Advice needed about skin care during/after weight loss
Sand_TIger
Posts: 1,098 Member
Hi all!
I never really was much of a skin care person but the combination of aging and losing weight is making it clear that I need to start. So I'd love to know what kinds of products have helped you out.
My main goals are to maintain skin elasticity as much as possible, and maintain hydration. I live in a very dry climate and am not fond of fussing with a lot of things. I'm also about halfway through my journey so I'm really starting to notice loose skin and things like that.
I never really was much of a skin care person but the combination of aging and losing weight is making it clear that I need to start. So I'd love to know what kinds of products have helped you out.
My main goals are to maintain skin elasticity as much as possible, and maintain hydration. I live in a very dry climate and am not fond of fussing with a lot of things. I'm also about halfway through my journey so I'm really starting to notice loose skin and things like that.
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Replies
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Adequate protein to assist in collagen and elastin production.
Exercise, or daily movement to encoutage good circulation and cell turnover.
Gentle exfoliation when showering/bathing.
Not using ultra hot water when washing with mild soap product
Any moisturizer applied when body still damp will help keep the skin moisturized. I tend to use a basic unperfumed Cerave, Nivea, or similar simple ingredient product.
A good sun block of ~30.
Genetics play a big roll in how your skin ages also. Some things are unavoidably genetic.
Skin retraction after weight loss can take up to 2 years so be patient. Again genetics can be a big influence.
Cheers, h.17 -
Thank you so much for the advice! Good to know I already do some of those things - like the protein, the exercise, the exfoliation. I could stand to use more sunblock when I do go out. (hate the way most of them feel but still.) Also it's really good to have rough numbers on skin retraction!
So thanks again, and I welcome other thoughts from anyone else as well.1 -
Well, skin is an organ. The things that keep any other organ healthy are going to keep skin healthy, too, so more likely to be elastic and shrink. That would be
* avoiding fast loss (because it's a physical stress to lose fast),
* getting good well-rounded nutrition (macros and micros, especially but not exclusively protein),
* getting regular exercise (both cardiovascular and strength),
* managing all-source life stress,
* hydrating adequately (not crazy much, but enough),
* avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol,
* specific to skin, also avoiding tanning.
Be aware that many people find their loose skin looks worse partway to goal weight than it will at goal weight (because it often isn't just loose skin yet, but rather a layer of subcutaneous squishy-fat conspiring with gravity keep skin stretched); and that it looks worse at goal weight than it will after a couple of years in maintenance at goal.
I didn't lose as much weight as many do here, only around 50 pounds, but at age 59-60. I don't think I look dramatically worse now than most women my age (now 64) who've always been thin (even in sleeveless shirts or a swimsuit), though some body parts looked like a hound dog's droopy face when I first reached goal.
For sure, multiple people who met me after I was thin were suprised to learn I was obese until only a few years ago . . . and I don't mean just-being-polite surprised, I mean visibly startled when I showed them photos, after it came up in conversation. I hear the "someone like you who's always been thin . . ." line sometimes, which is often how it comes up.
Most people, IMO, are likely to have better long-term results than they anticipate. Before & after threads over in the Success Stories part of the forum may be helpful, to visualize what I mean.15 -
Awesome! Thanks very much for the info, AnnPT77. I truly appreciate it.
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A lot of aging is genetics, true, but I do believe there is a lot we can do to control how we age as well. Some of what I’m about to say is common knowledge and others are based on my own experience. I’m 37 now and have noticed some changes in my skin lately but am still regularly told that I look to be in my mid 20s.
Sunscreen. SPF 30 at least but 50+ is better. Use it all of the time and reapply, even on cloudy days.
Sunglasses majority of the time when outside. The first place to usually show age is around our eyes.
High antioxidant foods in your diet: pomegranate, blueberries, etc.
Avoid too much caffeine and alcohol.
Retin-A or equivalent.
Vitamin C serum.
If you have age spots, hydroquinone to fade them.
Get adequate sleep. This is very important.
This is just what I do. Some may disagree with me but it has worked for me thus far. Good luck!6 -
Oil of Olay...I have never used soap on my face....I will be 69 and nobody ever guesses my age!4
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Retinol. Try a brand called the ordinary. It’s cheap.
Stay out of the sun
Sunblock on face
Nutritious diet.6 -
Sand_TIger wrote: »Hi all!
