loose skin and stretch marks

joselo2

I am dreaming of having a conventionally attractive body, to help motivate to lose weight. But something I've been trying not to think about too much is the fact that i think I will never have this. Because even if I lose all the weight, I worry I'll be left with lose skin, and I got stretch marks all over!

I am young, only 20, I wasn't even at my highest weight (29stone/406lbs) for very long in the grand sceme of things; I only started gaining lots of weight about 13/14yrs old and pretty much the following several years involved quite rapid weight gain! So my skin have been doing lots of stretching. I have bad stretch marks, right now I don't worry about them because I never show my body anyways, no one sees them. But they aren't going anywhere! Also I worry my skin is all stretched out of shape, and never goes back and I'llhave lose skin all over. Idon't know if I can afford surgery for that, and does anyone know if it is very effective?

Iknow this sounds super vain, but I guess I dreamed of a nice body that I don't get self concious about and I think mybe I never can, and this is a little upsetting to think
xxxx

IdunAbelone

Aging has a lot to do with how much loose skin sags after losing large amount of weight because of skin's elasticity. Before your mid-20s, your skin has elasticity that causes it to bounce back in place, but as you age, your skin's elasticity dramatically declines. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the loss of elasticity is exacerbated by gravity causing the skin to sag. How you take care of your skin while you're younger has a lot to do with the amount of elasticity you will have as you grow older.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/284907-skin-elasticity-after-losing-weight/#ixzz21oidKYb1

PrinnyBomb

I know what you mean. This is a major concern for me too. I've never been slender and trim. I also dream of a nice body (never had one in 27 years). Best way is to lose weight slowly and hope your skin shrinks with you, also with toning exercises. As the for the strectch marks, eventually they will fade but never disappear without surgery. I know bio-oil helps with the appearance. Best of luck to you (and me)!

Marchmallow

I have stretchmarks that formed in my teens when I think I put on weight quite quickly. The good news about it though is that they will shrink and the colour will fade from red (when they're new) to a nicer silvery colour over time. You might think this is strange, but I quite like the silvery marks on my hips and thighs, they're pretty in a strange way. They will never fade completely, so learn to love them, they're a part of you and will tell the story of how you lost all that weight. They'll be your battle scars.

As for the loose skin, I don't know.. most people that lose a huge amount of weight do have loose skin, but as others have said I don't know if your young age might give you an advantage there. Surgery is always an option in the future if you do end up with it and find the money somehow! But generally when people are wearing clothes you don't notice any sign of the skin and they just look skinny.

DanaDark

1. Losing weight slowly (1 to 2 pounds a week) will allow the skin's elasticity to keep up with the weight loss so no loose skin. Loose skin occurs in very rapid weight loss. Surgery can fix that. So, don't go losing 20 pounds a week for months on end.

2. Stretch marks... sooo many of us have them. I know super skinny people with them too. They really are not all that bad. DO not worry about them at all.