Scared of excess skin.

ashbee03

Hello.
So I am very unhappy with my body being fat.
I have always been fat.
But have started to change.
What scares me is I will lose all this weight, get to my goal, and still be unhappy.
Due to hanging skin.

I don't know what I like more, curves, or saggy skin.

Does this saggy skin go away after a while, to those of you that have lost massive amounts of weight ?

I realize it will sag for a while.
But with hard work, does it go back to normal?

I know there is tummy tucks, but I doubt I could afford one, and I want to have children down the road.

So I'm just curious.

gogophers

You're young, so your skin is more elastic than an older person's. I bet most if not all of it will "go away". However, there's no way to tell now. The slower you lose the weight, the more likely it is that your skin will tighten back up again. But, I have no idea what the optimal weight loss "speed" is to ensure your skin reconfigures.

Some people do have excess skin they can't get rid of and they either just live with it or get surgery. Either way though, I've been told that you should wait at least 6-12 months after you're at your optimum weight before considering surgery to remove excess skin.

lesle1

Lose it slow, make sure you exercise and drink a lot of water.

foodfight247

OP - so pleased you posted this as I know someone outside of MFP who was asking exactly the same question.

moglie1914

With my experience from a 65 pound wieght loss with in a year in a half made me have excess skin. Even with working out now its one of the hardest things im struggling to lose and or tighten. im sure everyone is different tho. i wish you the best!

crimsontech

I'm definitely scared of this, but I decided I'd rather look like I have more fat than I do because of excess skin, than to actually HAVE the extra unnecessary fat. I am pretty sure there's going to end up being some plastic surgery in my future, so I am starting to save up for it now and I am pretty sure you can get financing and make payments on it.

I intend to wait a year after reaching my goal weight, though I'll probably be shopping doctors and getting consultations after 6-8 months. Until then, I imagine Spanx will be my best friend. :P

Don't let the fear of what you'll look like hold you back from getting healthier!

almarsala

bump

JoeD1968

yeas losing slower gives your body time to adjust ,probably a smart plan

Elizabeth_C34

Lose it slowly. Excess skin is nothing compared to the health damage obesity does, so just take your time and get yourself healthy. Worry about the rest later.

Good luck to you!

FWIW, I have noticed some loose skin, but it gets better in time.

jhardenbergh

I have some excess skin, it has gone down a bunch since I started lifting in September. I lost all my weight from Jan 2011 to Jan 2012. My advice is start lifting early and only try to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. I will take the loose skin over fat any day of the week though. Plus the only time they can really tell is if your clothes are off, I have had people tell me they never thought I was obese and when I complain about the loose skin they say it doesn't look like you have any. Maybe they are trying to be nice, if so they seem like pretty good actors.

Ralphrabbit

I have excess skin & will have more as yet to reach my goal! However, I have been very overweight for a very long time & I sort of expected it. It certainly is not as much as I expected!! I am just glad that it is not longer filled with fat and actually it does not bother me much. When I get to my goal & have been there for a while I will consider doing something about it.

Shrinkingmam0429

Hello.
So I am very unhappy with my body being fat.
I have always been fat.
But have started to change.
What scares me is I will lose all this weight, get to my goal, and still be unhappy.
Due to hanging skin.

I don't know what I like more, curves, or saggy skin.

Does this saggy skin go away after a while, to those of you that have lost massive amounts of weight ?

I realize it will sag for a while.
But with hard work, does it go back to normal?

I know there is tummy tucks, but I doubt I could afford one, and I want to have children down the road.

So I'm just curious.

I know EXACTLY what you mean, I'm a very tiny girl, barely 5 foot tall & When I delivered my son, i had an emergeny c-section, so they did the bikini cut, But Cut my uterus Up and down, so because it was transversally cut, I have like No Stomach muscles, So what looks like "fat" is actually just sagging skin, I went to the dr. and they said that I'd most likely have to have a tummy tuck But we want another baby down the line....So they suggested lipo suction for temporary help of the sagging skin.

Now I know that for MOST people Skin has a very good elasticity, and from what I can tell you are young, with hard work, I'm sure your stomach will look fabulous! Lots of ab workouts! Good luck!

MyOwnSunshine

I do have excess skin after losing 112 pounds. The only areas affected are my lower stomach and my inner thighs. Everything else looks pretty good.

I will say that I would 100 times over rather weigh what I do now and have excess skin than be fat. Absolutely, no contest.

My clothes, and even my new tankini, cover my loose skin pretty well. Nothing covers 112 extra pounds.

