Scared of getting saggy skin :(

laserturkey

I was 326 at my heaviest. Currently at 175. I was around 40 years old when I lost most of the weight. I do have saggy skin to a significant degree. Even if I could afford the surgery, I don't think I would have it because I want to avoid general anesthesia and its risks as much as possible. I wear long sleeves, and sometimes Spanx. I'd much rather have the saggy skin and have to work around that than to have that extra 150 pounds back.

KimberlyinMN

I started at 380 pounds and am around 200 pounds now. Yes I do have some excess skin (thighs and tummy mostly) and yeh i dont love it....but i much prefer it too how i felt at 380 pounds. Eat well, stay hydrated, weight train, get enough sleep, eat good fats to help minimise it. Even if you end up with the excess skin...you will learn to dress well...so you can still look good despite the excess skin!

^This. I have some saggy skin on my thighs, upper arms and tummy. I can still wear shorts in public and no one can see the saggy skin on the thighs. I can wear shirts with sleeves that end at the elbows or longer (3/4 or full) and no one is any wiser to the saggy arm stuff. And as for the tummy, no one sees that except for me and the hubs. (The dogs and cat don't care, as far as I can tell. Unless they snicker behind their paws after I've left for work.) I figure that at 44 - almost 45 - my skin probably won't just snap back. I may have surgery at some point to remove the excess skin, but I don't see it in the near future.

There are some really nice compression garments that work wonders. One that I have is like a tank top, only it goes under the boobs, which makes the girls look great! Anyhow, it holds in the muffin part of the tummy that might normally just hang out over the top of the pants.

PinkNinjaLaura

I'm 44 years old & have lost 57 pounds so far (I'm 5'2" so it's a noticeable amount of weight on me). I started January 1 so I'm losing steadily but not crazy fast. I want to lose about 40 pounds more. So far no sagging skin, although I can tell that I will have some on my arms and my stomach. My thighs look like they'll be okay but I also run 3 times a week. I do strength train 3-4 days a week (3 times with a personal trainer and he often gives me homework for the weekend). I drink a lot of water. I have started using lotion most days on my arms, legs & stomach, which I never used to do. I buy the stuff that claims to be firming - don't know if that works but if I'm putting lotion on anyway I might as well use that. I exfoliate my skin once or twice a week (bought some of those exfoliating gloves to use in the shower) because I read that can help. Is it a cure-all? Probably not at my age, but they're pretty easy steps to take along the way to try to minimize saggy skin.

lucystacy71

I'll admit that I hadn't even considered sagging skin when I first started trying to lose weight, but I'm not going to let that deter me. I'm just losing slowly, exercising, and staying hydrated. Hopefully that will be enough. If it's not, at least I'll be healthy. I'm losing weight so I'll be elgible for a kidney transplant, so there really is no contest. Saggy skin is nothing compared to a new life with a new kidney.

tashamkitty

I lost 75 lbs 7 years ago and hated my sagging skin. Told myself to gain back 10-15 more lbs to "look better" and ended up gaining back 85 lbs... this time around screw the sagging skin. Plus I'm much more better off financially and if I hate it after this journey I will get it removed!

CyberEd312

OP somehow you have to move past the fear of loose skin and decide what is more important your overall health or possibly having to deal with some loose skin... In these 2 pictures below I was a few weeks out from going in for a circumferential body lift surgery which after I learned that my surgeon had removed 17 lbs. of loose skin from more torso.. I know you fear skin surgery and that is fine, I could not live with the excess skin because no matter how clean I kept the skin folds I was getting bacterial infections that would put me in the ER. I wanted the surgery though and had every intention of going through with it... That being said in these pictures I had lost over 300 lbs. and was carrying that 17 lbs. of loose skin. I have pictures on my website without the shirt and with my shorts down enough to see all the loose skin. I will put the link below... My point is your clothes can hind alot more than you think.. I had friends that seen me daily that went to follow me on my blog/website that called me and told me they was shocked at how much my clothes hid all the loose skin... So don't let the loose skin stop you from losing the weight..... Best of Luck

Site:

www.gettingfit4life.com

RickyLuvsMary4ever

I started at 320, I have lost 73 pounds at this point and I am noticing saggy skin where my body is starting to deflate.

Flatter breasts, arms starting to sway, and upper thighs getting loose and swinging.

Loose skin was a concern of mines but I decided I was putting the cart before the horse and I better loose the weight first then see how it looks.

I rather have saggy skin than the stress an extra 70 pounds put on my body, and I have at least 70 more pounds to lose before I consider stopping.

In the meantime, lots of water, clean eating and good fats to help with the skin.

I have done some research on loose skin, some people feel it's all a myth.