I never really was much of a skin care person but the combination of aging and losing weight is making it clear that I need to start. So I'd love to know what kinds of products have helped you out.
My main goals are to maintain skin elasticity as much as possible, and maintain hydration. I live in a very dry climate and am not fond of fussing with a lot of things. I'm also about halfway through my journey so I'm really starting to notice loose skin and things like that.
Skin care is a complex process.
These are moisturizing gels, peels, and cleansing masks.
I even started to practice mesotherapy at home, it also helps a lot.-1 -
That looks expensive. Do you really find it works?lilySovaje wrote: »Sand_TIger wrote: »Hi all!
I never really was much of a skin care person but the combination of aging and losing weight is making it clear that I need to start. So I'd love to know what kinds of products have helped you out.
My main goals are to maintain skin elasticity as much as possible, and maintain hydration. I live in a very dry climate and am not fond of fussing with a lot of things. I'm also about halfway through my journey so I'm really starting to notice loose skin and things like that.
Skin care is a complex process.
These are moisturizing gels, peels, and cleansing masks.
I even started to practice mesotherapy at home, it also helps a lot.
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For moisturizing, I've never found anything that works better than plain simple glycerin water. (1 part glycerin to anywhere from 4-10 parts water depending on your preference). I usually use rosewater in place of some of the plain water (indian aisle in the grocery store).
I usually use a baby wipe to remove makeup or pre-wash my face in the morning, and then washcloth with just water. A facial scrub every other day or so (I like this one.. https://www.amazon.com/Freeman-Facial-Charcoal-Black-Polish/dp/B00MNYJPMK/).
Some sun protection on the face. Sunblock or SPF-containing BB cream or foundation or powder. (not necessarily even an SPF-rated powder or foundation..if it has any coverage, it'll provide much more protection versus nothing on your face).
Avoiding foods (and products) that you've found to negatively impact your skin (and this varies with person).1 -
Yeah, more sunblock is good - I have yet to find any that doesn't feel gross on my face but I'll keep looking! I don't wear makeup so I don't have to deal with that, but a nightly face wash would still be a good idea.
I'm wondering if anyone has had luck with tightening up loose skin and such using body lotion. Also I see all kinds of products that are supposed to reduce stretch marks, like Bio Oil, but I haven't a clue if they actually work or not. At the very least the skin in certain formerly large areas looks kind of dry so I intend to address that.0 -
There is no OTC lotion that will tighten skin.
Lotions can help moisturize your skin, help it look better, and the act of massaging it in helps with circulation which helps a little towards cell turnover.
Bio Oil may help reduce the appearance of stretch marks over time but stretch marks are permanent.
Reading about Bio Oil it seems to be most effective if applied when skin is still slightly damp after a shower. This helps hold the moisture in. No idea of the veracity of this.
For a sunblock for your face try Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid. It is very light weight with the consistency of half and half cream.
If you are not used to wearing any cream on your face you may just have to give it time so you can adjust to the feeling of it. Your older skin will thank you 10 yr from now.
Cheers, h.3 -
Starting around my second 100 pounds of loss I began getting rashes a lot more often. Some of them were quite painful. If this starts I suggest getting some hibiclens and washing trouble areas 2 or 3 times a week.2
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I'm on it with the Hibiclens! Really helps with yeast or bacteria related skin issues. I'll have to check on the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer. Sounds like it might be a little easier to deal with. I live in a really hot area so I have have issues with sweat kind of going through the sunblock and pooling on my skin and then getting in my eyes. Bleah!1
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Sand_TIger wrote: »I'm on it with the Hibiclens! Really helps with yeast or bacteria related skin issues. I'll have to check on the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer. Sounds like it might be a little easier to deal with. I live in a really hot area so I have have issues with sweat kind of going through the sunblock and pooling on my skin and then getting in my eyes. Bleah!
I had that problem while rowing in summer. The sunblock *and* the sweat both sting, in the eyes!
This may not work for you, but what I started doing was putting on sunblock** from eyes down (and on ears/neck of course), then wearing a hat with a bill, that has an at least somewhat absorbent material inside the hatband area. (One of my friends, for whom even that was not sufficient, started putting a terry cloth type sweatband headband inside the hat. Not sure if she sweats more, or if it's her preference for tech fabric hats when I prefer cotton, that makes the difference.)