I'm hoping to be able to have a tummy tuck and thigh lift (and maybe a breast lift/augmentation) in the next year if I can figure it out financially. But, you know, if plastics never happen, I'll never regret losing weight.

My life is so much better in ways I never imagined, and if the price of that is some extra skin, I'll pay it.

yentess

It is different for everyone and depends on the elastcity of your skin. Losing at a slower steady rate will definately be better. If you are prone to stretch marks you probably don't have the best elasticity. Don't let fear of loose skin keep you from losing weight. There are so many benefits to your health and unless you walk around in a bikini all the time you will most likely prefer your more svelte figure, even if it does have a little saggy skin

Shrinkingmam0429

I have some excess skin, it has gone down a bunch since I started lifting in September. I lost all my weight from Jan 2011 to Jan 2012. My advice is start lifting early and only try to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. I will take the loose skin over fat any day of the week though.

Be careful of lifting weights long term! Horrible on the shoulders & Knees!

Yanicka1

Being healthy > excess skin.

I have excess skin but I am in the best shape of my life. Don't let it stop you and you can't know how it will look until you get there

Laura8603

Your age and genetics will determine how much excess skin you have. The rate at which you lose will have little to no effect. Do not let the fear of saggy skin prevent you from losing weight and getting healthier. Shapewear works wonders. You can also start saving for plastics.

almarsala

I do have excess skin after losing 112 pounds. The only areas affected are my lower stomach and my inner thighs. Everything else looks pretty good.

I will say that I would 100 times over rather weigh what I do now and have excess skin than be fat. Absolutely, no contest.

My clothes, and even my new tankini, cover my loose skin pretty well. Nothing covers 112 extra pounds.

I'm hoping to be able to have a tummy tuck and thigh lift (and maybe a breast lift/augmentation) in the next year if I can figure it out financially. But, you know, if plastics never happen, I'll never regret losing weight.

My life is so much better in ways I never imagined, and if the price of that is some extra skin, I'll pay it.

you are my hero

crimsontech

I do have excess skin after losing 112 pounds. The only areas affected are my lower stomach and my inner thighs. Everything else looks pretty good.

I will say that I would 100 times over rather weigh what I do now and have excess skin than be fat. Absolutely, no contest.

My clothes, and even my new tankini, cover my loose skin pretty well. Nothing covers 112 extra pounds.

I'm hoping to be able to have a tummy tuck and thigh lift (and maybe a breast lift/augmentation) in the next year if I can figure it out financially. But, you know, if plastics never happen, I'll never regret losing weight.

My life is so much better in ways I never imagined, and if the price of that is some extra skin, I'll pay it.

Thanks for that! You said it!

Be careful of lifting weights long term! Horrible on the shoulders & Knees!

I think you've just opened a can of worms. Lifting weights isn't horrible for you in any way... unless you're doing it wrong. Bad form in any exercise can cause you problems.

Yanicka1

I have some excess skin, it has gone down a bunch since I started lifting in September. I lost all my weight from Jan 2011 to Jan 2012. My advice is start lifting early and only try to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. I will take the loose skin over fat any day of the week though.

Be careful of lifting weights long term! Horrible on the shoulders & Knees!

Wha???? Our body is made to move. Keep good form and it will be ok

stubbysticks

Be careful of lifting weights long term! Horrible on the shoulders & Knees!

That's ridiculous...it's not horrible on the shoulders & knees if you're doing it correctly. If the OP is concerned about excess skin, what else is suppose to backfill the space when the fat is gone besides muscle? YES to strength training. Lift regularly & don't be afraid to lift HEAVY (work up to it, of course).

Exercise in general will make the biggest difference in reshaping your body. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water & moisturize regularly to maximize your skin elasticity. For some elasticity is limited by genetics, but not everyone.

I think "scared" is a strong word to use when talking about excess skin. Be scared of zombies, or rabid dogs, or the Sweet Genius guy. Be scared of dying from an obesity-related medical condition if you don't get healthy. Excess skin is the least of your worries, honey.

stephleaoc

I had a baby 10 months ago and in that time I have lost 16kilos
my belly is saggy but that's due to having a baby.
As unpleasant as it is the skinnier I get the better it starts to look and
I just do sit ups to help try and tone it back up.
At the end of the day I am MUCH happier being skinny with a bit of saggy skin then
To be larger and self conscious about myself everyday.
Its easier to hide saggy skin then it is fat and being healthy and fit definitely is worth losing the weight just on its own.
In conclusion stress less and DONT AIM FOR PERFECTION, AIM FOR IMPROVEMENT and you can't go wrong good luck.
also if anyone wants to add me feel free: stephleaoc