Saggy skin may be caused by stubborn subcutaneous fat deposits. You would have to get your body fat percentage really low to burn off those, then the skin and shrink in some more. Please see article on the INTERNET, so don't hold anything against me!! http://www.bodyfatguide.com/LooseSkin.htm LOL

themommie

Thanks ladies, I am 50 and have lostb134 lbs in the last 3 yrs 115 since joining mfp. I do have some sagging skin but it isnt horrible and it is getting better as time goes on. I didnt really see the sagging skin until I had lost almost 80 lbs, so my advice is just start, losing the weight if you notice the skin starting to sag then you can slow down on the weight lose or decide at that point that you want to oose more reguardless strength training, going slow and moisterising helps alot. This was a big concern for me but i am so much healthier happier and can do more with my family and friends i hope this helps s,

MariaHammer750

I have lost 90 pounds to date. I'm 60 years old. My skin sags terribly especially my arms. I would rather have it than way than be 90 pounds heavier. I feel I am healthier and look so much better, flabby arms and all than I did 90 pounds ago and you will too. Don't let it stop you from becoming a healthier, fitter, more beautiful you.

bcattoes

Don't cut your fat intake too low. A low fat diet is bad for your skin.

monjacq1964

i kind of hated the fat filled skin. But, to each his own.

If you have stretch marks, your skin will be saggy, and there's not much you can do about it, short of surgery. To some extent, the skin will "bounce back" to its former glory, but that depends a lot on your age, and skin condition. Stretch marks are damaged, torn tissue.
edited to add, i started out at 309. I have saggy skin on my arms, legs and its worst on my belly.

Bekarington

Don't cut your fat intake too low. A low fat diet is bad for your skin.

I have to cut my fat intake completly as I have gallstones.

Hearts_2015

bump

tootchute

I started at 355, and today weigh in put me at 287.6. I'm 33, female of course and 5'3. I want to change, yes I don't want saggy skin, but as someone said, if it's a choice between getting bigger or some extra skin, I would choose the skin. I think after you loose the weight maybe weights lifting could ton you skin, right now I haven't notice so much but maybe when I get to the 200's I will, and also anyone can add me as a friend.

HarrietSmeltzer1

Drink lots of water make sure you exfoliate when you shower. Go to the dollar store and get exfoliating gloves. When you shower each time take them lightly over your body make sure you use them on backs and fronts if kegs buttocks all
After you shower get a cream with collagen in it and put all over the body vitaminE oil is good to use intermitentky. Moisturize. Also get a good moisturizer for your beck and face. You will have some lose skin but that is natural. Don't lose too fast lose in a healthy way. I list 80 kept off for ten years now 15 mire. Good luck you will do it. When you exfoliate on the face only do it twice a week and when you shave kegs don't exfoliate that day.

Deipneus

I know because I 've been there. If my comment offended you, I apologize. How great that you're "all about honesty", however.

Being honest doesn't give one license to be rude, offensive, or presumptuous. Just because you have "been there" doesn't mean the OP has been where you are.

One of my major peeves is people who congratulate themselves on being "too honest" when in fact they simply don't acknowledge the difference between honesty and cruel frankness. They are not even close to being the same thing.

Bekarington

Do collagen products work? can anyone recommend any that are available in the UK? especially shower gels?

Gero_Virtus

You're in denial, plain and simple.
Right now, today, you look terrible (and so do I).
You could be the Fat Lady in a circus. Seriously.
So. You have months, probably a year or two, before you have to worry about this skin issue, which you are, let's be frank, way more concerned about than the damage your obesity is currently doing to your heart, liver, kidneys and lungs. Oh, yes, and back, knees and hips. Arms? Can you raise them over your head without panting? I doubt it.

Please try to face your issue honestly rather than deflecting it to some down-the-road imagined scenario.

All the best to you.

Holy body shaming, Batman! You should really speak more kindly to yourself, and definitely more kindly to others. I'm sorry, there's honesty and then there's rudeness. Maybe it's just me, but the more I love myself and my "fat circus lady" body, the better I take care of it.

*

OP: I get your fear! I have no idea where I'll end up in the skin department, but all the advice you've gotten so far has been the consensus among my friends as well. And I hate to agree with the quoted poster, but you can't let a hypothetical stop you from achieving your goals. Embrace the terrifying future! It'll be an adventure!

(And seriously, surgery is terrifying! I may say now that I'd never ever get surgery, but who knows.)

Wow! This was a long time ago, but thanks for being the voice of reason and adding a kind, sympathetic tone. It gives me hope for humanity's future.. You are a shining example of positive energy. Plus, I'm digging the Batman reference.

I also don't know about where I'll end up, but I'm working out both cardio and weight training to try and firm up. My goal is overall fitness, not just losing weight. And I too, am scared of surgery. Still, I'd rather have a bit of loose skin than be overweight. And...seriously, as I get older, I find that people in the dating pool care less about sag and more about soul.

Bekarington

Just wanted to add an update that I've lost 74lbs so far in 9 months, (largely with food control rather than excersize - that's the next challenge!) and so far, apart from my tummy being a little more jiggly than it was, I'm not experiencing saggy excess skin yet!

Capt_Apollo

Just wanted to add an update that I've lost 74lbs so far in 9 months, (largely with food control rather than excersize - that's the next challenge!) and so far, apart from my tummy being a little more jiggly than it was, I'm not experiencing saggy excess skin yet!

really glad to hear it! keep up the good work!