Loose saggy skin...tips?

MutterGans

I'm starting to lose the pounds, but as I'm 53yrs old, have had twins, abdominal surgery and have been pretty large, I know my skin isn't exactly going to fit snugly to my reducing body. Has anyone got any suggestions for firming and toning the loose skin or are you just stuck with it?

Kalikel

The creams are scams. So are those skin brushes. People suggest weight lifting and building muscle would take up space, making the skin less loose.

Losing slowly is supposed to help.

I have the loose skin and I hate it so much. I was fat my entire adult life and I don't know how much of this is natural loss of elasticity and how much is from losing, but it's gross.

No help, but you aren't alone.

Firefly0606

Looking forward to reading a reply from someone who has been throguh this....I'm fairly confident I am on track for loose skin myself in the coming months...

byrnet18

I lost 83 pounds over 2 years and even though I had never had kids and I am fairly young, genetics dealt me crappy elasticity so there was nothing that was going to tighten my skin. So I had a tummy tuck. Sometimes that's the only option. That, or learn to live with it.

wheird

The best advice that I can give is to moisturize religiously. Aside from that, skin elasticity varies from person to person and is generally determined by genetics.

I would not let this prevent you from losing the weight though, even with a bit of saggy skin, a person will almost always look better after shedding the excess fat. Your skin will naturally tighten a bit over a year or so period after hitting goal weight, but any excess skin will need to be removed surgically.

RebelDiamond

From what I understand, slow weight loss is the best way to avoid very saggy skin. Also, your skin will reshape over time so it's literally a waiting game for your skin to catch up as best it can...

The only physical tips I could give would be to use a body scrub in the shower ( scrub in circular motions to stimulate blood flow to the skin) and to moisturise often (I don't think any fancy expensive creams will work better than cheap alternatives) and vitamin e cream helps with stretch marks so maybe give that a go!

flatlndr

I've lost 105+ from Christmas to mid September, and I've been in maintenance since.. I have a bit of loose skin, most notably at the waist ... but it's a bit less saggy now than it was a month ago, when I hit my target weight.

I'm healthier than I've been in 10-15 years, and compared to the massive gut I was carrying around before, I look tons better. It's all a matter of perspective.

My recommendations: Eat well, exercise (cardio & weights) and hydrate.

Rachelwin65

I wonder if there is any connection between eating low fat and loose skin? I used to teach childbirth classes and we always emphasized the need to eat adequate fats to help maintain elasticity in the mom's skin. Have folks found any correlation between the amount of fat in their diet and the tendancy towards loose skin?

Christine_72

I'm going to start taking grape seed extract. Apparently it helps with collagen production.

hortensehildegarde

Kalikel wrote: »

The creams are scams. So are those skin brushes.

Bless you for saying that. I am convinced I am going to look like Jabba the Hutt at anything approaching goal weight with just folds and folds all over the place- back, arms, sides, side boob, tummy, legs yadda yadda. In spite of my fears, I really don't want to bother attempting some skin care regime. I figure if something really worked nobody would need to ask everyone would just know about it and do it. I do appreciate the confirmation though.

I've seen a lot of advice on the topic and plan to try the ones I like for more than just the skin reason so I won't be totally wasting my time in case it doesn't help (and also so I won't feel completely disappointed). I think keeping hydrated and eating plenty of fat are good ideas (for me at least) and moisturizing is easy peasy (and really a necessity in winter anyway) so I think I'll stick to trying those. Also strength training is good in general so plan to do that as well.

I didn't have bad loose skin last time I lost a lot of weight but that was only about 60 lbs and I was WAY younger. (I have about 100 to lose now). I do know people that lost even more than I plan to that said it got better over time, so I think patience has something to do with it as well.

BarbaraR5563

I speak from experience. I am 5ft tall and I was always thin and ran into medical problems and got up to 321lbs. I lost 217 lbs and now weigh 217 lbs. I did have a tummy tuck which without it I probably couldn't have gotten the flat stomach and muscles I now have after exercise and a lot of stomach crunches.

I have a huge amount of flab under my back side of my arms. (chicken wings). I have muscles on the bicep which looks great. My legs have loose skin but the calves are solid muscle. I have been told some of this loose skin can be toned through regular weight lifting and toning. Right now I jog every day and eat right. I've kept the weight off for over 17 years and maintaining.

I do not believe taking the weight off slow or fast makes a difference. I took my weight off slow. I believe it has to do with your body makeup. If you are morbidly obese like I was, the skin stretches and loses all of it's elasticity. It just doesn't bounce back after my 5 years of being that heavy. I know some people that go through this and do not experience loose skin.

