Success and loose skin?! Worried!

aedreana

I personally would choose to be fat and firm and shaped like a blob rather than have this loose skin. Because to me, firmness is more important than size or shape. I am 61 and until menopause, my skin snapped back whenever I lost weight. I was really fat once at age 36 and lost over 80 pounds and had no loose skin, and I lost the weight fast (diet, no exercise). But when menopause redistributed my weight to give me a fat waist (although I did not gain weight), I went on a diet and lost 27 pounds. I had a waistline again but at the expense of firmness. So I gained back some of the weight and my upper arms and midsection smoothed out but mywrinkled butt did not. I would rather have a matronly shape and be fat than have a wrinkled a**. Now plastic surgery is my only hope, but I don't have the money. Even some young people are fat and if they are fat enough. they are shaped like a blob. But they don't have a wrinkled a** and THAT look:noway: s WORSE. Definitely not youthful!

brookielaw

I have been obese to varying degrees my entire life and spent a good 17 or 19 years over 300 lbs (probably 10 of those over 350). Yes, after losing I have some loose skin, but honestly, I'd rather have the loose skin than be wearing the giant fatsuit I used to wear every day. I hurt less now.

Everyone is different and strength training does help but when you have lost a whole human being you're bound to get some loose skin here and there. My thighs applaud me when I walk. The fact remains that I CAN walk. I have always been self-conscious of my gut, and I had that 'blob' shape that someone references above but the gut is getting smaller...and the skin is getting looser. It's the price I'm paying for the decades of not taking care of myself. I have loose skin on my arms, too. Here's a picture:



Yup, it's there. So is the medal around my neck because I am a triathlete. With loose skin. No point in worrying about it, just get healthy and get busy living. It's better than the alternative.

impromark

^Bravo!

clairetomkinson84

You have got to be kidding me? Fat over loose skin? I'd choose loose skin any day. It's so painful and unhealthy for the body to be overweight. Loose skin is easily concealed. I look at my old pictures and think how ugly and disgusting all that fat looked on me. Up to you though chances are being fat will shorten your life.

HeidiSmith419

it's genetics. You have the same skin your genetics gave you. Look around to your oldest relatives. while I'm sure there is some benefit to keeping your skin healthy now, once the damage is done (stretch marks) it's done! Those scars are there. I knew I was in for plastic surgery from this weight loss. I have been carrying stretch marks from puberty though. And I wasn't even overweight yet! I just developed quickly like all the other girls in my family.

TheSatinPumpkin

I take loose skin vs carrying 432lbs 24/7.

rustyfords2014

I'm down 85 pounds and still need to lose 100+, and I'm starting to see some loose skin.

I was fretting over it until the other day...

I was carrying a 40lb. bag of dog food into the house from the car (and it was HEAVY) and I thought, "good grief...I was carrying around TWICE this much in extra weight, all the time).

I'm loosing about 25lbs a month and I feel better literally every day. I also had type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure when I started loosing weight and they're both gone now.

The loose skin isn't the greatest thing in the world, but it's a small price to pay.

rustyfords2014

For the record, I think I should let y'all know....that I had gastric sleeve surgery in March.

I tried everything under the sun for years and years with no success. But the surgery was relatively easy and it has changed my life.

TheSatinPumpkin

Hear hear. We get 55lb dog food for our furbies and to think i was carrying 3 times that full time. I will treat the loose skin as battle scars of what was.

I'm down 85 pounds and still need to lose 100+, and I'm starting to see some loose skin.

I was fretting over it until the other day...

I was carrying a 40lb. bag of dog food into the house from the car (and it was HEAVY) and I thought, "good grief...I was carrying around TWICE this much in extra weight, all the time).

I'm loosing about 25lbs a month and I feel better literally every day. I also had type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure when I started loosing weight and they're both gone now.

The loose skin isn't the greatest thing in the world, but it's a small price to pay.

BrittanyMG3

I will post some pics of myself because no one ever seems to read the text with no pics. The pics are only here to make sure you read the text, so you better do it!

This topic is so misunderstood. First its not even the skin that's loose, its the stuff under it where your fat is stored, that gets stretched out too. So anything that you put on for your skin wont help you, because once more its not the skin that's stretched out its the hypodermis (often just called your subq fat). So whatever magic horse jizz people will tell you to rub on your skin wont work because once more it is not even the skin it is where the body stored the fat under the skin that is loose.

