realize I had gained so much until about a year after she had passed away when I started paying attention to me again.

Good luck to you Reaverie, you will do great!

Im so sorry about your loss. Thank you for taking the time to reply.

Reaverie

Strawblackcat wrote: »

I lost about 100lbs back when I was 15-16, and I remember being left with quite a bit of loose skin on my underarms and lower stomach. I just tried to accept things for what they were, and wore clothes that covered most of it.

My take on it: At least when I eventually have kids, I won't have to complain about thr stretch marks and loose skin!

My stomach was the main problem area but really was manageable. After a few years it started to tighten up, though it never mirrored the stomach of my youth. I understand there will be skin. I accept this. Thank you for your time.

Reaverie

SueSueDio wrote: »

Take a look at this thread - the OP was brave and honest in sharing her pictures and talking about her weight loss and loose skin, and reading it might help to reassure you.

Thank you, I will take a look.

zyxst

I have loose skin from losing 180# though it's not overly gross because I still have a relatively high BF% (aka skinny fat). I'm pretty sure most of my loose skin will just hang out like it is now as I'm 46 and was morbidly obese for 30+ years. I have not had surgery and could never afford it or have the proper after care I need for recuperating.

It comes down to genetics, age, and how long you were fat, I feel. Some people lose a lot of weight and just have wrinkled stomachs and thighs. Some lose a lot of weight and look like a melted candle.

Ming1951

Loose skin or not we will all live healthier lives by not being obese. I'm not worried about the excess skin, I couldn't afford to have it removed either but with spanx and other controls I'm sure I will be able to hide some of it. Still have more to lose before it happens. Since I'm already in my 60's what I do find is more crepe looking skin and wrinkles but after downing about 32 oz of water its not as bad so I'm guessing I'm a bit dehydrated in the mornings.

Reaverie

Ming1951 wrote: »

Loose skin or not we will all live healthier lives by not being obese. I'm not worried about the excess skin, I couldn't afford to have it removed either but with spanx and other controls I'm sure I will be able to hide some of it. Still have more to lose before it happens. Since I'm already in my 60's what I do find is more crepe looking skin and wrinkles but after downing about 32 oz of water its not as bad so I'm guessing I'm a bit dehydrated in the mornings.

Healthier is indeed the number one goal of mine of course. I did read an encouraging article I will be trying out his theories to see if they pan out. Worst than can happen is he is wrong and I will still end up with lose skin!

trigden1991

Loose skin is infinitely better than being obese.