There are three things that are solutions and they are; 1. have plastic surgery, 2. lift weights/toning, 3. accept who you are and feel blessed you are thin. I opted for a little of number 1. because my insurance paid for it and now I realize that lifting weights will help so I am adding that to my exercise routine, and 3rd I am accepting of me naked and all. I haven't looked this good in years. I embrace who I am inside and out. I do not complain for who I am inside or out. I complained and cried and was miserable before.

I've learned to appreciate what I have achieved. Anything I can do for self-improvement I do. If it isn't realistic whether it is for financial reasons or health reasons, etc, I accept it and remember where I was by looking at my fat pictures.

I hope this helps some of you. No matter what it is a win win situation for all of you. Doesn't it feel great going into a clothing store and being able to pick out just about anything that's cute and have it fit? I just love that!

Think of the positives and always remember it is your mindset and maintaining a positive attitude that will keep your journey a happy one and not get stuck!

Good luck and Happy Thinking All!

Barbara

BarbaraR5563

I weigh 117 lbs!

hutchin88

Google the 3 day nutritional face lift (Dr Perricone). It's designed for your face but it helps all of your skin.

triciab79

Skin is a genetic lottery. Youth helps, the length of time you had the weight make a difference. The rate at which you lose really doesn't do much though. I lost 100lbs in about 9 months and my skin is no worse than any of the other 100+ crowd. I use a cheap skin firming lotion, but I don't know that it really does much. It wasn't really any more expensive than any other lotion so I figured why not.

BWBTrish

My tip is: accept it!

Yes it can be hard to do so. But love your ( new) self and body the way it is and becomes while you are losing weight.
Embrace the little victories with a smile on your face. The showing collar bones, the suddenly shape of your newly waist etc etc

The excess skin needs time to "shrink" and it can take even 2 years to do so. But still this has to do with your genetics, how long overweight, age etc.

But just hold on to the benefits....healthier and slimmer. There is no magic for losing weight nor excess skin. Except a surgery. But for a lot of people that is at their end of their weight loss journey
For now focus on your "new" me and smile and feel happier and damm proud of every pound you leave behind.

Merkavar

Lost like 110 pounds so far.

I think I have some loose skin on the back of my legs/ thighs, arms and stomach.

It seems fairly minimal which is lucky. No tuck shop arms yet.

I am hoping it shrinks a little and I can fill it in with muscles.

I can't imagine creams or brushes would help.

But in the end I just got to accept it. Or get surgery. But surgery seems a bit extreme and expensive.

MamaBirdBoss

Rachelwin65 wrote: »

I wonder if there is any connection between eating low fat and loose skin? I used to teach childbirth classes and we always emphasized the need to eat adequate fats to help maintain elasticity in the mom's skin. Have folks found any correlation between the amount of fat in their diet and the tendancy towards loose skin?

No. I'm a crazy carboholic. 3 kids, no stretchmarks in the belly. When it's flat, there's very slight different texture on the skin about the size of a fingernail just above my belly button. That's it. No loose skin. Did get silver boob stretch marks, but that's because I hit 34J with my first kid. My husband hasn't noticed them. I guess because they're still boobs...lol. Even then, I look naked like most women who haven't had kids who are my age in the boobs.

I think a lot of my stretched skin comes from my belly button turning inside out, though. LOL. When it does back again, there's not a huge amount of skin left.

I think if you lose slower, the skin tightens with the fat loss, and faster, it tightens more after.

Merkavar

MamaBirdBoss wrote: »

Rachelwin65 wrote: »

I wonder if there is any connection between eating low fat and loose skin? I used to teach childbirth classes and we always emphasized the need to eat adequate fats to help maintain elasticity in the mom's skin. Have folks found any correlation between the amount of fat in their diet and the tendancy towards loose skin?

I think if you lose slower, the skin tightens with the fat loss, and faster, it tightens more after.

That's what I keep hearing. Like skin has its own mind and plans.

Like if you lose fast or slow it's not going to matter cause in 3 years your skin will be the same.

That losing slower just means the skin can keep up. So if ou lose weight over 3 years slowly at the end your done, skin is about as good as it will get.

But if you lose it faster say in 2 years you going to have a year of saggy skin till it catches up.

Ang108

Kalikel wrote: »

The creams are scams. So are those skin brushes. People suggest weight lifting and building muscle would take up space, making the skin less loose.

