Question for you all who've lost 100+

shedoos

I am almost 45, and thought my skin would never get better. It certainly isn't gone, but it has improved over the last year tremendously!

cyclingben

i have some excess but not that much i still have another 30-40 lbs to get off. Sometimes i wear a compression tshirt under my normal tshirts to make it better. But overall i cant be happier. I may not look great naked but i look alot better and healthier than when i was 420 lbs last year.

Shautzee

Yeah, my bikini days are probably over forever but it's most amazing to wear small clothes again, and look good in them.

My arm skin bugs me the most, but surprisingly it gets better by the day! I can even raise them overhead and to the side and not flop now- NSV!

runnerchick69

I actually had a trainer set up a program for me to tone up my arms and now I get compliments all the time about how great my arms look. Because I wasn't able to tone up my stomach I didn't have much hope for my arms but I didn't want to have more surgery so I talked to my trainer. He had me lift lighter weights with higher reps and targeted my trouble areas. Before I had saggy skin or bingo arms as I liked to call them LOL Now they are toned, muscular and I don't have any fear of showing them off in public

RobinvdM

My excess started showing up noticeably 15 lbs ago, mostly around my upper arms, belly, and now starting to see bigger wrinkling in my upper thighs. I don't even want to talk about the girls :sad: I too have started wondering/worrying about what my goal weight body is going to look like. I am currently stumbling around blindly in the dark trying to figure out how to mitigate how much excess there's going to be, but its inevitable to have some in my case =\

crazyellybean

I haven't lot 100 but I'm half way there. I think the key is exercise. Think of the Biggest Loser program - they lose hundreds of pounds and most dont have excess skin. Not only exercise but strength training is the answer. Good luck on your journey!

Actually many of the BL contestants after the show have to go through surgery to remove access skin. Have you ever noticed how at the beginning they make the men weigh shirtless and women in sports bras, then towards the end they are all wearing tshirts.

Melroxsox

I haven't lot 100 but I'm half way there. I think the key is exercise. Think of the Biggest Loser program - they lose hundreds of pounds and most dont have excess skin. Not only exercise but strength training is the answer. Good luck on your journey!

Actually many of the BL contestants after the show have to go through surgery to remove access skin. Have you ever noticed how at the beginning they make the men weigh shirtless and women in sports bras, then towards the end they are all wearing tshirts.

i noticed that and always wondered why. hmmmm

lovemykids58

Havent lost 100lbs ( i have if you count the gaining back and losing it again)- Either way. Yes.. I need a SERIOUS tummy tuck and my arms are just sad for someone my age. I never wear anything that doesnt have sleves :ohwell:

NeuroticVirgo

Spend time in the success board on here. There has been quite a few people who have lost 100+ lbs who have minimal loose skin. The idea of loose skin TERRIFIES me because my main goal for losing weight is vanity not healthy. People might not like it, but that's the truth. If I can't look good in a bikini then damn it give me my M&M's and Pizza!

From what I have seen / been told. It is genetics and TIME. My doctor told me not to consider surgery for at least 2 years after hitting goal because it can take that long for your skin to shrink back while maintaining. Strength training seems to be helpful too because the muscles help to lift the skin.

Then there are the posters on MFP who have shown their before and afters, and yes they do have some loose skin, but it was way better than what I had in my head. When I imagine the loose skin it is like the "the flap" on the movie Click.

Here is an example of someone on the success board who lost 100lbs, and she shows her belly. - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/528791-strength-training-gave-me-big-manly-muscles-or-not

dalissalee

Do not let the thought of excess skin keep you from your goals! I know it does worry people but that is something you can deal with after you've lost the weight and have toned up what you can. The truth is the longer you are over weight the more likely it is that you will have some loose skin. I saw someone said something about the BL contestants not having loose skin but they do and many times most of them deal with it through surgery. I lost over 100 pounds and never thought about loose skin but I had a lot of excess skin around my abdomen. I choose to deal with this through exercise as much as I could and when I knew what I had was just skin and not fat I went to see a surgeon. I opted to have a breast lift and the skin removed from my mid section. I had the breasts done because much like my abdomen, they had lost a substantial amount of fat and what I was left with was basically empty sacks I'm not telling you this to scare you and I certainly don't want to do anything that steers you farther away from getting fit and healthy but I want to be truthful. The biggest truth of all is though that if I knew back then what I knew after I had lost the weight I would still choose my health knowing what I was going to need to deal with. I'm 43 and I feel amazing and I wouldn't give that up for anything!

Personal question, if you don't mind answering, around how much did those two operations cost? I am pretty sure I'll need both of those things done if I don't want lose skin flapping everywhere because being only half way, it already is and I am the same age as you.

PaleoRDH

A lot of it depends on your age...hydration level.....how stretched out it was, etc. I lost loads of weight when I was 29. Everything went back to "normal" except my upper legs, looked like a Sharpei puppy. I had the skin removal surgery, it really didn't help much and was $11,000. That being said, my legs/thighs were my biggest area so the skin was more stretched out there. I had a tummy tuck done after my 2nd (and final) c-section, that went well........ but the "thigh lift" was a big disappointment.

Scarlett_S

Yes, and there is no way around it. There is no magic cream or formula, and building muscle definitely helps but it doesn't hide the fact that I need a tummy tuck. I have a nice set of abs under the skin that you can feel and not see. Bulking up my arms worked for that area but I didn't have a lot of extra weight in my arms.
Still, losing the weight was totally worth it and I feel like I look great in clothes. One day there may be a tummy tuck and boob lift in my future.

