Skin

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SqueakGirl
SqueakGirl Posts: 22 Member
Ok... I feel like this is constantly the elephant in the room for me. I am going to lose the weight, I am going to get healthy, I am going to exercise... No matter the outcome... BUT... I am very afraid of all the loose skin :embarassed: I am 33 and have a husband. I still want to be attractive, and I am so afraid of what I will look like. My husband is amazing and says none of that matters. I agree on one level but on another (much more shallow) level... I know that if I feel bad about how my body looks there will always be like a cloud around. Does that make sense?

I am not sure what I am asking... Maybe I just need to express my feelings on this?

Thoughts?

Replies

  • mamabosha
    mamabosha Posts: 22
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    I can totally understand where you are coming from. I have been told to do a lot of walking and stretching. I am still working on the walking part and hope that helps. I have also heard about a cream that helps with stretch marks and tightens the skin. I can't remember the name of it and have been trying to find it for myself. If you have any luck, let me know. Every time I stress about the loose skin, though, I have a fear in the back of my mind that I am trading one insecurity for another. My size for the loose skin.
  • SavageFeast
    SavageFeast Posts: 325 Member
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    I have a friend who lost 200+ pounds through diet and exercise. She took about 1.5 years to lose the weight, going from almost 400 pounds to her current weight of around 150 pounds (she is quite petite now). She has some loose skin in her stomach area and her breasts shrunk A LOT (from about a 46G to 34B) and they sit lower than they did when she was large. Other than the loose stomach skin and lower-hanging breasts, she looks completely fit and you wouldn't know she has lost all of that weight. She is currently strength training heavily and using skin-fimring lotion, massages, and wraps to tighten her stomach and breast skin, and it is working well enough that she does not plan to undergo skin removal surgery. She looks AWESOME, and if all I have to worry about is a little extra hang to my stomach and swing to my chi-chis, I'll take it! Let's do this, ladies :)
  • Jamee_J
    Jamee_J Posts: 63
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    I read a thread yesterday that totally depressed me a about this very thing. But, I think the only thing I can do is lose this weight, then see how I look. I hear you about the hubby thing. You wanna be sexy for your man! I have told mine that when I have got to my ultimate goal weight I want new boobs! Lol but really, dont get discouraged because I think in my case and in most, our families just want us to be able to play with them. Keep up the good work!
  • johnm8703
    johnm8703 Posts: 118 Member
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    I can honestly say that yes as a guy I too have thought about this same thing. Then a friend reminded me that the extra skin can be surgically removed where as death due to obesity can't. I thought that sounded like a reasonable point. Sorry to go there but it REALLY put things in perspective for me.
  • SqueakGirl
    SqueakGirl Posts: 22 Member
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    Thanks for your replies! I am going to lose the weight no question there and I agree it is worth it even if I get a huge amount of sagging skin. I shouldn't worry about it.

    Mamabosha what you said about trading one insecurity for another really struck a cord with me, thank you for giving something to think about!

    Savage you always make me laugh! My chi-chis will be swinging!! LOL!

    Jamee thanks for understanding! I agree the kids/families just want us healthy and able to play, they don't care about sagging skin.

    John great point! Death is 100% not fixable.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
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    I'm with everyone on it being a concern, but in the grand scheme it's something I'm more than willing to live with. And I'm pretty certain it will be an issue for me due to being 49 and another issue. When the time comes, I may well look in to having the plastic surgery, but I'm not going to worry about it until I get there.
  • MelissaKaye91
    MelissaKaye91 Posts: 11 Member
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    This is a concern for me too. A place here offers a body lift for $8,000 which seems like a lot but it's about the price of a good used car. I am gonna start trying to save for it now because it's gonna take me a while to lose the rest of this anyway. At my best, I lose 10 pounds a month and I have at least 160 pounds left to go at this point. Right now, I'm 80 pounds down from my highest weight and I already notice a little bit of a chicken neck. I know nobody wants a chicken neck but I'm 37 and single...no thank you!! I am not opposed to surgery to straighten all that out.
  • mrdmevans
    mrdmevans Posts: 149 Member
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    JohnM, that is a great point. Still the thought of having a lot of extra skin freaks me out! I can deal with a little, but.....
  • sunnycalif
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    Familiar, I'm right there with you at 49, I know its going to be a problem, our skin just isn't so elastic now-a-days. But, like you, I'll deal with it when it comes along. Sure it concerns me & if the time comes I'll get it removed..
  • cjausten
    cjausten Posts: 7 Member
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    I`m going to be saving my money for an awesome surgeon...ya baby!! I follow a blog about a girl called Jen who lost 225lbs! She had lose skin (and she shares ALL her photos!) She had surgery and her story is very inspiring. You should check her OUT!! http://jenhudsonmosher.blogspot.ca She is also on fitness pal.

    :) CJ
  • margieyoumans
    margieyoumans Posts: 181 Member
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    Some encouragement is that WALKING will help with the skin. It won't totally take care of it but it will help a great deal. I have a sports nutritionist/ personel trainer in my family and he said that cardio is the only way to help with the fat and skin. I was all freaked and worried about this but I remembered I am doing this for me to be healthier. I love my husband very much but I have to be healthy and a little extra skin might just have to hang around till I can take care of it.
  • TheOlyGirl
    TheOlyGirl Posts: 3 Member
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    Hey there, newbie here. I decided this morning that I'm going to start using the discussion forums and this was the first discussion that grabbed me enough to want to reply.

    The loose skin issue has been a fear of mine since I was very young and "thinking" about losing the weight. I've neven been a yo-yo dieter, so I'm hoping that will help. However, I was over 400 pounds and that is certainly not in my favor. I have a deep seated fear of looking like a very fit Shar-pei puppy once I hit my goal.

    But, like others I've seen, I think I'll take the attitude that I'll deal with that when it comes up. (At least that's the attitude I've finally cultivated.)

    Thanks for the discussion! It's not just misery that loves company; so does progress. :-)
  • AmandaTWaH
    AmandaTWaH Posts: 181 Member
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    I worry about this but here are some things that help...

    1. Lose slowly. Don't aim to lose more than 2 pounds per week and when you are getting closer to your goal, slow down more.
    2. Do strength training and build some muscle.
    3. Moisturize your skin every day! I highly suggest using aloe and cocoa butter.
    4. Invest in a good bra and as you start to have skin issues, wrap it during exercise so it doesn't get worse.

    My plan is to lose my 200 pounds, hit my goal, and see how things are after six months. If it is still too much for my liking, I'll look into skin removal surgery.
  • margieyoumans
    margieyoumans Posts: 181 Member
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    So, I was doing research on this today and found something called an Infared Sauna. I read that it helps tighten skin and remove toxins from the body.

    The article said, "Unlike steam saunas, far infrared saunas burn subcutaneous fat and reduce cellulite, as well as remove toxins from the body and burn calories. Recommended twice a week. Drink lots of water during use." Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6818357

    I looked it up on ebay and I can get a portable one for as low as $135 (a full body one not the specific body part one). I discussed it with Hubby and he said we could get one to try it. I figure $135 is a LOT cheaper than whatever thousands it would cost for surgery, plus if it works, it will help along the way and I won't have to wait till I'm done loosing. Unfortunately I won't be able to get it for a month or so, bills, bills, bills ; (