Losing slowly is supposed to help.

I have the loose skin and I hate it so much. I was fat my entire adult life and I don't know how much of this is natural loss of elasticity and how much is from losing, but it's gross.

No help, but you aren't alone.

I kind of half heartedly disagree with you. I agree that " special " creams are usually a scam, but moisturizing the skin really helps. I use almonds or sesame oil ( not the asian strong smelling cooking oil ) and apply it to the skin when it is still a bit moist after a shower. I also use a brush and brush all my problem areas with a dry brush before bathing or taking a shower. This is important, because it aids in circulation, gets rid of old skin cells and makes me feel better. The brush I used is a brush for washing dishes, I bought at a chinese shop for the equivalent of a dollar. It has natural brissles ( sp?) and I don't know if that makes difference.
I am going on 70 and so far have lost 65 pounds ( .5 pounds a week more or less ) and right now weigh 84 kilos ( around 180 pounds I think ) have no sagging skin in my face, around my neck and arms. I do however have lately a bit of extra skin around my thighs which I have inherited from a Clydesdale I think. I have two very large abdominal scars and they seem to pucker a bit now and are more pronounced , but nothing more.
My doctor told me that the fact that I am a life long non-smoker and a very moderate drinker helped in the condition of my skin and that supposedly there is little hope for those who have been smokers for a long time. Again, I have no proof for that.
I can only say that I swear by moisturizing and dry brushing, hydration inside and out and a balanced diet.
I have decided that if my thighs turn from fat into flabby skin that I will live with it. I will buy a few pairs of light Spanx type garments to wear when it's necessary. I figure by the time I will have lost the weight I want to lose ( another 45 pounds ) I will be 70 and not go under the knife unless it's a life saving procedure.
For honesty's sake I need to say that weight loss is more important for me than estetics, because at under five feet and with two heart attacks within a few days in April there is no other choice.

Sparkle7

I'm going to be the outlier here. I've been using a skin brush and Nivea firming and smoothing serum for about 3 weeks and was shocked that I have seen noticeable results. Both are cheap so I felt it didn't hurt to try. I don't know which one is working but they are easy to do so I dot know that it matters.

That being said, I absolutely agree that weight training and just waiting a year or two for your skin to catch up will help.

But if it really bothers you, try talking to a plastic surgeon. It doesn't hurt to get a consultation so that you know what your options are. Anything we can do to make ourselves healthier, more attractive and happier (that doesn't make us manic or broke) should be something we are comfortable doing.

jayewhite2

I've been up and down the scale so many times, in '88 I dropped from 250 to 160, gained most of it back and then down again to 185, had 2 children, gained until I hit 293 in 2011, left my daughter's dad, moved 2 provinces away and dropped down to 192, I gained alittle and then in October 2014 I gained 30 when I quit smoking... I started KETO on December 4, 2016 at 249, as of today I've lost 16 lbs, I am planning on having brachioplasty (arm surgery) when i hit my goal weight, I have always had bigger arms and I hate them. I also had a tummy tuck in 2012, so far my weight gain back hasn't affected my tummy, just my arms and upper legs and backfat... ughhh I hate backfat, back to the gym...

cebreisch

After I lost 115 pounds, I went and had surgery to remove excess skin from the belly. The surgeon said it was 26 pounds he removed, and it was nearly all fat and some skin. While I don't regret having the surgery, it was REALLY hard to recover from, and REALLY threw a wrench into my weight loss plans. After having that, I was close to 220-230 pounds. I "only" had about 50 pounds to lose to get the rest of the excess skin removed.

I'm not sure what or how it happened, but I totally lost my appetite. You don't get to be 376 pounds without loving to eat - and now, I had literally no appetite whatsoever. People said when I did eat, I started to get my color back, and they could tell when it wore off, because the color would drain from my face.

Now - I can say that if I knew then what I know now, I would have asked more questions about the recovery. I ended up needing to take probiotics and fiber to get the "belly flora" better. I also asked the surgeon that I had been told fat contained hormones - he said yes. SO I checked with my OB/GYN and did need to get the hormones fixed up.

I did end up gaining back 100 pounds - so most, but not all of the weight I lost. I've recently lost about 8 pounds in the last month, and it's my hope/plan to finish the job I started several years ago so I can get the rest of the excess skin removed from my legs/back and get the "girls" fixed up too.

I'm currently at 44 pounds lost. I want to lose about 150 more which will put me in range to get the surgery - and after that I'll be within reasonable range to hit the upper end of my BMI.