Scarlett_S

A lot of it depends on your age...hydration level.....how stretched out it was, etc. I lost loads of weight when I was 29. Everything went back to "normal" except my upper legs, looked like a Sharpei puppy. I had the skin removal surgery, it really didn't help much and was $11,000. That being said, my legs/thighs were my biggest area so the skin was more stretched out there. I had a tummy tuck done after my 2nd (and final) c-section, that went well........ but the "thigh lift" was a big disappointment.

The thigh operation is what I need most but I have heard such disappointing stories about it I don't think I'll ever do it. I am 43 and I don't plan on wearing Daisy Dukes or a bikini, but I do hate them.

TheLongRunner

I most certainly do. But it is only noticeable on my stomach and inner thighs (which no one sees) lol. You can also notice it on my arms when I am on the elliptical...otherwise, I don't see it on my arms...kinda weird that it shows up then. LOL I drink a ton of water (20-24 cups a day), I lotionized daily, and I am youngish (I like to think)....all of which may have helped.

kepete

I've lost 100 & have exercised throughout my weightloss. I have some major loose skin in the stomach, inner thighs, arms & knees. I decided WHO CARES! Who needs a bikini when you spend the majority of your life in regular clothes!

phatnotfat81

Yea but it tightens up way more than you'd expect as you maintain. Keep up the good work and try not to worry about it. Make sure to stay hydrated and take care of your skin on the way down

^^this^^ and genetics plays a part in it as well...I'm just making it to the 100lb mark...started this journey in 2010, so it has been kinda slow and steady; which i think plays a huge factor too. Just take your time losing it; follow your nutritional plan, workout and like someone else said lift weights. Good luck
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here's me currently

wisebadger53

I had quite a bit after I lost the majority of my weight, but since I cut back on my cardio and started to add in more strength training it is getting noticably better fairly quickly. I guess the bottom line is that I would rather have some extra skin than an extra 100 pounds.

awmejia

i have alot of extra skin but i would rather look like a sharpei than weight 310 again

BlisterLamb

I lost slowly and my skin stayed pretty tight. My massage guy says I have very elastic skin. I guess thats a good thing?

PomegranatePriestess

Ten years ago, I lost 110 lbs. I didn't notice a lot of sagging skin. I had a little bit of "looseness" to my upper arm skin (when I went to give blood and they tied the elastic around my upper arm, you could tell, but otherwise it looked normal).

I think a lot depends on how you carry your weight, too. I tend to carry all over, not just in one area, so my weight loss was distributed all over. I lost steadily, about 10 pounds a month after the initial higher loss (20 lbs in the first month).

Now that I'm doing this again, I'm hoping for similar results, but I accept that I'm ten years older so things may have changed a bit. I'm also open to the idea of a surgery if that's what it will take to make me feel good once I've maintained my goal weight for at least a year.

LavaDoll

i had lost 130# and been marked up for my surgeries and was to set the dates, only to lend the money for the first two operations away to someone who failed to return it.
and then...for other reasons, and as time went by, i gained 100# back.
i am losing my 80 first, then the last 20.

and i am *very*much looking forward to what i have decided to call my 'doll seams.'

i will have seams inside my arms, from armpit to elbow, when they are tightened up and lifted.
i will have a horizontal smile seam across my lower abdomen, major tummy tuck, part 1 of the lower body lift.
later, i will have Y seams inside my thighs, part 2 of the lower body lift.
and then later, i will have anchor seams on my breasts, when they are lifted.

and i will be happy to lose those last remaining pounds, for i will be carrying about 12-15# of extra skin when I am at my second, and ultimate goal.

and i will have toned up and worked out pre-ops, and will be a woman at goal, fitted to her own skin.

=^x^=

CyberEd312

I've lost quite a bit and had no choice but to have some intervention. I am currently 9 days Post Op from a circumferential body lift surgery.. If you would like to see this process I created a blog (approved by MFP) to document my journey...

Best of Luck

Ed

www.gettingfit4life.com

BringingSherriBack

Yes I have alot of loose skin on my stomach, arms, legs, my boobs sag, even my butt. Several factors play into this but I have gained and lost large amounts of weight several times in my life and that doesn't help. My skin just can't bounce back anymore, I guess.

CyberEd312

A lot of it depends on your age...hydration level.....how stretched out it was, etc. I lost loads of weight when I was 29. Everything went back to "normal" except my upper legs, looked like a Sharpei puppy. I had the skin removal surgery, it really didn't help much and was $11,000. That being said, my legs/thighs were my biggest area so the skin was more stretched out there. I had a tummy tuck done after my 2nd (and final) c-section, that went well........ but the "thigh lift" was a big disappointment.

The thigh operation is what I need most but I have heard such disappointing stories about it I don't think I'll ever do it. I am 43 and I don't plan on wearing Daisy Dukes or a bikini, but I do hate them.

Have heard the same that the scaring is all the way to your inner knee... I could definitely use the thigh lift but my shorts cover it up and I don't really want the big scars so I will pass on that part too...

mdbs2004

My ball sack is the worse. It interferes with everything. I have to wear special underwear just to keep them from slapping my bad knee. I know the cure to this problem is just to gain the weight back but I can’t seem to eat enough lard and sit on my *kitten* long enough to gain it back. But 1 day. 1 day I won’t have to shave my ball sack as if I was sharpening my razor.

Gerald_King

The answer to your question is no but you might get a small amount but i wouldn't worry

embersfallen

bump...

nancyaaa

scares me too, I have the hugest bingo wings and even tho I have lost nearly 90lb they are still full of fat! I have read that scrubs followed by moisturising helps. I also heard that its best to break up your weight loss i.e to lose a fraction of it and then maintain for a few months. I have been doing that unintentionally and so far no sagging. (I got about 30 to go)

Dying2Live84

Thank you all so much for the replies!

I guess I will worry when I have to, for now I will continue to concentrate on the weight loss.

xx