KyliAnnHobson

Hi, I've lost 70 lbs over the past 11 months and I do have some loose skin, but it's definitely improving. I'm pretty confident that if I keep working at it, I will get the results I want. It just takes time, patience, and hard work! Even if my stomach never completely firms up again, I'll take saggy skin over fat any day!

gombolyu

That is the reason I choose to loose my weight very slowly. I exfoliate a lot (every day). Exercise and massage a lot, and I use bio oil and argan oil in order to help my skin to be as firm as possible. At the moment it looks fine.

gogophers

What I'm most worried about is knowing when to stop losing weight and level out. I know it takes a long time for skin to go back even with great genetics, etc... I've never been at my optimal weight, so I don't know what my optimal weight is. Because of that, I was mainly planning on stopping when I "looked okay" but it's difficult to tell with excess skin. And, even if I knew my optimal weight, I have no idea the extent of and weight of the excess skin.

txbutterfly69

I made a mistake and did a shake weight loss plan and lost weight very quickly. My skin never shrunk :-( Truly recommend to loose it slow.....

Shrinkingmam0429

Be careful of lifting weights long term! Horrible on the shoulders & Knees!

That's ridiculous...it's not horrible on the shoulders & knees if you're doing it correctly. If the OP is concerned about excess skin, what else is suppose to backfill the space when the fat is gone besides muscle? YES to strength training. Lift regularly & don't be afraid to lift HEAVY (work up to it, of course).

Exercise in general will make the biggest difference in reshaping your body. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water & moisturize regularly to maximize your skin elasticity. For some elasticity is limited by genetics, but not everyone.

I think "scared" is a strong word to use when talking about excess skin. Be scared of zombies, or rabid dogs, or the Sweet Genius guy. Be scared of dying from an obesity-related medical condition if you don't get healthy. Excess skin is the least of your worries, honey.

Depending on the style of weights lifted, it certainly CAN cause small tears within the Lining of the ligaments/tendons of the knees and shoulders! I do agree that if done properly the chances of hurting yourself are slim. I am a Nurse working on being a PA & I work in Orthopaedic surgery. I see this A LOT with patients who lift weights incorrectly and for long periods of time. Some people do fine and have no problems with it. Others do not.

Shrinkingmam0429

I have some excess skin, it has gone down a bunch since I started lifting in September. I lost all my weight from Jan 2011 to Jan 2012. My advice is start lifting early and only try to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. I will take the loose skin over fat any day of the week though.

Be careful of lifting weights long term! Horrible on the shoulders & Knees!

Wha???? Our body is made to move. Keep good form and it will be ok

Your body is made to move, of course it is. Lifting weights, depending on the style & weight that you lift can (IN TIME) cause a lot of damage to the tendons & ligaments in your joints.

gogophers

Depending on the style of weights lifted, it certainly CAN cause small tears within the Lining of the ligaments/tendons of the knees and shoulders! I do agree that if done properly the chances of hurting yourself are slim. I am a Nurse working on being a PA & I work in Orthopaedic surgery. I see this A LOT with patients who lift weights incorrectly and for long periods of time. Some people do fine and have no problems with it. Others do not.

Well, yes, if done incorrectly, you can injure yourself especially if you do the exercise incorrectly for a long period of time.

Can you injure yourself even if you lift correctly? Of course! But a blanket statement that lifting weights long term is horrible on the shoulders and knees is misleading at best. You can also injure yourself doing pretty much any other exercise. Also, since lifting weights doesn't have to involve either the shoulders or the knees...

Additionally, because you work in orthopedics, of course you're going to see a lot of people with shoulder and knee issues related to lifting. But what you don't see is imaging from the 95% (a made up number) that don't come in since there's nothing wrong with them.

gogojodee

With my experience from a 65 pound wieght loss with in a year in a half made me have excess skin. Even with working out now its one of the hardest things im struggling to lose and or tighten. im sure everyone is different tho. i wish you the best!

OMG. I'm sad now ha. I have 65 lbs total to lose. :[ I hope to have no issues.

KyliAnnHobson

Hi, I've lost 70 lbs over the past 11 months and I do have some loose skin, but it's definitely improving. I'm pretty confident that if I keep working at it, I will get the results I want. It just takes time, patience, and hard work! Even if my stomach never completely firms up again, I'll take saggy skin over fat any day!

Your body actually looks good. You're a good example, I just think you're the only one that notices it.

Thanks, you're probably right. You may not be able to tell in the pic but I have a few stretch marks, too, so that's what I focus on when I look at my stomach. But, those are also improving!