No sunscreen above the eyes, but an absorbent layer just above the eyebrows, works pretty well for me. I try to put the sunscreen near/below my eyes, except where my rather large sunglasses cover, so everything's protected. (If you have nice hair, maybe hats are out. I'm not cute, especially when rowing. )
I don't take anything big (like a towel ) in the boat, but I had some backpacker towels (it's a super-absorbent non-woven material). I cut off a strip about 3-4" wide, then cut that into squares. I can tuck that in a pocket, or even pin it on to clothing or water bottle strap if no pockets, and that's enough to wipe sweat occasionally. They wash fine in the clothes washer.
** I like Neutrogena Sport Face. It's white at first, but sinks in or clears, or something, and is invisible. It holds up to sweat *really well*, and I sweat *a lot*.1 -
So hey! Has anyone used collagen peptides long enough to see if there's a benefit? It's supposed to be a high quality protein substitute that is good for skin, bones and hair, especially the hydrolyzed stuff. I can't find any decent studies on it but I have heard about collagen off and on for quite a long time.2
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I’m curious too because I’m concerned about possibility of hair-loss during weight loss and I can’t have most basic protein powders as I’m increasingly lactose-intolerant. I’d love to hear people’s experience with it.Sand_TIger wrote: »So hey! Has anyone used collagen peptides long enough to see if there's a benefit? It's supposed to be a high quality protein substitute that is good for skin, bones and hair, especially the hydrolyzed stuff. I can't find any decent studies on it but I have heard about collagen off and on for quite a long time.
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Moisturize the hell out of your skin. I'm 56 and moisturize daily.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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I love the new vitaminC line from Avon and it’s gentle enough to use with my nighttime Retinol cream. For daytime I never go out without sunscreen either. I really like the physicians formula brand tinted sunscreen and it’s very affordable.
I’m 40 with teenage kids and my original weight loss was 86lb (I’ve regained and lost 30lb twice since then 🤷♀️)2 -
Mithridites wrote: »
I’m curious too because I’m concerned about possibility of hair-loss during weight loss and I can’t have most basic protein powders as I’m increasingly lactose-intolerant. I’d love to hear people’s experience with it.Sand_TIger wrote: »So hey! Has anyone used collagen peptides long enough to see if there's a benefit? It's supposed to be a high quality protein substitute that is good for skin, bones and hair, especially the hydrolyzed stuff. I can't find any decent studies on it but I have heard about collagen off and on for quite a long time.
I take a daily collagen capsule supplement every morning with my thyroid meds and multi-vitamin. The one I use I found on Amazon0 -
Okay, interesting. Have you noticed a difference with the supplement?
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@ninerbuff Beautiful skin, NB.1
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I lost 85 pounds in 18 months and have a bit of loose skin on my chest and belly.
I've been going with this collagen from Costco and it seems to be helping.
I'll post an updated photo this Summer!
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CeRave cream at the drug store or Target.. A dermatologist turned my husband on to that years ago before it went big.. the cream protects the skin barrier..keeping moisture in. That doctor told my husband it is better than any expensive cosmetics cream out there.
Dry brushing... research that.. basically dry brush your skin before you bath
I also have around soft brush I bath with...
moisturizing your skin often will make a difference. Also..losing weight slower so you skin isn't left with any option..but to hang.0 -
I had minor surgery earlier this year (mole removed) and the dermatologist told me to massage the scar for 10 mins a day. He said it doesn’t matter what you use, it’s the massaging (and increasing blood flow to that area) that makes the difference. Obviously scarring and loose skin are different issues but when I asked if that’s the same as the benefits of moisturising your face, he said yes. Creams etc are all just marketing and how they feel on your skin. He said using a good oil or cream will allow you to moisturise longer (10 mins is a long time) but olive oil is a good option in his opinion. I use nicer smelling body lotions but suspect it’s the action of rubbing rather than the product that dies the job.0
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That's a really good point about the rubbing being the main thing that helps. I've heard the same thing about the scalp. And scarring does have something in common with loose skin - both require collagen to repair, and both rely on renewal to get better. Regarding creams, I suspect they are right. However since I'm more likely to spend a longer time with a moisturizer that feels good, there a couple ones I return to again and again, but it's nice to know I don't have to spend a ton just to get results!2
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