Weight loss and sagging skin

livingagoodlife
livingagoodlife Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hoping these are not stupid questions. I read that if you have 100 pounds or more weight to lose that you can have sagging skin. I am 63 years old and have loss 50 pounds and have 60 more to go. Any suggestions? Also, this is "old" fat that is disappearing. Are their any chemicals stored in fat that can have a negative impact?

Replies

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,881 Member
    livingagoodlife wrote: »
    Also, this is "old" fat that is disappearing. Are their any chemicals stored in fat that can have a negative impact?

    This question reminds me of an episode of Dr House, where someone got sick from some excess vitamin or mineral stored in their bodyfat which was released when losing weight. No idea if that is an actual thing though.

    One thing that can happen while losing weight/bodyfat is that your cholesterol increases temporarily.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    livingagoodlife wrote: »
    Hoping these are not stupid questions. I read that if you have 100 pounds or more weight to lose that you can have sagging skin. I am 63 years old and have loss 50 pounds and have 60 more to go. Any suggestions? Also, this is "old" fat that is disappearing. Are their any chemicals stored in fat that can have a negative impact?

    Congrats on the 50 pound loss!

    Well, there's estrogen, but decreasing your estrogen level as you lose weight is a good thing that may reduce your risk of breast cancer and colorectal disorders, among other positives.

    https://www.livestrong.com/article/380208-is-estrogen-released-when-belly-fat-is-lost/

    *****

    Here's a study that addresses chemicals stored in fat cells:

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/01/170111184102.htm
    ...His findings on toxins can help allay concerns that weight loss -- which releases toxins into the blood -- could have a negative effect on dieters' health.

    Environmental pollutants and other toxins are stored in fatty tissue. During weight loss, fat breaks down and toxins are discharged into the bloodstream. Scientists have expressed concern that the released toxins could increase dieters' oxidative stress and their risk of developing serious conditions, including hormone (endocrine) disruption (reproductive and fertility problems), heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease.

    Arciero's research findings -- that a P-CR diet does not increase disease markers and, in fact, can aid detoxification and reduce oxidative stress -- help reduce those fears. Furthermore, the findings suggest that those who are not overweight or obese could also benefit from a P-CR diet.

    "Although weight loss typically leads to improved health, we know that in those who are overweight and obese -- and, therefore, storing excessive toxins -- there is the potential for the release of toxins to impact the body in negative ways," Arciero explained. "We wanted to capture the release of those toxins and the body's response.

    "What we found was that the body compensated by increasing antioxidants. In response to this flood of PCBs, the body was coming to its own defense, scavenging and squelching the toxins. We had a healthy weight-loss intervention," Arciero added.

    I see it might be an issue for people who lose weight rapidly following weight loss surgery (WLS.)

    https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/11/15/toxins-in-bloodstream-after-bariatric-surgery/

    Lose at a sensible rate and you should be fine, but feel free to consult with your doctor.

    9kjwnia17qv9.jpg

    Losing weight at a moderate rate and exercising can also help with sagging skin.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    I started Sept 2018, lost almost 100, looked like death warmed over, so intentionally added a few back. I’ve been in maintenance almost a year, and am 59.

    My skin continues to tighten. I continue to workout and to count calories.

    Everything depends on your particular genetics. In my case my legs and thighs are smooth and tight. When I get fine lines or pleats on my arms, it’s a warning I’m either dehydrated, or have dropped too low again.

    My face and neck sagged pretty darn bad, especially at the too low weight, but eventually “lifted” back up.

    My belly, well that’s another story. Loose skin can be a liar. I recently posted that I wanted to order some “dream” jeans, which were measured by waistband. My tape measure showed 34. But 34 converted to a 10 or 12. I consistently wear a 2 or 4 and some 27’s in another brand are too loose now, so that made no sense. I ordered a 26, and regardless of what the tape measure said, had to send them back for a smaller size.

    But the loose belly skin is shrinking with time and patience.