The hypodermis has a complex matrix of cells, that let it be stretchy and keep your skin attached to your muscle. It is made up of fibroblast cells once they become set it doesn't matter how fast you lose the weight or you diet or water intake. The fat cells may shrink up to almost the size of nothing but they don't die and the fibroblast cells that hold them in to place wont shrink or go away. There is no right or wrong way, everything is already set in place before you drop your first pound. (a lot of it will depend on luck)

If you have a lot it wont get better with time. My skin has been like this for over 2 years it does not get better with time and I know people that have had loose skin for 10+ years. IT WILL NOT GET BETTER ON ITS OWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok now I am done with that wall of text what do you do if you get loose skin. You have one of 2 options, get an operation of some kind to get it removed or live with it. People have gotten arms and legs blown and gotten burned and moved on with their lives so can you.

Last part of this is for everyone else. One of the things I hate most is people feeling sorry for me. I don't feel sorry for myself and I sure as hell don't want anyone's pity and I am sure most people feel this way. Stop telling people with loose skin all kinds of crazy stuff just to make them feel better they don't need that, they need the truth. Unless you know 100% sure that it works just keep it to yourself.( Just like when we lose weight none of us want to hear about that crazy *kitten* fad diet we also don't want to hear about the crazy *kitten* fad skin care product)

Oh yeah the pics
Me not trying to hide it


It is so thin but loose I can hide most of it by pulling at and some boxers(and some instagram filters lol)


If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Bravo to you sir!! You look fantastic! loose skin and all! you are 100% right! I have a smaller amount of skin trouble with my stomach, thighs and arms..I know 100% it will never completely go away, it's just a daily reminder of how far we've come and the good changes we've made to our bodies!

ink_b1tch

It will be ok, I have lost half my body wieght and have a little inner theigh and a "belly skirt" but in clothes you can not tell at all, Even in a two piece suit (i get the long top with the high waist bottoms) you can only see a bit on my legs. Even with the lose skin...there is no trading how i feel or how i look compared to what i was. My arms, chin, face all went back. Have faith, you will be proud of yourself and the little bit of extra skin will not matter to you or your partner. I did however use alot of cocoa butter all over as I lost my 138lbs (5'4). This truely helped with the face arms and the appearance of the skin (what i mean here is how healthy the skin is not that it will fix how lose it is) even though its a bit lose. I would say good luck in your efforts but it is not luck it is hard damn work, but the end result, the looks, the feel, the mental is all worth it.

jassnip

bump

tiggsnanny

You guys are amazing, I had about 3 stone to lose and I thought that was hard, well done all of you

ronae88

I'm 5'2 and reading your story makes me look forward to losing more weight. :-)

RadioactivePirate

Chances are, yes, you will have loose skin. I started losing weight at 29 years old at about the same top weight as you. I'm over a hundred pounds down now and I have loose skin. Not tons, it's not AWFUL, but it sucks. My belly and thighs (among other things) are saggy. You just don't carry that kind of weight without any permanent effects on your body.

I don't say this to be mean, but to be honest. If my body image and self-esteem depended on being able to have a stereotypical bikini body after all this, I'd be pretty depressed right now. You have to learn to love and care for your body the way it is. Because let me tell you, it's easy to just shift the goalposts. You dislike your body because it's fat, so you lose weight, and then you dislike your loose skin, so you drop ten thousand bucks on surgery, but then you dislike the scarring, so then... what? Better to head it off by trying to learn to like your body as is.

Yeah I have loose skin and yup I'm still overweight, but I feel good. I'm strong and healthy. My body works better than ever. My blood pressure/cholesterol/etc are all perfect and the aches and pains I used to feel are mostly gone. I no longer have to nervously avoid events with my friends that involve being active. Heck, this body can run a half marathon! I think it deserves some love and respect, loose skin and all.

yafashelli

Awesome stories, everyone!

Jstealth13

good girl!!!

mfpcharw

Thank you so much. I have tears reading this. I am getting together with a man who sees me as the most gorgeous creature but he doesn't know about my inner thighs being something I feel devastated about. But you put it in perspective. Sometimes we have to accept certain things and work with them, and just be grateful we got healthy. That's what matters, and that's what's truly beautiful. I can't do anything about someone not thinking I am because of it. Bless you, bless you bless you for bringing clarity and light. You are truly a beautiful person.

elsinora

I lost a bulk slowly but exercised throughout an plus I was in my 20s. I truly thank the constant exercise for balancing my weight loss and allowing my body to not have any loose skin.

mfpcharw

This is great! It gives me hope I can deal with it too! Thank you!