    I’ve had a breast reduction so have experience with reductive surgery- and pretty extensive scarring to prove it. I will keep my loose skin and cram it into waistbands rather than have reductive surgery again, thankyouverymuch. Unless I open the zipper and unleash it, it’s a secret between my husband and I. And the cats. But they keep mum.

    The boobs are fabulous. Like a flipping teenager, if I do say so. I don’t know if that’s the weight loss, reduction, or a combination of both. What is weird is where the tucks were made under my arms during the surgery. If the folds escape from the sports bra, they look cartoonish. But would I be fat again to avoid that? Hell, no. .

    As far as toxins being released by fat loss, honey, lemme tell ya, releasing the fat did a helluva a lot better good than any toxin release that might have come along for the ride.

    As far as old versus new fat, I don’t know. Never thought of it like that and nothing indicates it made a difference.

    I have video you can’t “un-see” on this thread if you want to truly see how extra skin looks after large loss. I need to update it.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10842208/moment-of-realness/p1

  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,662 Member
    And PS. Congrats on fifty pounds under your belt. (Or not, so to speak).

    Carey on with the loss and don’t worry about the other. It’ll sort itself out.

    I used to look at my turkey wattle and moan. It’s gone now.

    We can pinpoint some weird *kitten* to worry about instead of celebrating the wins.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    edited October 2021
    Interesting info about hormones/chemical toxins.

    I had understood, from things I learned during breast cancer treatment (for a estrogen/progesterone "encouraged" cancer subtype), that fat cells create estrogen through a chemical process called aromatization, so that's speculated to be one thing behind the increased breast cancer risk when overweight/obese. One of the standard interventions, in post menopausal women, is to use "aromatase inhibitors", a type of medication that blocks the chemical reactions involved in creation of estrogen outside the ovaries. (In premenopausal women, the ovaries are the major source, and there are other interventions preferred in that scenario.)

    I didn't realize that fat was also a storage medium for estrogen (though I think the link is a little squishy about the create/store distinction - I looked at some other references, too). I did notice, in the early stages of weight loss, effects that it was tempting to believe were hormone-related at the time. I don't really want to get into details, but let's say there was a libido increase, very marked. But it was temporary, multiple weeks or a low number of months, don't recall. It didn't persist all the way through weight loss. Weird.

    ETA: In no sense was that effect a health risk. I'm an adult. 😆
  • westrich20940
    westrich20940 Posts: 921 Member
    I don't know about toxins being released from fat cells...but as far as saggy skin. Unfortunately, yeah, but I'm sure that depends on the person and how you are proportioned and how flexible your skin still is.

    I personally lost ~30lbs and my stomach area isn't as 'tight' as it was and my chesticles aren't as perky as they once were. I am super confident in my body now, and those things don't bother me...but if I lean forward (like at a 90 degree angle) while standing...you can def see some stuff hanging on my stomach. LOL. I just go with it.
  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
    I lost 80lbs over 4 years and had no loose skin, but I had an online friend (same age) who lost the same amount at the same pace, just a year ahead of me, and she had so much loose skin her belly button used to get ulcers and she needed plastic surgery.

    I think genetics might play a role, but who knows what factors are at play.

    In 2019/2020 I gained back a chunk of that lost weight due to meds, and have been very very slowly losing it again, and I now have more loose skin. Not visibly loose, but not at all tight, but I'm also almost 40 now.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,072 Member
    85 lbs. down. Thinking of a mini-facelift.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    the sagging skin on my body isn't a huge issue for me because it's in places hidden by most clothes.

    The wrinkly, sagging skin where my double chin used to be, though. I kinda hate that part.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,072 Member
    wunderkindking wrote: »
    the sagging skin on my body isn't a huge issue for me because it's in places hidden by most clothes.

    The wrinkly, sagging skin where my double chin used to be, though. I kinda hate that part.
    wunderkindking wrote: »
    the sagging skin on my body isn't a huge issue for me because it's in places hidden by most clothes.

    The wrinkly, sagging skin where my double chin used to be, though. I kinda hate that part.

    Yup. I figured I'd see where things settle one year on and use the time til then to see what options are out there.

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